Foreign travellers planning extended holidays in Thailand face tighter entry regulations as the Thai government officially ends its temporary 60-day visa exemption policy. Following publication in the official Royal Gazette, new regulations have taken effect that reduce the initial visa-free stay for international tourists to 30 days.
The decision reverses a temporary measure introduced in July 2024, which allowed visitors from 93 countries and territories to stay for up to 60 days without applying for a visa in advance. Under the updated framework, the main visa exemption tier now covers 60 countries and territories, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most European Union nations.
According to officials, the reform forms part of a broader government strategy to streamline immigration procedures, align entry rules, and transition towards a “one country, one scheme” model.
The change specifically defines the visa exemption for tourism purposes, removing earlier allowances that permitted certain short-term business activities without formal work permits.
Despite the reduction in the initial entry period, long-stay tourists still have options to prolong their trips. Travellers arriving under the 30-day visa exemption scheme remain eligible to apply for a one-time extension of up to 30 additional days at immigration offices across Thailand.
This extension allows travellers to complete a total stay of 60 days, provided they pay the standard processing fee and meet immigration requirements before their initial permission expires.
Furthermore, travellers who entered Thailand before the implementation date will retain the full 60-day stay granted upon their arrival, ensuring that existing holidays and travel itineraries are not retroactively cut short.
The regulations also reintroduce strict controls on land border crossings to curb repeated visa runs. Tourists utilising the visa-free entry scheme are restricted to entering Thailand via land border checkpoints no more than twice per calendar year. However, this restriction does not apply to international air arrivals, nor does it affect citizens of neighbouring regional nations such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei.
In addition to the 30-day category, the updated policy creates specific entry tiers for other nationalities. Citizens of Mauritius and Seychelles receive a 15-day visa exemption, while the traditional Visa on Arrival facility has been significantly narrowed to cover only a limited number of nationalities, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia. Countries with existing bilateral visa agreements with Thailand, such as South Korea, Brazil, and Russia, remain governed by their respective bilateral terms.
Travel experts advise tourists planning trips to Thailand to review their travel duration carefully. Those seeking stays longer than 30 days should either budget time and funds for an in-country extension or apply for an electronic visa prior to departure through Thailand’s global online visa system.
