Thailand Visa Checker
How long you can stay in Thailand, by nationality — visa exemption, visa on arrival, extensions, the DTV, and what the 2026 rule changes mean for your trip.
Last verified: 31 August 2026 against the Cabinet decision, Interior Ministry notices and embassy announcements. Rules change often — always confirm on the official Thai e-Visa portal before booking.
Changing 15 September 2026: Visa-exempt stays cut from 60 days to 30
Every visa-exempt and visa-on-arrival nationality. What changed, and what to do about it
Two big changes are happening right now
- Visa-free entry drops from 60 to 30 days for most nationalities (and the eligible list shrinks from 93) once the revision takes effect — expected 15 September 2026, fifteen days after Royal Gazette publication.
- DTV rules tightened on 31 August 2026: applications only in your country of citizenship or permanent residence, and a criminal record certificate is now required.
A visa answers one question. For the rest of what the border asks for — arrival card, funds, onward ticket, and the vape, drone and cash rules — run the entry requirements checklist.
Who can enter visa-free
The lists below reflect the revised scheme as reported from the Cabinet decision. Until it takes effect, the current 60-day exemption still applies to all 93 nationalities on the old list. The binding lists are the Ministry of Interior announcements published in the Royal Gazette.
Visa exemption — 30 days (60 until the change)
Extendable once by 30 days (฿1,900) at an immigration office.
Visa exemption — 15 days
New shorter tier under the revised scheme.
Visa on arrival — 15 days (฿2,000)
Reduced from 31 countries to 4. India moves here from the 60-day exemption.
Bilateral agreements — unaffected by the change
Separate treaties between Thailand and these countries; the 2026 revision doesn't touch them.
Any other nationality needs a visa before travelling — for tourism, usually the single-entry 60-day tourist visa (TR) via the official e-Visa portal.
Extending your stay
A visa-exempt entry can be extended once, by 30 days, for ฿1,900 at any immigration office in Thailand. You'll need your passport, a completed TM.7 form, a passport photo and proof of accommodation. Bangkok's main office is at Chaeng Watthana (Government Complex, Building B); Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya have their own offices. Arrive early — queues build fast.
Under the current 60-day exemption that means up to 90 days in the country; once the 30-day rule takes effect, the ceiling for a visa-exempt trip becomes 60 days (30 + 30 extension).
The DTV after 31 August 2026
The Destination Thailand Visa (5 years, 180 days per entry, ฿10,000) remains open to remote workers, freelancers and "soft power" applicants (Muay Thai, cooking schools, medical stays), but two rules tightened worldwide on 31 August 2026:
- You must apply at a Thai embassy or consulate in a country where you are a citizen or permanent resident. Applying from a third country — the popular route via Vientiane, Phnom Penh or Kuala Lumpur — is no longer accepted.
- A recent criminal record certificate is now part of the required documents (validity requirements vary by embassy — London, for example, asks for one issued within six months).
Applications with the fee fully paid before 31 August 2026 are assessed under the previous rules.
A DTV stay is measured in months, which changes where you sleep: renting a condo short-term is illegal under 30 days, so the practical unit is a lease. Our Bangkok rent check has typical monthly ranges by district and the deposit norms, and where to stay for digital nomads compares the districts people on this visa actually pick.
Overstay: what it actually costs
Overstaying is a fine of ฿500 per day, capped at ฿20,000, paid when you exit. On top of the fine, longer overstays carry automatic re-entry bans if you leave on your own: 1 year for overstays over 90 days, 3 years over 1 year, 5 years over 3 years and 10 years over 5 years. If you're caught while overstaying — in a spot check or a raid — it's arrest, deportation at your own cost and a minimum 5-year ban.
Enforcement has visibly tightened in 2026, with immigration crackdowns on Samui, Phangan and elsewhere making the news all summer. If you're on overstay now, the least-bad move is always the same: go to the airport or a land border, pay the fine and exit cleanly — every extra day makes it worse.
Before you fly: the TDAC
Every foreign visitor must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before arrival — it's free at tdac.immigration.go.th and replaced the old TM.6 paper form. Airlines increasingly ask for it at check-in. It's a registration, not a visa — it doesn't change how long you can stay.
Filing it and showing the QR code both need data, which is the argument for arranging a tourist eSIM before you land rather than queueing at an airport SIM counter.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?
Right now, passport holders from 93 countries — including the US, UK, EU, Australia and Japan — get 60 days visa-free on arrival. Under the revision approved by Thailand's Cabinet, that drops to 30 days for most of those nationalities once the new rules take effect (expected 15 September 2026). A one-time 30-day extension (฿1,900) at an immigration office remains available.
Is Thailand reducing the visa exemption to 30 days?
Yes. The Cabinet approved replacing the 60-day exemption with a 30-day exemption for a shorter list of nationalities, plus a new 15-day tier (Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles) and a visa on arrival limited to four countries (India, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia). The Interior Ministry signed the implementing notices on 27 August 2026; they take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette — expected 15 September 2026.
Can I extend my stay in Thailand without leaving?
Yes. A visa-exempt stay can be extended once by 30 days at any immigration office inside Thailand for ฿1,900. Bring your passport, a TM.7 form, one photo and proof of where you're staying. Offices in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya handle thousands of these — go early in the morning.
What are the new DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) rules?
From 31 August 2026, DTV applicants must apply in a country where they hold citizenship or permanent residence — applying from a third country (such as inside Southeast Asia) is no longer accepted — and must include a recent criminal record certificate. Applications fully paid before 31 August 2026 are assessed under the old rules.
What happens if I overstay my visa in Thailand?
Overstaying costs ฿500 per day, capped at ฿20,000, payable when you exit. Overstays of more than 90 days trigger re-entry bans if you leave voluntarily: 1 year (90+ days), 3 years (1+ year), 5 years (3+ years) and 10 years (5+ years). Being caught while overstaying — for example in a spot check — leads to arrest, deportation and a minimum 5-year ban. If you're on overstay, go to immigration or exit and pay the fine as soon as possible; it gets strictly worse with time.
Do I need to fill in anything before flying to Thailand?
Yes — every foreign visitor must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days before arrival (tdac.immigration.go.th, free). It replaced the old TM.6 paper card. Airlines increasingly check for it at check-in.
Visa rules are one of the most-discussed Thailand topics anywhere — in August 2026 alone, 63 threads with nearly 3,000 comments on r/Thailand debated the changes above. Planning the trip itself? Start with the travel guides or check when to visit.
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