Thailand Visa Changes 2026: 60 Days Cut to 30
Plan on 30 days visa-free for tourism, because the 60-day exemption is gone. The new rule took effect on 15 September 2026. Visa on arrival is now limited to three countries, and immigration can ask you to show THB 20,000 in cash per person.
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Plan on 30 days visa-free for tourism, because the 60-day exemption is gone. The new rule took effect on 15 September 2026.
What changed for you
The 30-day exemption covers 60 countries, from Australia to the United States. Each country now gets only one exemption scheme.
| Passport | Rule from 15 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| 60 countries, including the UK and the US | 30 days visa-free for tourism |
| Seychelles, Mauritius | 15 days visa-free for tourism |
| Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia | Visa on arrival, up to 15 days, THB 2,000 |
| China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao, Mongolia, Russia, Timor-Leste, Vietnam | 30 days under bilateral agreements |
| Cambodia, Myanmar | 14 days at international airports |
| Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Peru | 90 days under bilateral agreements |
| Uzbekistan, Armenia | A visa before travel |
| Anyone else | A visa through the e-Visa system |
The Gazette list is what counts, and the same announcement repeals the old exemption.
What to carry at the border
Land entries are limited to twice per calendar year, except for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. Immigration can ask for cash of THB 20,000 per person, plus proof of accommodation and onward travel.
Look at the date on your entry stamp before you leave the checkpoint. If you came in before 15 September 2026 under the old rules, you may stay until your granted period ends.
Staying longer
A visa-exempt visitor can request an extension of up to 30 days. The fee is THB 1,900. If the office refuses, you leave within 7 days. The extension guide has the steps.
e-Visa, TDAC and DTV
If you need a visa, apply online at thaievisa.go.th and wait for approval before you travel. The e-Visa has been available worldwide since 1 January 2025.
Everyone entering also completes the TDAC online within 3 days before arrival. It is free, and sites asking for payment are scams. The TDAC guide has the steps.
From 31 August 2026, DTV applications need proof of permanent residence and a criminal record certificate. Read the DTV guide before you apply.
Overstay and other costs
Overstay costs THB 500 a day, up to THB 20,000; see the overstay guide. A late 90-day report is made in person with a THB 2,000 fine. The immigration fees table lists the rest, and the visa types overview compares every route.
A fee that is only a proposal
A tourism fee of THB 450 per person is proposed for every arrival. It still goes to the National Tourism Policy Committee and the Cabinet, with collection aimed at the first quarter of 2027. See the tourist entry fee page.
Not confirmed: Your own passport's status: confirm it on the Gazette list or your embassy page before you book. Ask your immigration office for its current criteria table before you rely on a stay clause. The DTV start is dated by embassy fee lists effective 15 July 2024; no single launch notice was found.
Common questions
What changed in Thai visa rules on 15 September 2026?
The 60-day special exemption was repealed, and a 30-day exemption for 60 countries took effect. Visa on arrival is limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
Is the 60-day visa exemption still valid?
No. The Cabinet cancelled it for all 93 countries and territories, and a Gazette announcement repealed it.
How many times can I enter by land on the 30-day exemption?
No more than twice per calendar year through land border checkpoints. The limit does not apply to nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.
When did the TDAC become mandatory?
From 1 May 2025, all non-Thai nationals entering by air, land or sea complete it online within 3 days before arrival. It is free of charge.
Can I stay until my old stamp date if I entered before 15 September 2026?
Yes. People who entered under the old rules may stay until their granted period of stay ends.
Is the THB 450 tourist entry fee in force?
No. It is a proposal that still goes to the National Tourism Policy Committee and the Cabinet.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official legal texts (Gazette, government portals):
- Department of Consular Affairs, MFA: Review of Thailand visa exemption and VoA measures (Cabinet 19 May 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette Vol. 143 Special Issue 207 Ngor, 31 Aug 2026, pp. 31-34: Ministry of Interior announcement listing 60 countries/territories for 30-day tourist visa exemption (signed 26 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette Vol. 143 Special Issue 207 Ngor, 31 Aug 2026, p. 28: Ministry of Interior announcement repealing the 15 July 2024 60-day exemption announcement (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Moscow: Revision of Thailand’s Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes (2 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette Vol. 143 Special Issue 207 Ngor, 31 Aug 2026, p. 30: Ministry of Interior announcement on the Visa on Arrival country list (signed 26 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Show 15 more sources
- Royal Thai Embassy, Doha: Tourist Visa Exemption & Visa-on-Arrival (updated 16 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General Sydney, Adjustment of Consular Service Fees (effective 15 July 2024; page updated 6 Mar 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, London: Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) required from 1 May 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, London: Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes (effective 15 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Government Public Relations Department (thailand.prd.go.th): Thailand Proposes New THB450 Tourism Fee for All Foreign Visitors, 17 Aug 2026 (Wayback copy; the live site refuses automated fetch) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General Chicago: THAI E-VISA, Apply Anywhere Anytime, from 1 January 2025 (17 Dec 2024) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau Order No. 12/2568 (23 Jan 2025), clauses 1-7 on pp. 1-2 (scanned) plus the criteria table (clause 2) and annexes A-C on pp. 3-30; copy hosted by Chiang Rai Immigration (uploaded 2025-03-05); pdf pages 1-2 are images, read by eye (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette Vol. 143 Special Issue 207 Ngor, 31 Aug 2026, p. 29: Ministry of Interior announcement on 15-day tourist visa exemption (Seychelles, Mauritius) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Summary of the revision of Thailand's visa exemption and VoA schemes, 2026 (press release PDF, status as of 31 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Division 1 Bangkok (immigration.go.th subdomain), Fee page, Wayback Machine snapshot of 2024-08-09 (live page blocks automated fetch) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Tourism and Sports: Tourism Ministry warns of fake TDAC websites charging fees (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy Moscow, Adjustment to Supporting Documents for DTV Applications (reproduces Department of Consular Affairs announcement of 28 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C.: Advice on Thailand Visa Overstay Regulations (14 Sep 2023) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau Public Handbook: Notification of Residence over 90 Days, TM.47 (hosted on chiangmai.immigration.go.th O8 page; published 8 Nov 2019) (opens in a new tab)
Company and press pages (not official sources):
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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