Thailand Implements New Entry Rules, Reducing Visa-Free Stays and Limiting Arrivals

From September 15, 2026, Thailand will end its 60-day visa exemption scheme, reducing the maximum visa-free stay to 30 days for 60 nationalities, including those from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and Canada. The purpose of visa-exempt entries will now be strictly limited to tourism, unlike the previous scheme that allowed short-term professional and business activities.

Additionally, land border crossings using the 30-day exemption will be capped at two entries per calendar year, though this limit excludes citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Mauritius and Seychelles citizens will now qualify for a 15-day visa-free stay, a reduction for Mauritius previously enjoying 60 days.

The Visa on Arrival programme will be significantly curtailed, becoming available only to nationals of Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia for a 15-day stay at a cost of 2,000 baht. India, formerly eligible for Visa on Arrival, will now move to the more favourable 30-day visa exemption scheme. Conversely, 21 other nationalities, including Albania, Cuba, and Mexico, will now require an e-Visa before travelling.