How to Fill the Thailand Digital Arrival Form Correctly?

If you are traveling to Thailand, one of the first requirements before entering the country is completing the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). This form is mandatory for all foreign travelers and must be filled in correctly to avoid delays at the airport or problems with immigration officers.

In this guide, we’ll explain step by step how to fill the Thailand Digital Arrival Form, including common mistakes to avoid and tips to make the process smooth.

1. Use Only English Letters and Match Your Passport Details

When filling in your details, always remember that the TDAC form accepts only English letters. This means you should not use special characters, accents, or non-Latin alphabets.

• Your name and surname must match exactly as written in your passport.
  • Example: If your passport says “John Michael Smith”, you must write it in the same order and spelling.
• If you come from a country where people usually have only one name (for example, many travelers from Indonesia), you need to type your name twice – once in the “First Name” field and once in the “Last Name” field.
• Pay special attention to your passport number. This is the most important part of the form because it connects your digital arrival card with your identity. If you type it incorrectly, your application will be invalid.

💡 Pro Tip: Double-check your passport number before submitting. Many travelers get rejected because of simple typos.

2. Filling in Personal Details – Occupation Field

The next section of the Thailand Digital Arrival Form asks for your personal information, including date of birth, nationality, and occupation. Most fields are straightforward, but the Occupation field often confuses travelers.

When asked about your occupation, you should select the one that best describes your situation:

• Business Owner – if you own your own company or work as self-employed.
• Employee – if you work for a company, organization, or institution.
• Unemployed – if you currently do not have a job.
• Retired – if you no longer work and are receiving retirement benefits.
• Child or Student – if you are filling in the form for your children or teenagers who are still in school.

Don’t overthink this part. Immigration officers simply want to know your general status, not the details of your career.

3. Purpose of Your Trip

The Thailand Digital Arrival Form also requires you to declare the purpose of your visit. For most tourists, the correct choice is:

• Holidays / Tourism – This is the default option for travelers who are visiting Thailand for leisure, vacation, or short-term travel.

Other options include Business, Medical Treatment, or Employment. However, these are not for regular tourists.

⚠️ Important: If you choose Business, Medical, or Employment as your purpose of stay, you must already have a special visa issued before traveling.

• Business trips usually require a Business Visa.
• Employment requires a Work Visa and Work Permit.
• Medical treatment requires a Medical Visa.

If you don’t have one of these visas approved, you should not select these options. Otherwise, your arrival card and entry may be rejected at immigration.

4. Arrival Date – Don’t Confuse It with Your Departure Date

Another common mistake when filling in the TDAC form is the arrival date.

Many travelers mistakenly enter the date when they leave their home country. However, the Thailand Digital Arrival Form requires the exact date when you land in Thailand.

• Example: If you leave London on September 3rd but arrive in Bangkok on September 4th, your arrival date is September 4th.
• The date must match your flight ticket and immigration record.

💡 Pro Tip: Always check your airline confirmation email for the arrival date in Thailand before filling in the form.

5. Address in Thailand – What to Write

In the final section, you will be asked to provide your address in Thailand. This helps immigration officers know where you will be staying during your trip.

• If you are staying in a hotel:
  • It’s enough to write the hotel name and the city.
  • Example: Hilton Phuket – Phuket City
• If you are staying in an apartment, Airbnb, or a friend’s house:
  • You must provide the full address, including:
    • House number and street
    • Subdistrict and district
    • Province

This is especially important because authorities may need to contact you during your stay for health or security reasons.

💡 Pro Tip: If you are traveling around and don’t know your final address yet, write down the details of your first booked accommodation. You can update it later if needed.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

To help you avoid delays or rejection, here are the most common errors travelers make when completing the TDAC form:

1. Typing names differently from the passport – always match your passport exactly.
2. Using home country characters – only English letters are accepted.
3. Wrong passport number – double-check every digit.
4. Choosing the wrong purpose of trip – don’t select business or employment unless you already have the correct visa.
5. Incorrect arrival date – always use the date you land in Thailand, not the departure date.
6. Incomplete address in Thailand – if not in a hotel, provide full detailed address.

7. Final Checklist Before Submitting

Before you finalize your Thailand Digital Arrival Card, make sure you:

• ✅ Matched your name and surname exactly to your passport.
• ✅ Entered your passport number correctly.
• ✅ Chose your occupation correctly.
• ✅ Selected the correct trip purpose (Holidays if you’re a tourist).
• ✅ Wrote the correct arrival date.
• ✅ Provided either your hotel name + city or full accommodation address.

Conclusion

Filling the Thailand Digital Arrival Form (TDAC) correctly is simple once you know the key details. Always use English letters, double-check your passport number, and be clear about your purpose of travel and arrival date. By following this guide, you’ll avoid the most common mistakes and ensure a smooth entry into Thailand without stress at immigration.

If you still feel unsure, you can always use a third-party assisted service like ours at TDAC.info, where we review your application, correct possible errors, and guarantee that your arrival card is delivered on time.