Thailand's entry rules are in the middle of a rewrite, and most articles you'll find are already out of date. Several changes have been approved but are not yet in force — so what you actually do at the border today is different from the headlines. Here is the honest, dated status, updated as things move.
Entry status — what's law today
Last verified July 9, 2026
| Rule | Status | What it means today |
|---|---|---|
TDAC digital arrival card Immigration Bureau | In force | Mandatory and free since 1 May 2025. Submit within 72 hours before every arrival. Any site charging a fee is a scam. |
60 → 30-day visa exemption MFA / TAT, 21 May 2026 | Approved, pending | Cabinet-approved (19 May 2026) but not yet published in the Royal Gazette — the 60-day visa-exempt stay is still being issued at the border. |
THIM immigration app TAT Newsroom, 11 Jun 2026 | Approved, pending | Voluntary pilot now; the arrival-card function is expected to become mandatory in August 2026. It links to, but does not replace, the TDAC. |
~300 THB landing fee Nation Thailand, 21 May 2026 | Proposed | Still pre-approval, no start date; air arrivals only and the amount could be higher. Not being charged yet. |
Rules change fast and some items are approved but not yet in force. Always confirm on the official portal before you travel.
The one thing that's actually mandatory: the TDAC
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) has been required since 1 May 2025 for every non-Thai arriving by air, land or sea. It replaced the old paper TM6, it is free, and you submit it within 72 hours before arrival at the official portal. You need a new one for every entry, including border runs.
Watch for scams
The TDAC is free on the government site. Any page that charges a "processing fee" is a third-party reseller or a scam — skip it. The THIM app does not remove the TDAC requirement during the pilot.
The 60 → 30-day visa change: approved, not yet law
The Thai Cabinet approved trimming the visa-exempt stay from 60 to 30 days on 19 May 2026. Crucially, it only takes effect 15 days after the implementing notifications are published in the Royal Gazette — and as of early July 2026 that had not happened. In practice, the 60-day stamp is still being issued at the border.
When it does take effect: 54 countries get 30 days (extendable once by 30 days for 1,900 THB), three island nations get 15, visa-on-arrival shrinks to four countries, and a two-per-year cap returns on visa-exempt land entries (air arrivals are uncapped). Existing 60-day stamps are honoured to their printed expiry.
The THIM app: a voluntary pilot for now
THIM (Thailand Immigration Management) is in a voluntary public pilot (iOS/Android). It scans your passport, lets one account register up to 10 travellers, and links to — but does not replace — the TDAC. The arrival-card function is expected to become mandatory in August 2026; a separate, later rollout of broader "super-app" features is a different date. Both are still stated as "expected." We're testing it ourselves — the step-by-step walkthrough is coming.
The ~300 THB landing fee: still just a proposal
The much-discussed landing fee is still pre-approval with no start date, is now aimed at air arrivals only, and the amount could be higher than 300 THB. It is not being charged yet.
Other things worth knowing
- Passport valid 6+ months.
- Proof of funds (20,000 THB/person) and an onward ticket can be requested — checks are random and rarer at airports.
- E-gates are expanding at major airports.
We update this the day the Royal Gazette publishes and the day THIM goes mandatory — those are the two moments this actually changes. Until then: fill the free TDAC, and don't pay anyone a "visa fee."