NovThailand News
Thailand’s visa-free entry rules changed on 15 September 2026
Sixty days is no longer the general visa-exemption rule
The revised measures were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August and took effect on 15 September 2026. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined five core changes: one visa-exemption arrangement per country or territory, removal of the separate 60-day scheme, a 30-day tourism exemption covering 60 countries and territories, a new 15-day exemption for two countries, and a reduced Visa on Arrival list of three countries.
That does not mean every foreign visitor automatically receives 30 days. The applicable arrangement depends on the traveller’s passport. Current Royal Thai Embassy guidance, for example, places holders of ordinary Russian passports under a bilateral visa-exemption arrangement of up to 30 days per visit. Travellers using other passports need to check the category that applies to them rather than assuming that the Russian rule, or the 60-country scheme, covers everyone.
People who entered before 15 September kept their stamped stay
The transition did not retroactively shorten a period of stay that had already been granted. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said foreigners already in Thailand under the previous exemption rules, or those who entered before 15 September 2026, could remain until the final date shown on their immigration stamp. Entries from 15 September onward are governed by the revised arrangements.
The reform is limited to the reviewed visa-exemption and Visa on Arrival schemes. It did not cancel other visa categories. In practical terms, the change should not be read as the end of DTV, LTR or Non-Immigrant visas; those routes have their own eligibility rules and permitted periods of stay.
Why the change matters for people planning months in Thailand
The biggest adjustment is for people who built a several-month stay around the previous assumption of 60 visa-free days per entry. Where a passport now receives 30 days, the old travel calendar no longer works: border crossings or flights may become more frequent, costs can rise, and the permitted stay should be checked again before each trip.
Visa exemption remains a short-stay entry mechanism rather than a long-term residence status. Someone intending to spend months at a time in Thailand, work remotely, live with family or establish a more permanent base should compare visa categories against the actual purpose of the stay instead of relying on the former 60-day window. Admission and the period granted at entry still depend on the rules and documents applicable to the individual traveller.
Sources
- Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand — summary of Thailand’s revised visa-exemption and Visa on Arrival schemes for 2026 — 1 September 2026.
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki — Updated Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme (30 Days), Effective 15 September 2026 — updated 2 September 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand — Summary of the Weekly Press Briefing by the MFA Spokesperson — 3 September 2026.
- Thailand Government Public Relations Department — Revision of Thailand’s Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes — 4 September 2026.