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Updated September 2024
If you want to escape to picturesque beaches and bucolic panoramas, then get ready to acquaint yourself with Thailand’s extraordinary beauty and cultural uniqueness. In fact, travellers from many countries are even eligible for a Thailand visa waiver and can now enter Thailand visa-free.
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What is the Thailand visa waiver?
The Thailand visa waiver is the Thailand visa exemption scheme that allows ordinary passport holders of certain countries, including China, the UK, the UAE, the USA and more, to enter Thailand visa-free.
Please note that Thailand also holds bilateral agreements on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports visiting Brazil, the Republic of Korea, and Peru for a visit of not exceeding 90 days and Vietnam and Hong Kong for a visit of not exceeding 30 days.
Thailand visa-free countries
The following passport holders from specific categories are eligible for the Thailand visa waiver.
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Ordinary passport holders
Tourist visa exemption
The Thailand visa-exemption scheme is applicable to ordinary passport holders from the following countries who can enter Thailand without a visa for a stay of not more than 60 days for tourism purposes:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Canada
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Monaco
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Mauritius
- New Caledonia
Bilateral agreement visa exemption
The Thailand visa-exemption scheme is applicable to ordinary passport holders from the following countries having a bilateral agreement with Thailand for a stay of not more than 14 days, 45 days, or 90 days, depending on their country of origin:
14 days visa-exception
- Cambodia
- Myanmar (International Airports only)
45 days visa-exemption
- Hong Kong
- Laos
- Macau
- Mongolia
- Russia
- Vietnam
90 days visa-exemption
- Argentina (International Airports only)
- Brazil
- Chile (International Airports only)
- The Republic of Korea
- Peru
Diplomatic/official passport holders
The Thailand visa-exemption scheme is applicable to the diplomatic/official passport holders from the following countries having a bilateral agreement with Thailand for a stay of not more than 30 or 90 days, depending on their country of origin:
30 days visa-exemption
- Bangladesh (Diplomatic only)
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Ecuador
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Laos
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Oman
- Pakistan (Diplomatic only)
- Singapore
- Timor-Leste
- Vietnam
90 days visa-exemption
- Albania
- Argentina
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech
- Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France (Diplomatic only)
- Germany
- Georgia
- Hungary
- India
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- The Netherlands
- Nepal
- Panama
- Peru
- The Philippines
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- South Africa
- Spain (Diplomatic only)
- Sri Lanka
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- UAE
- Uruguay
Thailand visa waiver 2024 requirements
According to the Thai Embassy website, the countries eligible for the Thailand visa-exemption scheme will be granted visa-free entry into Thailand, provided they meet the following criteria:
- The applicant must be from a country eligible for the Thailand Visa Exemption scheme.
- The applicant must hold a genuine passport with a validity of over six (6) months.
- The applicant must be able to provide a valid address in Thailand that can be verified on entry. This address can be a hotel or an apartment.
- The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
- They must have a confirmed return ticket to show they are flying out of Thailand within 30 days of entry, as appropriate.
- Open tickets do not qualify.
- Traveling overland out of Thailand by train or bus to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (including Singapore), and Myanmar may be accepted as proof of exiting Thailand.
- Applicants may be asked to show their flight tickets upon entering Thailand.
- If they do not possess a flight ticket to show that they will be exiting Thailand within 30 days of entry, they will most likely be refused entry.
- It is necessary to prove that the eligible single traveler has funds of at least 10,000 THB (USD 280) or 20,000 THB (USD 526.04) per family during their stay in Thailand.
Thailand visa waiver 2024 extension
Tourists can apply for a 30-day visa extension at any local immigration office in Thailand. The cost is THB 1,900.
To extend your stay, you will need:
- TM7 Extension of Temporary Stay form
- Passport ID page copy
- Thailand departure card or TM.6
- 1 passport photo, 4x6cm
- BHT 1,900 fee for extension paid in cash
Visa extension for students
According to the recent announcement by the Immigration Bureau of Thailand, foreigners with student visas must provide certificates from educational institutions when they apply for a visa extension. This is done as a part of the department program, which aims to prevent the establishment of illegal businesses run by foreigners.