Thailand Introduces New 30-Day and 15-Day Visa Exemption Rules

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced that new 30-day and 15-day visa exemption categories, together with updated Visa on Arrival eligibility, will take effect on September 15, 2026.

The new framework will replace Thailand’s 60-day visa exemption measure, which will end on the same date. The related Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026.

From September 15, 2026, travelers previously covered by the 60-day visa exemption will instead be subject to the applicable 30-day visa exemption, 15-day visa exemption, Visa on Arrival, or other relevant entry arrangements, depending on nationality.

Foreign nationals who are already in Thailand under the current visa exemption schemes and those who plan to travel to Thailand before the effective date of this revision may stay until the expiration of their permitted period of stay.

Under the new framework, holders of passports or travel documents from 60 countries and territories will be eligible for visa exemption for tourism, with permitted stays of up to 30 days. The Royal Gazette lists the following countries:

Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Malaysia, Maldives, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

For entry through land-border immigration checkpoints, travelers using the 30-day visa exemption may generally enter Thailand under this exemption no more than twice per calendar year. This limit does not apply to nationals of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Singapore, or to other nationalities as may be designated by the Ministry.

15-day visa exemption will apply to holders of passports or travel documents from Seychelles and Mauritius. Travelers entering through land-border immigration checkpoints under this exemption may generally do so no more than twice per calendar year, except for nationalities designated by the Ministry.

Visa on Arrival will apply to holders of passports or travel documents from Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.

Separate bilateral and related entry arrangements will continue to apply where relevant, providing visa exemption periods of 90, 30, or 14 days, depending on the applicable agreement or arrangement. Travelers should check the entry conditions that apply to their nationality before traveling.

The government approved the revision of Thailand’s visa exemption and visa on arrival schemes on May 19, 2026, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revoking the current 60-day visa exemption scheme for 93 countries.

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