If you are planning a trip to Thailand on visa-free entry, or you know someone who is, a real change takes effect on 15 September 2026. The regulations were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026, per multiple outlets including the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s own newsroom and Nation Thailand, and they cut the standard visa-exempt stay in half.
What’s Actually Changing
From 15 September 2026, nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, can enter Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days, down from the current 60 days. The number of nationalities eligible for the visa-exemption scheme is also being reduced, from 93 to 60.
Separately, Thailand’s Visa on Arrival programme is being cut sharply too, from 31 eligible countries down to 4 (with Seychelles and Mauritius moved to a 15-day allowance), according to the same reporting. If you were relying on Visa on Arrival rather than the visa-exempt scheme, check your nationality against the new list before you travel.
Land border entries are also being tightened: travellers will be limited to 2 land-border entries under the visa-exempt scheme, with an exception for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. This targets the practice of repeated short “visa runs” across a land border to keep restarting a visa-free stay.
The Extension Option
The new 30-day visa-exempt stay can be extended once, for a further 30 days, at a Thai immigration office, for a fee reported at 1,900 THB. In practice, that means a maximum stay of around 60 days is still possible on visa-exempt entry, the same ceiling as before, but it now needs an active extension application and a fee rather than being automatic.
What This Does Not Change
This is a change to the tourist visa-exemption scheme only. It does not affect the Non-Immigrant O-A retirement visa, the O-X long-stay visa, or the DTV visa, all of which are separate, formal visa categories with their own financial and application requirements. If you already hold, or are applying for, one of these, this change does not alter your visa status or renewal process. See our guides to the Thailand retirement visa and the DTV visa compared against O-A and O-X for those routes.
Where it does matter is for anyone currently in Thailand, or planning to arrive, on a visa-exempt entry while they decide whether to commit to a longer-stay visa, and for anyone who has been using repeated visa-exempt entries as a long-term stay strategy rather than applying for a proper visa. The land-border entry cap in particular closes off the “visa run” approach some long-stay visitors have relied on.
What To Do If This Affects You
- Check whether your nationality is still on the 60-country visa-exempt list, or the new, much shorter Visa on Arrival list, before booking travel
- If you are already in Thailand on a visa-exempt entry that started before 15 September, confirm your specific exit date with Thai Immigration directly rather than assuming the old 60-day allowance still applies
- If you have been doing repeated visa runs rather than holding a proper long-stay visa, this is a good moment to look at the O-A, O-X or DTV routes instead
- Budget for the extension fee (reported at 1,900 THB) if you plan to use the full 30-plus-30 day allowance
FAQ
Does this affect my existing O-A retirement visa?
No. This change is to the tourist visa-exemption scheme only. The O-A retirement visa, O-X visa and DTV visa are separate formal visa categories and are not altered by this change.
When does the new 30-day visa-free limit start?
15 September 2026. The regulations were published in Thailand’s Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026, giving the standard 15-day implementation period before taking effect.
Can I still extend a visa-exempt stay?
Yes. The new 30-day visa-exempt stay can be extended once, for a further 30 days, at a Thai immigration office, for a reported fee of 1,900 THB, giving a maximum of around 60 days in total.
Am I still eligible for visa-free entry?
Check your nationality directly. The number of countries eligible for the visa-exemption scheme is being cut from 93 to 60, and the UK, the US, Canada and Australia are confirmed to remain on the list. Visa on Arrival eligibility is being cut far more sharply, from 31 countries to 4.
Does the land border entry limit affect flights into Thailand?
The reported 2-entry cap applies to land border crossings specifically, aimed at repeated short visa runs. Nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are reported as exempt from this particular limit.
Where can I get this confirmed for my specific situation?
Given how recently this was published, confirm your own circumstances directly with Thai Immigration or your nearest Thai embassy or consulate before making travel plans, rather than relying on any single news report, this one included.