Cabinet Cuts Visa-Free Stay Back to 30 Days

13 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Sometime between today and 6 months from now. As per usual government announcement of a policy change. Don't worry though, they will make the announcement publicly about 6 hours after it actually goes into effect, also per usual.

When the changes are published in the Royal Gazette, that announcement includes the date the new rules commence. It's the one -stop reference, always has been. Anything else is a government department or cabinet spokesman unofficial announcement, followed by foreigners whining, always has been too.

4 hours ago, daejung said:

This is very sad. Europe extends Schengen visas for Thais and Thailand Tightens Visa-Free Entry Rules.

I used to spend 5 or 6 months in Thailand every year. With changing rules for Non-O visas and extensions, I will most probably stop spending money in Thailand. Not sure to come for 30 days.

Door, arse, way out, bang...

8 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

However, to stay longer (3-4 months) you can apply for a retirement visa.

I don't think people that want to spend 3-4 months in Thailand really want to go and jump through all of the hoops required to get a retirement visa as well as tie up 800K baht in a Thai bank. This does affect people that want to escape the northern hemisphere winter.

Thai logic : by cutting the length of the visa exemption the "quality tourists" will start coming in larger numbers, while the "low quality tourists" and potential law breakers will stay away. So, Thailand will from now on be crime free.

Hello everyone,

1 hour ago, Jim Waldron said:

Only thing to be aware of is that it could take a few weeks to process.

That's exactly why it's a stressful and annoying process.

The system should be like Schengen Area ; the more visas / stamps in - out that you get (without overstays), the more days you can stay.

I don't have problems to pay 35 € for a Visa. I have a problem to wait many weeks while i'm unsure to get it. Especially from Thai Embassy in Paris. Some people got their visas after the dates of their trips.

I didn't even mentioned the cost of change the plane ticket if i want to do an extension (also not guaranteed). If the VE is reduced to 30 days, that's mean i need to change my plane ticket 2 times if i want to stay 90 days in Thailand (plus the cost of a border crossing).

I'm 33 yo, i'm not eligible for other Visas, nor working or Work Permit. Elite is expensive and DTV requires strong proofs or remote working. I have a Thai GF, but, unfortunately, she is not ready for projects yet. I respect her and i don't want to force anything. She have her job and her family. I like to stay 3 months in Thailand for my holidays and spend time / travel inside the country with her. Nothing more per year.

So the question, for my case, and for other people like me, what Thailand can do for us ? Should we continue like this, in a grey area and using VE and Tourists Visas ? It's sound pretty disappointing for integrated good farangs since many years (8 for me).

It's already difficult to have a distance relationship like this, you know, when you have someone that you love and you cannot meet in real. Add geopolitical / pandemic situations and you have a real stressful package.

Thanks for your help / answers, have a nice day everyone !

47 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I'm not sure if this is the right way to keep the riffraff off entering the kingdom but it's worth a try.

Maybe more control now?

Perhaps raising the requirements for a retirement extension to 2 million baht and ban the use of agents may also remove some of the riff raff.

Careful what you wish for.

UPDATE

The Bangkokpost Has Posted an Unofficial List of New Eligibilities

Note this is not officially confirmed.

Entry eligibility by country

The following is an unofficial list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of applicable tourist entry eligibility by country after the abolition of 60-day visa exemptions:

54 countries and territories granted 30-day visa exemption:

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Asia and Oceania: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey.

Middle East: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

Americas: Canada, United States.

Africa: South Africa.

Three countries eligible for a 15-day visa exemption: Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius.

Four countries (reduced from 31) eligible for visa on arrival: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia, India.

Bilateral agreements

14-day visa exemption: Myanmar (air arrivals only), Cambodia.

30-day visa exemption: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.

90-day visa exemption: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Korea.

Picture courtesy of Bangkokpost

Adapted by ASEAN Now Bangkokpost 20 May 2026

30 days still feeling like a tourist and everything is new...60 days, elephant pants, chang vest, super cool Muay Thai pro boxer and owns the place..no need for visa mentality...that's the reason they are stopping it

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Or what impact reducing it will have as obviously irrelevant to 9 day visitors.

Exactly. These guys don’t seem to understand the difference between tourists who come for a 2/3 week holiday as a couple or with family or maybe as a single person, and other people who, in effect, live here on a short or long term basis. They all just get lumped into a “tourist” bucket.

In reality, anything beyond 30 days is unlikely to be related to tourism.

38 minutes ago, Antho26 said:

Hello everyone,

That's exactly why it's a stressful and annoying process.

The system should be like Schengen Area ; the more visas / stamps in - out that you get (without overstays), the more days you can stay.

I don't have problems to pay 35 € for a Visa. I have a problem to wait many weeks while i'm unsure to get it. Especially from Thai Embassy in Paris. Some people got their visas after the dates of their trips.

I didn't even mentioned the cost of change the plane ticket if i want to do an extension (also not guaranteed). If the VE is reduced to 30 days, that's mean i need to change my plane ticket 2 times if i want to stay 90 days in Thailand (plus the cost of a border crossing).

I'm 33 yo, i'm not eligible for other Visas, nor working or Work Permit. Elite is expensive and DTV requires strong proofs or remote working. I have a Thai GF, but, unfortunately, she is not ready for projects yet. I respect her and i don't want to force anything. She have her job and her family. I like to stay 3 months in Thailand for my holidays and spend time / travel inside the country with her. Nothing more per year.

So the question, for my case, and for other people like me, what Thailand can do for us ? Should we continue like this, in a grey area and using VE and Tourists Visas ? It's sound pretty disappointing for integrated good farangs since many years (8 for me).

It's already difficult to have a distance relationship like this, you know, when you have someone that you love and you cannot meet in real. Add geopolitical / pandemic situations and you have a real stressful package.

Thanks for your help / answers, have a nice day everyone !

It’s a tough situation, because you aren’t a tourist, but neither do you live in Thailand and qualify for the visa types currently available. Additionally, any solution may only apply until the rules are changed again.

Have you ever consulted a visa agent?

Or maybe travel in the region with your girlfriend with visits to Thailand at the beginning and end?

3 hours ago, Rams86 said:

Overseas countries should reciprocate, when it comes to property ownership, citizenship, visas and other matters when Thais go to foreign countries. Of course the Thais would claim this as racial discrimination, especially if they had to do 90 days reports.

I think you will find that property ownership, citizenship, visas and “other matters”? aren’t easy for Thais in most western countries. Maybe property ownership is possible, but it’s far from easy ( I’m Singaporean and recently bought a property in France….it wasn’t easy).

My daughter in law is Ukrainian and is married to my son who is a British national. It took five years and several thousand pounds before she gained British citizenship. I doubt it’s any easier or cheaper for a Thai person. And can you imagine a foreign person passing a Thai language test? Because she had to pass written and oral English tests.

I moan about Thai immigration, like most people here, but it’s not a piece of cake for Thais in other countries either.

1 hour ago, Hanuman2547 said:

I don't think people that want to spend 3-4 months in Thailand really want to go and jump through all of the hoops required to get a retirement visa as well as tie up 800K baht in a Thai bank. This does affect people that want to escape the northern hemisphere winter.

Well, you're right and not so right😄.

I was just thinking about to keep the bad apples out. To show 800k would be an option combined with Health Insurance

1 hour ago, emptypockets said:

Perhaps raising the requirements for a retirement extension to 2 million baht and ban the use of agents may also remove some of the riff raff.

Careful what you wish for.

😄 Yeah, the perfect option to keep the country "Farang"- clean.

However, the millionaires will always find a loop hole to have the sunny side up place

Thailand has put much of its economy into tourism. Anything that pushes tourists away is not helping the economy.

I don't know how quality tourists are described. How can immigration officers decide who is quality and who isn't in the time itakes to stamp a passport?

I suspect that those starting an illegal business aren't thinking in terms of one or two months but overstaying for years.

What if a quality tourist wants to stay for three months? Wouldn't it benefit the economy to let him?

31 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Or maybe travel in the region with your girlfriend with visits to Thailand at the beginning and end?

Thanks for your answer,

I can travel to Laos or Malaysia (and i did many trips like this in the past, sometimes with my GF)

The point is, my GF need to stay around BKK province because of her job.

She also have only 1 week of holidays... per year, while i'm more flexible on this point (3 months per year maximum with some remote working).

We are still looking for a long term solution.

In the past, i got 3 TR Visas and i used many VE (30 / 45 / 60 days).

I always respect the rules and have a proper documentation (return tickets / travel plans / hotel bookings / 20 000 THB in cash), but anyway, it's not a proper way to stay in Thailand, even if i do some real tourism.

Sometimes, i got some questions about my duration of stay at the entry checkpoints (air / land) and for the extensions.

I guess that my travel history is long when it appears on the computer 😅. It's hard for me to justify all the duration of stay.

All of the time, i met understanding people, but if i can have a proper situation it will be better.

Thanks for your time !

If the list is correct it is a massive change for Indians currently visa exempt for 60 days back to visa on arrival(don't they then have to buy the visa) i though Indians were the fastest growing market?

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

most foreign tourists visiting Thailand stay for an average of only nine days

That includes the 1M+ Malaysians that hop over the border for a night or two. Distorted statistics to suit their thinking.

2 hours ago, ttk said:

I was hoping this would take longer to implement. I purchased tickets in January for my next trip. Usually I go for 30 days. This time, tickets for October/November trip were Much Cheaper (around 1/2) if I went 5 weeks. Now looking like I will have to apply for an actual visa before flying 😤☹️😞

You can apply for an extention after you arrive. Thee local immigration offices will accomodate these types of reqiests. .i have experienced the same problem previously...and it will happen again for me this summer.

Where is the country list??

2 minutes ago, JOE BAMA said:

Where is the country list??

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

The Bangkokpost Has Posted an Unofficial List of New Eligibilities

Note this is not officially confirmed.

Entry eligibility by country

The following is an unofficial list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of applicable tourist entry eligibility by country after the abolition of 60-day visa exemptions:

54 countries and territories granted 30-day visa exemption:

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Asia and Oceania: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey.

Middle East: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

Americas: Canada, United States.

Africa: South Africa.

Three countries eligible for a 15-day visa exemption: Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius.

Four countries (reduced from 31) eligible for visa on arrival: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia, India.

Bilateral agreements

14-day visa exemption: Myanmar (air arrivals only), Cambodia.

30-day visa exemption: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.

90-day visa exemption: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Korea.

Adapted by ASEAN Now Bangkokpost 20 May 2026

Malaysia - typically 90 days visa-free for many nationalities including US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada.

Georgia - technically in the Caucasus/West Asia; many nationalities receive 1 year visa-free.

Armenia up to 180 days visa-free for several nationalities.

South Korea many nationalities receive 90 days visa-free.

Japan - many nationalities receive 90 days visa-free.

Singapore - many Western nationalities receive 90 days visa-free.

Philippines - often 30 days, but some passports (including US) can extend easily to much longer stays inside the country.

Hong Kong - many nationalities receive 90 days visa-free.

Taiwan many Western passports receive 90 days visa-free.

With the Thai economy struggling is this a good time to be reducing visas from 60 days to 30 ?

5 hours ago, rustinorman said:

The new rule won’t change anything at all.

It will effect the economy for sure as Thailand is dependent on tourists spending their hard earned £,€,$

1 hour ago, Antho26 said:

So the question, for my case, and for other people like me, what Thailand can do for us ? Should we continue like this, in a grey area and using VE and Tourists Visas ? It's sound pretty disappointing for integrated good farangs since many years (8 for me).

Thailand has never really wanted random people living in the country on tourist visas in the past but they let it slide when the tourist numbers were 3-4x less than they are today.

The DTV is by the far generous visa they have but I'm waiting for them to restrict that eventually too because it's basically just a long term tourist visa which is enabling random people to live in the country for years on end, exactly the thing they clamped down on originally.

If it was me I would rush to get the DTV now before it's too late or find some way to make the money required for the Elite visa.

17 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For real tourists it will have a small impact as most have enough of 30 days.. All other must apply for a longer visa, which should not be a problem with good intentions. However if I read some posts it seems that people want to stay longer without applying for a visa, The question remains for them why??? It is not the cost of the visa I suppose and not the paperwork, but possible the requirements..in Vietnam for example the stay is also max 45 days and for more a visa is needed. There are no problems but there are people

I've never spent more than a fortnight during my visits because that's enough time.

24 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

24 minutes ago, JOE BAMA said:

Where is the country list??

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

Interesting. Can't see Israel on any of the lists.

Oops my mistake Israel is mentioned in the Oceania list. Bit strange.

2 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Interesting. Can't see Israel on any of the lists.

26 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Asia and Oceania: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel,

Just now, Upnotover said:

3 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Interesting. Can't see Israel on any of the lists.

27 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Asia and Oceania: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel,

Yes. I edited my post after I saw Israel in Oceania.

I guess the summer crowd from Kuwait will have to adjust their nighttime noise activities in Pattaya and Jomtien.

I applaud this decision from the Thai peeps.

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

I think you will find that property ownership, citizenship, visas and “other matters”? aren’t easy for Thais in most western countries. Maybe property ownership is possible, but it’s far from easy ( I’m Singaporean and recently bought a property in France….it wasn’t easy).

My daughter in law is Ukrainian and is married to my son who is a British national. It took five years and several thousand pounds before she gained British citizenship. I doubt it’s any easier or cheaper for a Thai person. And can you imagine a foreign person passing a Thai language test? Because she had to pass written and oral English tests.

I moan about Thai immigration, like most people here, but it’s not a piece of cake for Thais in other countries either.

it took 3 years "being married" for my Thai wife to apply and gain US Citizenship .. answer 6 out of 10 qustions correct at your hearing

and you can be sworn and and become a Naturalized Citizen.