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Your First 30 Days in Thailand: The 2026 Checklist

By Erik Lind · Checked on: 17 October 2026

You’ve got the visa. The flights are booked. Now comes the part nobody prepares you for: the small, very Thai admin tasks that keep your stay legal and your life working. Each one is simple on its own, but missing one can mean a fine, a frozen bank application or, worst of all, losing your permission to stay.

Here’s the order we’d do them in, with what the official sources say as of October 2026.

Short version: Submit the free TDAC before you fly. Check your entry stamp. Get a SIM with your passport. Make sure your TM30 address notification is filed. Open a bank account when you have a lease. Diary your 90-day report. Never leave Thailand on an extension without a re-entry permit.

The plan at a glance

When Task Why it matters
Up to 3 days before arrival Submit the TDAC Required for every non-Thai arrival since 1 May 2025
Day 0 Check your entry stamp Errors are easiest to fix at the airport
Day 0–1 Buy and register a SIM You need a Thai number for banks, apps and OTPs
Day 1 Confirm your TM30 is filed Your address must be reported to immigration
Week 1 Save emergency numbers; register with your embassy 1669, 191, 1155
Week 1–2 Open a bank account Rent, bills, retirement deposits
Week 2 Set up insurance direct billing Avoid paying hospitals upfront
Week 2–4 Diary your 90-day report Late reports cost ฿2,000
Before any trip abroad Get a re-entry permit Without one, your extension ends
Day 30 Compare spending with your budget Adjust early

Before you fly: the TDAC

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) replaced the paper TM.6 card on 1 May 2025.

Day 0: check your stamp

Before you leave the immigration counter, check that the stamp shows the right visa type and permitted-stay date. Photograph it. If you entered visa-free, remember the exemption is now 30 days for most eligible nationalities (since 15 September 2026), not 60.

Day 0–1: get a Thai SIM

Day 1: TM30 address notification

TM30 is the notification that tells immigration where a foreigner is staying. The legal duty sits with the owner, landlord or hotel, who must file within 24 hours of your arrival at the property. Hotels do it automatically.

For a rented condo or house, ask your landlord to file it and send you the receipt or a screenshot. You’ll often need it for later immigration applications, such as extensions, and some banks ask for it. Requirements for re-filing after travel within Thailand or abroad vary by office, so ask your local immigration office what it expects.

Week 1–2: opening a Thai bank account

There is no single national rule. Each bank decides, and branches differ.

Bring:

Some banks publish rules that exclude tourist and visa-exempt entries, and some reportedly decline DTV holders. If one branch says no, try another branch or bank. Until it’s sorted, a multi-currency card can cover your first months.

Retirees: if you plan to use the ฿800,000 deposit route for a retirement extension, the money must sit in a Thai account for 2 months before you apply and 3 months after approval, and never fall below ฿400,000 after that. Open the account early.

Week 2: insurance and direct billing

Visit the private hospital you’re most likely to use with your policy card, and confirm it has direct billing with your insurer. Save your insurer’s 24/7 assistance number. Our health insurance guide covers the details.

Week 2–4: diary your 90-day report

If you stay more than 90 days in a row on a non-immigrant visa or extension, you must report your address every 90 days on form TM.47.

How When
Online at tm47.immigration.go.th 15 days to 7 days before the due date
In person 15 days before to 7 days after
Via an authorised person Same as in person
Registered mail Send at least 15 days early

Before any trip: the re-entry permit

This is the one that catches people. If you hold an extension of stay, for example a one-year retirement extension, and you leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, your permission to stay ends. You’d have to start the visa process again.

Day 30: review your budget

Compare your actual spending with your plan, especially rent, utilities (air-conditioning adds up) and eating out. Our cost of living guide has the city estimates.

FAQ

Who files the TM30, me or my landlord?

The owner, landlord or hotel is responsible under the Immigration Bureau’s rules. Ask your landlord for the receipt, because you’ll need it.

Can I do my 90-day report online?

Yes, at tm47.immigration.go.th, from 15 to 7 days before the due date. Your first report must be in person.

What is the fine for a late 90-day report?

฿2,000, or ฿5,000 if you’re apprehended.

Can I open a Thai bank account on a tourist entry?

It’s at each bank’s discretion. Many banks exclude tourist and visa-exempt entries. Ask the branch before you go.

Do I need a re-entry permit?

Yes, if you’re on an extension of stay and plan to leave and come back. Without one, your extension ends when you leave. LTR holders are exempt.

Is the TDAC free?

Yes. Use only tdac.immigration.go.th.

Sources

Checked on 17 October 2026.

Your next step

If this guide helped, two things may save you time:

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Disclaimer. This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, immigration, medical, insurance or financial advice, and it does not create any adviser–client relationship. Rules change often, sometimes without notice, and embassies and immigration officers apply them differently. We make no guarantee of any visa, bank, insurance or other outcome. Prices and costs are indicative only. Always check the official source and talk to a qualified, licensed professional before you act. Published by Valitron AB (Sweden). See our full Disclaimer.

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