Thailand Plans to Cut Visa-Free Stays to 30 Days as Security Review Divides Tourism Businesses

A shorter stay for visitors from 93 countries

Thailand is preparing to reduce visa-free stays from 60 days to 30 days for visitors from 93 countries, reversing a major part of the entry policy introduced on July 15, 2024. As of April 24, 2026, the proposal still needs government approval, and no implementation date has been confirmed.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the review followed discussions between ministries and security agencies. Authorities want to use the length of permitted stays as an initial screening tool against illegal employment, unauthorized businesses and criminal networks, while continuing to attract visitors who bring lasting economic value.

Government data indicates that approximately 90 percent of tourists leave within 30 days, even though they can currently stay for 60. That leaves roughly one in 10 visitors staying beyond the proposed limit. The national figure helps explain the government position, but resort businesses say their customers often stay much longer than the typical visitor.

The current arrangement covers nationals of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, most European Union members and other eligible countries. Former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin introduced the expansion, increasing the number of eligible countries from 57 to 93 and doubling the permitted stay from 30 to 60 days.

The policy helped Thailand rebuild tourism after the pandemic, with arrivals exceeding 35 million in 2024. Officials now argue that the longer entry period has also given people more time to conduct activities outside tourism, including unauthorized commercial operations. The proposed reduction would halve the initial stay while leaving longer visits dependent on extensions or an appropriate visa.

Why security agencies want tighter rules

Deputy Prime Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said 60 days may be too long because it creates opportunities for people whose purpose is not tourism to remain in Thailand for extended periods. His comments followed a visit to Phuket, where tourism stakeholders raised concerns about foreign nationals operating businesses in sectors reserved for Thai nationals.

Stakeholders also described property purchases through nominee arrangements. In such arrangements, another person holds ownership on behalf of the person actually controlling the asset. These concerns sit alongside allegations involving illegal tour guiding, unregistered employment that undercuts local workers, and online scam operations.

Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said authorities had refused entry to more than 20,000 people suspected of making visa runs since the beginning of 2025. Visa runs involve repeatedly leaving Thailand and returning to obtain another period of permitted stay instead of securing the appropriate visa.

The Immigration Bureau also connected recent arrests of 68 foreign nationals involved in scam networks to the 60-day exemption scheme. Security agencies view the shorter admission period as one way to reduce the time available for such activities.

Surasak described the broader aim as sustainable tourism growth built around safety, confidence and greener development. Addressing online discussion about foreigners holding long-term resident visas, he said each category undergoes scrutiny by the Foreign Ministry and security authorities, including checks on investment and supporting documents. Proven wrongdoing or tax evasion would face strict legal investigation.

What must happen before the rules change

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said the review had not yet produced a decision affecting travelers. Explaining the status of the proposals at a recent briefing, he said:

It does not affect anybody yet because no decision has been made so far.

Nikorndej said authorities were seeking a balance between making entry convenient and meeting security needs. Visa policy undergoes a biannual review as part of normal administrative procedures. Proposals must first be validated by the Visa Policy Committee and then submitted to the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's Cabinet must approve the proposed reduction, and the rule would take legal effect once published in the Royal Gazette. Industry sources have suggested possible implementation in the middle of 2026, but no official date has been confirmed.

The main dates and steps are:

• July 15, 2024: Thailand introduced the 60-day exemption and expanded eligibility from 57 to 93 countries.
• 2024: International arrivals exceeded 35 million as tourism recovered after the pandemic.
• Since the beginning of 2025: Immigration authorities refused entry to more than 20,000 people suspected of making visa runs.
• April 24, 2026: The proposed return to 30 days remained subject to approval, with the existing 60-day policy still in effect.
• Possible implementation in the middle of 2026: This timing has been suggested by industry sources, rather than confirmed by the government.

Why Hua Hin and Cha-am fear losing winter visitors

Chamnong Bootsong, president of the Hua Hin-Cha-am Tourism Association, warned that shortening stays could reduce spending in resort communities that depend on visitors escaping winter at home. He described a group whose travel habits differ from the national pattern:

Many are retirees renting residential units rather than hotels, staying for one to two months with steady, if modest, daily spending.

Visitors staying for extended periods account for around 30 percent of arrivals in Hua Hin and Cha-am, according to Chamnong. That local share explains why a policy expected to leave most national arrivals unaffected could still carry substantial costs for particular destinations.

For these visitors, renewing permission to stay is often inconvenient. A requirement to visit immigration, assemble documents and pay a fee could influence whether they remain for a second month. Chamnong warned that revenue from this segment could fall considerably if the exemption period is shortened.

Chamnong favored targeted inspections over a general reduction in permitted stays. He said authorities already know areas where people who overstay tend to concentrate, giving them places to focus enforcement. His argument centers on retaining legitimate visitors while directing checks toward people breaking immigration rules.

Bangkok and Phuket businesses take different positions

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, supported tighter entry controls. He argued that the current scheme makes entry too easy without sufficient screening and said people staying longer than 30 days frequently engage in activities unrelated to leisure travel.

Sanga expressed his view of the proposed reduction in these terms:

It would not affect genuine tourists, but rather those coming to seek work.

Sanga said travelers seeking longer stays should face stricter requirements, including evidence of accommodation, employment status and sufficient funds. He also urged a more selective approach to visa exemptions, with privileges tailored to particular groups rather than applied uniformly across all eligible countries.

Narudee Pongnarisorn, vice president of the Patong Hotel Association, said visitors staying for extended periods remain crucial to destinations such as Phuket. She supported the direction of tighter policy but wanted the details refined instead of relying simply on a reduction to 30 days.

Narudee favored better classification of visitors and said screening for potentially problematic or blacklisted groups should begin at immigration. Business operators do not prioritize visitor numbers alone, she said. Her position shares the government concern about security while recognizing the value of people who spend longer in resort areas.

The business debate therefore involves both admission checks and the length of a visit. Khao San Road representatives favor stronger requirements for longer stays, while operators in Hua Hin, Cha-am and Phuket worry about adding friction for customers who rent accommodation and spend locally for one or two months.

Digital arrival checks are another part of the review

Thailand is also using the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, or TDAC, to strengthen digital tracking of arrivals. The mandatory system requires travelers to submit travel details, accommodation proof and onward flight information through an official portal within the 72-hour arrival window.

After completing the process, visitors receive a QR code serving as a digital entry permit. Authorities can use the submitted information to screen potentially problematic visitors before they reach immigration counters. The system applies to arrivals by air, land and sea.

The TDAC replaces previous paper procedures and addresses tracking gaps that existed when the 60-day exemption began without fully operational electronic monitoring. Recording arrival information digitally gives authorities a more complete record of visitors entering through different routes.

Authorities suggest the technology could eventually support more detailed visa policies, allowing treatment to vary according to traveler profiles rather than imposing the same rules on all 93 eligible countries. That approach connects with calls from tourism businesses for closer screening of particular groups.

A separate proposal would introduce an entry fee of 300 Thai Baht for arrivals by air. The measure has faced multiple delays and remains under consideration. If implemented, the money would go into a fund supporting tourism management and infrastructure, as well as life and accident insurance for tourists.

Which options allow a longer visit?

Travelers seeking more time in Thailand have several legal routes beyond the visa exemption. The Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV, introduced in July 2024, permits stays of up to 180 days per visit and is valid for five years. It targets remote workers, digital nomads and freelancers.

The DTV requires a formal application, giving eligible visitors a route designed for extended stays. Remote workers and people combining work with a holiday who have relied on the 60-day exemption should examine the DTV or another suitable option before entry rules change.

A traditional tourist visa obtained through a Thai embassy or consulate allows a stay of 60 days, with the possibility of a further 30-day extension. Its initial duration matches the current exemption, but travelers must arrange the visa in advance.

Retirement visas remain available to applicants aged 50 and above who can demonstrate monthly income of 65,000 Thai Baht or maintain bank deposits of 800,000 Baht. These options involve financial conditions that travelers need to consider alongside their intended length of stay.

People planning visits longer than 60 days should look into an appropriate tourist visa through the official Thai e-Visa portal or their nearest Royal Thai Embassy before flying. Choosing the route before departure gives travelers time to prepare the required application and supporting documents.

Extensions could restore a total stay of 60 days

A single extension of 30 days at a local immigration office, costing 1,900 Thai Baht, appears likely to remain available under the proposed shorter exemption. If retained and granted, it would allow someone initially admitted for 30 days to stay for a total of 60 days after completing the paperwork.

The extension process requires a passport, a completed TM7 form, a passport photograph and proof of an address in Thailand. For visitors used to receiving 60 days on arrival, the practical change would be an additional administrative step, a fee and time spent at immigration.

Travelers planning visits of between 30 and 60 days should therefore budget for a possible immigration appointment and the 1,900 Baht fee. Those with existing bookings extending beyond 30 days should prepare evidence of paid accommodation and onward flights.

Thai immigration has historically granted discretionary extensions of 15 days when policy changes catch visitors during a stay. Such decisions remain with individual officers. Travelers should monitor announcements from the Royal Thai Embassy and Immigration Bureau as the proposal moves through the approval process.

Australians, British nationals and citizens of the other 91 eligible countries currently retain the 60-day exemption. Trips shorter than 30 days are unlikely to be affected even if the change takes effect during the journey. Most Bangkok hotel visits and island holidays fall within that shorter period.

Overstaying carries costs beyond an extension fee

The U.S. Embassy warns American citizens to comply with Thai immigration law. A person who violates the law, even unknowingly, may face fines, arrest or deportation. The same need to maintain lawful immigration status matters to other foreign visitors.

Overstaying brings a fine of 500 Baht per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 Baht. Overstays exceeding 200 days can also involve detention before deportation. An extension application is therefore a different matter from remaining after the authorized stay has expired.

The date granted by immigration is the practical limit travelers need to follow. People arranging a longer holiday must account for the permitted stay, any necessary visa application and the time required for an extension, alongside flights and accommodation.

Thailand's proposal would shift more of that preparation onto visitors who want a second month in the country. Security agencies see a shorter initial stay as a screening tool, while resort businesses want controls that preserve the spending of retirees and other visitors who remain for several weeks.

The government is seeking a tourism model built around safety, confidence, environmental goals and economic value rather than visitor volume alone. Its decision will determine whether Thailand pursues that goal through a uniform shorter stay, more detailed screening, or a combination of the two.

The Bottom Line

• As of April 24, 2026, Thailand proposed reducing visa-free stays for 93 countries from 60 days to 30 days; the current rules remained in effect.
• The Visa Policy Committee and Cabinet must approve the change before it takes legal effect through publication in the Royal Gazette.
• Government data indicates approximately 90 percent of tourists leave within 30 days, while extended visits account for around 30 percent of arrivals in Hua Hin and Cha-am.
• Security concerns include scam networks, illegal employment, nominee businesses and repeated visa runs.
• The mandatory TDAC system collects arrival information for entry by air, land and sea.
• Longer visits can involve the Destination Thailand Visa, tourist or retirement visas, or an extension where available.
• A further 30-day extension costing 1,900 Baht appears likely to continue, while the proposed 300 Baht fee for air arrivals remains under consideration.
• No implementation date has been confirmed, and tourism businesses remain divided over how a shorter stay would affect their customers.