Electronic Travel Authorization for Visa-Free Travelers to Thailand

Earlier in 2024, the Thai government expanded its visa exemption and visa-on-arrival programs to include more countries, allowing more tourists to enter the Kingdom for longer periods without needing to apply for a visa beforehand. However, at the time of this announcement, the government also revealed plans for a new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system. This system will require all travelers entering Thailand on the visa exemption scheme to first complete an online registration process with the ETA system.

While announced in June, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reported on August 23, 2024, that they were accelerating plans to implement the ETA system. It is expected to go online in December 2024 and be fully rolled out and mandatory for all travelers in June 2025.

Why Implement an ETA System?

The MFA says that the ETA system will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of screening and tracking foreigners entering Thailand. Travelers applying for visas are already tracked in Thai Immigration systems, so this new tracking system is intended to expand visibility over those foreigners entering without a visa. With the expansion of the visa-free program, Thailand will see far more tourists entering the country this way.

The new Thai ETA system is modeled on similar systems around the world, such as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which are designed to enhance security, prevent illegal migration, and monitor public health risks.

How Does Thailand’s ETA System Work?

Full details have yet to be released by the MFA, but based on some statements from Thai officials and the systems the Thai ETA is emulating, it will look something like this:

• All visitors traveling to Thailand on the visa exemption scheme, regardless of whether they travel by land, sea, or air, must complete the ETA application and receive approval before entering the country.
• This process must be completed for every entry into Thailand.
• The ETA application will be submitted on the Thai e-Visa portal.
• Confirmation of a successful ETA application will (hopefully) take around an hour.
• The ETA system will be powered by machine learning, and the algorithm that it uses will automatically perform duties typically carried out by immigration officers, such as checking for records of overstays or criminal warrants.
• Registering with the ETA system will be free of charge for each entry.
• ETA holders will be able to use the automated gates at immigration checkpoints using a QR code provided by the ETA system.
• Holders of diplomatic passports, official passports, UN Laissez-Passer, and Border Pass users will be exempt from the ETA requirement.
• If a traveler fails to perform this ETA registration, they may be stopped at the airport by their airline before boarding or stopped at the border if they have already traveled to Thailand. In either case, they should be given an opportunity to complete the ETA application, and if approved, can then continue on.

What Does the ETA Require Travelers to Submit?

Again, the full list of requirements has yet to be released by the Thai MFA. However, based on the visa exemption scheme requirements, it is likely that the ETA will at the least require applicants to upload proof of:

• A valid passport
• Travel tickets into and out of Thailand (full itinerary)
• Accommodation (address of hotel, friend’s home, etc.)
• Sufficient funds to support the traveler’s stay (10,000 THB for single travelers and 20,000 THB per family)

It is not known at this time if there will be any health insurance, medical record, or vaccination record requirement for the ETA. It is unlikely that it will, however, the reintroduction of the Thailand Pass system due to the presence of Monkeypox in Thailand could lead to such medical requirements being introduced by the time the system goes live.

Who is Required to Register with the ETA System?

As mentioned above, all travelers seeking to enter Thailand on the visa-free program must apply for ETA. Those travelers who are applying for Thai tourist visas, visas on arrival, or any other Thai visa will not need to apply.

At present, citizens from 93 countries can enter Thailand without a visa and stay for 60 days, with the option to extend for another 30 days. These countries are:

• Africa: Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa
• Americas: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay
• East/Central Asia: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
• Europe: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
• Middle East: Bahrain, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates 
• Oceania: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga

Foreign nationals flying to Thailand from Argentina, Chile, or Myanmar are also eligible for the visa-exemption program. However, they can only apply at Thai international airports.

Travel to Thailand the Easy Way

Assuming the new ETA system works as intended, it will require a bit of extra work every time you travel to Thailand, but will hopefully make getting through immigration quicker once you arrive in the Kingdom. If you’d like to avoid the ETA altogether, you can apply for one of Thailand’s several long-term tourist visas that last for years and let you leave and re-enter Thailand as much as you want without all of this extra work.

These visas include the Thailand Elite Visa, and the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). If you want professional assistance with the applications for these or any other Thai visa, contact Siam Legal. We’re a full-service legal firm and visa consultancy in operation for over 20 years, and our team has the knowledge and expertise to help you get your visa of choice swiftly, smoothly, and successfully.

Category: Thailand Visa