Arrival cards by country

Last checked: 19 October 2026 · Guides

Digital arrival forms are separate from visas and travel authorisations. Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines provide free official forms, and Malaysia’s official MDAC pages list no submission fee ^1,2^3,4^5,6. Indonesia’s All Indonesia form is free ⁷. Japan’s Visit Japan Web is free and recommended, with paper forms still available ⁸.

Countries compared: 8 official systems
Typical window: Within 3 days or 72 hours before travel ^1,2^3,4^5,6⁷
Visa replacement: None of these forms is a visa
Checked: 19 October 2026

Official arrival-card table

Country	Official system	When	Fee and status
Singapore	SG Arrival Card ¹	Within 3 days before arrival, including arrival day	Free, required with listed exceptions
Malaysia	Malaysia Digital Arrival Card ²	Within 3 days before arrival	No fee listed, required with listed exemptions
Thailand	Thailand Digital Arrival Card ³	Within 3 days before arrival, including arrival day	Free, required for non-Thai arrivals
Taiwan	Taiwan Arrival Card ⁴	Within 3 days before arrival	Free, mandatory from 1 October 2025 for covered travellers
South Korea	e-Arrival Card ⁵	From 3 days before arrival	Free, exemptions include approved K-ETA users
Philippines	eTravel ⁶	Within 72 hours before arrival or departure	Free, scope differs for arriving and departing travellers
Indonesia	All Indonesia ⁷	From 3 days before arrival or on landing	Free, phased mandatory use from 1 September 2025
Japan	Visit Japan Web ⁸	Complete before travel	Free and recommended, paper forms remain available

An arrival card is not a visa

These systems collect immigration, customs or health information. Completing one does not remove a visa or electronic travel-authorisation requirement ^1,3^5,7⁸.

A traveller may need both an arrival card and a visa or ETA. In South Korea, an approved K-ETA can remove the e-Arrival Card requirement, but the two documents serve different functions ⁵.

Use the official channel

Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan state that their official submission is free. Malaysia’s government pages provide the official portal and do not list a submission fee ^1,2^3,4^5,6^7,8.

Paid look-alike sites can appear in search results. Start from the immigration or government source in the table rather than a commercial form service.

Timing rules differ

Three days can mean a calendar window that includes arrival day, or a 72-hour period. Follow the wording on the country’s own portal ^1,3^5,6.

Submit a new form for each covered trip and update it through the official system when a material travel detail changes.

Common questions

Are arrival cards visas?

No. They do not replace a visa or ETA.

Are these forms free?

Seven systems state that the official form is free. Malaysia’s official MDAC pages list no submission fee ^1,2^3,4^5,6^7,8.

Can I submit one form for several trips?

No. Submit for each covered trip.

Does every transit passenger submit?

No. Exemptions depend on the country and whether the traveller clears immigration ^1,5.

Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked above before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.

Sources

What governments say happens to arrival card data
The data, uses, access rules and published retention terms for eight official digital arrival systems, checked against government notices.
SG Arrival Card (SGAC) with electronic health declaration
Singapore's SG Arrival Card is free and must be submitted within 3 days before arrival. Who is exempt, the official links and ICA scam warnings.
Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
The TDAC is Thailand's free online arrival card for all non-Thai visitors. Who needs it, when to submit it and the only official website.
Philippines eTravel
eTravel is the Philippines' free online travel and health declaration, due within 72 hours of arrival. Who must register, exemptions and scam warnings.