On 19 May 2026, the Thai Cabinet approved the cancellation of the expanded 60-day visa-free scheme that had been in place since 2024 for citizens of 93 countries.
Important: The decision has been made but has not yet taken effect. The new rules will come into force 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette — the exact publication date has not yet been announced. Until that time, the current 60-day period remains in effect at the border.
What Will Change
Most of the 93 countries will transition from 60 to 30 days of visa-free stay (with the option of one 30-day extension at an immigration office). The list of countries eligible for Visa on Arrival will be reduced from 31 to just 4 countries.
How This Affects You Personally
- Citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan — are already under a separate bilateral visa-free regime (30 days). This reform does not formally affect them.
- Citizens of Ukraine — are included in the list of 93 “major” countries and, once the reform takes effect, will transition from 60 to 30 days.
- Citizens of Belarus — retain access to Visa on Arrival — Belarus is one of only 4 countries that will keep this option.
What to Do
- If you are already in Thailand with a valid entry stamp — the changes will not affect you; your permitted stay period will remain as originally granted.
- If you are planning to stay longer than 30 days — consider your visa options in advance — see our “Visas” page.
We are monitoring this topic and will update the article as soon as the exact effective date is announced.
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