A trip to Thailand comes with a small amount of paperwork, and most of it can be sorted out at home, well before you travel. This checklist goes through it in order: your passport, a visa or the visa exemption, your onward travel, and the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. It only includes what we could confirm with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai embassies and consulates, or the TDAC site itself.
This is a general guide, not legal advice. The rules depend on your nationality and on why you're travelling, and Thailand changed its visa exemption scheme in September 2026. Before you book, check the current rules for your passport with the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate that serves your country.
1. Your passport
Start with the passport you'll travel on.
- Validity. For visitors under the visa exemption scheme, the Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels lists a passport valid for at least 6 months. If you're applying for a visa, check the requirement for your visa type when you apply.
- The same passport everywhere. Use the same passport for your visa or exemption, your flight booking and your arrival card. The arrival card's details must match the passport you show at the border.
If your passport is close to expiring, renewing it before you apply for anything else saves doing the paperwork twice.
2. A visa, or the visa exemption
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality and the purpose of your trip.
The visa exemption. Citizens of many countries can visit Thailand for tourism without a visa. In a press briefing on 3 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the end of the earlier 60-day exemption. From 15 September 2026, the tourism exemption allows stays of up to 30 days for 60 countries and territories, and a new 15-day exemption covers 2 more. The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chicago, for example, now says citizens of the United States can stay up to 30 days, and the Royal Thai Embassy in London says the exemption is for tourism only and can be used twice in a calendar year.
A visa. If your nationality isn't on the exemption list, or you're travelling for something other than tourism, you need a visa, and you apply for it before you travel. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs says its e-Visa system has been available worldwide since 1 January 2025, at thaievisa.go.th. Visa on arrival was reduced to 3 countries in the same September 2026 change.
The visa exemption and the arrival card are separate things. Royal Thai Embassies say the TDAC is not a visa and doesn't change the visa rules. Our guide to visas, ETAs and arrival cards explains the difference.
3. Your onward travel and funds
If you're entering under the visa exemption, Thai embassies list a few conditions beyond the passport:
- A ticket out. The Royal Thai Embassy in Helsinki lists confirmed air, train, bus or boat tickets to leave Thailand within the 30 days.
- Enough funds for your stay. Embassies list a minimum amount of money that visitors should be able to show. The figure depends on your situation, so check it on your embassy's page.
- Other documents if asked. The Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels notes that immigration officers can ask for additional documents. The Royal Thai Embassy in Nairobi says checks of funds are made at random, case by case.
In practice, that means keeping your onward booking and your accommodation details where you can find them, on your phone or on paper.
4. Your accommodation
You'll need to know where you're staying. The arrival card asks for your accommodation type, province and address, so have the booking confirmation or the full address ready. If you're moving around, the first place you'll stay is the one to have to hand.
5. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
Since 1 May 2025, all non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land or sea fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. It replaced the paper TM.6 card, and you can fill it in yourself at tdac.immigration.go.th.
- When. The card can be sent within the 3 days before you arrive, not earlier. Our guide to the 3-day window shows how to count it.
- Who. Every traveller needs their own card, including children. Travellers who change planes without passing through immigration, and border pass holders, don't need one.
- What you get. Once it's submitted, you receive a card number and a copy by e-mail. Keep it on your phone for arrival.
The card asks for your passport details, your flight or other transport, your accommodation, and a short health declaration. The health declaration includes a question about the countries you stayed in recently, and some travellers also see questions about yellow fever.
A short checklist
Before you leave home:
- Passport with enough validity for your trip
- A visa if your nationality or purpose needs one, or a check that the visa exemption covers you
- A confirmed ticket out of Thailand within your permitted stay
- Your accommodation booking or address
- Your Thailand Digital Arrival Card, sent within the 3 days before you arrive
At the airport or border, keep your passport, your onward booking and your arrival card number where you can reach them.
If you'd like a hand
calmvisa is an independent service, not affiliated with the Thai government. For the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, we ask the same questions in plain language, one small screen at a time, show you every answer to check, then fill in the Thai form for you.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?
Since 15 September 2026, the tourism visa exemption allows stays of up to 30 days for 60 countries and territories, and 15 days for 2 more. Check your embassy's page for your own nationality.
Do I still need the TDAC if I have a visa?
Yes. The arrival card is separate from your visa. Travellers who need a visa apply for it first, then fill in the TDAC within the 3 days before arrival.
Do I need a return ticket?
If you're entering under the visa exemption, Thai embassies list a confirmed ticket to leave Thailand within your permitted stay as one of the conditions.
Can the immigration officer ask for more documents?
Yes. Thai embassies note that officers can ask for additional documents, such as proof of funds, and they decide case by case.