Thailand visa exemption is now 30 days: what changed on 15 September 2026

Thailand replaced its 60-day visa exemption with a 30-day scheme. Four Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026. They took effect 15 days later, on 15 September 2026.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and several Royal Thai Embassies published the same core details. Many pages online still say 60 days. They are out of date.

The exemption is for tourism. It is not a work, study or long-stay status. The full log of 2026 changes is on our changes page.

TAT lists 60 countries and territories on the 30-day scheme. Secondary sources say this includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan and all 27 EU states. Earlier drafts in July 2026 cited 59 countries, so you may still see that number.

Two countries, Mauritius and Seychelles, get a 15-day exemption instead. Separate bilateral agreements still apply and can give 90, 30 or 14 days. The Royal Thai Embassy in Doha lists 90-day arrangements for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea and Peru.

Indian passport holders are on the 30-day scheme for tourism, per the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi.

How to check your own passport:

1. Open the visa page of the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate for your country (most are at [city].thaiembassy.org).
2. Look for the notice titled "Revision of Thailand's visa exemption and visa on arrival schemes".
3. Check the list for your nationality and the number of days.
4. If your country is not listed, you need a visa before you travel. Apply on the official Thai e-Visa portal.

Yes, once. The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington says you can extend by up to 30 more days, at the immigration officer's discretion. That gives a maximum of about 60 days on one entry.

1. Go in person to an immigration office in Thailand before your permitted stay ends.
2. Bring your passport, a photo and form TM.7.
3. Pay the fee. It is widely reported as 1,900 THB, the standard extension fee. We found no official page that states it for this scheme, so bring a little extra.

You cannot get a second extension on the same entry. If you overstay, fines and possible bans apply. Do not plan a long stay around repeated extensions.

Apply early in your stay rather than on the last day. Offices can be busy, and the officer decides how many days to grant.

Twice per calendar year, for most nationalities. TAT says the 30-day exemption may generally be used no more than twice a year for entries at land borders. Air and sea arrivals are not capped in the same way.

The limit does not apply to nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore, or to other nationalities the Minister designates.

One open question: whether land entries made in 2026 before 15 September count toward this year's two. No official source we found answers it. If you rely on a land crossing late in 2026, ask immigration at the border or fly in.

Officers can still refuse entry if you appear to be living in Thailand on back-to-back exemptions. A long run of short entries invites questions.

You keep what you were given. TAT and the embassies say people admitted under the old rules before 15 September 2026 may stay until the end of the period stamped in their passport.

The change only applies to your next entry. Whether you can still add a 30-day extension to an old 60-day stamp depends on the office. Ask at your local immigration office before the stamp runs out.

It closes the soft option of living in Thailand on repeated exemptions. Thirty days, one extension and two land entries a year do not add up to a real long stay.

If you plan to stay months or years, apply for a proper visa:

Some people used to enter visa-free and convert to a Non-O at immigration. A 30-day window leaves much less time to gather documents. Apply for the right visa before you fly when you can.

The DTV also changed on 31 August 2026: you now apply in your country of nationality or permanent residence. See DTV new rules. Not sure which visa fits? Use the checker.