Thailand — Visa Exemption: 30 Days (60 Nationalities), 15 Days (Mauritius, Seychelles)
Summary
- Visa exemption
- 30 days per visit, 60 nationalities
- Shorter list
- 15 days per visit — Mauritius, Seychelles
- In force since
- 15 September 2026 (Royal Gazette, 31 August 2026)
- Extension
- Once, up to 30 days (7 for some nationalities, incl. India), 1,900 THB
- Visa on arrival
- Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia — 15 days per entry
Thailand admits 60 nationalities visa-free for up to 30 days per visit (tourism only), extendable once by 30 days at Thai Immigration. Mauritius and Seychelles get 15 days, and visa on arrival is a separate 15-day scheme for Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia. The 30-day rule has applied since 15 September 2026, when it replaced the 60-day exemption in force since July 2024 — see what changed below. For the official framework, read the government announcement, or the short answer to how long you can stay in Thailand without a visa.
Who it applies to
The visa exemption is relevant if you are:
- A citizen of one of the 60 eligible nationalities arriving for tourism — including all 27 EU member states, the UK, US, Canada, Australia, India, and the Maldives.
- A digital nomad, remote worker, or long-stay traveler who used to plan two-to-three-month stays without a formal visa — the 30-day allowance makes that a visa question again.
- A frequent visitor doing repeat entries and needing to track each stay separately.
It does not cover visa-on-arrival nationalities, who fall under a separate 15-day scheme, and it is a tourism-oriented entry — it does not by itself authorize employment in Thailand.
The rule — and why it exists
Thailand admits eligible passport holders visa-free for up to 30 days per visit, tourism only. A shorter list — Mauritius and Seychelles — receives 15 days. The mechanics:
- Per-visit, not annual. Each admission grants a fresh allowance. There is no cumulative yearly ceiling baked into the scheme (though land borders are capped — see exceptions).
- Extendable once. You may apply for a single extension of up to 30 days at Thai Immigration (1,900 THB), taking the total to 60 days per visit. Nationals of India and eight other listed countries are limited to a 7-day extension.
- One country, one entitlement. Each of the 65 covered countries and territories sits in exactly one category: 30-day exemption, 15-day exemption, or visa on arrival.
Why the rule looks like this: a 60-day exemption was introduced in July 2024. The government said the 2026 revision is meant to prevent misuse of visa privileges and stop the visa policy being used as an opportunity for illegal activities. It returned to 30 days, trimmed the eligible list from 93 to 60 nationalities, and leaves longer stays to formal visa categories.
Counting the days
The allowance is a per-visit counter: it starts fresh each time you are admitted and does not draw down across the year.
- 1On arrival, immigration stamps a permitted-to-stay date — up to 30 days from entry for the 60 exempt nationalities, up to 15 days for Mauritius and Seychelles.
- 2Your leave-by date is that stamped date — count from the day you enter, not a rolling window.
- 3Leave or extend on or before the stamped date to stay in status.
- 4Each new entry restarts the count from zero, so separate visits are tracked independently.
Always read the stamp itself rather than assuming the full allowance — confirm the exact date written in your passport on arrival. The date at the immigration desk decides your permitted stay, not your booking date.
Examples
Example 1 — a standard visa-exempt visit
You hold an eligible passport and fly in on 20 September 2026. Immigration stamps a permitted stay of 30 days, to 19 October. You leave on or before that date and stay in status.
Example 2 — extending once
You arrive on 20 September 2026 and receive a 30-day stamp, to 19 October. Before that date, you apply at a Thai Immigration office for an extension (1,900 THB). If you are granted the full 30 days, your permitted stay now runs to 18 November — 60 days in total for the visit.
Example 3 — two separate visits
You spend 28 days in Thailand in October, leave for a month in a neighboring country, then re-enter by air. Because the counter resets on each entry, your second visit starts fresh with a new 30-day allowance — the two stays are not added together.
What changed on 15 September 2026
From 15 July 2024 to 14 September 2026, Thailand granted 93 nationalities up to 60 days visa-free per visit. The Cabinet approved cancelling that scheme on 19 May 2026, and the final framework was published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 (Volume 143, Special Part 207 Ngor, signed 26 August 2026), on the principle of "one country, one entitlement." The announcements took effect 15 days after publication, on 15 September 2026, covering 65 countries and territories:
- 30-day visa exemption — 60 nationalities. Includes all 27 EU member states, plus the UK, US, Canada, Australia, India, and the Maldives.
- 15-day visa exemption — Mauritius and Seychelles.
- Visa on arrival — reduced to Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia; India's VoA was removed since it now has the 30-day exemption.
Transition: entries on or before 14 September 2026 received the 60-day stamp, and anyone admitted before the change keeps the full stay granted at entry, even though it runs past the changeover. Separate bilateral agreements (90, 30, or 14 days, depending on the country) continue to apply on their own track.
Exceptions & edge cases
- Visa-on-arrival nationalities are a separate group — Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia — and receive only 15 days per entry, not the visa exemption.
- Land borders are capped. Visa-exempt entries through land borders are limited to two per calendar year, except for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore, or of any other country the Minister of Interior designates. The same cap applies to the 15-day exemption. Air entries carry no fixed cap.
- Officer discretion. The exemption applies per entry, but immigration officers retain the power to question or refuse entry — frequent back-to-back visa-free entries can draw scrutiny at the border.
- Stays granted before 15 September 2026. A 60-day stamp issued on or before 14 September 2026 remains valid for that visit; the new rule applies on your next entry.
- Overstay. Staying past your permitted date triggers daily fines and, for longer overstays, detention, deportation, and future entry bans.
Common misconceptions
- "Thailand still gives everyone 60 days." Not since 15 September 2026. Visa-exempt entry is 30 days per visit, and the eligible list shrank from 93 to 60 nationalities.
- "The allowance is an annual quota." False — it is per visit and resets on each entry; there is no built-in yearly cap for air arrivals (land crossings are limited to two per year).
- "I can just keep bouncing across the border forever." Not guaranteed — repeated visa-free entries can be refused at officer discretion, and land-border entries are capped.
- "The exemption lets me work in Thailand." No — it is for tourism and short stays; paid work requires the appropriate visa and work permit.
- "The change might still be reversed." It is law. The announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and have been in force since 15 September 2026. For stays longer than 30 days, plan on a tourist visa or an in-country extension.
Frequently asked questions
Up to 30 days per visit for the 60 eligible nationalities (including all 27 EU member states, the UK, US, Canada, Australia, India, and the Maldives). Mauritius and Seychelles get 15 days. Visa on arrival is a separate short list — Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia — at 15 days per entry. Separate bilateral agreements granting 90, 30, or 14 days continue to apply where relevant.
No. The 60-day exemption ended on 14 September 2026. The Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and took effect 15 days later, on 15 September 2026: visa-exempt entry is now 30 days per visit for 60 nationalities. Travelers admitted on or before 14 September kept the 60-day stay stamped at entry for that visit.
Yes — or an extension. A 60-day stay requires either a tourist visa (TR) arranged in advance, or a 30-day visa-exempt entry plus a single extension of up to 30 days at a Thai Immigration office (1,900 THB). For some nationalities, including India, Thai Immigration caps that extension at 7 days.
Thai embassies state that visa-exempt travellers must hold adequate funds — 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family, in cash or equivalent — and that the exemption does not apply to a Travel Document for Aliens. Officers don't always ask to see the funds, but they can.
Yes — once. Visa-exempt tourists can apply at a Thai Immigration office for a single extension of up to 30 days (1,900 THB, form TM.7, in person), bringing the maximum visa-free stay to 60 days per visit. For nationals of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Togo, Nigeria and Uganda the extension is capped at 7 days. Approval is at the officer's discretion; apply before your stamped permitted-to-stay date expires.
By air, there is no fixed annual cap — the allowance resets on each entry, though officers retain discretion to question frequent back-to-back visits. Through land-border checkpoints, visa-exempt entries are capped at two per calendar year, except for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore, or of any other country the Minister of Interior designates.
No. The 30-day exemption applies to the 60 visa-exempt nationalities. Visa on arrival is a separate scheme, limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia, and grants only 15 days per entry.
Your permitted stay is defined by the date immigration stamps in your passport, counted from your day of entry. You must leave or extend on or before that stamped date to remain in status.
Overstaying carries a daily fine and can lead to detention, deportation, and future entry bans for longer overstays. Always confirm your stamped date on arrival and leave or extend before it expires.
15 September 2026. The four Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 (Volume 143, Special Part 207 Ngor) and took effect 15 days after publication. Entries on or before 14 September 2026 received the old 60-day stamp and keep it for that visit.
Common questions about this rule
This rule is tracked automaticallyin
Bounded
- Automatically tracks your days for this rule
- Alerts you before you cross the limit
- Records border-crossing days in both countries
- Runs alongside your other visa, tax, and residency rules
Sources
- Royal Gazette — Ministry of Interior announcement: 30-day visa exemption list and land-border cap (Vol. 143, Special Part 207 Ngor, 31 August 2026)
- Royal Gazette — Ministry of Interior announcement: repeal of the 60-day visa exemption (31 August 2026)
- Royal Gazette — Ministry of Interior announcement: visa on arrival list (31 August 2026)
- Royal Gazette — Ministry of Interior announcement: 15-day visa exemption list (31 August 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Summary of the 2026 visa exemption and VoA revision (incl. bilateral agreements)
- Government Public Relations Department — Revision of Thailand's visa exemption and VoA schemes
- Royal Thai Embassy, Doha — Tourist visa exemption conditions and visa on arrival
- Immigration Division 1 (Bangkok) — Extension of stay for tourism
- Royal Thai Government — Thailand revises visa policy for 65 countries and territories (July 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate — Visa exemption and visa on arrival
- Thai Immigration Bureau
Related rules
For information only. This page is a plain-English summary of publicly available rules, not tax, legal, or immigration advice. Rules change and depend on your personal circumstances — always confirm with the official source above and a qualified professional before acting.