Thailand remains one of the easiest and most loved international getaways for travellers from Surat and across Gujarat — direct-ish connections, warm beaches, incredible food and, best of all, no visa fee for Indians right now. But there is one new formality you absolutely cannot skip: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). Every foreign visitor, including visa-exempt Indian passport holders, must submit this free online form within 72 hours before arrival. In this guide we walk you through the current entry rules, exactly how to fill the TDAC step by step, and the scam websites you must avoid.
Where things stand: 60-day visa-free entry for Indian passport holders
As of recent announcements, Indian passport holders can enter Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days, and this stay can typically be extended by around 30 more days at a Thai immigration office inside the country. Importantly, this scheme runs "until further notice" — it is a policy, not a permanent law — so always verify the rules close to your departure date before booking non-refundable tickets. For the full background on how this scheme came about and what it covers, read our detailed update on Thailand's visa-free entry for Indians, and check our Thailand visa information page for the latest requirements, documents and entry conditions.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?
The TDAC is Thailand's digital replacement for the old paper TM6 arrival card. It is mandatory for all foreign visitors — yes, even though Indians don't need a visa, you still need a TDAC. Key facts to remember: it must be submitted online within 72 hours (3 days) before your arrival in Thailand; it is completely free of charge; and it is valid for a single entry only — if you leave Thailand and come back (say, a side trip to Singapore or Malaysia), you must submit a fresh TDAC for each new entry. The card is not a visa and not an approval process — it is an advance passenger declaration — but airlines and Thai immigration officers can and do check for it, so treat it as seriously as your passport.
How to fill the TDAC: a step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Within 72 hours of your arrival flight, go to the official portal tdac.immigration.go.th — type it directly into your browser rather than clicking ad links. Step 2: Choose individual or group submission (a family can be filed together in one go). Step 3: Fill in your personal details exactly as they appear in your passport — name spelling mismatches cause avoidable trouble at the counter. Step 4: Enter your trip information: flight number, arrival date, purpose of visit and your accommodation address in Thailand (keep your hotel booking handy for this). Step 5: Complete the short health declaration if asked. Step 6: Submit and save the confirmation — download the PDF or take screenshots, and keep an offline copy on your phone plus a printout in your cabin bag. There is no payment step anywhere in this process; if a website asks for money, you are on the wrong website.
Warning: lookalike scam websites charging for the free TDAC
This is the part we most want readers in Surat to hear clearly: the TDAC is free, and the only official portal is tdac.immigration.go.th. Unfortunately, lookalike websites with convincing designs and near-identical names appear high in search results and charge anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand rupees for "processing" this free form — and some are outright data-harvesting scams. Never pay for a TDAC, never share your passport details on an unofficial site, and be sceptical of "agents" on social media offering TDAC services for a fee. If you are unsure whether a page is genuine, our team of experienced visa consultants in Surat will gladly verify it for you at no charge — that is exactly what a trustworthy local agency is for.
What Thai immigration may ask on arrival — and how to plan your trip around it
Thailand has been tightening immigration checks amid concerns about overstays and misuse of the visa-free scheme, so a small percentage of arriving passengers face extra questions. Be ready to show: a return or onward ticket within your permitted stay, proof of accommodation for at least the first part of your trip, and adequate funds (cash, forex card or bank statements — roughly 10,000–20,000 THB per person is the commonly cited benchmark, though officers have discretion). Answer confidently and honestly about your itinerary. None of this should worry a genuine tourist — it is simply about carrying the right paperwork. For a broader picture of evolving entry rules across destinations, see our roundup of the latest 2027 travel rule changes for Indian travellers.
A little planning makes the whole trip smoother. Set a phone reminder for exactly 72 hours before your flight so the TDAC is never a last-minute scramble at the airport. Buy a policy before you fly — our travel insurance guide for Indian travellers explains what medical cover you need for Thailand. Then get to the fun part: our island-hopping guide to Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi helps you pick the right bases, our dedicated Phuket beach guide for travellers from India covers the west-coast sands in detail, and if you prefer jungle lakes to beaches, don't miss our Khao Sok National Park travel guide. For fares from Gujarat, our flight booking desk in Surat tracks the best Surat–Bangkok and Surat–Phuket routings via Mumbai and Delhi.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Thailand right now? As of recent announcements, no — Indian passport holders get 60 days visa-free on arrival, extendable by about 30 days at a Thai immigration office. However, the scheme runs "until further notice", so verify the current rule shortly before you travel and again before making non-refundable bookings.
Is the TDAC the same as a visa, and does it cost anything? No, the TDAC is not a visa — it is a mandatory digital arrival card that every foreign visitor must submit online within 72 hours before arrival. It is completely free on the official portal tdac.immigration.go.th. Any website charging money for it is unofficial and should be avoided.
I'm visiting Thailand twice on one trip — do I need two TDACs? Yes. The TDAC is valid for a single entry only. If you fly into Bangkok, hop to Singapore for two days and return to Thailand, you must submit a brand-new TDAC for the second entry, again within the 72-hour window before that arrival.
Thailand rewards travellers who arrive prepared — and with your TDAC submitted, documents in order and itinerary sorted, immigration takes minutes, not hours. If you'd rather have experts handle the paperwork, flights, hotels and island transfers end to end, explore our curated Thailand tour packages from Surat or simply get in touch with the Explera Vacations team — we'll make sure the only thing you need to think about is which beach comes first.
