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Passport valid 6+ months from arrival

Required

Thai immigration enforces this strictly. If your passport expires within 6 months of your Thailand arrival date, renew it before flying. Airlines will deny boarding.

Visa exemption confirmed (or visa obtained)

Required

93+ nationalities currently get 60 days visa-free. This is under review and may revert to 30 days. Use our visa checker to confirm your specific country.

TDAC submitted within 3 days before arrival

Required

Mandatory for every non-Thai entering by air, land, or sea. Submit at tdac.immigration.go.th. Save the QR code. Free.

Proof of onward or return travel

Strongly recommended

Airlines check this at check-in, not Thai immigration. A return ticket, onward flight, or bus/train ticket out of Thailand within your visa-exempt period works.

Proof of funds (rarely checked but required)

Recommended

Officially: ฿20,000 per person or ฿40,000 per family equivalent. In practice, almost never enforced for tourists from visa-exempt countries. Carry a credit card statement just in case.

Travel insurance with motorbike + hospital coverage

Strongly recommended

Not legally required for tourists, but a single ER visit at a Thai private hospital can cost ฿10,000-50,000+. Most standard policies exclude motorbike accidents — read the fine print.

First-night accommodation booked

Strongly recommended

You need a Thailand address for the TDAC and immigration arrival card. Book at least your first night ahead.

Some cash for arrival (฿4,000-6,000)

Recommended

Skip the airport currency exchange — terrible rates. Use an airport ATM (฿220 fee) for emergency cash, then exchange or withdraw more at SuperRich or downtown ATMs.

eSIM or Thai SIM plan

Nice to have

Buy at airport (AIS, TrueMove H, DTAC kiosks) for ฿299-599, or load an eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) before you fly. AIS has the best rural coverage.

Embassy contact saved

Nice to have

Save your embassy phone number and email in your phone before departure. Most don't need it, but it's a 30-second insurance policy.

What is the TDAC?

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is the country's replacement for the old paper TM.6 form. Every non-Thai national must submit it online before entering Thailand by air, land, or sea. It is mandatory, free, and takes about 5 minutes.

When to submit it

Submit your TDAC within 3 days before arrival. If you submit too early, the system may reject it. If you submit too late, you may be held up at immigration. The sweet spot is 24-48 hours before your flight.

What you need to fill it out

Passport details (number, expiry, nationality)
Flight number and arrival date
Address in Thailand for the first night (hotel name + address is fine)
Contact email — they send a confirmation QR code

You'll receive a QR code by email. Save it to your phone or print it. Show it at immigration on arrival.

Per-traveler, per-entry

Every traveler needs their own TDAC, including children with their own passports. You also need a fresh TDAC for every entry — if you do a border run to Cambodia and come back, submit a new one.

Common mistakes

Wrong arrival date. Use your Thailand arrival date in local time, not your departure date.
Submitting through a third-party site. They are not the government. Use the official URL only.
Typos in passport number. Immigration cross-checks against your passport — typos cause delays.
Forgetting hotel address. Pick any first-night accommodation and use that. You can change plans later.

Visa exemption is separate from TDAC

Submitting a TDAC does not grant you a visa or extend your stay. Most Western nationalities currently get 60 days visa-free, but this is under review and may revert to 30. Use the visa checker to confirm your specific situation.

Thailand TDAC + Entry Checklist

What is the TDAC?

When to submit it

What you need to fill it out

Per-traveler, per-entry

Common mistakes

Visa exemption is separate from TDAC

Once You're Through Customs