As of 15 September 2026, Thailand's visa-exemption rules changed. The 60-day visa-free stay that 93 countries and territories had enjoyed since July 2024 has ended, replaced by a 30-day exemption for 60 countries and territories, and the exemption is now explicitly for tourism only. Below is what actually changed, who it affects, and what to do, whether you're visiting, retiring, or planning to stay long-term.
The short version
- The 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026. It is replaced by a 30-day exemption for 60 countries and territories.
- The exemption is now tourism only. The old wording that also covered some short-term business and urgent work has been dropped.
- You get 30 days on arrival, plus one 30-day extension at immigration (about 1,900 baht), for up to roughly 60 days per entry.
- Mauritius and Seychelles get 15 days. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia move to Visa on Arrival (15 days, about 2,000 baht).
- Anyone who entered by 14 September keeps the 60-day stay they were granted. The change is not retroactive.
- The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is a separate, mandatory, free requirement for every foreign arrival.
- Valid visas and other categories, including retirement extensions, are not changed by this.
What actually changed
Two things, really. First, the length: most eligible nationalities now receive 30 days visa-free on arrival instead of 60. Second, and easier to miss, the stated purpose narrowed. The previous 60-day scheme was written to allow tourism plus certain short-term business and urgent or ad-hoc work. The new 30-day exemption is framed for tourism, and that business and urgent-work language is gone. For most holidaymakers the practical change is simply "half the time." For anyone whose trip is not strictly tourism, the change is bigger than the number.
Who gets what, by nationality
- 30-day exemption: 60 countries and territories, including the United States, United Kingdom, most of the EU, Australia, Canada, Japan and many others. Check the official Department of Consular Affairs list for your specific passport, since the list is what governs, not a summary.
- 15-day exemption: Mauritius and Seychelles.
- Visa on Arrival (15 days, about 2,000 baht): Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
Your nationality alone does not guarantee entry. Immigration reviews your documents and issues the stamp with the date you must leave, and the exemption applies to that stamped stay.
The part beyond the length: "tourism only"
If you are flying in to attend meetings, sign a contract on the ground, install equipment, speak at a conference, or otherwise work, the 30-day exemption is not designed for that, and the correct route is usually a Non-Immigrant "B" visa arranged before you travel. For urgent or ad-hoc work specifically, eligibility to file the usual notification while in Thailand on the new exemption is, at the time of writing, still under review by the Department of Employment, so the safe course for work travel is to obtain a Non-Immigrant "B" in advance rather than rely on the exemption. This does not mean a tourist can no longer answer an email; it means the exemption should not be treated as a work-entry route.
For visitors and tourists
- You get 30 days on arrival, and can generally request one 30-day extension at a Thai immigration office (about 1,900 baht), bringing the potential stay to roughly 60 days per entry.
- If you entered on or before 14 September, you keep the 60-day stay you were granted. Nobody was cut short retroactively.
- Visa-exempt entries at land borders remain capped at two per calendar year. Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are treated as exempt from that particular cap. Air arrivals are not subject to that numerical land-border limit, but repeated back-to-back entries by any route can still attract questions about whether you are genuinely visiting for tourism. The exemption is not a long-stay workaround.
- If 30 days will not cover your trip, plan the extension or the correct visa before you travel rather than at the airport.
For retirees
- The tourist exemption is not, and never was, a retirement route. If you are coming to scout or visit, you receive the 30-day tourist exemption like any other eligible visitor.
- To actually retire in Thailand you use the appropriate route, such as the retirement "O-A" visa obtained abroad or the in-country Non-O retirement extension, each of which has its own financial requirements and, where applicable, insurance conditions. Confirm the current figures with the embassy or immigration, since these are set separately from the tourist rules.
- Crucially, if you already hold a valid long-stay visa or a retirement extension, this announcement does not shorten your stay or change your category. It touches the tourist exemption and Visa-on-Arrival framework, not your extension.
For long-stayers and remote workers
- Because the exemption is tourism only, it should not be relied on for working remotely, and using repeat visa-exempt entries to live here indefinitely is riskier under the tighter framework.
- If your income comes from a foreign employer or clients, the DTV (a five-year visa allowing up to 180 days per entry) is the cleaner long-stay route for remote workers and freelancers. Note that the DTV has its own documentation and financial requirements and has been applied more strictly recently, so check current conditions.
- For employment or business in Thailand, the route is a Non-Immigrant "B" (with a work permit where relevant).
The TDAC: separate, mandatory and free
- The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is required for every foreign passport holder entering by air, land or sea, whether you arrive visa-exempt, on a Visa on Arrival, or on a visa.
- It is free, and completed online within three days before arrival through the official Immigration Bureau portal (tdac.immigration.go.th).
- It replaces the old paper TM6. It is not a visa and does not extend your permitted stay; it is arrival registration.
- Be wary of unofficial sites that charge a "processing fee." The official TDAC does not cost anything.
What did not change
- Valid visas are not cancelled, and the permitted stays attached to other visa categories are not amended.
- Retirement, education, DTV, Non-Immigrant "B" and other categories keep their own rules.
- The overhaul is limited to the tourist visa-exemption and Visa-on-Arrival framework.
A quick pre-travel checklist
- Check the official Department of Consular Affairs list for your passport's current exemption and stay length.
- If 30 days will not cover your trip, arrange the extension or the correct visa in advance.
- Complete the free TDAC within three days before arrival, via the official portal only.
- If your trip is anything other than tourism, sort the correct visa or permit before you fly.
- Confirm anything unusual (passport validity, unusual entry history, your specific purpose) with a Royal Thai Embassy or the Immigration Bureau.
FAQ
I'm already in Thailand. Does this shorten my stay? No. If you entered by 14 September you keep the stay you were granted, and anyone already here keeps their permitted stay.
Can I still stay 60 days visa-free? Not on the exemption itself. You get 30 days on arrival plus one 30-day extension (about 1,900 baht), which is roughly 60 days per entry.
Is the TDAC a visa? No. It is a free arrival registration, required in addition to whatever entry route applies to you.
Can I work remotely on the 30-day exemption? The exemption is tourism only, and remote-work eligibility under it is not confirmed, so do not rely on it for work. The DTV is the route built for remote workers.
I want to retire in Thailand. Does this affect me? The tourist exemption is not a retirement route, and this change does not alter the retirement visa or extension routes. Use the proper retirement route, and if you already hold one, your stay is unaffected.