What you need to enter Thailand in 2026: the free TDAC arrival card, the optional THIM app, visa questions, documents and the most common mistakes.
Please note: Rules can change – check the official source before you travel. This article describes the situation when it was first published on 10 August 2026.
What changes for entering Thailand in 2026?
Entering Thailand in 2026 is shaped by three topics: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), the new Thailand Immigration Management app (THIM) and updated visa and stay rules. The TDAC replaces the former paper arrival form and is completed online before arrival. Fewer paper forms make entry faster, but travellers carry more responsibility for preparing correctly before the trip.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?
The TDAC is an electronic arrival card for foreign travellers. It collects personal details, travel information, accommodation data and health-related information before you arrive. It is not a visa, does not replace a residence permit and does not extend your permitted stay. It also does not guarantee entry: the final decision remains with the immigration officers at the airport, land border or seaport.
The TDAC applies to tourists, business travellers, long-stay travellers and digital nomads, whether they enter visa-free or with a visa, and whether they arrive by air, land or sea. A visa does not replace the TDAC, and a new TDAC is needed for every entry into Thailand.
When and how do you complete the TDAC?
Submit the TDAC online before you travel, within the permitted submission period, and not at the last minute at the airport. Have your passport, flight and accommodation details ready. If you fly via another country, enter the final flight into Thailand: on a route from Zurich via Doha to Bangkok, for example, the relevant flight is the one from Doha to Bangkok.
You will usually need:
- passport details and your full name exactly as shown in the passport
- nationality and date of birth
- flight or travel details and the planned arrival date
- the address of your first accommodation in Thailand
- contact details
- travel history information
- health-related information, if required
Is the TDAC free?
Yes. Submitting the TDAC through the official Thai immigration portal is free of charge. Many private websites offer paid forms, express services or processing help, and some look official at first glance without being run by Thai immigration. Never pay a so-called express fee and never enter card details for the standard submission.
Follow these rules to stay safe:
- Use only the official Thai immigration portal.
- Do not enter credit card details on suspicious websites.
- Do not open links from unknown emails or messenger messages.
- Check the domain carefully, especially when you click on search engine ads.
- Do not pay any alleged express fees.
What is the THIM app?
THIM stands for Thailand Immigration Management, an app developed by Thai immigration to make processes for foreign travellers more digital. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, it opened for pilot access in June 2026 and allows TDAC-linked registration. During the pilot phase the app is optional and the official TDAC portal remains available, so the app does not replace the TDAC.
In short: the TDAC is the digital arrival form, THIM is a mobile immigration app that may be linked to it, and the TDAC remains the central requirement for entry. Do not assume that only the app must be used; check before departure which option is officially recommended.
Which visa rules apply in 2026?
Thailand approved changes to its visa exemption and visa on arrival programmes in 2026, including adjustments to visa-free entry, eligible country categories and visa on arrival rules. The exact rules depend on your nationality, your travel date and how far the changes have been implemented. Always check the current rules shortly before travel with an official Thai embassy, consulate or immigration source.
Do travellers from Switzerland, Germany or Austria need a visa?
It depends on the purpose of travel, the length of stay and the rules in force at the time. Thailand has long allowed visa-free holiday entry for many nationalities, but since visa rules were changed in 2026, do not assume that earlier stay periods still apply unchanged. Remember that the TDAC is separate from the visa question and never extends the permitted stay.
Before you travel, check:
- How long will you stay?
- Will you enter by air, land or sea?
- Will you leave and re-enter Thailand during the trip?
- Is the purpose tourism, work, study or business?
- Do you have a return or onward ticket?
- Is a visa required, or is visa-free entry sufficient?
Which documents should you have ready?
Keep your valid passport, the TDAC confirmation or QR code, a visa if required, the address of your first accommodation and your return or onward ticket at hand. Not every document is checked at every entry point, but good preparation saves time and stress if immigration officers ask additional questions at the airport or border.
Also useful:
- travel insurance documents, if you have insurance
- proof of sufficient funds, if requested
- digital copies of important documents
What are the most common TDAC mistakes?
Most entry problems come from small mistakes rather than complicated rules. Your name must match your passport exactly, the passport number must be typed carefully, and the arrival date is the day you actually land in Thailand, which can differ from the departure date on overnight flights. For connections via hubs such as Doha, Dubai, Singapore or Istanbul, enter the final flight into Thailand.
If you notice an important error, such as a wrong passport number or arrival date, correct the information or submit the TDAC again before you travel. Watch out for:
- Name spelling: differences in first names, hyphens or name order can cause delays.
- Passport number: the letter O and the number 0, or the number 1 and the letter I, are easily confused.
- Arrival date: use the date you arrive in Thailand, not the departure date.
- Flight segment: enter the final flight number into Thailand.
- Accommodation: the hotel name alone may not be enough; copy the full address from your booking confirmation.
- Paid third-party sites: the official TDAC is free.
How do you protect your data when using entry forms?
Entry forms ask for sensitive data such as your passport number, date of birth, travel plans, accommodation and contact details, so use only official websites. Never upload passport copies to unknown sites, never enter payment details for a free submission and ignore supposed TDAC reminders with payment links. The more urgent and official an unknown message looks, the more carefully you should check it.
- Use only official websites.
- Take browser warnings seriously.
- Save confirmations securely.
- Delete suspicious emails.
What should be on your Thailand entry checklist?
Before departure, check your passport, confirm the latest visa rules and complete the TDAC through the official portal. Save the confirmation and keep an offline copy as a screenshot or PDF in case there is no internet at the airport. Following these steps greatly reduces the risk of delays, uncertainty and unnecessary costs.
- Check your passport's validity.
- Confirm the latest visa rules.
- Complete the TDAC through the official portal.
- Use the THIM app only based on official guidance.
- Have your accommodation details ready.
- Check your return or onward flight details.
- Save the TDAC confirmation and keep an offline screenshot or PDF.
- Store important documents additionally in the cloud.
- Avoid paid TDAC third-party providers.
