Entry Requirements
If you hold a passport from New Zealand, 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 New Zealand 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 New Zealand Passport Holders
Date format confusion (NZ uses DD/MM/YYYY) — this is the most common reason for TDAC rejections from New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand citizens: Visa Exempt (30 Days). No visa application required for tourist stays within the allowed period.
Visa Duration for New Zealand Citizens
New Zealand 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 New Zealand
- Auckland (AKL) → Bangkok (via connection)
Common TDAC Mistakes by New Zealand Travelers
- Date format: NZ uses DD/MM/YYYY — same as TDAC
- NZ passport numbers: 2 letters + 6 digits
- e-Passport chip must be functional
Auto Gates at Suvarnabhumi: New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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 Wellington
For visa enquiries beyond the visa exemption period, contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington.
Visit Embassy WebsiteThe 90-Second Version
What Immigration Checks on New Zealand Passports
- Onward ticket. Asked of Kiwis on open-ended trips — by the airline at Auckland as much as by Thai immigration. A flight or bus out within your permitted stay is enough.
- Passport validity. Six months from entry. NZ adult passports are ten-year documents, children's five — check the kids' dates first.
- Funds. Immigration can ask for 10,000 THB per person (20,000 per family); a banking-app balance on your phone is accepted.
- Vapes. Legal and everyday in New Zealand, illegal in Thailand and confiscated with a fine at the airport. Leave them at home.
Your Name on the TDAC
Staying Longer Than 30 days
Practical Notes for New Zealand Travellers
- Money. NZ debit and credit cards work in Thai ATMs, each withdrawal carrying a flat 220 THB machine fee on top of your bank's; take fewer, larger withdrawals. Tell your bank you are travelling.
- Time zone. Thailand is five hours behind New Zealand in NZ winter, six in NZ daylight-saving summer.
- Connections. Via Sydney or Melbourne you clear Australian transit without a visa if you stay airside; via Singapore or Hong Kong the bag is checked through. The TDAC must be filed before you land in Thailand, not before leaving Auckland.
- Help in Thailand. The New Zealand Embassy is in Bangkok's Sathorn district. Register on SafeTravel before you fly.
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.
Ready to apply?
Get your Thailand Digital Arrival Card approved in just 5 minutes. Our team manually reviews every submission to ensure zero errors.
Start ApplicationMore articles
Other Nationality Guides
Guide
Free field-by-field guide to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card: passport name, address in Thailand, occupation for children, dates and QR timing.
FAQ
Do children need a TDAC? Is it a visa? When do you file? 25 answers on the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, checked against the September 2026 rules.