Travelers to Thailand must now register for a Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or a (TDAC). The new requirement started May 1, 2025, and all non-Thai nationals entering the country by air, land, or sea, must complete the TDAC online prior to arrival. The new digital system intends to speed up the immigration process and eliminate the use of paper forms, while more effectively recording traveler movements in and out of the country. The Immigration Bureau of Thailand advises travelers to register for the card within three days of their arrival.
According to TAT News, the arrival card is a part of the Thai government’s broader digital transformation of immigration procedures, designed to “streamline border processing, reduce paperwork, and enhance traveller convenience.”
Thailand receives around 40 million tourists per year, and is home to between three and four million expats. Thai residents who are returning to Thailand from abroad are not required to complete the registration, however, long-term or permanent foreign residents must do so and should select “Thailand” under “Country of Residence.”
Currently foreigners are allowed to remain in Thailand for a period of up to 60 days without a visa. After this time, travelers must leave the country and return to restart their 60-day period or pay a fee to extend their stay by no more than 30 days.
Thailand also issues digital nomad visas to foreigners called the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). These visas are available to remote workers, digital nomads and freelancers, and allows stays of up to 180 days per visit.
