- Thailand will cut visa-free stays to 30 days for EU passport holders arriving on or after September 15, 2026.
- Travelers admitted before the date keep the 60-day allowance, while extensions require immigration approval.
- Most covered nationals using land checkpoints may enter only twice per calendar year; four ASEAN countries are exempt.
Thailand will cut the visa-free stay for EU passport holders from 60 days to 30 days starting 15 September 2026, ending the longer visits allowed under the current exemption. The reduction covers arrivals entering Thailand on or after that date.
Travelers admitted before September 15 will keep the allowance stamped when they entered. The change affects EU nationals as part of a broader group of 60 countries and territories covered by Thailand’s visa-exemption scheme.
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Thailand introduced the 60-day stay in July 2024 as part of a tourism-support measure. The latest decision reverses that arrangement for the covered nationalities.
The policy appeared in a Ministry of Interior notification published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026. The document was issued on 26 August and signed by Anutin Charnvirakul as both prime minister and interior minister.
The notification sets September 15 as the implementation date. It also preserves a route for some visitors to remain longer.
The new limit applies to entries from September 15
An EU traveler arriving before the effective date remains under the 60-day system. Someone arriving on or after September 15 receives 30 days under the visa-exemption scheme.
The rule applies beyond the European Union. Passport holders from the full list of 60 countries and territories will move from the former allowance to the shorter stay, according to the notification.
Travelers planning more than 30 days in Thailand after the change will face two options: obtain a visa or request additional time from Thai immigration authorities. The second route is not automatic.
The notification permits a one-time extension of up to 30 additional days, subject to approval by immigration officials. A visitor who receives that extension could therefore remain for up to 60 days, but the extra period depends on the authorities’ decision.
The measure was first floated in May 2026 before the government confirmed its September implementation. The earlier 60-day policy had been in place since July 2024.
Land crossings will carry a separate annual limit
The notification also restricts visa-exempt arrivals through land checkpoints. Most covered nationals may use that route only twice per calendar year.
Four nationalities are excluded from that restriction: Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Singapore. Their citizens remain outside the twice-yearly limit described in the measure.
| Rule | Treatment from 15 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Visa-exempt stay for covered passport holders | 30 days |
| One-time extension | Up to 30 additional days, subject to immigration approval |
| Visa-exempt land entry for most covered nationals | Twice per calendar year |
| Land-entry exception | Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Singapore |
The change creates different planning requirements for air arrivals and repeat land crossings. A traveler relying on repeated border entries cannot assume the same flexibility as someone using an approved extension.
Thailand is also reshuffling access for five other nationalities
The notification makes separate changes for nationals outside the EU group. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia will become eligible for Visa on Arrival.
Mauritius and Seychelles will receive a 15-day visa exemption. Those arrangements differ from the 30-day exemption applying to the wider group.
The revised system therefore contains several tracks rather than one universal entry period. EU passport holders fall within the 30-day category, while five other nationalities receive different treatment.
The September 15 date is the key dividing line for European visitors. A trip beginning before then remains governed by the former 60-day allowance, while a later arrival starts under the shortened rule.
