Thailand Cuts Visa-Exempt Stay to 30 Days From September
Thailand is reducing visa-exempt stays from 60 to 30 days starting September 15, affecting travelers from 60 countries including the US, UK, Australia and Japan. The two-entry land border cap per calendar year remains unchanged, and those a
Thailand will cut its standard visa-exempt stay from 60 days to 30 days from 15 September, affecting travellers from 60 countries and territories.
The two-entry limit at land borders is not a new rule, but it will continue under the new 30-day scheme. Here is what travellers need to know.
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?
From 15 September, travellers using Thailand's standard tourist visa exemption will be allowed to stay for up to 30 days per entry, down from the current 60 days.
Travellers who enter before 15 September can remain until the expiry date already stamped in their passport.
Which countries are visa-exempt?
The new 30-day scheme covers 60 countries and territories, including Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Some other nationalities may qualify for visa-free entry under separate bilateral agreements with Thailand, with different permitted stays.
What is the two-entry land cap?
Most travellers using Thailand's tourist visa exemption may enter through land-border checkpoints no more than twice per calendar year.
This is not a new restriction. Official Thai embassy guidance confirms that the same two-entry limit already applies under the current 60-day visa-exemption scheme.
Nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt and may make more than two visa-exempt land entries per calendar year. The interior minister may also designate other nationalities for exemption.
Does my entry count reset on 15 September?
No reset has been announced.
The land-border cap already operates on a calendar-year basis, and the new rules retain the same two-entry limit.
Travellers should therefore not assume that 15 September gives them two fresh land entries for the remainder of 2026.
What about air travel?
The two-entry cap does not apply to arrivals by air.
However, this does not mean unlimited visa runs by air are guaranteed. Immigration has separately tightened screening of foreigners who repeatedly leave and re-enter Thailand under visa exemption in a pattern that does not resemble normal tourism.
Immigration has said travellers making repeated visa runs without a reasonable explanation may be refused entry and told to obtain a visa appropriate for their actual purpose of stay.
What happens if I am already in Thailand?
If you enter Thailand before 15 September, you can stay until the expiry date already stamped in your passport.
Your existing 60-day permission to stay will not automatically be shortened when the new rules take effect.
What else is changing?
The new 30-day exemption is for tourism purposes.
Nationals of Seychelles and Mauritius will have a separate 15-day visa exemption, while Visa on Arrival will be available to nationals of only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
