Thailand Tourist Visas & Visa Exemptions

The September 2026 change

The MFA announced that, from 15 September 2026, the 60-day visa-exemption scheme was revoked. The revised measures include a 30-day tourism exemption for 60 countries or territories, a 15-day tourism exemption for two, and a revised visa-on-arrival list of three. Other passport-specific or bilateral arrangements must be checked separately. See the MFA announcement and official country chart.

This concerns exemption schemes, not a blanket reduction of every tourist visa. A visa issued for tourism can still have a different admission period. The MFA also stated that people already admitted under the previous arrangements retain the permitted-until date in their entry stamp.

Compare the available routes

On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

The tourist visa periods above come from the embassy’s tourist-visa guidance. The immigration stamp records the stay actually granted. Multiple entries do not create a continuous six-month residence right.

Prepare evidence for the trip

• Passport or accepted travel document with the validity required for the route.
• Recent photograph in the prescribed format for a visa application.
• Evidence of legal residence and current location for the receiving embassy or consulate.
• A coherent itinerary with return or onward travel and accommodation or host details.
• Financial evidence in the format required by the receiving mission; statements should identify the account holder and relevant period.
• For children, birth or custody documents, parent/guardian consent and sponsorship evidence as applicable.

The single-entry checklist and the multiple-entry checklist can differ. A bank balance or local-currency requirement quoted by one embassy should not be treated as the universal threshold for all nationalities. Keep names, dates and destinations consistent across bookings and application fields.

Applying and travelling

1. Use the official nationality and visa information to decide whether an advance visa is needed.
2. Identify the responsible mission through the Thai e-Visa system and check its residence rules.
3. Submit the correct tourism purpose with readable evidence and allow time for requests.
4. Check the issued visa, including passport number, entry count and validity.
5. Complete the official TDAC where required and carry the visa confirmation and supporting travel information.
6. At arrival, check the permitted-until date and keep a copy with your travel records.

An airline may check entry documents before boarding, and immigration officers assess admission at the border. Visa issuance does not remove the need to explain the genuine purpose of the visit.

Tourism, business and remote work

Tourist status is not an ordinary employment route. If you intend to take a Thai job, manage day-to-day operations, conduct paid assignments or study long term, assess the correct category first. For qualifying overseas remote work, compare the DTV guide and LTR programme.

Repeated tourist entries are not a guaranteed residence strategy. A pattern of long stays, unclear funding or activities inconsistent with tourism can prompt questions. If your actual plan is relocation, describe it honestly and choose an appropriate long-stay basis.

Extensions and side trips

If you wish to stay longer, ask the responsible Immigration office about the extension available for your actual admission category. Apply while your stay remains lawful; a pending travel plan or a submitted e-Visa application does not itself add days.

A single-entry visa is used on entry. Before a side trip, check whether you need a re-entry permit to preserve an existing stay or will seek a new admission under another valid basis. A re-entry permit preserves the existing expiry date rather than creating a fresh full tourist stay.

TDAC and accommodation

Use the free official TDAC process within the three-day submission window including the arrival day. Confirm the passport, travel and accommodation details. The arrival card is not a visa or a work permit.

After checking into accommodation, ask the host about the relevant accommodation notification. Keep booking records and your entry stamp available if your itinerary changes or you need an extension. Our arrival and reporting guide explains the difference between TDAC, TM30 and TM47.

Frequently asked questions