The Thailand Digital Arrival Card isn't a long form, but a few of its fields are often misread when you're tired or in a hurry. Some mistakes can be fixed later, and some can't. This guide goes through the form in order and points out the details worth a second look.
You can fill in the official TDAC yourself at tdac.immigration.go.th. You'll need your passport and your booking details next to you; our checklist lists everything to gather first.
Before you start
Type everything in English. The TDAC user guide says all details must be entered in English, and the name fields accept only the letters A to Z.
Take your time with the first page. Your full name, nationality and date of birth can't be changed after you submit, and some government sources add the passport number to that list. If one of those is wrong, you'd need to submit a new card.
Personal information
Family name and given names
The form has three name fields: Family Name, First Name and Middle Name, which is optional. Copy your names from your passport's photo page, in Latin letters, exactly as printed there.
Common mistakes:
- Swapping the family name and the given names. In many countries the family name is written first. Your passport labels which is which, usually as "Surname" or "Family name", and "Given names". Follow the labels, not the order you normally say your name in.
- Leaving out a given name. If your passport shows two or more given names, include them all, in the same order. calmvisa puts all your given names in the first-name field, as they appear in your passport.
- Using a nickname or a shorter name. Use the name in your passport, even if you never use it.
- Leaving the family name empty. If you have no family name, the form's note says to enter a dash.
Because the form's note says only the letters A to Z are allowed, type accented letters without the accent, and leave out marks such as hyphens and apostrophes. calmvisa writes hyphens as spaces and leaves apostrophes out.
Passport number and dates
Type the passport number with no spaces, and check letters that look like numbers, such as O and 0, or I and 1. Dates are entered as year, month and day, so take a second over dates that work either way round, such as 05/06.
Nationality and country of residence
These two fields are often confused:
- Nationality is the country that issued your passport.
- Country of residence is the country where you live now.
If you're a British citizen living in Spain, your nationality is British and your country of residence is Spain. If you live in Thailand long term, the Tourism Authority of Thailand advises choosing Thailand as your country of residence. The city or state of residence is where you live within that country.
Occupation and phone
Occupation is a few plain words, such as engineer, student or retired. For the phone number, choose the country calling code, then type the rest of the number.
Trip information
Arrival date
This is the date in Thailand when you arrive, which may not be the date you set off. A long or overnight flight can land a day or two later on the calendar. Our guide to the 3-day window has worked examples.
Country where you boarded
The form asks for the country or territory where you boarded. calmvisa asks for the country where you board the flight, bus or boat to Thailand. This answer matters more than it looks: together with your nationality, flight and the countries you've visited, it decides whether the health questions about yellow fever appear.
Purpose, mode of travel and transport
Choose the purpose from the list, such as holiday or business. If none fits, choose others and type a few words. Then choose how you're arriving (air, land or sea) and the mode of transport. For a regular airline flight, that's commercial flight. Type the flight number as on your booking, for example TG 921.
The departure section is optional. You can fill it in if your onward journey is booked, or leave it empty.
Accommodation
Type, province and address
Choose the type of place: hotel, youth hostel, guest house, friend's house, apartment, or others. Then choose the province from the list of 77. Common mistakes here:
- Choosing the wrong province. Many well-known places are not provinces of their own. Pattaya is in Chon Buri province, and Koh Samui is in Surat Thani province. Check the province of your accommodation, not just the name of the resort or island.
- Leaving out the district. For anything other than a hotel, the form needs the district and sub-district too. The post code is filled in for you from the district.
- A vague address. For a hotel, the hotel's name and street are what you'll usually have from your booking. For a private home, use the full address your host gives you.
Health declaration
The form asks which countries or territories you stayed in during the two weeks before you arrive. List them honestly. If the system opens the yellow fever or symptom questions, answer them before you continue.
Preview and submit
The preview page shows all your answers. Read them against your passport one last time, enter the e-mail address the card should go to, accept the terms and submit. The card arrives by e-mail, with your card number and a QR code.
Prefer a hand with it?
calmvisa is an independent service, not affiliated with the Thai government. We ask these questions in plain language, one small screen at a time, check each answer as you go, and show you everything on one page before anything is sent. Then we fill in the Thai form for you. If you've already submitted a card with a mistake, our guide to updating your TDAC explains what you can change.
Frequently asked questions
My passport shows my family name first. Which goes where?
Follow the labels in your passport, not the order. The part labelled surname or family name goes in Family Name, and your given names go in First Name.
My name has an accent or a hyphen. What do I type?
The name fields accept only the letters A to Z. Type accented letters without the accent, and leave out marks such as hyphens and apostrophes. calmvisa writes hyphens as spaces and leaves apostrophes out.
I'm a citizen of one country but live in another. Which do I choose?
Nationality is the country of your passport. Country of residence is where you live now.
Can I fix a mistake after I submit?
Many details, such as your flight, dates and accommodation, can be changed on the Update Arrival Card page. Your full name, nationality and date of birth can't; for those you submit a new card.