Thailand Is Cutting Its 60-Day Visa Exemption
Thailand is rolling back the 60-day visa-free stay that's made it a favorite for slow travelers and remote workers since mid-2024 — here's exactly where the change stands.
Thailand is rolling back the 60-day visa-free stay that's made it a favorite for slow travelers and remote workers since mid-2024.
The replacement is a tiered system based on nationality — but despite headlines saying it's already happened, as of the most recent check on August 2026, the current 93-country group was still receiving the full 60 days, since the new tiers had Cabinet approval but hadn't yet been published in the Royal Gazette.
What's actually changing
Under the approved framework, the 60-day exemption reverts to 30 days, and the list of eligible countries shrinks from 57 to 54, covering most of Western Europe, North America, and a spread of countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. The finalized version splits entry into three tiers:
Covering EU member states plus a wider list including India, which was upgraded from Visa on Arrival status into this exemption tier as part of the July 2026 revision.
Covering Mauritius and Seychelles.
Down to just a handful of countries including Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia. Sources vary slightly on the exact count, between three and four.
Travelers who enter before the change takes effect keep their originally stamped stay length in full — the rollback isn't retroactive.
Timeline so far
The relevant Ministry of Interior announcements still need to be published in the Royal Gazette, and the new rules take effect 15 days after that publication.
Until that happens, the current entry conditions stay exactly as they are. Travelers who enter before the change takes effect keep their originally stamped stay length in full — the rollback isn't retroactive.
What this means if you're traveling soon
Don't shorten a trip you've already planned around 60 days just because of a headline — the old rule is still what's stamped in your passport at the border today.
Check back closer to your travel date, since the Gazette publication (and the 15-day countdown after it) could land at any point.
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