Major Thailand Visa Changes: 60 Days Reduced to 30

The Thai cabinet just voted for a major overhaul of the country’s visa-free entry rules.

After months of speculation, Thailand’s cabinet has made an official decision on the visa exemption policy, ending the current travel rules which allowed nationals from 93 countries to enter Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days – with a vote to revert to the rules that were in place prior to 2024. For most visitors, that means a straightforward reduction in the number of days allowed per visa-free entry from 60 down to 30.

At the same time, the number of countries that are allowed visa-free entry is also reverting back to those pre-2024 rules, declining from 93 down to just 54. And perhaps the biggest shift here is India, which will revert back to a visa-on-arrival program – which is significant as nearly 2.5 million Indian visitors arrived in 2025, representing the third largest number of foreign tourists in the country.

When Will the Changes Take Effect?

There’s currently no set implementation date for the change. The cabinet agreed on the policy proposal, but no clear schedule has been announced, and the changes will only come into force 15 days after official publication in the Royal Gazette. Until that happens, we’re still operating under the 60-day entry rules. And if you enter Thailand under the existing entry scheme, you’ll be allowed to remain in the country for the duration of your permitted stay.

Following the announcement, the prime minister gave a speech where he discussed the need to exercise caution when changing the visa policy, emphasizing that the vast majority of tourists who enter Thailand are law-abiding and present no problems. In a separate press conference, the foreign minister signaled that authorities are reviewing the entire visa framework with an expressed intention of simplifying and consolidating visa categories. So, this could be a quick change, but it could also drag out into broader visa reform.

Your Options for Longer Stays

If you’re planning a longer stay, you do have options to bypass the lack of clarity on the visa-free entry rules. Let’s go through all of your options quickly:

Option 1: If you enter the country using the visa-free scheme, you can extend your stay for an additional 30 days at a local immigration office at a cost of 1,900 baht. That means that even if there’s a change, you can still stay for up to 60 days.

Option 2: You can opt for a 60-day single-entry tourist visa, which is also extendable for an additional 30 days, giving you a potential of 90 days total.

Option 3: For an even longer duration and more flexibility, you can opt for a six-month multiple-entry tourist visa at a cost of 5,000 baht.

So, while this does look like a big change on paper, visitors who are planning to stay for under 30 days from most countries are unaffected, while existing visa programs are available for longer durations. Again, it’s important to note that none of this will come into effect until it’s published in the Royal Gazette. I’ll keep you updated on any changes.