Thailand will terminate its 60-day visa exemption system on September 15, 2026, replacing it with new visa policies that offer 30-day and 15-day visa-free stays, as well as revisions to the visa-on-arrival program. The changes were detailed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand following Interior Ministry notices published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on August 31, 2026.
Under the updated regulations, citizens of 60 countries and territories will be eligible for visa-free entry for tourism purposes for a maximum of 30 days. This list includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside various other
nations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Moroccan passport holders are excluded from this list and will lose their prior eligibility for visa-free stays of up to 60 days starting September 15, 2026. Meanwhile, nationals of Seychelles and Mauritius gain eligibility for 15-day visa-free visits, and citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia will now qualify for visas on arrival.
Restrictions on Land Border Entries
The revised visa policy also imposes limits on entries through land border crossings. Travelers eligible for the 30-day visa exemption are restricted to a maximum of two land border entries per calendar year. Exceptions to this restriction apply to nationals of
Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, and other nationalities designated by the relevant Thai minister. These limitations are part of a broader reshaping of visa-exemption rules aimed at better managing border control.
Policy Review and Official Announcements
The new visa regulations follow a policy review initiated earlier in 2026. The Tourism Authority of Thailand announced in May its plans to modify the 60-day visa-free scheme, releasing detailed updates in July before the Interior Ministry formalized them on August 31, 2026. The Tourism Authority emphasized that existing bilateral agreements allowing visa-free entry for 90, 30, or 14 days will continue to apply for countries covered under those arrangements.
Travelers intending to visit Thailand should verify the entry requirements relevant to their nationality ahead of the policy’s implementation on September 15, 2026, particularly those nationals affected by the new timeline and entry conditions.
