Arrival Cards 2026: TDAC, MDAC, SG Arrival Card, IMUGA and More

An arrival card is the form you used to fill in on paper on the plane: your name, passport, flight, address in the country and the reason for your visit. Many countries in Asia have moved it online. You now fill it in on a website or app a few days before you fly, and immigration sees it before you land.

It is not a visa and not an ETA. It does not give you the right to enter. You still need a visa, a visa free status or an ETA, depending on your passport. If you are unsure about those, read e visa vs visa on arrival vs embassy visa.

There is no service fee on any official arrival card. If a site asks for money, close it. Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore all warn about third party sites that charge for a free form.

Since 1 May 2025 every non Thai national entering Thailand by air, land or sea must submit the TDAC. It replaced the paper TM6 card. You submit it within the 3 days before you arrive, and you need a new one for each entry.

The TDAC is only a registration. You still need the right entry status for your passport. Azerbaijani citizens, for example, are on Thailand's short visa on arrival list since 15 September 2026, and still need the TDAC. See Thailand for Azerbaijanis.

Malaysia's MDAC is for foreign visitors and is filled in up to 3 days before arrival. Singapore citizens, diplomatic and official passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents and some pass holders are excluded. At the counter you show your passport, and immigration finds the MDAC.

Singapore asks all travellers to submit the SG Arrival Card with a health declaration within 3 days before arrival, counting the arrival day. If you arrive on 30 June, you can submit from 28 June. Travellers who change planes without passing immigration do not need it.

• Indonesia: the All Indonesia card combines immigration, customs and health questions in one form. Submit it within 3 days before arrival, on the website or the app, and show the QR code. It does not replace a visa on arrival or e visa.
• Maldives: every traveller, including children and babies, files the IMUGA traveller declaration within 96 hours before arrival. A form filed earlier than that may not count. Azerbaijani citizens can visit the Maldives without a visa since April 2026, but still file IMUGA.
• Japan: Visit Japan Web is optional. It lets you register immigration and customs details before you land and show a QR code at major airports, which can save time in the queue.
• South Korea: travellers from the countries that do not need a K-ETA until 31 December 2026 fill in the e Arrival Card instead. K-ETA holders skip it. See ESTA, eTA, NZeTA and K-ETA compared.

1. 1

   Wait for the window

   Most forms only accept submissions 3 days (or 96 hours) before arrival. A form sent too early can be rejected or invalid.

2. 2

   Type the official address yourself

   Search ads often show copy sites first. Check that the address ends in the country's government domain, for example go.th, gov.my, gov.sg, go.id or gov.mv.

3. 3

   Copy your passport exactly

   Use the same spelling, passport number and dates as in the passport you will show at the border.

4. 4

   Add your first address

   Give the hotel or the flat where you will sleep the first night, with the full address.

5. 5

   Do one form per person

   Children and babies need their own card or their own entry in a family form.

6. 6

   Save the confirmation

   Take a screenshot of the QR code or confirmation and keep it offline, because airport Wi Fi can be slow.

Arrival cards are the same for every nationality, but what you need besides the card is not. For Southeast Asia, check the visa rule for your passport first, then do the arrival card 3 days before the flight.

See the destination lists for Azerbaijani, Pakistani, Indian, Russian and Turkish passports. If you live in Azerbaijan, Sroky can also remind you when your passport is close to the 6 month validity that Malaysia and several other countries ask for.