The European Union has approved the Visa Cascade scheme for Thai nationals, as announced by Thailand’s Foreign Ministry. This decision allows eligible travellers from Thailand to obtain longer-term, multiple-entry Schengen visas more easily. The move aims to streamline the visa application process for Thai residents seeking short-stay Schengen visas.

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Thailand joins India, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Turkey, and Indonesia as countries with access to the scheme. The Visa Cascade system grants Thai passport holders with a strong visa history the opportunity to apply for longer-duration visas. This initiative, endorsed by the European Commission, covers those applying through Schengen embassies in Thailand.

Under the scheme, applicants who have successfully used a Schengen visa once in the last two years may qualify for a one-year multiple-entry visa. Further, a successful one-year visa history within three years allows for a two-year visa, and a two-year visa history within four years can lead to a five-year visa. The scheme is specifically designed to reduce frequent visa applications, benefiting Thai travellers by saving time and costs.

The Foreign Ministry clarified that this measure does not mean visa-free access. Thai nationals must still meet the usual application requirements. Authorities emphasised that maintaining a good travel record remains crucial, as any violations of this could affect future visa eligibility and Thailand's aspirations for visa-free Schengen access.

Future developments will focus on ensuring compliance with the Visa Cascade scheme, while continuing to pursue broader visa facilitation measures. The success of the scheme may influence ongoing discussions regarding visa-free travel options for Thai nationals to European countries.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Khaosod · 18 May 2026

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"Eligible travelers" with a "strong visa history"... So HiSo Thais only 🤔 in other words same-same but different

If only Thailand had the good sense to apply conditions such as these instead of bureaucratic nonsense.

3 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

If only Thailand had the good sense to apply conditions such as these instead of bureaucratic nonsense.

Thailand is great, we get a one year full time visa extension to stay here which can be extended by visiting the immigration office one a year of half an hour, ours is not a short term multiple visa as stated in this article.

What I do wish Thailand would do is change the 800k baht needed in the bank to secure a visa extension to 2 million baht, that would keep the riffraff out of the country.

1 minute ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

What I do wish Thailand would do is change the 800k baht needed in the bank to secure a visa extension to 2 million baht, that would keep the riffraff out of the country.

.......if so, we would want an interest rate comparable to what we could receive elsewhere.................

46 minutes ago, Off Piste said:

.......if so, we would want an interest rate comparable to what we could receive elsewhere.................

In that case you would have to accept the laws or leave, I don't think you would have much say in the matter seeing as you are just a long term visitor farang with no rights whatsoever.

I accepted that when I started to live here full time, but if things go bad the airport is only 40 minutes away.

Don't get me wrong, Thailand is great, I am just a realist.

51 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

In that case you would have to accept the laws or leave, I don't think you would have much say in the matter seeing as you are just a long term visitor farang with no rights whatsoever.

I accepted that when I started to live here full time, but if things go bad the airport is only 40 minutes away.

Don't get me wrong, Thailand is great, I am just a realist.

Would be great also if they raised back again the gov backed deposit guarantee threshold to 5M instead of a measly 1M per bank...................Would encourage many.............One can only dream.................

They should insist on reciprocity ...

6 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

"Eligible travelers" with a "strong visa history"... So HiSo Thais only 🤔 in other words same-same but different

My wife was issued with a Schengen Visa with a five year validity two years ago, so this is hardly new, she has been a regular visitor to the Schengen Area, and elsewhere, for quite a few years, but she certainly wouldn’t regard herself as HiSo.

6 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

"Eligible travelers" with a "strong visa history"... So HiSo and sponsored Thais only 🤔 in other words same-same but different

Corrected.

The farmers in Isaan will be cock-a-hoop when they hear this.

14 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

My wife was issued with a Schengen Visa with a five year validity two years ago, so this is hardly new, she has been a regular visitor to the Schengen Area, and elsewhere, for quite a few years, but she certainly wouldn’t regard herself as HiSo.

The Schengen Visa is still a major pain to get. For regular visitors (work related, family etc.) this is good I guess, less so for more casual visitors.

SO for the rich only, a point awarding system. Discrimination.

We have an overflow of asylum seekers, they come in every way they want, but if you invite someone to come for a while, even short time, you will be disappointed, however depending which state. "My" country is really <deleted> in it.

Not for USA citizens of course, red last year there were 6700 applications for immigration to my country.

There should be reciprocity from the Thai side... and offering multi-year visas for serious workers and retirees that have been here a long time and not caused any problems plus contributed to Thai society through paying tax and not being a moron. It's not just about money.

10 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

What I do wish Thailand would do is change the 800k baht needed in the bank to secure a visa extension to 2 million baht, that would keep the riffraff out of the country.

I could handle that, but it wouldn't keep those people out. They are here because of corruption, not because of that changeable rule. An increase would just require more effort from the "agents", and result in more income for the Immigration chain of command. But please don't give anyone ideas.

17 hours ago, theoldgit said:

My wife was issued with a Schengen Visa with a five year validity two years ago, so this is hardly new, she has been a regular visitor to the Schengen Area, and elsewhere, for quite a few years, but she certainly wouldn’t regard herself as HiSo.

The point is this does not create more opportunities for more thais who want to travel to travel, it just makes it easier for those who already can travel to travel more. Any idiot from the USA can get a passport and travel broadly. Any Thai can get a passport but try getting a visa for many of them is a bridge too far.

18 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

In that case you would have to accept the laws or leave, I don't think you would have much say in the matter seeing as you are just a long term visitor farang with no rights whatsoever.

I accepted that when I started to live here full time, but if things go bad the airport is only 40 minutes away.

Don't get me wrong, Thailand is great, I am just a realist.

Would you be able to get your 2 million back in 40 minutes even if the bank decided to lock it in with your extension?

Edited May 20May 20 by jacko45k

21 hours ago, Off Piste said:

Would be great also if they raised back again the gov backed deposit guarantee threshold to 5M instead of a measly 1M per bank...................Would encourage many.............One can only dream.................

I don't know anything about that, what do you mean?

5 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I don't know anything about that, what do you mean?

For example in UK the UK government FSCS scheme guarantees depositors up to £120K per bank. Should the bank fail etc... Thailand gov, until a few years ago guaranteed up to 5M Thb, now dropped to 1M...............

13 hours ago, Enzian said:

I could handle that, but it wouldn't keep those people out. They are here because of corruption, not because of that changeable rule. An increase would just require more effort from the "agents", and result in more income for the Immigration chain of command. But please don't give anyone ideas.

They could do both, increase the deposit amount and also stop corrupt agents from produce falsified documents or stop whatever the agents are doing illegally.

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Would you be able to get your 2 million back in 40 minutes even if the bank decided to lock it in with your extension?

It depends on the situation I suppose, if it was life threatening then I would leave it behind and deal with it later as my life is worth more than 2 million baht.

It is only the price of a car.

If not then I could still leave and get the money back via my banking app when the lock has expired.

But I have never had my money locked in the last 20 + years by my bank so the chance of that is not very high and if it did happen then I get it back later.

Would you sit around and wait for the money or leave in a serious situation?

Edited May 20May 20 by JamesPhuket10

17 minutes ago, Off Piste said:

For example in UK the UK government FSCS scheme guarantees depositors up to £120K per bank. Should the bank fail etc... Thailand gov, until a few years ago guaranteed up to 5M Thb, now dropped to 1M...............

Ah yes I see what you are referring to now, when the guarantee in the UK up to last year was only £85 k per bank account I had my cash in several bank accounts, thus it was all covered.

So Thailand would have to put up the limit for a 2 million baht deposit or allow us to keep the 2 mill in two separate bank accounts as I am sure they would realise the flaw if they didn't.

Edited May 20May 20 by JamesPhuket10

4 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

The point is this does not create more opportunities for more thais who want to travel to travel, it just makes it easier for those who already can travel to travel more. Any idiot from the USA can get a passport and travel broadly. Any Thai can get a passport but try getting a visa for many of them is a bridge too far.

And any normal Thai can easily get a visitors visa to farang countries, my long term partner has visited me twice to the UK when I lived there and twice to Germany when I lived there.

I have come across many farangs though who complain that it is hard to get a visa for their girlfriend, then the info comes out they were ex bar girls, what do you expect I think to myself.

1 hour ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

They could do both, increase the deposit amount and also stop corrupt agents from produce falsified documents or stop whatever the agents are doing illegally.

But they don't. Any thoughts on why?

1 hour ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I have come across many farangs though who complain that it is hard to get a visa for their girlfriend, then the info comes out they were ex bar girls, what do you expect I think to myself.

Maybe so. Bargirls can't always prove means when applying for visas. Okay, sure. But I think you make assumptions too. Not all Thai girls who can't get visas to travel freely are bargirls. Again. When a low life American with a passport, plane ticket and $600 can waltz into Thailand under VER, and a legitimately good person of Thai origin can't get a visa to travel freely, the contradiction is ludicrous.

19 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

Maybe so. Bargirls can't always prove means when applying for visas. Okay, sure. But I think you make assumptions too. Not all Thai girls who can't get visas to travel freely are bargirls. Again. When a low life American with a passport, plane ticket and $600 can waltz into Thailand under VER, and a legitimately good person of Thai origin can't get a visa to travel freely, the contradiction is ludicrous.

Read my comment again as see the words I wrote. "I have come across many farangs though who complain that it is hard to get a visa for their girlfriend, then the info comes out they were ex bar girls, what do you expect I think to myself."

Where are the words "all Thai girls" in that sentence.

I am surprised how many native English speaking people as so poor with simple English comprehension.

19 hours ago, Yumthai said:

But they don't. Any thoughts on why?

I don't really case as I am a long term visitor it is not my country.

20 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I don't really case as I am a long term visitor it is not my country.

Reading your prior bold comment you seemed to care about corruption though.

Edited May 21May 21 by Yumthai

21 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

Read my comment again as see the words I wrote. "I have come across many farangs though who complain that it is hard to get a visa for their girlfriend, then the info comes out they were ex bar girls, what do you expect I think to myself."

Where are the words "all Thai girls" in that sentence.

I am surprised how many native English speaking people as so poor with simple English comprehension.

Right back at you... No where in my original post did I say anything about bargirls getting visas, yet you go right to your bargirl retort. I'm surprised how obtuse people on this board can be. Try to keep up and stay on point.

17 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

Right back at you... No where in my original post did I say anything about bargirls getting visas, yet you go right to your bargirl retort. I'm surprised how obtuse people on this board can be. Try to keep up and stay on point.

You wrote: "Bargirls can't always prove means when applying for visas." So as you see you did mention them in the message I just replied to, try and stay in point.