Thailand Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival: Change Effective 15 September 2026

Confirmed change effective 15 September 2026 — source review 4 September 2026

Thailand’s revised visa-exemption and Visa on Arrival measures were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and take effect on 15 September 2026. Until 14 September, check the entry scheme then in force. For entry on or after 15 September, check the current Department of Consular Affairs ordinary-passport list for the passport held and travel purpose. The revised tourism measures include 30-day exemption for 60 countries and territories, 15-day exemption for two, and Visa on Arrival for three; the official list, not this summary, controls passport-specific treatment.

The MFA states that a foreign national who enters Thailand before 15 September 2026 under the earlier arrangement may remain until the end of the period granted under that permission. This does not guarantee admission, a particular permission, extension, re-entry or permission to work.

Status: Confirmed; effective 15 September 2026. Professional review: Not performed. General information only; no qualified Thai legal or immigration-professional review has been performed.

Do not infer eligibility from region, residence, an airline summary, social media or an earlier list. Entry route, passport, purpose and date of entry all matter.

Check the applicable official list

Visa on Arrival remains a separate entry route. Check the current Consular Affairs ordinary-passport material immediately before travel rather than relying on an older table or broad regional assumption.

Before travel:

  1. Check the current Consular Affairs ordinary-passport list for the passport held, purpose and intended entry date.
  2. Apply the pre-15 September or post-15 September scheme according to the actual entry date.
  3. Apply for an appropriate visa when the intended stay or activity is not covered by the current entry permission.
  4. Do not assume frequent tourist entries are guaranteed; Immigration officers decide admission at the border.

TDAC required before entry

TDAC has been mandatory since 1 May 2025 for non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land or sea. Submit a new TDAC for each entry through the free official Immigration Bureau portal at tdac.immigration.go.th within the three days before arrival, including the arrival date. The current official FAQ exempts passengers who transit or transfer without passing through immigration and crew entering in the course of their duties. Children are included. TDAC is not a visa or a guarantee of admission.

TDAC applies independently of visa-exemption, Visa on Arrival or visa status. See the complete TDAC guide.

Official sources

Sources checked: 4 September 2026. The official passport-specific list and current authority instructions control.