Thailand to halve visa-free stay for 60 nationalities
The change will come into effect on 15 September and will apply to nationals of countries including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy
Thailand will reduce its visa-free stay for travellers from 60 countries and territories from 60 days to 30 days from 15 September 2026.
The change, published in Thailand’s Royal Gazette on August 31, formally ends the 60-day visa exemption introduced in 2024. Thai authorities said the changes aimed to prevent misuse of the visa exemption scheme and reduce the potential for the system to be exploited for illegal business activities.
Travellers entering Thailand before 15 September will retain the period of stay granted on arrival and will not have their permitted stay automatically reduced when the new rules come into effect.
The revised 30-day tourist exemption covers nationals of the following countries and territories: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Maldives, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK and the US.
The exemption is specifically for tourism and no longer covers certain short-term work or business activities. Travellers eligible for the visa-free scheme can apply for a one-time extension of up to 30 additional days; however, this will need to be approved by Thai immigration authorities.
Thailand will also limit most visa-exempt travellers to two land-border entries per calendar year. The restriction applies only to land-border crossings and not air arrivals. Nationals of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are exempt.
Additional visa changes
Travellers from a further 21 countries will no longer qualify for visa-free entry and will need to obtain a visa before travelling to Thailand, with an e-visa available as an option. Those affected include Colombia, Mexico, Andorra, and Sri Lanka.
Thailand’s Visa on Arrival arrangements will now be available to nationals of just three countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia.
Separate bilateral visa agreements will remain unaffected. Nationals of China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao, Mongolia, Russia, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam will continue to be eligible for stays of up to 30 days, while those from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, and Peru can stay for up to 90 days.
Thai authorities have also warned of a crackdown on unruly behaviour, with visas at risk of being revoked for foreign visitors who seriously disrupt public order or break the law. In the popular tourist destination of Koh Phangan, 13 foreign tourists reportedly had their visas revoked in recent weeks over inappropriate behaviour.