Thailand: How the new electronic entry card works

Bangkok, Thailand Photo: pexels/I. Joseph

Starting May 1, Thailand will introduce the Digital Arrival Card. The system is similar to the electronic travel authorizations of other countries – but with small but important differences.

With the long-heralded Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), Thailand is now following the trend of using electronic pre-registration to gain more time to screen foreign travelers. It must be completed by anyone who is not a Thai citizen. German citizens are permitted to stay in the Kingdom for up to 60 days without a visa, with the one-time option of an additional 30 days.

The official website (English) for the TDAC application is: TDAC/en/index.html

What travelers should pay attention to when completing the application:

Time:	In contrast to the digital travel authorizations of other countries (ESTA, USA, ETA, Great Britain), Thailand requires the application for the TDAC precisely three days before the planned arrival (including the date of arrival).
Citizenship:	If you search for "Germany" under nationality, you won't find it. Instead, you'll find the term "German" under "DEU."
Address:	For the place of residence, you do not have to search for “Germany”, but rather “DEU”, and then you will get “Federal Republic of Germany”.
Accommodation in Thailand:	The hotel name plus the city are not enough. It's best to provide the exact and complete accommodation address, including province, district, sub-district, and postal code.
Validity:	The biggest difference from other electronic entry systems is the validity period. TDAC applications are only valid for the current trip, not for two years as is usually the case.
Fee:	Thailand does not charge any fees for the Digital Arrival Card, which also reduces the risk of fake websites trying to scam you for TDAC.
Possibility:	Unlike in other countries, it appears (unconfirmed) that travelers who have not yet completed an application for the introduction of TDAC can still do so at the airport. However, how long the approval process will take is unknown.

(thy)

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Thailand: How the new electronic entry card works

Bangkok, Thailand Photo: pexels/I. Joseph

Starting May 1, Thailand will introduce the Digital Arrival Card. The system is similar to the electronic travel authorizations of other countries – but with small but important differences.

The official website (English) for the TDAC application is: TDAC/en/index.html

What travelers should pay attention to when completing the application:

Time:	In contrast to the digital travel authorizations of other countries (ESTA, USA, ETA, Great Britain), Thailand requires the application for the TDAC precisely three days before the planned arrival (including the date of arrival).
Citizenship:	If you search for "Germany" under nationality, you won't find it. Instead, you'll find the term "German" under "DEU."
Address:	For the place of residence, you do not have to search for “Germany”, but rather “DEU”, and then you will get “Federal Republic of Germany”.
Accommodation in Thailand:	The hotel name plus the city are not enough. It's best to provide the exact and complete accommodation address, including province, district, sub-district, and postal code.
Validity:	The biggest difference from other electronic entry systems is the validity period. TDAC applications are only valid for the current trip, not for two years as is usually the case.
Fee:	Thailand does not charge any fees for the Digital Arrival Card, which also reduces the risk of fake websites trying to scam you for TDAC.
Possibility:	Unlike in other countries, it appears (unconfirmed) that travelers who have not yet completed an application for the introduction of TDAC can still do so at the airport. However, how long the approval process will take is unknown.