Change in visa exemption starting September 15, 2026

Hi,

Starting September 15, the visa exemption for Thailand will be reduced from 60 to 30 days.

Anyone entering before this date will still get 60 days.

A return or onward ticket (flight, bus, train) is mandatory.

20,000 baht or the equivalent in cash may be requested by immigration (random checks).

Land entries with a 30-day visa exemption will be limited to 2 per calendar year.

And by plane, how many entries?

Good evening, There are no official limits, but an officer can refuse you if they think you're abusing it—they might suspect undeclared work or drug trafficking. As a rule of thumb, three times is the limit without a visa.

Thanks for this helpful clarification! We’re leaving on October 20th for 58 days. So I have two options? Either buy a 60-day tourist e-visa (do you know the price? And how long does it take?) Or buy exit tickets from Thailand before the 30th day (do you know a reliable bus transport website?)

Hi, The easiest way is to go to an immigration office to extend your visa for 30 days. From what I remember, it costs 1,900 baht, which is about 50 €. Make sure to do it at least a week before your visa exemption expires. There are offices in Bangkok and all over Thailand—at least one in every province. Your hotel can give you the address, or you can look it up online.

I might get denied boarding.

In this case, just get a single-entry visa before your departure. It costs 35 € and covers your stay period. They’ll ask for your flight ticket and financial proof, like a bank statement. You need to show you can support yourself during the visa.

Official Website of Thailand Electronic Visa

Hi,

request an extension

It’s more accurate to say “request” an extension, since the nuance matters—it can be denied if the immigration officer has reasons not to approve it (e.g., if the applicant misbehaved during their initial stay). Most of the time, extensions are granted (I’ve never read about a refusal), so relax, Max, but this “subject to approval” aspect explains why airlines won’t accept the “extension possible” argument at check-in when departing without a visa with a return/continuation date beyond the allowed visa-exempt stay period.

Hi! From my last post, it covers that period. 😉

Yes, thanks. I think that’s the best option.

Hey Patrick, anyway, the visa exemption being limited to 30 days was already the case during my first trip to Thailand over thirty years ago ;)

Oh, and random info: the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier from the US Navy is stopping over in Pattaya. The sailors definitely won’t need a visa, and that should make for some lively nightlife in the city ;)

Hi! LOL, the most beautiful city in Thailand is to avoid mutinies and sailors' complaints. 😉

Of course, But those 60 days of exemption were really handy. If it had been just a month later, I’d have saved 70 €. Good thing some people flagged on social media that it’s changing on September 15th.

the visa exemption was limited to 30 days—that was the case during my first trip to Thailand over thirty years ago

15 days in the 80s. Luckily back then, the 60-day visa was easy to get, and you’d have it 3 days after applying.