Thailand entry requirements 2026: visa exemption, TDAC and what to carry

How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?

Most Western and many Asian passport holders get 30 days visa-free for tourism, stamped on arrival. The exact length depends on which list your passport is on. The 30-day exemption covers tourism only; work and business meetings need the right visa.

Two limits matter for overland travelers. Visa-exempt entries by land border are capped at two per calendar year; the cap is not applied to nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. And the bilateral-agreement list above comes from a report of the foreign ministry's infographic, not the ministry file itself, so if your passport is on it, confirm with your nearest Thai embassy before you book a long stay.

What changed on 15 September 2026?

The 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries, in place since 15 July 2024, ended on 15 September 2026 and was replaced by a 30-day exemption for 60 countries and territories. Travelers still quote the old 60-day rule, so check the date of anything you read.

If you entered before 15 September 2026, you may stay until the date stamped in your passport. One detail differs between sources: a government summary from 15 July counted 59 countries at 30 days, while the list published by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the foreign ministry has 60. We use 60.

Can I extend a 30-day visa-free stay?

Yes, once, by up to 30 days, at a Thai immigration office using form TM.7. Thai embassies confirmed after 15 September 2026 that this still applies, so about 60 days in total remains possible. The extension is at the officer's discretion, not a right.

The long-standing fee is 1,900 THB and is not refunded if the extension is refused. We found that amount in embassy-cited reporting but not on a 2026 Thai government page, so bring a little more cash and confirm at the office. Apply before your stamp runs out: overstaying is an immigration offence.

What is the TDAC and how do I file it?

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is the online arrival form that replaced the paper TM.6 card. It has been mandatory since 1 May 2025, it is free, and the only official website is tdac.immigration.go.th.

1. Wait until you are within 3 days of arrival. The form only accepts submissions in the 3 days before you land, and the arrival day counts. You cannot file it weeks ahead.
2. Open the official site at tdac.immigration.go.th/arrival-card, or use the Immigration Bureau's THIM app. Type the address yourself rather than following an ad.
3. Enter passport, flight or travel details and your address in Thailand. One submission can cover up to 10 people, so one parent can file for the whole family.
4. Declare the countries you visited in the last 14 days. If you came from or through a country listed as infected with yellow fever, you may be asked to upload a vaccination certificate.
5. Save the confirmation on your phone and, ideally, on paper. Immigration can ask for it at the counter.
6. Fix mistakes online. Every field except name, passport number, nationality and date of birth can be edited later. If one of those four is wrong, submit a new card.

Who has to file one?

All non-Thai nationals, children included, arriving by air, land or sea. The exceptions are transit passengers who stay airside and never pass through immigration (if you leave the airport, you need one), people entering with a Border Pass, and crew. Immigration checkpoints have help points for travelers who genuinely could not file, but they are meant for exceptional cases, not as a plan.

Is the THIM app required?

No. The Immigration Bureau's THIM app was piloted from June 2026, reached app stores on 1 August 2026 and was officially launched on 25 September 2026. It is an optional way to file the same TDAC; it does not replace the website and is not an extra requirement. Articles that said it would become mandatory in August 2026 were wrong. The official release notes up to version 2026.09.00 (17 September 2026) show no rule change to the TDAC in 2026.

How do I avoid fake TDAC websites?

Only use an address ending in immigration.go.th. Look-alike sites charge roughly US$10–90 for the free form and collect your passport data. The Immigration Bureau warned about them in May 2025, June 2025 and again on 29–30 March 2026, when it said at least 10% of foreign arrivals had used one.

If you already paid a look-alike site, ask your card issuer about disputing the charge. If you have no confirmation from the official system, submit the free form yourself on tdac.immigration.go.th before you fly. Our guide to tourist scams in Thailand covers this and other traps.

Do I need an ETA or pay a tourist entry fee?

No. Neither exists today. Thailand's foreign ministry announced an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in 2024, but it was postponed and in effect superseded by the TDAC by July 2025. No launch date has been announced since, and the ministry's 3 September 2026 briefing on the new visa rules does not mention one. Treat any site selling a "Thailand ETA" as unofficial.

The tourism entry fee has been announced several times and never collected. The latest version, as of September 2026:

• Feb 2023: Cabinet approves a fee in principle (300 THB by air, 150 THB by land or sea). It is never collected.
• Jul 2025 and Mar 2026: the start is pushed back again; the land and sea fee is shelved.
• 14 Aug 2026: the National Tourism Policy Committee endorses a draft at 450 THB per foreign visitor.
• 24 Aug – 28 Sep 2026: public consultation. The draft still needs committee re-approval, Cabinet approval and publication in the Royal Gazette.
• Target: collection for air arrivals about 180 days after publication, so early 2027 at the earliest. Proposed exemptions include children under 2, transit passengers and crew.

Reports differ on whether 450 THB would apply to all entries or only to air arrivals at first. Until it appears in the Royal Gazette, nothing is due.

What documents do I need at immigration?

A passport valid for at least 6 months, proof that you will leave Thailand within your permitted stay, and access to enough money for the trip. Officers do not check everyone, but they can, and airlines sometimes check the onward ticket at check-in.

About the funds figure: TAT's reminder of 6 July 2026 lists 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family for transit visas and "certain visa-exempt cases", and 20,000/40,000 THB for tourist and non-immigrant visa holders. Several Thai embassy pages state 20,000/40,000 THB for the visa exemption scheme. The higher figure is the safe one. Cash in baht or foreign currency, or proof of equivalent funds, is accepted, and children under 12 are exempt.

What must I declare at Thai customs?

Declare cash above 450,000 THB in Thai banknotes or above USD 15,000 equivalent in foreign banknotes, whether you arrive or leave. The USD 20,000 figure on some older embassy pages is out of date. There is no limit on how much you may bring in once it is declared.

• Taking baht out: up to 50,000 THB without Bank of Thailand permission, or up to 2,000,000 THB when you travel to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam or Yunnan (China).
• Vapes and e-cigarettes: banned since 2014, with no personal allowance. Bringing one in counts as importing prohibited goods under the Customs Act, with up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine; devices are confiscated. The UK Foreign Office says the ban also covers pods, e-liquids and heat-not-burn devices.
• Cannabis: taking it out of Thailand is smuggling, even if you bought it from a shop; foreigners have been arrested at airports.
• Drones: allowed in your luggage, but you must register a camera drone with two authorities before flying it. See drone rules for tourists.

Pre-departure checklist

Run through this in the week before you fly, and again 3 days out.

• Passport valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date, with a blank page.
• Your passport's scheme checked: 30 days, 15 days, a bilateral agreement or a visa.
• A return or onward ticket inside your permitted stay (or a plan to extend once, up to 30 days).
• TDAC filed on tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days of arrival, confirmation saved.
• Proof of funds: about 20,000 THB per person in cash or card access.
• No vape, no cannabis products, and cash under the declaration limits (or declared).
• Travel insurance that covers medical treatment; see emergency numbers and hospitals.
• Your ride from the airport planned: licensed taxis, rail and pre-booked transfers.
• Some baht or a card that works in Thai ATMs; see money in Thailand.