Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme
What is the Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme?
The Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme allows tourists to enter Thailand visa-free strictly for tourism purposes for a duration of 30 days. Travelers entering by land or via sea border are limited to doing so twice a year, except for Malaysian citizens who can enter without limitation by land border. For those who are traveling by air, there is no such limitation.
Countries Eligible For The Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme
The Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme is open to passport holders of the countries listed below. Please note that at the time of writing, inclusion in the Visa Exemption Scheme for some countries is temporary. The period of eligibility is listed alongside these countries.
- Africa: Mauritius, South Africa
- America: Brazil, Canada, Peru, United States
- Asia: Bahrain, Brunei, China (25 Sep. 2023 – 29 Feb. 2024), Hong Kong, India (10 Nov. 2023 – 10 May 2024), Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan (23 Sep. 2023 – 29 Feb. 2024), Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Qatar, Russia (1 Nov. 2023 – 30 April 2024), Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (10 Nov. 2023 – 10 May 2024), Vietnam
- Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom
- Middle East: Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates
- Oceania: Australia, New Zealand
Depending on the bilateral agreement between Thailand and the countries mentioned above, the duration of stay for tourists can vary accordingly.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and South Korea passport holders can remain in Thailand for up to 90 days, whereas Cambodia and Myanmar passport holders are only able to remain in the Kingdom for 14 days and must enter through an international airport.
Passport holders who are not from the countries mentioned above are not eligible to enter the country through the Visa On Arrival Scheme and are required to go through the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in their country to apply for a Thailand Tourist Visa.
Thailand Visa Exemption Scheme Requirements
To qualify for the Thai Visa Exemption Scheme, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a national from one of the approved countries mentioned above.
- Be strictly visiting Thailand for the sole purpose of tourism.
- Hold a passport with 6 months or more of remaining validity.
- Able to provide verifiable proof of accommodation in Thailand such as a hotel or apartment address.
- Must have proof of a return ticket for exiting Thailand (open tickets do not qualify and traveling to neighboring countries does not count as proof of exiting Thailand)
- Able to provide proof of available funds (10,000 THB for single travelers and 20,000 THB per family).
A clear test of the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or Professional Antigen Test Kit (Pro-ATK) will be required for those who are unvaccinated, including children. ATK self-tests do not qualify and the test must not be older than 72 hours before departure. Though proof of paperwork is not required, applicants may be asked to show them to the airline staff and immigration officers performing random checks on arriving passengers, or else their entry to the country through the Visa Exemption system may be denied.
Note: Applicants may also be asked to show their flight tickets upon entering Thailand. If the applicant does not have a fully paid return air ticket to prove that they’ll be leaving Thailand within the allowed 30 days, they will be denied entry.
Category: Thailand Visa
