Thailand Has Cut Its Visa-Free Stay to 30 Days
The 60-day exemption that many travellers had grown used to is gone. Here's what's changed and who it affects.
If you're planning an extended stay in Thailand, we’d suggest revisiting your plans. From 15 September, the country scrapped the 60-day visa exemption it introduced in 2024 for travellers from 93 countries and has replaced it with a 30-day allowance for a shorter list of 60 countries and territories, which includes the UK, Australia, the US and Canada.
Under the new rules, most tourists from eligible countries can still enter without a visa, but the stay is capped at half what it was. Two nationalities, Mauritius and Seychelles, are limited to 15 days, and a much shorter list now qualifies for Visa on Arrival. Already in Thailand? Don’t worry - anyone who entered before 15 September under the old 60-day scheme keeps the full period they were originally granted.
If you're planning the usual week or two hopping between Bangkok, Phuket or Chiang Mai, the news won’t affect your plans.
But if you’re hoping for some slow travel, a lengthy wellness retreat or a multi-week stay as part of a longer Southeast Asia itinerary - which is really the best way to explore, it’s important to be aware of the changes.
If a stay longer than 30 days is on the cards, a one-time extension is available after arrival, or a visa can be arranged in advance through a Thai embassy or consulate. Both are fairly straightforward, but should be arranged before you fly.
For any expats who love a regular border run, unfortunately the rules have also tightened around land border crossings, which are now capped at two entries per period for most nationalities (although Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt from this limit). But we’ll leave you with the good news that there's no such cap on arrivals by air.
