Thailand launches THIM app for mandatory 72 hour digital arrival filings Sept. 25

Foreign travelers entering Thailand can now submit mandatory arrival details through a dedicated mobile app following the formal release of the THIM (Thai Immigration Application) on Sept. 25, 2026.

How the THIM mobile platform fits entry rules

The Immigration Bureau launched the mobile platform after several months of testing that began in June 2026. The release provides an optional app interface for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), but it doesn't create a duplicate filing requirement. Foreign visitors who already completed their digital arrival card via the official website don't need to resubmit through the app, immigration officials confirmed.

The underlying entry policy remains unchanged. The digital arrival submission is entirely free and the bureau warns travelers against third-party websites charging administrative fees. Travelers must file the card within three days before arrival, which the bureau also measures as up to 72 hours before crossing the border.

Each card remains valid for one entry on the stated arrival date. Submissions can cover individuals or groups of up to 10 travelers, making the platform usable for families and tour groups traveling on the same itinerary.

Who must complete the digital arrival card

The digital filing requirement applies to all non-Thai nationals crossing into the country by air, land or sea. This includes short-term tourists, remote workers, business visitors and long-term foreign residents returning to the country. Holding a long-stay permit or re-entry permit doesn't exempt a foreign national from submitting the form, according to official guidance.

The bureau maintains only a narrow list of exemptions:

• Air passengers transiting or transferring through Thai airports without passing through immigration control

• Foreign nationals entering the country using a qualifying border pass

• Operating airline and vessel crew members listed on official manifests

• Thai citizens returning home on a Thai passport

Travelers planning an extended stay or working remotely while reviewing Thailand's entry requirements should note that the TDAC is purely an arrival monitoring document. Filing the form doesn't grant a visa, alter permitted stay lengths or establish legal residence status.

Mobile features, biometrics and border alternatives

The application introduces automated identity tools designed to speed up form completion. For users with compatible devices, the app reads NFC chips embedded in biometric passports and scans machine-readable passport zones.

It also incorporates facial comparison and liveness detection to verify user identity against passport photographs. Data collected during the process is handled directly by the Immigration Bureau for border control, screening and identity verification.

Carrying a smartphone isn't a mandatory legal condition for crossing the border. The bureau maintains dedicated self-service kiosks and local Wi-Fi networks at major international entry points, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai airports. Travelers without a mobile device or privacy-conscious visitors who prefer to avoid app-based biometric scans, can continue using the standard desktop web portal or complete the form at airport kiosks upon landing.

Travelers who need to correct minor travel details after submission can update their records online before departure. However, primary identity fields such as legal names, passport numbers and birth dates can't be edited directly; correcting these items requires submitting a fresh digital card.

Unreleased services on the immigration roadmap

The formal rollout of the app doesn't activate every planned digital feature immediately. Official roadmap announcements outlined future digital immigration services, including 90-day reporting, stay extension applications, immigration appointment bookings, Certificates of Stay and digital processing for Visa on Arrival checkpoints.

These advanced features remain in development. As of this writing, the Immigration Bureau hasn't published specific rollout schedules, eligibility guidelines or fee structures for in-app extension filings, reporting officials noted. Expats and long-term visitors must continue using established online portals or local immigration offices for routine reporting and visa extensions until those administrative modules go live.