Tourist Visas

Thailand’s Ministry of Interior replaced the previous 60-day visa exemption scheme with new rules that took effect on September 15, 2026, following a notification published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026. See the changes log for the full history of this rule.

Visa exemption (most nationalities)

Citizens of around 60 countries and territories — including the US, UK, EU member states, Australia, Canada and Japan — can enter Thailand without a visa for tourism purposes only and stay for up to 30 days (down from the previous 60 days). Mauritius and Seychelles nationals get 15 days instead.

• Entry under this exemption cannot be used for work or business activity. Anyone travelling to Thailand for work needs a Non-Immigrant B visa arranged before travel.
• One extension of up to 30 additional days can be requested at a Thai immigration office for a 1,900-baht fee, making 60 days the practical maximum stay. Approval and the length of any extension are at the immigration officer’s discretion.
• Entry via land border checkpoints is capped at two visa-exempt entries per calendar year for most nationalities — aimed at curbing repeated short “visa run” trips. Malaysian, Bruneian, Indonesian and Singaporean nationals are exempt from this cap, and it doesn’t apply to arrivals by air.
• Travellers who entered Thailand before September 15, 2026 keep whichever stay period was stamped in their passport on arrival — the new rules aren’t applied retroactively to a stay already in progress.

Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is now available to nationals of only three countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia (cut down from a much longer list). It allows a stay of up to 15 days, costs 2,000 baht, and cannot be extended.

Anyone not covered above

Nationalities not on the visa-exemption or Visa-on-Arrival lists, and anyone planning to work, study or stay long-term, need to apply for the relevant visa at a Thai embassy or consulate before travelling — this page only covers the short-stay tourist exemption and Visa on Arrival.