Thailand is making things easier! From May 1, 2025, you’ll need to complete a quick online form called the TDAC before you arrive – no more paper forms!
Today, Thailand’s tourism department confirmed that the TM6 immigration form is moving online. It will be called the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) and will be ready to use from May 1, 2025.
It was a standard form, a bit like a short survey, that Thailand needed tourists to complete when entering and exiting the country. It collected your key information for your trip, including your identity, passport, and Thai address. You needed to complete the form when you entered Thailand and again before you left.
Back in July 2022, Thailand tried to make getting through the airport faster by stopping the need to fill out the TM6 form for people flying in. They then extended this no-paper rule to the mainland and sea borders as well. The thought was that less paperwork would make it easier for people to enter and boost tourism. This temporary stop to the TM6 form kept being pushed further, and in October last year, they announced it would continue until April 30th of this year. Meanwhile, they’ve been developing a new online system called the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for travellers who don’t need a visa.
Welcome to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
The people in charge of tourism in Thailand have officially said that the new online arrival card system, called TDAC, will start working on May 1st, 2025. This means that instead of filling out the paper TM6 form when you travel to Thailand, you’ll now do it online before you even arrive. This new digital way will handle all the immigration stuff beforehand.
Nattareeya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, says, “The provision of the TM6 online service is one of the important measures to promote Thaitourism, facilitating the entry of tourists and travellers into the country.“
“The TDAC system has now been developed and is being linked to data from relevant agencies, including the Department of Disease Control, airlines, and customs agencies. The system is scheduled to be fully operational from May 1, 2025,” explains the ministerial press release.
Thailand’s government expects that this switch to an online arrival form, like their e-Visa, will lead to quicker border checks, less time spent waiting, and a better experience for travellers from other countries. They will give more details about how the TDAC works and what you need to do at a later time.
