Thailand changed its entry rules on 15 September 2026. The 60-day visa exemption has ended: most Western passports now get 30 days without a visa, and visa on arrival is open to only three nationalities. The rules can change again, so check the Thai embassy or the official e-Visa site (thaievisa.go.th) for your own nationality before you travel.
Passport requirements
Your passport must meet two rules when you arrive in Thailand:
- Validity: at least 6 months after your arrival date.
- Blank pages: at least 1 blank page.
Check the expiry date against your arrival date, not your departure date, and save offline copies of your onward ticket and your first hotel booking.
Visa exemption: the new 30-day rule
From 15 September 2026, citizens of 60 countries and territories can enter Thailand without a visa for tourism and stay up to 30 days. This is called the visa exemption. It replaced the 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries that applied from 15 July 2024 to 14 September 2026.
The 30-day list includes every EU member state, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, India, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. The full list is in the Tourism Authority of Thailand announcement of the new visa exemption rules. Seychelles and Mauritius passport holders get 15 days.
Separate agreements between Thailand and some countries (bilateral agreements) still apply:
- 90 days: South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.
- 30 days: China, Hong Kong, Macao, Russia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
- 14 days: Cambodia and Myanmar (Myanmar citizens by air only, not at land borders).
If your nationality is on none of these lists, you need a visa before you travel. Mexico, for example, was on the old 60-day list and is not on the new one. Uzbekistan lost both the visa exemption and visa on arrival.
Important details
- Already in Thailand? If you entered before 15 September 2026, you keep the stay stamped in your passport. A 60-day stamp is not cut to 30 days.
- Tourism only: the visa exemption is for holidays. Business trips, conferences and meetings need the correct visa.
- Land borders: travellers using the visa exemption may enter over a land border no more than twice per calendar year (Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore nationals are excepted).
- Frequent visits: the UK government says visa-exempt entry is normally limited to two entries per calendar year. Since November 2025, immigration has refused entry to people who made more than two visa-exempt entries in a year without a good reason.
- Cambodia: as of September 2026, all Thailand-Cambodia land crossings, including Aranyaprathet-Poipet, have been closed since mid-2025. Plan to fly to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, and check the border status before you travel.
What officers may ask to see
Checks are at the officer's discretion, and people have been refused entry without this evidence:
| Document | What to show |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid 6 months after arrival, 1 blank page |
| Onward or return ticket | A confirmed booking out of Thailand |
| Proof of funds | At least 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family (cash, other currency or payment documents) |
| Arrival card | The online TDAC (see below) |
Visa on arrival (VOA)
Since 15 September 2026, visa on arrival is available only to citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, for a stay of up to 15 days. Indian and Chinese travellers, who used the old list, now enter without a visa for 30 days.
The fee is 2,000 THB. As of September 2026, you need the following (check the exact list with the Thai embassy before you travel):
- a passport photo taken within the last 6 months;
- a confirmed ticket out of Thailand within 15 days;
- a confirmed accommodation booking;
- funds of at least 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family.
Visa on arrival is issued only at designated immigration checkpoints.
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
The paper TM6 arrival card is gone. Since 1 May 2025, every foreign national arriving by air, land or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within the 3 days before arrival. There is no departure slip to keep.
- Use only the free official site, tdac.immigration.go.th; lookalike sites charge a fee.
- Children need their own TDAC, and you need a new one for every entry.
- Transit passengers who stay airside and do not pass immigration do not need one.
- The TDAC is not a visa. As of September 2026, the TDAC is the only online form, and no electronic travel authorisation (ETA) is required; check the Thai embassy website before you fly.
- A planned tourist entry fee for air arrivals (300 THB or more) was still not being collected as of May 2026, and no start date had been announced.
Visas to apply for before you travel
All Thai visas are applied for online at thaievisa.go.th, from outside Thailand. Fees were checked in September 2026; embassies charge the equivalent in local currency, so confirm the amount before you apply.
| Visa | Fee | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa (TR), single entry | Set by each embassy | 60 days; the visa is valid for 3 months |
| Multiple-entry tourist visa (METV) | 5,000 THB | Up to 60 days per entry, valid 6 months |
| Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | 10,000 THB | Up to 180 days per entry, valid 5 years |
A tourist visa needs bank statements showing at least 20,000 THB, and at the border tourist-visa holders may be asked for 20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family. The DTV needs proof of 500,000 THB.
Extending your stay
A stay under the visa exemption or a tourist visa can be extended once, by up to 30 days, at an immigration office. With the 30-day visa exemption this gives about 60 days in total. Approval and length are at the officer's discretion.
- Fee: 1,900 THB, in cash.
- Bring: your passport, the TM.7 form and a passport photo.
- When: apply a few days before your permitted stay ends.
- Online: some categories, including tourism, can use the "Thailand E-Extension" service.
Bangkok (Immigration Division 1): Government Complex, Building B, South Zone, Chaeng Watthana Road, Lak Si, Bangkok 10210. Open Monday to Friday, 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30, closed on public holidays. Walk-in queue tickets are given out only until 15:30, so arrive early. Standard extensions are on the 2nd floor (Door 2); e-Extension cases are on the 3rd floor. Phone 0-2141-9889.
Overstaying
Never overstay, even by one day. The fine is 500 THB per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 THB (reached at 40 days). Longer overstays also bring a ban on returning to Thailand:
| Overstay | Ban if you surrender | Ban if you are arrested |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 90 days | No ban | 5 years |
| Over 90 days | 1 year | 5 years |
| Over 1 year | 3 years | 10 years |
| Over 3 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| Over 5 years | 10 years | 10 years |
Bans are counted from the day you leave. Detention and deportation at your own cost are also possible.
Quick reference by passport
| Passport | Without a visa | Visa on arrival |
|---|---|---|
| USA, UK, Canada, Australia | 30 days | Not available |
| EU countries, Japan, India | 30 days | Not available |
| China, Russia, Vietnam | 30 days (bilateral agreement) | Not available |
| South Korea, Brazil | 90 days (bilateral agreement) | Not available |
| Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia | No visa exemption | 15 days, 2,000 THB |
| Mexico, Uzbekistan | Visa needed | Not available |
After immigration: getting to your hotel
A Smile Taxi Service airport pickup includes 60 minutes of free waiting, counted from the actual landing time, and a person checks your flight. At Suvarnabhumi the driver meets you on Level 4 (Departures), near Gate 4. At Don Mueang the driver meets you on Level 3 (Departures), and the exact door comes with the driver's details. Message on WhatsApp or LINE once you have your bags, and the car pulls up in about 5-10 minutes.
Fares are fixed, per vehicle and one way, with expressway tolls included:
- Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok: 600 THB sedan, 800 THB SUV, 1,100 THB van. Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok
- Don Mueang to Bangkok: 600 THB sedan, 800 THB SUV, 1,000 THB van. Book a sedan from Don Mueang to Bangkok
No baht yet? You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip. If you can only pay by card, message the team for a PayPal payment link; a 5% fee is added. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup. Other routes are on the full list of routes and fares.
Useful numbers
- Immigration Bureau call centre: 1178 (Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30)
- Tourist Police (English-speaking, 24 hours): 1155
- Police and general emergency: 191
- Ambulance: 1669
FAQ
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa? Since 15 September 2026, 30 days for the 60 listed countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the EU. South Koreans get 90 days; Seychelles and Mauritius citizens get 15 days.
How long must my passport be valid? At least 6 months after your arrival date, with at least 1 blank page.
Can I extend a 30-day stay under the visa exemption? Yes, once, by up to 30 days at an immigration office, for 1,900 THB with the TM.7 form. The officer decides.
Who can get a visa on arrival now? Only citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, for 15 days at 2,000 THB. Indian citizens now enter without a visa for 30 days.
What happens if I overstay? You pay 500 THB per day, up to 20,000 THB. If you surrender, an overstay of more than 90 days brings a ban on returning of 1 to 10 years. If you are arrested, the ban is 5 or 10 years.
Landing soon? Book your airport pickup or message us on WhatsApp or LINE.