Thailand to halve visa-free stay to 30 days for visitors from 60 countries from 15 September
Thailand will cut its visa-free stay for visitors from 60 countries and territories from 60 days to 30 days from 15 September under a new Royal Gazette regulation.
- Thailand will reduce the visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days from 15 September.
- The new rules cover major tourism markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, the UK and US.
- Visa-exempt visitors may seek one extension, while most land arrivals face a two-entry annual limit.
Thailand will reduce the visa-free stay permitted for visitors from 60 countries and territories from 60 days to 30 days from 15 September, under a new regulation formally published in the country’s Royal Gazette.
The new regulation was announced by Thailand’s Ministry of Interior and published on 31 August. It allows passport holders from the listed countries and territories to enter Thailand temporarily for tourism without a visa and stay for no more than 30 days.
The change comes just over two years after Thailand expanded its visa-free programme in July 2024. At that time, the government increased the maximum visa-free stay from 30 to 60 days and expanded the number of eligible countries and territories from 56 to 93.
The 60 countries and territories covered
Singapore and Malaysia are among the 60 countries and territories covered by Thailand’s new 30-day visa-free policy, alongside Indonesia, Brunei and other countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Africa.
The full list is:
Asia and Central Asia: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan.
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Middle East: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
North America: Canada and the United States.
Africa: South Africa.
Restrictions on land arrivals
Under the new rules, visa-exempt visitors entering Thailand by land will generally be limited to two entries per calendar year.
However, the regulation provides exemptions for nationals of certain countries, including Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore, as specified by the Interior Minister.
The land-entry restriction is separate from the 30-day limit on each visa-free stay.
One possible extension
Visitors entering Thailand under the visa exemption may apply for an extension of their stay once. Approval is subject to the discretion of immigration authorities and applicable requirements.
The visa exemption is intended for temporary visits for tourism. Travellers must still meet Thailand’s immigration and entry requirements when arriving in the country.
New arrangement takes effect on 15 September
The new regulation will come into effect 15 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette, meaning the 30-day visa-free stay will begin on 15 September.
The move reverses part of the major visa liberalisation introduced in 2024, when Thailand sought to make travel easier for international visitors by extending visa-free stays and widening the number of eligible nationalities.
Despite the shorter permitted stay, the new arrangement continues to cover a broad range of tourism markets, including several of Thailand’s neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.
