TDAC date error: why you can't select your arrival date

Checked 5 November 2026 by Darius Cheung. Independent guide, not a government website.

What the form actually does

We read the form's code. When the page loads, the server tells it today's date, and the arrival date picker is limited to that date through to three days later. So on 10 March you can choose 10, 11, 12 or 13 March, and nothing after. The same limit appears in the form used to update a card.

The departure date has no such squeeze. Its limit is many years ahead, so a return flight weeks away is fine.

Why the rule confuses people

The site's own notice reads: "Foreigners are required to submit their arrival card information 3 days in advance of their arrival date in Thailand." That can read as if you must file at least three days before. In practice it means no earlier than three days out. The embassy describes it as "up to 72 hours before entry", and says you can still complete it until you reach immigration.

The mistakes that look like a broken calendar

• Filing too early. The most common cause. You're organised, your trip is in a week, and the date is greyed out. Set a reminder for three days before you land.
• Using your departure date. On an overnight flight, the date you need is the day you land in Thailand, which may be the day after you leave home.
• Your phone's date isn't Thailand's. The window counts from the server's date rather than your phone's. If you're far behind or ahead of Thailand, the picker may start or end a day away from what you expect. We assume the server uses Thai time, though the code doesn't say.
• A long connection. If you stop over for a few days in another country, your arrival date is your actual entry to Thailand, and the "country boarded" is the last one you flew from.
• A page left open overnight. The date range is set when the page loads, so reload the page if you started it the day before.

If your plans change after filing

You can change some details through the site's update option. The update form uses the same three-day limit in its code, so moving your trip a week later means waiting for the new date to come into range.

The message "Invalid days"

The site's English text includes the phrase "Invalid days." We can't tell from the outside exactly when it's shown. If you see it, re-select both dates from the calendar rather than typing them, and check your departure comes after your arrival. If you've seen it and worked out the cause, let us know and we'll add it here.

Questions people ask

Can I file the TDAC on the day I arrive?

Yes. Today is the first date in the calendar, and the embassy says it can be completed until you reach immigration. Doing it earlier is calmer.

Is it exactly 72 hours?

The embassy says 72 hours. The calendar works in whole dates (today plus three), so what you see is a date range rather than a countdown.

Can I file a week early for peace of mind?

Not on the official site, since the date can't be selected. Any service offering to file earlier is not the official route, so treat it with care.

Where this comes from

Rules change, so check the official site before you travel. Where we quote a form's message, we copied it from the form's own public code. Some messages may rarely appear, and we don't run test submissions on government forms.

• TDAC site's public code and English text (official site, version 2026.10.00-0547, read by us on 3 Nov 2026)
• Royal Thai Embassy, Buenos Aires: How to submit the TDAC (official, updated 26 Feb 2026)