Thailand's New Entry Requirement: What You Need to Know About the Digital TM6 Form Starting May 1, 2025
If you’re planning a trip to Thailand this year, there’s a major update you need to know before you pack your bags.
Starting May 1, 2025, all foreign travelers must complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)—the new online version of the TM6 immigration form—before they enter the country. This digital form replaces the old paper version and is designed to streamline border processing, improve safety, and help the Thai government better track who’s entering and exiting the country.
Let’s break down what this means for your travel plans and how to make sure you're not caught off guard at the border.
What Is the TM6 Form — and Why Is It Back?
If you’ve traveled to Thailand before, you probably remember filling out a little blue and white slip handed to you on the plane. That was the TM6 form, a paper immigration document that collected basic details like your name, passport number, and hotel address.
Thailand suspended the paper TM6 in April 2024, aiming to go fully digital. Now, they’re bringing it back—but this time, it’s online only.
Why? Thai officials say the digital version will allow for better tourist tracking, more efficient border control, and enhanced safety, especially as concerns about organized crime, human trafficking, and kidnappings have made headlines in the region.
How the New Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) Works
Starting May 1, every foreign traveler—whether entering by plane, land, or sea—must complete the TDAC (online TM6) up to three days before arrival.
You’ll need to enter:
Passport information
Travel dates and flight number
Accommodation details in Thailand
Basic personal information
Once submitted, your digital TM6 will be accessible via:
The Thailand E-Visa system
The Department of Disease Control portal
And other government sites related to entry, like the future tourist tax portal
⚠️ Important: You’ll need to present the completed TDAC at immigration. No form = no entry.
Ben’s Tip: Save your completed TDAC to your phone and upload it to the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) as backup. You’ll need to show it again when departing Thailand, and possibly for long-term stays, 90-day check-ins, or visa extensions.
What’s Not Happening (Yet): The 300-Baht Tourism Tax and ETA
Originally, Thailand planned to roll out two more programs in 2025:
A 300-baht (~$8 USD) tourism tax
An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, similar to the U.S. ESTA or Europe’s ETIAS
But both have now been delayed. Officials say they want to ensure the TM6/TDAC system works first before adding more steps.
Translation: For now, you won’t need to pay the tourism tax or apply for pre-authorization if you're from a visa-exempt country. But stay tuned—those updates could still be coming later this year or in 2026.
What Travelers Should Do Now
If you’re traveling to Thailand on or after May 1, 2025, here’s your action plan:
Visit the official TDAC portal as soon as your travel details are confirmed.
Complete the online TM6 at least 24–72 hours before your flight.
Save your digital form to multiple devices or cloud storage for backup.
Double-check entry requirements with your airline before boarding.
Since this is a new system, expect a few hiccups early on. I highly recommend completing your form as early as possible—especially if you’re arriving after a long-haul flight and don’t want to deal with tech issues at the airport.
Final Thoughts
Thailand’s move to digitize immigration forms is a welcome step toward modern travel—faster, cleaner, and more secure. But like any new tech system, there’s a learning curve. As always, being prepared is your best defense against airport headaches.
🧳 Planning a trip soon?
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