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Forgot to Fill the TDAC? What to Do at Thailand Immigration (Emergency Guide)

Landed in Bangkok or Phuket without a Digital Arrival Card? Step-by-step emergency guide to connect to airport WiFi and file your TDAC before reaching the immigration counter.

5 min read
Traveler filling Thailand Digital Arrival Card on phone

Are you at the airport right now?

Do not waste time reading. Start your fast-track application immediately. You will receive the QR code by the time you walk to the counter.

It happens to the best of us. You booked your flight, packed your bags, but missed the memo about the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) replacing the old paper form.

Now you are standing in Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Phuket (HKT), seeing signs that say "TDAC REQUIRED," and you do not have a QR code.

Option 1: The "Slow" Way (Kiosks)

Airports have installed self-service kiosks before the immigration hall.

  • The Problem: There are often only 5–10 kiosks for 300+ passengers off a jumbo jet.
  • The Wait: You could be standing in line for 20–40 minutes just to start typing.
  • The Tech: The touchscreens can be slow, and scanning your passport often fails on the first try.

Option 2: The "Fast" Way (Use Your Phone)

You can file the application on your smartphone while walking from your gate to immigration. By the time you arrive, you will have the QR code.

Step 1: Get Internet Access

If you do not have roaming data, connect to the official airport WiFi:

Network Name: @AirportTrueFreeWiFi

Login: Select "Tourist Free WiFi" and enter your Passport Number

Step 2: File the Application

You have two choices:

  1. Official Site: It is free, but the interface is not mobile-friendly. Uploading passport photos on slow airport WiFi can time out, forcing you to start over.
  2. Use TDAC.info (Our Service): Designed specifically for these situations. No photo uploads required (manual entry). Optimized for mobile data and slow WiFi. Instant QR code delivery to your email.

FAQ for Airport Arrivals

Will Immigration send me back?
No. Not having a TDAC is not a crime. They will simply point you to the back of the line and tell you to go fill it out at a kiosk. You just lose time.
Do I need to print the QR code?
No. If you are at the airport, a screenshot of the QR code on your phone is perfectly acceptable. Turn your screen brightness to 100% before scanning.

Ready to file your TDAC?

Let our experts review your data and file the application for you. We catch typos and date errors before they cause problems at immigration.

Start TDAC Application ($29)