Phuket, Thailand. Photo: Shuttestock Thailand is changing its visa exemption system from September 15, reducing the maximum visa-free stay for travelers from many countries from 60 days to 30 days.
The change is part of a broader overhaul of Thailand’s visa exemption and Visa on Arrival arrangements and will affect international travelers using the country's tourism visa exemption system.
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the revised measures will take effect on September 15, 2026, after the relevant regulations are published in the Royal Gazette on August 31.
Under the new system, Thailand will revoke the existing 60-day visa exemption arrangement, which previously covered 93 countries and territories. A revised 30-day visa exemption scheme will apply to travelers from 60 countries and territories for tourism purposes.
This means travelers accustomed to spending up to two months in Thailand without a visa will need to factor in the new 30-day limit when planning trips from September 15 onward.
The change is not targeted at a particular nationality. It is part of a wider review of Thailand's entry system covering visa exemptions and Visa on Arrival.
The Thai government said the review was based on several considerations, including national security, tourism and economic interests, reciprocity between countries and reducing overlaps between different visa exemption arrangements. The government also cited the convenience provided by Thailand's e-Visa system.
Thailand's Foreign Ministry initially announced the policy revision in May, when the Cabinet approved canceling the 60-day exemption for all 93 countries and territories covered by the system introduced in 2024.
The revised framework gives each country or territory one visa exemption arrangement rather than allowing overlapping routes.
Alongside the new 30-day exemption system, Thailand is introducing a 15-day visa exemption category for two countries and revising its Visa on Arrival system. Thailand will also reduce the number of countries and territories eligible for Visa on Arrival.
The practical effect for travelers from countries moving from the 60-day exemption to the new 30-day category is simple: a visa-free trip to Thailand will allow a maximum stay of 30 days under the revised tourism exemption.
Travelers planning longer holidays, extended stays or multi-month trips will therefore need to check whether they qualify for another Thai visa category or whether an alternative arrangement is available for their nationality.
The change is particularly relevant to long-stay travelers who previously used Thailand's 60-day exemption as a way to spend several weeks or months in the country.
The previous scheme, introduced in July 2024, allowed nationals of 93 countries and territories to enter Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days for tourism, with the possibility of applying for an additional extension of up to 30 days at the discretion of immigration authorities.
Thailand has also clarified that the new rules will not retroactively shorten the stay of people who have already entered the country.
Foreign travelers who are in Thailand under the current visa exemption system, as well as those who enter before September 15, can remain until the final date of the stay granted by immigration.