- Thailand cut visa-free stays to 30 days for travelers from the United States, Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
- Mauritius now gets 15 days visa-free, while Morocco lost visa-free access and must apply before travel.
- The Royal Gazette published the Ministry of Interior notice on August 31, 2026, and the new rules started September 15.
Thailand slashed visa-free stays for travelers from the United States, Canada and South Africa, while Mauritius dropped to 15 days and Morocco lost visa-free access altogether. The change took effect September 15, 2026. It replaced the broader 60-day system.
The Ministry of Interior notices appeared in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026. That publication put the new entry map on the books. The order moved fast.
The new rules apply only to tourism stays. Passport holders from 60 countries and territories, including the U.S. and Canada, can still enter visa-free for up to 30 days. South Africans are also included in that 30-day group, and the United Kingdom and Australia remain there too. Tourism only.
Mauritius and Seychelles now sit in a separate 15-day category. Twenty-one countries now need visas before travel, and Morocco is among them. Morocco moved out entirely.
Thailand's Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the revised visa-exemption and Visa on Arrival arrangements. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia remain on the separate visa-on-arrival list. Rules shifted again.
Thailand now sorts tourism visitors into three tracks
The new framework splits visitors into buckets. The table below sets the named countries side by side with their earlier status. One lane stayed open. One tightened.
| Country | New rule | Previous rule |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 30 days visa-free for tourism | 60 days |
| Canada | 30 days visa-free for tourism | 60 days |
| South Africa | 30 days visa-free for tourism | 60 days |
| United Kingdom | 30 days visa-free for tourism | 60 days |
| Australia | 30 days visa-free for tourism | 60 days |
| Mauritius | 15 days visa-free | 60 days |
| Morocco | Visa required before travel | Visa-free access |
The 2024 expansion gave way to a narrower rule
Thailand expanded visa-free stays to 60 days in 2024. The 2026 rollback reversed that wider opening. The earlier scheme covered 93 countries and territories. The swing was sharp.
The narrower system now leaves 60 countries and territories in the 30-day lane, while Mauritius and Seychelles share the 15-day lane. Twenty-one countries now need visas before travel. Moroccan travelers must now secure an e-Visa through the Rabat platform before departure. That route changed.
Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia remain on the visa-on-arrival list. The department kept that separate track in place. It still stands.
