Entry Requirements
If you hold a passport from France, you must submit a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before entering the Kingdom of Thailand. The TDAC replaced the paper-based TM6 form and is now required for all international arrivals — regardless of your visa status or purpose of travel.
As a French citizen, you are eligible for visa exempt (30 days) entry. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry. The TDAC collects your personal details, travel information, and accommodation address in Thailand.
⚠️ Common Issue for French Passport Holders
Accents in name (e.g. é → e) — this is the most common reason for TDAC rejections from French travelers. Our system automatically detects and corrects these issues before submission, ensuring your arrival card is accepted without delays at immigration.
How to Apply
- 1Have your France passport ready with at least 6 months validity from your planned entry date.
- 2Complete the online form on TDAC.info with your personal details, travel itinerary, and accommodation address in Thailand.
- 3Our team reviews your submission for errors and you receive your approved QR code via email before your departure.
- 4Present your QR code at Thai immigration upon arrival — no paper forms needed, skip the queues.
Visa Status
French citizens: Visa Exempt (30 Days). No visa application required for tourist stays within the allowed period.
Visa Duration for French Citizens
French passport holders can stay in Thailand for 30 days from 15 Sep 2026 under the current visa exemption. Extensions are available at local Immigration offices.
Flights to Thailand from France
- Paris CDG → Bangkok (direct)
- Paris CDG → Phuket (seasonal)
Common TDAC Mistakes by French Travelers
- Accents in names (é, è, ê) must be removed for MRZ match
- French national ID card is NOT valid — passport required
- Dual Franco-EU nationality: always use the passport you'll present at Thai immigration
Auto Gates at Suvarnabhumi: France Passports Can Use the Arrival Gates
The arrival auto gates at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport now serve 33 countries and territories, up from two (Singapore and Hong Kong), and France is one of them. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports confirmed this on 30 October 2026. The rollout is phased, so an eligible passport does not guarantee an open gate on every flight: if no gate is open for you, use a staffed counter.
When the arrival gate will take you
- You enter visa-free. The gates are for travellers under the visa exemption. If you hold a visa, you still clear immigration at a staffed counter.
- You have visited Thailand before. The gate matches a face scan against biometrics already on file, so first-time visitors give their biometrics at a staffed counter.
- You filed your TDAC before landing. The gates do not replace the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. Since 15 October 2026 the TDAC confirmation email shows ELIGIBLE or MANUAL PROCESSING for the gate.
- Your TDAC matches your passport. The gate reads the passport chip and checks it against your arrival record, so a different name spelling, passport number or date of birth sends you to a staffed counter.
Leaving Thailand is a separate system: the departure Auto Channel at Suvarnabhumi is open to e-passport holders of all nationalities. Arrival gates at Don Mueang and Phuket are planned but not yet confirmed as open.
Royal Thai Embassy in Paris
For visa enquiries beyond the visa exemption period, contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Paris.
Visit Embassy WebsiteThe 90-Second Version
What Immigration Checks on French Passports
- Passport, not carte d'identité. The national ID card is not accepted; Thailand needs the passport with six months' validity from entry. Minors' passports are five-year documents — check theirs first.
- Onward ticket. Long-stayers on open tickets should carry proof of a flight out within your permitted stay, or a Tourist Visa; immigration asks repeat visitors more often.
- First-night address. Required on the TDAC; for a Koh Lanta bungalow or Hua Hin apartment write the property name and street, not just the island or town.
- Medication. Carry an ordonnance for controlled medicines; codeine-based painkillers sold over the counter in France are restricted in Thailand.
Your Name on the TDAC
Staying Longer Than 30 days
Practical Notes for French Travellers
- Cards. French Visa and Mastercard debit cards work everywhere cards are taken; every Thai ATM adds a flat 220 THB per withdrawal on top of your bank's fee, so take fewer, larger amounts.
- Season. The French winter is Thailand's dry season on the Andaman coast; July–August holidays fall in the rainy season, when Samui and the Gulf islands are drier.
- Time zone. Thailand is six hours ahead of France in winter, five in summer.
- Help in Thailand. The French Embassy is on Charoen Krung Soi 36 by the river in Bangkok; consular agents cover Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya. Register on Ariane before travelling.
Sources
The facts on this page were checked against these primary sources. Each link opens the publisher's own website.
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) portal, Immigration Bureau — tdac.immigration.go.th
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand — mfa.go.th
- Royal Thai Government Gazette (Ratchakitcha) — ratchakitcha.soc.go.th
- Thai Customs Department — customs.go.th
- World Health Organization (WHO): international travel advice — who.int
Links checked on 8 October 2026.
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