Travel updates
The online forms you need before travelling in 2026
A passport and a boarding pass are no longer the full pre-flight checklist for several popular destinations. These are the forms I now check before leaving home, with the correct submission window and the official website for each one.
Start with the right question
Is it a visa, an authorisation or an arrival card?
These names sound similar, but they do different jobs. A visa or electronic travel authorisation gives permission to travel. An arrival card supplies immigration, accommodation and sometimes health information shortly before entry.
Completing an arrival card does not cancel a visa requirement. The first check is still based on nationality, destination, reason for travel and length of stay. The form comes after that.
I use only government domains and save the confirmation offline. Several unofficial websites copy the names of these services and charge for forms that are free.
Quick answer
Five forms worth checking before an international trip
United Kingdom
ETA
Apply before travelling · £20 per person
Thailand
TDAC
During the 3 days before arrival · Free
Singapore
SG Arrival Card
Within 3 days, including arrival day · Free
South Korea
e-Arrival Card
Within 3 days before arrival · Free
India
e-Arrival Card
Within 72 hours before arrival · Free
The exact requirements
What to submit, when to submit it and what it costs
01 · United Kingdom
ETA
Apply before travelling
£20 per person
Who should check: Visa-exempt visitors whose nationality requires an ETA, including children
This is a travel authorisation, not an arrival card. It is linked to the passport used in the application. A separate ETA is needed for every traveller, and it is also required for a landside airport transit that passes through UK border control.
Check and apply on GOV.UK02 · Thailand
TDAC
During the 3 days before arrival
Free
Who should check: Foreign travellers arriving by air, land or sea, subject to the official exemptions
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card replaced the old paper arrival card. It asks for passport, trip, accommodation and health information. It does not replace a visa, so visa rules still depend on the passport you use.
Submit the official TDAC03 · Singapore
SG Arrival Card
Within 3 days, including arrival day
Free
Who should check: Most travellers entering Singapore; transit without immigration clearance is exempt
The SGAC combines arrival information with an electronic health declaration. The submission window includes the day of arrival: for a 30 June arrival, the form opens on 28 June. It is not a visa and should never require payment.
Open the official SGAC service04 · South Korea
e-Arrival Card
Within 3 days before arrival
Free
Who should check: Travellers who would otherwise complete an entry declaration
The official site has a short navigator that checks whether your visa, K-ETA or residence status exempts you. The online form uses passport, entry, departure and accommodation details and can also accept group submissions.
Check the Korea e-Arrival Card05 · India
e-Arrival Card
Within 72 hours before arrival
Free
Who should check: Foreign nationals and OCI cardholders entering India
This is the digital arrival declaration used for immigration details. It is separate from an Indian visa or e-Visa. The government service is free, so payment requests are a sign that you are not using the official form.
Complete India’s official form
Prepare once
Keep these details together before opening the form
The passport you will actually use for the trip
Flight number or other arrival transport details
Arrival date and expected departure date
The address of your first accommodation
An email address you can open while travelling
A screenshot or PDF of the confirmation
My simple routine
I complete short-window forms two days before arrival
Two days is inside every three-day window in this article and still leaves time to correct a flight number, accommodation address or passport detail before departure.
After submitting, I save the confirmation as a screenshot and PDF. Most systems are linked electronically to the passport, but an offline copy is faster to find than airport Wi-Fi.
I also reopen the official entry page on the morning of travel. Rules can change, and the destination government is the final source for the passport being used.
Official sources
Entry requirements depend on nationality and can change. Check the official destination website again before departure.