TDAC Update

[mikebell]

I  know I face criticism from those more blessed/smart than I.  Before I went on holiday to Spain, I did a dry run and photographed & printed it out. 

Then I attempted the real thing!

 

It took at least 30 attempts to progress not helped by doing it on my phone with the hotel's slow internet.  The site is not kind towards ex-pats.  All these years of being carefully to avoid using the 'Retirement Visa' phrase, I now find TDAC asking for my 'Visa number'. I had to check and for the 1st time in 20 years, the number had been printed in pen and legibly.  Then came more false starts over my (Thai) telephone number - 'Insufficient Data' times 10.  In the end I made up an English one and moved forward.

 

Many have said it's a piece of cake to fill it in; I disagree - I was lucky enough to have my TGF with me to photo my eventual success.  When I got to Malaga airport yesterday for the return journey, the authorities asked for it  (As I don't have a satellite phone package and relied on her 'Gallery' photo! They've not got it quite sorted as they also asked for my companion's Digital card & I pointed out as a Thai, she did not need one.

(Meanwhile Vietnam tourism keeps it simple to visit whilst Thailand's numbers are circling the plughole.)

[zzzzz]

visa # NOT required!!!

I found it extremely easy and took less than 5 minutes and 2 minutes later got the reply

[mikebell]

15 hours ago, zzzzz said:

visa # NOT required!!!

I found it extremely easy and took less than 5 minutes and 2 minutes later got the reply

'visa # NOT required!!!' I did not get past the 1st page till I had answered this!

 

As I said there will be many who smugly reply about how stupid I must be.  Presumably you are a lot younger than 82; have a modern phone/computer access (hi-speed?) and are not an ex-pat.  Once you got the reply you were obviously sufficiently tech-savvy to save it without the need for a 2nd phone.  I am suggesting that in the world I inhabit, there are dinosaurs like me who armed with a multiple re-entry permit and 20 years of data already collected by Thai Immigration (I have seen pages of this stuff on my records on a computer in a Pattaya Immigration office,) I question the need for TDAC in some cases.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I question the need for TDAC in some cases.

When you previously used to fill in TM6 (arrival card) you would be aware of the fields. 

Such as visa # etc 

In those days I would put my reentry permit #.

Assume you have a smart phone and can take screenshots. 

Hopefully for your future trips it will be a simple process now you have done it once

[zzzzz]

i've been here 38 years, my phone is 5 years old, my laptop is 4 years old, but thats all got nothing to do with anything
it does not matter you have been here once or 100 times , they want see who you are and when you are coming to Thailand\
same as the TM6 before

as for ur being stupid, never said that as you seem perfectly capable to post here over the past 28 years  15,000+ times  55555

Get it??

good luck next trip

[impulse]

Heads up from my 3rd entry on TDAC.  You may and may not need to show it to the IO.  It should be on their computer, tied to your passport number.  But on Wednesday night when I arrived, I got behind a nice enough guy who held up the queue for at least 5 minutes scrolling through his phone to find his TDAC.  Not his fault, really.  I assume he was under the impression that it was on the IO's computer, so he didn't have it cued up on his phone.  (I wonder if he'd have been SOL without a Thai SIM card, but that's a different issue.)

 

I handed my printed TDAC to the IO with my passport and boarding pass and he kept the passport and didn't even look at the BP and TDAC before he handed them back to me.  So apparently, YMMV.  I'd suggest having it printed up or cued up on your smartphone when you get to the front of the queue.  If only for the sake of the other people in the queue.

 

[ChipButty]

It seems that a lot of people are still unaware the need to it before they arrive, they get to the immigration desk only to be told to go and do it, The walk of shame, holding up the que's, 

[BrandonJT]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

(I wonder if he'd have been SOL without a Thai SIM card, but that's a different issue.)

All of the airports have free wifi.

[Magictoad]

TDAC? ????

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

TDAC? ????

Thailand Digital Arrival Card. 

 

Google is you friend. "TDAC Online" 

Includes video guides. Here is one example. 

Very simple

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19bCgFzjUJ/

 

[Liquorice]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

It seems that a lot of people are still unaware the need to it before they arrive, they get to the immigration desk only to be told to go and do it, The walk of shame, holding up the que's, 

1 hour ago, Magictoad said:

TDAC? ????

 

Yep, we've already found one unaware and likely to hold up the queue.

[mikeymike100]

I returned to Thailand 3 days ago, at Suvarnabuhmi Apt, BKK, I had filled in the TDAC got the QR code, went to the IO, gave him my passport, with boarding pass, I have a retirement visa and a Multi re-entry permit, scanned my fingerprints, photo, he stamped me in, no mention of TDAC?  Was it a waste of time?? Or do they already know when they check on the computer?

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Or do they already know when they check on the computer?

Seems to be the case as your experience has been posted previously by others. 

[ChipButty]

38 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

I returned to Thailand 3 days ago, at Suvarnabuhmi Apt, BKK, I had filled in the TDAC got the QR code, went to the IO, gave him my passport, with boarding pass, I have a retirement visa and a Multi re-entry permit, scanned my fingerprints, photo, he stamped me in, no mention of TDAC?  Was it a waste of time?? Or do they already know when they check on the computer?

A lot of people have said the same thing in some FB groups, 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

Was it a waste of time?? Or do they already know when they check on the computer?

 

If they haven't done it by the time they get to the front of the queue, I've seen at least a dozen passengers get sent back to the kiosks in the arrival halls to do it.  Some of them are pretty grumbly.  I've also seen some people holding up the line scrolling through their smartphone when they apparently had already filled one out but the IO's computer didn't pull it up with their passport number.  In my case (3 arrivals), they didn't even look at the paper QR I handed them.  It apparently came up on their computer tied to my passport info.  YMMV, apparently.  But you need to do one or you'll get sent back to a kiosk.

 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

All of the airports have free wifi.

 

Good point, but most of the free wifi choices I found require entering a Thai phone number.  I only found one that didn't.  I can see where a noob may get frustrated and give up after trying several without success.

 

[DrJack54]

Found this a clear video for TDAC guide. 

OP for visa # next time just enter the number on your reentry permit. 

 

 

[Maestro]

16 hours ago, mikebell said:

'visa # NOT required!!!' I did not get past the 1st page till I had answered this!

 

You're not the first one reporting this problem. 

 

I did a trial run just now and, like apparently most everybody else, I was able to proceed to the next page even though I left the field "Visa No." blank. 

 

What exactly happened in your case? When, with the blank "Visa No." field, you clicked on "Continue" or even aleady earlier, did the red message "This field is required" appear below the "Visa No." field?

[mikebell]

7 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

You're not the first one reporting this problem. 

 

I did a trial run just now and, like apparently most everybody else, I was able to proceed to the next page even though I left the field "Visa No." blank. 

 

What exactly happened in your case? When, with the blank "Visa No." field, you clicked on "Continue" or even aleady earlier, did the red message "This field is required" appear below the "Visa No." field?

Amid the plethora of false starts, I cannot remember at what point I tried inserting the visa number.  I kept getting the 'Insufficient Data' message almost every time I sought to move on to the next page.  My experience is sufficient to deter my daughter/S-i-L from T/Land; we're going to meet up in Vietnam.

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Assume you have a smart phone and can take screenshots. 

Hopefully for your future trips it will be a simple process now you have done it once

I have a phone which is smarter than me - I don't know how to do screenshots and/or even find them again; I needed my TGF's phone to photo everything.  The TDAC is predicated on the fact that everyone has access to the internet.  I do not have a plan that allows me access to satellites anywhere in the world; I am reliant on a hotel's wi-fi which in my case was infuriatingly slow and may well have contributed to my impatience.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I have a phone which is smarter than me - I don't know how to do screenshots and/or even find them again; I needed my TGF's phone to photo everything.  The TDAC is predicated on the fact that everyone has access to the internet.  I do not have a plan that allows me access to satellites anywhere in the world;

Seems you are using random excuses. 

You have a phone and don't know how to take a screenshot. 

Google a video of how to on your particular phone or have someone show you. 

These are then stored in your "photos" in your phone. 

Along with your TDAC copy. 

You don't require internet (WiFi) at airport. 

Seems one issue you had was "visa number" 

In your case you could enter the number on your reentry permit. 

For folk on visa exempt entry they leave that blank. 

 

All of this is explained on the NUMEROUS videos on the internet. 

Here is another typical advice link. 

 

TDAC Thailand Digital Arrival Card: A Step-by-Step Guide | ThaiEmbassy.com https://share.google/Mjkt23cBZdjvMN0b7

 

It's not difficult with bit of effort. 

[DrJack54]

29 minutes ago, mikebell said:

My experience is sufficient to deter my daughter/S-i-L from T/Land; we're going to meet up in Vietnam.

Vietnam is a great place and very family suited. 

By all means do as you suggest but please don't put it down to the TDAC being a huge mountain. 

As I stated above if the family is flying visa exempt they leave visa # field empty. 

My understanding its not even required field (🔴 star) 

What did you do previously when TM6 forms were used for arrival and handed out by the airlines. 

The fields are pretty much the same. 

 

Your not trying. Guarantee you did not watch one video posted above. 

[MarkBR]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Seems you are using random excuses. 

You have a phone and don't know how to take a screenshot. 

Google a video of how to on your particular phone or have someone show you. 

These are then stored in your "photos" in your phone. 

Along with your TDAC copy. 

You don't require internet (WiFi) at airport. 

Seems one issue you had was "visa number" 

In your case you could enter the number on your reentry permit. 

For folk on visa exempt entry they leave that blank. 

 

All of this is explained on the NUMEROUS videos on the internet. 

Here is another typical advice link. 

 

TDAC Thailand Digital Arrival Card: A Step-by-Step Guide | ThaiEmbassy.com https://share.google/Mjkt23cBZdjvMN0b7

 

It's not difficult with bit of effort. 

Unfortunately, people above a certain age are not likely to be computer literate.  My mother refused to get a smartphone or computer, and would have had similar problems if she had ever wanted to come to Thailand.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, MarkBR said:

Unfortunately, people above a certain age are not likely to be computer literate.

In that case they have  family or a friend fill in the online form and print anything that may be required. 

It's not difficult. 

Perhaps even use a travel agent to organize everything. 

 

[mikebell]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You don't require internet (WiFi) at airport. 

Thank you for your continued support.  I am a belt & braces man and the thought of waiting till I got to the airport would have been totally abhorrent to me.  It may have resulted in my arrest by Malaga police for causing a public disturbance! 

I have now two numbers to play with: my retirement 'visa' number valid till next May; and my multi-re-entry permit number also valid till then. 

I did a dummy run & printed out all the data I thought I would need to satisfy TDAC.  Apparently I missed something.

[mikebell]

14 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What did you do previously when TM6 forms were used for arrival and handed out by the airlines. 

I filled them in on on the return plane every year of my family trips home. Then Thai Immigration decided they were unnecessary for some years; then they decided they were and came up with TDAC.  Was the country overrun with criminals after TM6 and before TDAC? 

 

The point I am trying to make, amid my incompetence, is surely there should be a go-around for long-term expats whose particulars are held annually in triplicate on paper (and often used to print other documents on by officers trying to save paper.)

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I filled them in on on the return plane every year of my family trips home. Then Thai Immigration decided they were unnecessary for some years; then they decided they were and came up with TDAC.  Was the country overrun with criminals after TM6 and before TDAC? 

 

The point I am trying to make, amid my incompetence, is surely there should be a go-around for long-term expats whose particulars are held annually in triplicate on paper (and often used to print other documents on by officers trying to save paper.)

 

TDAC is in place for when they start to collect an entry fee.

 

 

[DrJack54]

33 minutes ago, mikebell said:

The point I am trying to make, amid my incompetence, is surely there should be a go-around for long-term expats whose particulars are held annually in triplicate on paper (and often used to print other documents on by officers trying to save paper.)

So update: 

To be honest I have not done a TDAC.  Well not till NOW. 

 

Live in Thailand on extensions retirement. 

So just now I decided to do a Trail run TDAC application. 

I do have an upcoming trip so wanted to see what the fuss is. 

So I just did it now. 

Instant success. 

Points to note: obviously I had to make up flights and travel date. 

Opted for Melbourne to Bangkok Tues 22.

For visa # left it blank. It's not a required firld and currently do not have a reentry permit. 

For country where I live I just put Australia (even though I live in Thailand) 

For phone number I put my Thai number (but not important could have put anything) 

That's it so simple can't believe it. 

Instant approval and I took some screenshots. 

Now just need to get to Melbourne by Tuesday to catch my fictitious flight. 

[Negita43]

17 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Found this a clear video for TDAC guide. 

Thank you good video

 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Negita43 said:

Thank you good video

 

If you haven't done one yet just chill. 

From reports I've read I knew it was simple but was still surprised. 

BTW: you instantly receive an email with all the details + QR code etc. 

I took screenshots. 

Also there is an attachment to download. 

Imagine that's not actually required. 

Couple of things to note. 

1. I didn't enter any "visa number" 

If I had a reentry permit I would entered that. 

 

2. Phone number: put anything. I actually put my Thai number. 

 

3. Where do you live? I put Australia even though I live in Thailand. 

 

4. Address in Thailand. Doesn't really matter, however I actually put my condo (rented) address. 

 

5. Reason for trip/entry. I took first option "holiday" (it's first option)