Thailand THIM App: What Every Traveler Must Know in 2026

Thailand is changing how foreign nationals complete the arrival process. From 1 October 2026, the THIM app — Thailand Immigration Management — becomes the primary channel for submitting your arrival card, replacing the web-based Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system that launched in May 2026. Whether you are arriving as a tourist or re-entering on a long-stay visa, this change affects every trip.

This guide explains what THIM is, how it works, how it differs from the TDAC website, and what you need to do before October.

What the THIM app is

THIM (Thailand Immigration Management) is an official mobile application developed by the Thai Immigration Bureau in partnership with Digital Identity Co., built on Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure. It is available on both iOS and Android and is currently in a public trial phase ahead of the full October rollout.

At its core, THIM lets you complete your Thailand Digital Arrival Card before you board your flight — using your phone rather than a website. Your information is submitted directly to the Immigration Bureau’s systems. When you reach the immigration counter, the officer scans your physical passport and your pre-registered details come up automatically. There is no QR code to display and no paper to hand over.

The app currently supports English, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese, with plans to expand to 15 languages.

How THIM differs from the web-based TDAC

The web-based TDAC portal that replaced the old paper TM6 form in May 2026 will itself be replaced by THIM from October. The underlying requirement is the same — all foreign nationals must pre-register arrival details before entering Thailand — but THIM brings several improvements over the website:

• Passport scanning: THIM reads your passport automatically using AI-powered optical character recognition (OCR), cutting the time spent entering personal details manually.
• Saved profile: You build a complete profile once. On every subsequent visit, you only need to update your flight number, accommodation address, and return date. The full process is expected to take around three minutes.
• No QR code at the counter: The web-based TDAC generated a QR code that officers scanned or you had to display. THIM syncs your submission directly with immigration systems. The officer scans your passport, not a phone screen.
• Group registration: Families and groups can submit arrival details for up to 10 travellers in one session, rather than each person registering separately.
• Electronic identity verification: THIM uses digital Know Your Customer (eKYC) technology to verify passport data against your submission, which is expected to reduce errors and speed up counter processing.

How to set up and use the app

The THIM app is available for download now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in its trial phase. Setting it up before you travel is recommended so that you are not scrambling at the airport:

1. Download the THIM app and create an account with the Thai Immigration Bureau.
2. Scan your passport using the app’s OCR camera function — or enter your details manually if you prefer.
3. Complete your profile: personal details, nationality, passport number, and expiry date.
4. Before each trip, open the app and update your flight details, arrival date, and accommodation address in Thailand.
5. Submit your arrival card before boarding. At the counter, hand over your passport; the officer’s scan links automatically to your submission.

The safest approach is to complete registration before your departure date, not at the airport. As with any government platform, system load during peak travel periods can slow things down.

What changes at the airport from October 2026

From 1 October 2026, THIM is expected to become the standard arrival registration channel for all foreign nationals entering Thailand. The web-based TDAC portal is expected to be phased out in favour of the app.

At the counter, the process is simpler: hand over your passport, the officer scans it, and your pre-registered arrival card appears on their screen. The QR code step disappears entirely.

Travellers who arrive without a pre-registration may be directed to a separate area to complete the process on-site, which adds time. Completing THIM before you board, just as with the TDAC, is the right approach.

A note on implementation pace: Thailand’s immigration entry points — Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket International, and land crossings — may not all roll out on exactly the same timeline. Always confirm current requirements directly with the Thai Immigration Bureau or the Thai embassy for your home country before you travel.

What this means for long-stay residents and frequent visitors

If you hold a long-stay visa or extension of stay in Thailand — retirement, marriage, business, LTR, or DTV — the THIM change applies every time you re-enter Thailand after a trip abroad. Your visa or extension of stay continues on its own timeline; THIM is purely about the arrival process on each entry.

For frequent visitors, the saved-profile feature saves meaningful time: create your profile once, update the trip-specific details before each visit. For families, the group registration feature means a single submission covers everyone.

Some important points for long-stay holders:

• THIM covers arrival only. It does not replace 90-day reporting (TM47), extensions of stay, re-entry permits, or TM30 address notifications. Those remain entirely separate obligations on their own schedules.
• A re-entry permit is still required if you are on an extension of stay and want to preserve that extension when you leave Thailand. THIM does not affect this.
• Set up your account now, before your next trip abroad. Doing it well ahead of October avoids any pressure if you happen to be re-entering around the rollout date.
• Keep the app updated. Government apps receive updates alongside policy changes; an outdated version may fail to sync with immigration systems.

Immigration regulations and digital systems in Thailand can change at short notice. The information here reflects what is publicly known as of August 2026, but always verify the current requirements before you travel.

How Gateway Siam can help

Managing Thailand’s evolving immigration requirements — THIM registration, 90-day reporting, extensions, re-entry permits, and TM30 notifications — involves more moving parts than most long-stay residents expect. At Gateway Siam, we help UK and Chinese nationals living in Thailand stay current with every obligation, so changes like the October THIM rollout do not become last-minute surprises.

If you have questions about THIM and how it fits into your visa and stay schedule, or want a clear picture of your current immigration compliance, contact us for a straightforward, no-pressure consultation.