Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has launched a trial of a new mobile application designed to streamline entry registration for foreign nationals, with a full rollout scheduled for August 2026.
The app, called THIM, or Thailand Immigration Management, is available for download on both iOS and Android. It was announced on Saturday, June 6, with the commissioner of the Immigration Bureau leading its development.
The THIM app Thailand initiative is framed around balancing national security supervision with more convenient immigration processing for foreign visitors across all visa types.
The app allows foreign nationals to register entry information by photographing their passport, with the system reading and recording the data automatically. Users then fill in their place of stay, travel details, and the reasons for their visit to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC.
The bureau says the full entry process can be completed in under three minutes. The app also supports group travel, allowing entry information for up to 10 people to be submitted simultaneously, which the bureau says reduces processing time to an average of three minutes per person.
Currently, arrival card information must be entered through a website, which the bureau describes as slower.
All data will be stored in an immigration information system developed in partnership with a private technology company. The bureau said the company was chosen on the basis of its global credibility in system security.
Future scope
The bureau said the app would eventually be developed into a one-stop platform covering short-stay tourists, long-term residents, and those who have taken up permanent residence in Thailand.
Planned features include the ability to request identity certification documents, submit required paperwork to immigration officers remotely, and schedule in-person appointments, reducing the need for foreign nationals to attend immigration offices.
Officers would be able to review applications through the app without requiring applicants to appear in person. The bureau said this would reduce congestion at immigration offices without reducing the standard of checks carried out by officers.
Foreign nationals registered on the app would also be able to request emergency assistance through a link to the Tourist Police hotline, available 24 hours a day.
The current trial version supports four languages: English, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. The developer has said it aims to expand support to at least 15 additional languages in the near future.
Broader context
The Immigration Bureau said the app was developed in line with a government policy prioritising care for foreign nationals entering Thailand as tourists or staying on various visa types. The bureau said it had been instructed to strengthen its capacity to supervise foreigners’ stays, to prevent people from “causing problems in the country” or from becoming victims of crime.
The Nation reported that the bureau also cited a need to address issues affecting Thailand’s tourism image, including congestion at airports and difficulty in reaching immigration officers.
Pratchaya said the immigration system currently handles around 30 million foreign tourists per year and is expected to grow further.
He said Thailand aimed to position itself as a leader in digital immigration systems in Southeast Asia.
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