Thailand’s new digital arrival card becomes mandatory on 1 May Thailand’s new digital arrival card becomes mandatory on 1 May

Planning a trip to Thailand? You’ve no doubt remembered to pack your guide book and your sunscreen and exchanged your cash for Thai baht, but there’s one last thing you don’t want to forget: Your digital arrival card.

From 1 May, all foreign citizens travelling to the south-east Asian country must complete the online application up to three days before arrival. The online form can be found on the Thai immigration website here.

Alongside your passport details, you will need to state the purpose of your trip (with options including holiday, sports, business, medical, education and employment) as well as provide information around your flight (or other transportation) and accommodation.

You will also need list the countries you have visited within the two weeks prior to arrival.

The digital arrival card is totally free to apply for, and is a replacement for the traditional paper-based arrival card. Writing about the change on their website, Tourism Thailand noted that the system “promises faster immigration processing, reduced paperwork and improved border security”.

When arriving in Thailand, you will need to present your passport alongside your acknowledgement email, which will be sent to the email address provided when completing the digital arrival card application.

Got your digital arrival card all sorted? Then its time for you to read our Thailand trip planner, which tells you how to travel off the beaten track.

Elsewhere on our website, you’ll find our guide to the best things to do in the country, as well as our travelogue from exploring Thailand by rail.

More information: tdac.immigration.go.th