Thailand cuts visa-free stay for Indians from 60 days to 30

Thailand has reduced the maximum visa-free stay for tourists from 60 days to 30 days, including for Indian passport holders.

The new rules were published by the Interior Ministry in the Royal Gazette on August 31 and will take effect from September 15.

Under the revised system, passport holders from 60 countries and territories, including India, will be able to enter Thailand without a visa for tourism and stay for up to 30 days. This replaces the 60-day visa-exemption scheme introduced in July 2024, which covered citizens of 93 countries and territories.

Indian travellers entering Thailand before September 15 can continue to use the existing 60-day provision. Those already in Thailand will also not have their permitted stay reduced and can remain until the expiry of the period granted at entry.

Travellers planning to stay for more than 30 days after September 15 will need to apply for the appropriate Thai e-Visa in advance, according to the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi.

The revised rules also limit visa-exempt entries through land-border checkpoints to two times per calendar year. Leaving Thailand by land and re-entering to reset the permitted stay will no longer be allowed under the new arrangement.

Thailand’s Cabinet approved an overhaul of the visa-exemption system in May, citing national security, tourism and economic interests, reciprocity, overlapping visa privileges and the availability of the e-Visa system. Thai authorities have also raised concerns that longer visa-free stays were being misused by some foreign visitors.

The 2024 scheme had allowed visa-exempt visitors to stay for 60 days, with immigration authorities able to grant an extension of up to another 30 days at their discretion. It also covered certain business engagements and urgent or ad-hoc work.