Official channels and third-party services
The arrival card is filed free of charge on the official government portal. Private services also exist - they charge service fees for preparation and filing assistance. Knowing which is which matters.
Where the official things happen
| Channel | What it is for |
|---|---|
| tdac.immigration.go.th | The official Thailand Digital Arrival Card portal - free filing ("No Fees Required") |
| thaievisa.go.th | The official Thailand Electronic Visa portal for visa applications |
| immigration.go.th | The Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau - entry rules and border matters |
| mfa.go.th | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs - visa policy and Thai embassies worldwide |
| TDAC official manual | The Immigration Bureau's own step-by-step guide and FAQ - plus the official mobile app (THIM) |
How third-party filing services differ
Alongside the free official portal, private companies offer paid assistance with the arrival card. An example of this category is thailand.oneclickevisa.com, operated by Group Travel JS LTD, a London-based private company that states plainly on its site that it is not affiliated with, or operated by, any government agency.
What they do
Typically: a specialist reads your passport and travel details, checks every field, prepares the application, holds it ready, and files it the moment your 72-hour window opens. Support is usually reachable around the clock.
What they charge for
The service fee covers the assistance - reviewing, preparing and filing. The arrival card itself carries no government fee, so anything you pay goes to the service, not the state. One caution from Thai legal advisers: an unofficial site may not lodge the card in the Bureau's system at all - a traveller can arrive holding a paid receipt and no card. If you use a service, make sure the QR-coded confirmation comes from the official system.
How to tell them apart
Government channels end in .go.th and never charge for the arrival card. Private services use commercial domains and say they are independent companies - that disclosure is a good sign of honesty, not a red flag.
Three rules of thumb
- The arrival card is free on the official portal - anyone charging is charging for assistance, not for the card.
- Check the domain before paying: .go.th is government; anything else is a private business.
- Never share more than the service needs - passport and travel details are enough; no card should ask for your bank credentials.