Entry Requirements
If you hold a passport from Ireland, 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 an Irish 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 Irish Passport Holders
Dual Irish-EU passport selection — this is the most common reason for TDAC rejections from Irish 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 Ireland 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
Irish citizens: Visa Exempt (30 Days). No visa application required for tourist stays within the allowed period.
Visa Duration for Irish Citizens
Irish 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 Ireland
- Dublin (DUB) → Bangkok (via connection)
Common TDAC Mistakes by Irish Travelers
- Dual Irish-EU passport: use the one you'll present at Thai immigration
- Irish passport numbers: 2 letters + 7 digits
- Fada accents (á, é, í, ó, ú) must be removed for TDAC
Auto Gates at Suvarnabhumi: Ireland 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 Ireland 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 London (covers Ireland)
For visa enquiries beyond the visa exemption period, contact the Royal Thai Embassy in London (covers Ireland).
Visit Embassy WebsiteThe 90-Second Version
What Immigration Checks on Irish Passports
- Passport, not Passport Card. The Irish Passport Card is valid only for the EU/EEA and Switzerland; Thailand requires the passport book, with six months' validity from the date you enter.
- Onward ticket. Backpackers on one-way tickets are asked for proof of onward travel — by the Gulf carrier at Dublin check-in more often than by Thai immigration. A bus or flight booking out of Thailand within 60 days is enough.
- Funds. Immigration may ask for 10,000 THB per person (20,000 per family); a banking-app balance on your phone is accepted.
- Vapes. Illegal in Thailand and confiscated with fines at the airport — a frequent issue for Irish arrivals. Leave them at home.
Your Name on the TDAC
Staying Longer Than 30 days
Practical Notes for Irish Travellers
- Money. Irish debit cards work in Thai ATMs but each withdrawal carries a flat 220 THB machine fee on top of your bank's charge; Revolut or a fee-free card and fewer, larger withdrawals keep it manageable.
- Connections. Gulf-carrier layovers in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi are 2–4 hours; your bag is checked through, but the TDAC must still be filed before you land in Thailand, not before you leave Dublin.
- Time zone. Thailand is seven hours ahead of Irish winter time, six ahead of summer time.
- Help in Thailand. The Embassy of Ireland is in Bangkok; consular assistance for the islands is handled from there. The Royal Thai Embassy in Dublin issues visas for stays beyond the exemption.
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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