Since May 2025, the paper TM6 arrival card is history. In its place is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), and it is compulsory for every foreign national entering the country — by air, by land, or by sea.
The rules, briefly
- Submit it within 72 hours before arrival. Not earlier — the form will reject you.
- It is free. Zero baht. Always.
- Do it on the official Thai Immigration site only.
- Every traveller needs their own submission, children included.
- You'll get a QR code by email. Screenshot it. Airport wifi is not a plan.
The scam to actually worry about
The tell is straightforward: if a site asks for a card payment for the TDAC, it is not the government. The real service does not take money. Type the immigration URL directly rather than clicking an ad, and check the domain before you enter a passport number.
What you'll need to hand
Passport details, flight number, and the address of your first night's accommodation. That last one catches people out — if you haven't booked anything yet, you cannot complete the form. Book at least the first night before you sit down to do this.
What it costs you
Nothing, if you do it right. Roughly ten minutes per person. The only real cost is the one you incur by paying a middleman for a free form — so don't.
Work out what this costs you
Rules and fees change; your budget should keep up. The estimator does the sums in about two minutes.
Build my Thailand budget →Sources
Reporting this piece draws on. Rules change — check the primary source before you act on anything here.
Published 14 July 2026. Travel rules, fees and prices change without much warning — always confirm with an official source or your embassy before you book or travel. Nothing here is legal, immigration or financial advice.