Entry Requirements
If you hold a passport from Japan, 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 Japanese 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 Japanese Passport Holders
Name order (Surname first/last) — this is the most common reason for TDAC rejections from Japanese 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 Japan 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
Japanese citizens: Visa Exempt (30 Days). No visa application required for tourist stays within the allowed period.
Visa Duration for Japanese Citizens
Japanese 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 Japan
- Tokyo Narita (NRT) → Bangkok
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) → Bangkok
- Osaka (KIX) → Bangkok
Common TDAC Mistakes by Japanese Travelers
- Name order: Surname/Family name must come first on TDAC, matching passport
- Japanese passport numbers are 2 letters + 7 digits
- Romaji spelling must match passport exactly (e.g. Ōta vs Ota)
Auto Gates at Suvarnabhumi: Japan 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 Japan 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 Tokyo
For visa enquiries beyond the visa exemption period, contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo.
Visit Embassy WebsiteThe 90-Second Version
What Immigration Checks on Japanese Passports
- Return ticket. Rarely questioned for Japanese package travellers; carry it anyway for open-jaw itineraries.
- Passport validity. Six months from entry. Japanese passports come in five- and ten-year versions — holders of the five-year book are the ones who get caught.
- First-night address. Required on the TDAC; write the hotel's English name and street, not the Japanese tour-company reference.
- Medication. Some Japanese over-the-counter cold medicines contain pseudoephedrine, which is controlled in Thailand; carry only what you need, in original packaging.
Your Name on the TDAC
Staying Longer Than 30 days
Practical Notes for Japanese Travellers
- Payments. Japanese credit cards work widely; JCB acceptance is good in Bangkok malls and department stores and patchy elsewhere, so carry a Visa or Mastercard as well. Every Thai ATM charges a flat 220 THB per withdrawal.
- Time zone. Thailand is two hours behind Japan.
- Japanese-speaking help. Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital have Japanese-language desks; the Sukhumvit Soi 33–39 area (Phrom Phong/Thonglor) is the centre of the Japanese community.
- Help in Thailand. The Embassy of Japan is on Witthayu (Wireless) Road in Bangkok, with a consulate-general in Chiang Mai. Register on Tabireg 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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