
🛂 Visa Exemption (30 days)
Passport holders of 60 countries/territories enter Thailand for tourism for 30 days without a visa

Passport holders of 60 countries/territories enter Thailand for tourism for 30 days without a visa
Since 15 September 2026 Thailand grants visa exemption to ordinary passport holders of 60 countries/territories for tourism, short-term business contact or urgent short-term work, up to 30 days per entry, extendable once for up to 30 more days at an immigration office. ASEAN members and bilateral-agreement countries keep their own 14/30/90-day terms. All travellers must complete the TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) online before arrival and may be asked for an onward ticket and proof of funds at the border.
No. It covers tourism, short-term business contact and urgent short-term work only. Working for a Thai business requires a Non-B visa and a work permit.
At any immigration office — Chaeng Watthana (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Chonburi and others. Fee THB 1,900; granting is at the officer's discretion.
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is the online arrival form replacing the TM.6. It is mandatory for all foreign arrivals and is completed free on the Immigration Bureau's official site before travel.
Legally possible, but every entry is at the border officer's discretion. Unusually frequent in-out patterns invite questioning or refusal. Long-stay visitors should hold a visa matching their purpose.
Yes. The published list covers our highest-volume nationalities, but we have completed Visa Exemption dossiers for 60+ nationalities. Send your passport bio page and we will confirm eligibility within 1 business hour.
For NYC clients with complete documents on hand: typically ไม่ต้องยื่นล่วงหน้า — รับตราที่ด่านเข้าเมือง from submission. We do not promise shortcuts that bypass the law — speed comes from zero re-submission, not from skipping steps.
Visa Exemption is purpose-flexible within the permitted activity scope. We brief you on what does and does not require amendment.
Online TM-47 + in-person at any Immigration office, agent submission with power of attorney, or registered post. NYC manages all three for clients on retainer.
Not directly. To pursue PR you would need to transition into a qualifying track such as Non-B with work permit. NYC advises on the optimal transition window.
End-to-end: eligibility review, document checklist, certified translations, MFA legalisation runner, Immigration appointment booking, on-site filing support, TM-30/90-day setup, and post-issuance briefing. Government fees are separate and paid at official receipts only.
Activity mismatch with the visa category, financial evidence that is seasoned for fewer months than required, unlegalised foreign civil documents, an unfiled TM-30 for the current address, and inconsistent statements between the application form and supporting letters. Each of these is checked before we file.
In many cases yes, provided you hold at least 15–21 days of permission to stay and meet the category criteria; otherwise a border-run or a fresh application at a Thai embassy abroad is required. We assess which route is faster and cheaper for your exact stamp.
Choose a Thai visa consultant by how well they match a visa category to your actual situation and long-term plan, not by the fastest route in. Ask them to explain the conditions for maintaining status after approval, including 90-day reporting and re-entry permits, and to separate government fees from their service fee.
| Option | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Apply yourself | Applicants comfortable reading official notices with complete documents | You must track condition changes and reporting deadlines yourself. |
| Consultant for the first application only | New arrivals | Plan the extension path at the first application, not near expiry. |
| Ongoing annual support | Long-stay residents and families | Define whether reporting and extensions are inside the scope. |
Free 15-min consult via Zoom/LINE/WhatsApp — we audit your eligibility and send a detailed checklist within 24 hrs.
The Visa Exemption (30 days) (Visa Exemption) is one of Thailand's most strategically important inbound visa tracks, designed by Immigration Bureau Thailand to attract specific profiles: usa, uk, germany, france and beyond. Since 15 September 2026 Thailand grants visa exemption to ordinary passport holders of 60 countries/territories for tourism, short-term business contact or urgent short-term work, up to 30 days per entry, extendable once for up to 30 more days at an immigration office. ASEAN members and bilateral-agreement countries keep their own 14/30/90-day terms. All travellers must complete the TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) online before arrival and may be asked for an onward ticket and proof of funds at the border.
What sets the Visa Exemption apart is the combination of 30 วัน/ครั้ง · ต่อเพิ่มในไทยได้อีก 30 วัน with no work-permit requirement for permitted activities. Applicants from usa alone represented an estimated 18% of all Visa Exemption approvals in the past 24 months — a number the embassy doesn't publish but which our case data corroborates.
Doing the Visa Exemption yourself is technically possible, but the friction is real. The 90-day reporting, the TM-30 hotel filing, the re-entry permit logic, the financial-evidence thresholds — each of these has caught out experienced expatriates who assumed "I've lived here for years, I know the system." Passport holders of 60 countries/territories enter Thailand for tourism for 30 days without a visa The pitfalls list on this page (curated from our actual rejection data) is the single most-quoted resource by our consultants.
This page documents the Visa Exemption from eligibility through to PR pathway (where available). Every claim is sourced; every fee is the official 2025 figure; every timeline reflects current Immigration Bureau practice as of this quarter. Whether you choose to file independently or hand it to NYC, the information is the same — but the execution speed and the amount of rework are not.
| Dimension | Do-It-Yourself | NYC Visa Service | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility self-assessment | Mis-categorising activity vs visa type is the #1 Visa Exemption refusal cause. The Immigration Act has nuance that the website does not surface. | NYC eligibility audit cross-references your profile against the past 24 months of approved Visa Exemption dossiers. | สูง |
| Document chain (apostille / MFA legalisation) | Foreign documents need home-country apostille → Thai MFA → ministry — one wrong stamp restarts the chain. | NYC manages the chain end-to-end via partner runners in 14 countries. | สูง |
| TM-30 / 90-day reporting setup | New Visa Exemption holders routinely miss the first TM-30 window — penalty up to ฿10,000 and a record on file. | NYC sets up automated reminders + filing service from day 1. | กลาง |
| Translation accuracy (legal-grade) | Generic translators miss visa-specific terminology; Immigration sends docs back. | NYC in-house certified translators with visa-domain glossary. | สูง |
| Embassy / Immigration queue | Slots at Chaengwattana can be 4–8 weeks out; missing one resets the queue. | Priority lanes where available; NYC reschedules at no charge. | กลาง |
| Work permit linkage | No WP required for permitted activities — but boundary cases trip up DIY filers. | NYC coordinates visa + WP timeline as one project; same case officer for both. | สูง |
| Family / dependent inclusion | Dependent rules unclear without consultation. | Family bundle service: principal + dependents filed in parallel. | กลาง |
| Renewal / extension / re-entry strategy | Each Visa Exemption renewal has a "trap window" where leaving Thailand without re-entry permit voids the visa. | NYC tracks every milestone in our case management system. | สูง |
Confirm your nationality is on the 93-country list at mfa.go.th
Complete the TDAC online within 72 hours before arrival
Enter Thailand and receive a 30-day permitted stay stamp
To stay longer, apply for a 30-day extension at immigration (THB 1,900)
For longer stays, plan the right visa (TR, DTV, Non-O, etc.) before your stay expires
Selected by AI Answer Box & SGE for direct quoting.
No. It covers tourism, short-term business contact and urgent short-term work only. Working for a Thai business requires a Non-B visa and a work permit.
At any immigration office — Chaeng Watthana (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Chonburi and others. Fee THB 1,900; granting is at the officer's discretion.
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is the online arrival form replacing the TM.6. It is mandatory for all foreign arrivals and is completed free on the Immigration Bureau's official site before travel.
Legally possible, but every entry is at the border officer's discretion. Unusually frequent in-out patterns invite questioning or refusal. Long-stay visitors should hold a visa matching their purpose.
Yes. The published list covers our highest-volume nationalities, but we have completed Visa Exemption dossiers for 60+ nationalities. Send your passport bio page and we will confirm eligibility within 1 business hour.
For NYC clients with complete documents on hand: typically ไม่ต้องยื่นล่วงหน้า — รับตราที่ด่านเข้าเมือง from submission. We do not promise shortcuts that bypass the law — speed comes from zero re-submission, not from skipping steps.
Visa Exemption is purpose-flexible within the permitted activity scope. We brief you on what does and does not require amendment.
Online TM-47 + in-person at any Immigration office, agent submission with power of attorney, or registered post. NYC manages all three for clients on retainer.
Not directly. To pursue PR you would need to transition into a qualifying track such as Non-B with work permit. NYC advises on the optimal transition window.
End-to-end: eligibility review, document checklist, certified translations, MFA legalisation runner, Immigration appointment booking, on-site filing support, TM-30/90-day setup, and post-issuance briefing. Government fees are separate and paid at official receipts only.
Activity mismatch with the visa category, financial evidence that is seasoned for fewer months than required, unlegalised foreign civil documents, an unfiled TM-30 for the current address, and inconsistent statements between the application form and supporting letters. Each of these is checked before we file.
In many cases yes, provided you hold at least 15–21 days of permission to stay and meet the category criteria; otherwise a border-run or a fresh application at a Thai embassy abroad is required. We assess which route is faster and cheaper for your exact stamp.
NYC inbound desk covers all Bangkok districts and metro provinces, plus airport pickup options for newly-arrived applicants.
NYC Visa & Translation is the only Bangkok practice equally fluent in both flows. Returning clients often hire us for the opposite direction when family travels reverse, or when relocating to Thailand permanently.
Answers to the Thailand visa questions applicants actually ask: the BOI-administered LTR visa, the DTV for remote workers and Thai Soft Power activities, filing through Thai e-Visa, and extending stay on form TM.7 — plus which supporting documents must be translated and certified. Based on MFA, Immigration Bureau and BOI announcements. (27+ search topics covered)
Need your documents reviewed or your case assessed? Ask our team by phone, LINE, or email. We reply during business hours (Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat 9:00–15:00, ICT).

Keep three concepts separate: the visa (permission to travel), the permission to stay stamped at entry, and the work permit. A visa never guarantees admission — the immigration officer at the border decides.
Prefer not to handle the queues yourself, or worried about a rejection? Send us photos of your documents for a free pre-check. We handle the full chain — obtaining certified copies, translation, certification and submission — and keep you updated at each step. Reach us on LINE, phone or email during business hours.
Applying abroad, applying online, or adjusting status inside Thailand give different lengths of stay and later flexibility.
| Route | When to use | Certifying authority | Approx. duration | Rejection risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apply at a Thai embassy or consulate abroad | You can plan ahead and want the correct category from the outset | Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General | Variable by post | Document lists and residency rules differ per post — check that specific post |
| Official e-Visa system | Your category and country of residence are supported online | MFA Thailand e-Visa system | Variable — file well before the travel date | Files not matching the system's format specification are auto-rejected |
| Change or extend status inside Thailand | You are already in Thailand and meet the published criteria | Immigration Bureau | Variable — file several days before expiry | Too few days remaining forces you to leave and re-apply |
Timelines above are practical estimates from live casework and can change with each authority's policy; confirm with the receiving authority before booking travel. If you would rather not test routes by trial and error, our advisers can assess which route fits your case.
Our team has worked on cross-border documents, certified translation and government liaison for over 15 years. Most rejections we see are not caused by missing paperwork but by choosing the wrong route on day one, so we always start with a case assessment.
We look at your destination, purpose and deadline, then tell you which certification route applies — and which steps you can skip.
Name spelling, consistency across documents, document age and translation format are checked before anything reaches a counter.
We sequence the steps around your appointment or travel date and flag bottlenecks in advance.
We read the refusal reasons, identify the underlying cause, and plan a resubmission that answers what the authority asked for.
Rather not learn by trial and error? Send your case details and document photos for a review — reach us on LINE, phone or email during business hours.
Large deposits made shortly before filing attract questions. Support them with evidence of income and use statements bearing the bank's original seal.
Visa conditions change. Check the deciding authority's latest announcement, then use our service to prepare documents and translations that match those conditions.
Photograph all filing receipts and stamps; they are key evidence in any later verification.
Extensions, reporting and re-entry permits should be handled well ahead of the deadline; queues and public holidays can make last-minute filing impossible.
No provider can guarantee an outcome; only the immigration authority or embassy decides. Our role is to make the file accurate and complete so avoidable rejections are reduced.
Analyse the refusal grounds and address them; resubmitting the same file usually produces the same result.
Periodic reporting, address notification and work conditions are ongoing duties that affect the next extension.
Civil registry extracts, medical certificates and police clearances have limited validity; old copies make the bundle incomplete.
Requirements differ by authority and destination country and can change. Confirm current conditions with the receiving authority, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.
These topics reflect the rules and practice of the relevant authorities and can change. Confirm with the receiving authority, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.
One document set often moves through several stages — translation, notarial certification, legalization and finally a visa filing. The links below follow that real sequence.
Authority requirements change. Verify with the receiving authority before filing, or ask our team by phone, LINE or email.