Thailand reviews proposal to cut visa free entry from 60 to 30 days

What Thailand is reviewing

Thailand’s government is reviewing its 60-day visa-free entry and may cut it to 30 days, but no implementation date has been set. The current scheme has been in place since July 15, 2024 and covers 93 countries and territories.

The proposed change would keep the option to extend a stay by 30 more days at local immigration offices. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved the proposal on March 22, 2026 and it still needs Cabinet approval before it can take effect.

Who feels the impact

Most tourists probably won’t notice much. Thai officials said about 90% of visitors stay 30 days or less, so the shorter entry window would match how many people already travel.

Digital nomads and other long-stay visitors are the clearest losers here. Anyone using visa-free entry for longer stays would need to move to a formal visa, while border runners should expect tighter scrutiny as Thailand keeps limiting repeated overland entries. For ongoing visa changes, see our visa updates.

What travelers should do next

Anyone planning a longer stay should watch for Cabinet action and check whether the policy is applied to all 93 eligible nations or handled country by country. The government is also weighing a broader tourism push aimed at higher-value visitors.

For longer stays, the Destination Thailand Visa remains the main alternative. It offers a five-year, multiple-entry option with stays of up to 180 days per entry and a possible extension of another 180 days. Read our full Thailand guide for the complete picture.