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Thailand Digital Arrival Card: Guide for Samui Trips
· Luxy Samui
All foreign visitors must fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before they arrive.
Since 1 May 2025, every foreign visitor must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, known as the TDAC, before arriving in the country. The online form replaced the old paper TM6 card. It applies to arrivals by air, land and sea, so it covers every traveller on the way to Koh Samui, whatever the route.
Who must complete it
According to aviation site Mainly Miles and trip-planning firm Universal Weather, the rule covers all foreign nationals. This includes tourists who enter visa-free, business travellers and people who hold long-term visas. Foreign residents who come back to Thailand on a re-entry permit must complete it too.
Thai citizens are exempt. So are transit passengers who do not pass through immigration.
When and where
The form can be submitted during the three days before arrival, which means within 72 hours of landing. It is filled in on the official immigration website, tdac.immigration.go.th. The site is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Japanese. One person can submit for a group of up to ten travellers, which is useful for families.
The Thai Visa Centre notes that the TDAC is free on the official site. Be careful with other websites that charge a fee to complete it for you.
What you need to have ready
- Passport details: name, number, nationality and date of birth.
- Arrival flight number and date, and the purpose of the trip.
- Departure date and flight number.
- The address where you will stay in Thailand.
- A phone number and an email address.
- The countries you visited in the two weeks before arrival, for the health section.
After you submit, a confirmation with a QR code is sent by email. Keep it on your phone or print it, and show it at immigration. Some details cannot be edited later: name, passport number, nationality and date of birth. If one of these is wrong, you have to submit a new card.
If you forget
Mainly Miles warns that travellers without a TDAC may face longer waits at immigration, or problems at check-in for their flight. It is easier to do it at home, a day or two before you leave.
What it means for your stay
The form asks for your address in Thailand. If you rent a villa in Koh Samui, ask for the full address before you start, including the sub-district and the district. If you fly to Samui through Bangkok, you normally pass immigration at your first airport in Thailand, so have the QR code ready there. To plan your trip, you can check villa availability online.
