Visa policy of Thailand

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v t e

Visitors to Thailand must obtain a visa from one of the Thai diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an e-Visa.^[1]

In May 2014, there was a brief crackdown on visa runs during 2014 Thai coup d'état, meaning that if foreigners wish to re-enter Thailand after their visa-free or visa on arrival period has expired they have to obtain a visa in advance, or remain outside Thailand at least for one night.^[2]

In August 2014, Thailand Prime Minister ordered the Immigration Police to be more flexible as the strict application of the law was affecting schools and the tourist industry.^[3]

On 31 October 2018 it was announced that within 30 days (by the end of November 2018), overstay visas will no longer be allowed, and there will be no remaining overstayers in the kingdom by that date.^[4]

Citizens of the following countries and territories may enter Thailand for business and tourist purposes without a visa for the following period:^[5]

_{A - May apply to extend their stay for an additional 30 days.
B(xx) - Thailand has bilateral visa exemption agreements with countries with this mark for stays of xx days. For some countries where the length of stay in the agreement was only 14 or 30 days, if those countries are also in the 60 days visa waiver list, the length of stay will be lengthened to 60 days. For some countries where the length of stay in the agreement is 90 days, if those countries are also in the 60 days visa waiver list, the length of stay will be granted to 90 days as in the agreement.
C - Thailand has bilateral visa exemption agreements with countries with this mark for stays of 30 days, limited to a cumulative maximum stay of 90 days within any 180 days.
# - For ASEAN nationals, Thailand has bilateral visa exemption agreements with Laos and Vietnam for stays of 30 days, as well as Cambodia for stays of 14 days.
1 - For Chinese citizens with People's Republic of China passports, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports or Macao Special Administrative Region passports only.
2 - For air arrivals only.}

According to government plans as of April 2024, the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system is expected to launch in a pilot phase by December 2024, with full deployment anticipated by June 2025. The ETA will be required for all visa-exempt travelers entering Thailand, regardless of their mode of entry (air, sea, or land). Applications will be submitted through the existing electronic visa portal and each entry into Thailand will require a separate ETA application, which is planned to be free of charge. It will enable holders to use automated gates at immigration checkpoints by scanning a QR code provided with their authorization. The ETA will not required by certain categories of travelers including holders of diplomatic passports, official passports, UN Laissez-Passer, and Border Pass users.^[6]

Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing "THA" on the back of the card may enter Thailand without a visa for business trips for up to 90 days.^[1]

ABTCs are issued to citizens of:^[7]

Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports issued by the following countries and territories are allowed to visit Thailand without a visa for a maximum period of up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):^[8]

_{D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 30 days}

Visa exemption agreements were signed with Lithuania in June 2024 and Kyrgyzstan in September 2024 and they are yet to be ratified.^[9][10]

Besides traditional visa on arrival policy, from 21 November 2018 Thailand started issuing tourist visas valid for 15 days in a simplified procedure to visitors from the countries whose citizens are eligible for visa on arrival.^[11] It costs 2,000 THB.

The e-Visa application also became available from February 2019 in some of the consulates of Thailand abroad.^{[12][13][14][8][15]}

External image
Map of entry points with Visa on Arrival facility

_{A - All nationalities are eligible for an e-Visa as long as they reside in one of the following countries by the time they lodge an application.
B - Although these countries are visa-exempt in general, their citizens may still have to apply for visa on arrival or e-visa if they are not allowed to enter without visa due to personal reasons (e.g. excessive stay or holding inappropriate travel documents).}

There are 48 immigration checkpoints providing visa on arrival, including:^[26]

Citizens of the following countries and territories must apply for a visa at the Thai embassy or consulate in their home country.

Thai embassies or consulates abroad only accept applications of these citizens if they have a residence permit of the country they want to apply from.^[27]

_{1 - Except Algeria, Congo-Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa and Tunisia.}

Passengers transiting through Suvarnabhumi Airport for less than 12 hours do not require a visa, unless they are travelling on Angkor Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Eastar Jet, Golden Myanmar Airlines, IndiGo, Intira Airlines, Jeju Air, Jet Asia Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, Jetstar Pacific, Jin Air, Juneyao Airlines, Lao Central Airlines, Tigerair Mandala, Norwegian Air, Orient Thai Airlines, Regent Airways, Shandong Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, South East Asian Airlines, SpiceJet, Spring Airlines, T'way Airlines, Thai Smile, Tigerair or VietJet Air.^[1]

Those transiting through Don Mueang International Airport for less than 12 hours do not require a visa only when travelling on Thai AirAsia or Thai AirAsia X.^[1]

Citizens of Pakistan are required to obtain a visa when transiting through Thailand at all times.^[28]

Citizens of the following countries or citizens arriving from the following countries require an International Certificate of Vaccination in order to enter Thailand, unless they produce evidence that they do not reside in the following areas.

Failure to fulfill this requirement could result in refusal of entry into Thailand.^[29]

• Courte Upon official request, the Royal Thai Embassy may grant courtesy visas/laissez-passer to diplomats/UN officials/others who wish to enter the Kingdom on official duty and/or other purposes
• Permanent resident: To qualify for this visa, you must have stayed in Thailand for 3 consecutive years with the one-year visa extensions. If married to a Thai for 5 years, one must be earning 30,000 baht/month. If single, your monthly income must be 80,000 baht minimum.
• Tourist: If an individual wishes to remain in Thailand for more than 30 days, he/she may wish to obtain a tourist visa at a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate prior to arriving in Thailand. The tourist visa must be used within validity date, that varies with the number of entries purchased, and allows an initial stay of 60 days. After arrival in Thailand, a tourist visa or a visa exempt entry may be extended once for an additional 30 days according to immigration Bureau order 327/2557. There is a 1,900 baht fee for each extension.
• Transit: This type of visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom for the following purposes: to travel in transit through the Kingdom in order to proceed to the country of destination or to re-enter his/her own country (category "TS"); the person in charge of or crew of a conveyance coming to a port, station, or area in the Kingdom (category "C")

• Type B: to conduct business; work; attend business conferences; teach school; attend scuba diving, muay Thai, and massage courses
• Type D: diplomatic visa
• Type ED: to study; to come on a work study tour or observation tour; to participate in projects or seminars; to attend a conference or training course; to study as a foreign Buddhist monk
• Type EX: to undertake skilled work or to work as an expert or specialist
• Type F: to perform official duties, e.g., military exercises or governmental assignments
• Type IB: to invest or perform other activities relating to investment, subject to the provision of the established laws on investment promotion
• Type IM: to invest with the concurrence of the Thai ministries and governmental departments concerned
• Type M: to work as a film-producer, journalist, or reporter with permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Type O: to visit family; to perform duties for a state enterprise or social welfare organizations (NGOs); to receive medical treatment; to be a sports coach as required by the Thai government; to be a contestant; to be a witness in a judicial process
• Type O-A: retirement visa
• Type R: to perform missionary work or other religious activities with the concurrence of the Thai ministries or government departments concerned
• Type RS: to conduct scientific research or training or teaching in a research institute
• Type S: to participate in an officially recognised sports event.

Most visitors arriving to Thailand on short term basis were from the following countries of nationality:

Country	9/2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012
China	5,254,764	3,521,095	273,567	13,043	1,251,498	10,997,338	10,535,241	9,806,260	8,757,646	7,936,795	4,636,298	4,637,335	2,786,860
Malaysia	3,742,474	4,626,422	1,948,549	5,511	619,623	4,265,574	4,020,526	3,494,488	3,494,890	3,418,855	2,613,418	3,041,097	2,554,397
India	1,536,196	1,628,542	997,913	6,544	263,659	1,996,842	1,598,346	1,415,197	1,194,508	1,069,422	932,603	1,050,889	1,013,308
South Korea	1,382,785	1,660,042	538,766	12,077	262,017	1,890,973	1,796,426	1,709,265	1,464,200	1,373,045	1,122,566	1,295,342	1,163,619
Russia	1,159,758	1,482,611	435,008	30,759	590,151	1,483,337	1,472,789	1,346,338	1,090,083	884,136	1,606,430	1,746,565	1,316,564
Laos	899,576	919,401	502,124	733	380,207	1,854,792	1,664,630	1,682,087	1,388,020	1,220,522	1,053,983	976,639	975,999
Taiwan	813,255	724,594	94,834	1,675	117,511	790,039	687,748	573,077	522,273	552,699	394,149	502,176	394,225
Vietnam	786,032	1,033,688	468,393	1,794	132,127	1,048,181	1,028,150	935,179	830,220	751,162	559,415	725,057	618,670
Japan	762,648	805,768	290,146	9,461	322,677	1,806,438	1,656,101	1,544,442	1,439,510	1,381,702	1,267,886	1,536,425	1,373,716
United States	707,104	930,206	453,678	37,880	212,669	1,165,950	1,122,270	1,056,423	975,643	867,505	763,520	823,486	768,638
Singapore	697,886	1,027,424	614,627	5,931	126,771	1,059,484	1,069,867	1,032,647	967,550	938,385	844,133	955,468	831,215
United Kingdom	666,859	817,220	444,432	38,663	223,087	992,574	986,854	994,755	1,004,345	947,568	907,877	905,024	873,053
Hong Kong	665,174	802,368	162,240	1,657	124,518	1,045,361	1,015,749	821,064	751,264	669,617	483,131	588,335	473,666
Indonesia	648,650	762,118	235,632	2,577	99,530	710,494	644,709	576,110	534,797	469,125	497,592	594,251	447,820
Germany	588,298	729,163	365,030	45,874	231,782	852,481	886,523	850,139	837,885	761,819	715,240	737,658	682,419
Australia	544,569	687,745	336,688	9,577	123,827	767,291	801,203	817,218	796,370	807,450	831,854	900,460	930,241
France	515,228	545,003	268,587	23,461	237,317	745,346	749,556	740,190	738,878	681,114	635,073	611,582	576,106
Philippines	420,812	461,251	178,021	4,078	72,762	506,430	432,237	381,252	339,150	310,968	304,813	321,571	289,566
Cambodia	414,920	583,708	379,665	4,914	165,027	910,696	948,824	840,871	674,975	537,950	550,339	481,595	423,642
Myanmar	399,548	394,134	193,778	7,256	55,279	378,232	368,188	365,606	341,626	259,678	206,794	172,383	129,385
Israel	194,091	217,084	146,293	14,038	29,444	195,856	188,788	173,673	161,579	141,031	138,778	134,874	129,551
Netherlands	190,840	229,539	116,354	8,539	52,402	241,608	236,265	222,409	235,762	221,619	211,524	218,765	208,122
Italy	181,425	191,983	85,254	5,322	60,602	272,374	279,905	264,524	265,597	246,094	219,875	207,192	200,703
Saudi Arabia	172,575	178,113	96,389	467	4,227	30,006	28,337	33,531	24,834	19,168	12,860	21,452	17,084
Canada	172,521	214,264	90,608	6,440	58,499	273,214	276,094	258,494	244,869	227,601	211,059	229,897	219,354
Spain	146,525	153,458	87,400	3,514	25,904	188,997	181,880	179,584	168,900	150,995	116,983	123,084	113,141
United Arab Emirates	136,235	138,934	65,857	4,061	7,492	130,158	128,270	137,218	130,941	124,719	117,907	123,926	113,547
Kazakhstan	130,531	172,489
Sweden	130,138	178,259	97,378	17,094	111,994	287,341	311,949	323,736	332,895	321,690	324,865	341,398	364,681
Switzerland	122,139	156,337	81,180	11,429	52,361	192,130	207,471	209,528	209,057	206,480	201,271	199,923	191,147
Poland	112,440	121,700
Bangladesh	102,640	140,657	81,106	1,955	21,838	136,677	129,574	121,765	100,263	107,394	88,134	82,418	72,657
Denmark	98,248	115,224	64,249	8,480	66,848	162,456	169,373	161,920	165,581	159,435	160,977	163,186	167,499
Belgium	75,244	85,512	48,684	5,386	26,394	114,669	114,270	112,266	111,013	106,090	99,729	101,109	94,896
Austria	74,018	88,706	42,683	5,486	36,381	111,428	116,656	104,784	100,373	97,869	100,968	106,278	94,667
Norway	73,939	83,952	46,521	5,763	39,778	127,992	128,841	127,850	131,039	135,382	145,207	154,049	148,796
New Zealand	68,612	85,897	35,900	1,151	15,709	112,680	116,726	117,962	111,595	112,411	108,081	118,395	113,871
Finland	55,481	76,193	38,561	6,139	59,567	128,014	140,961	140,464	134,238	134,750	142,425	141,692	154,919
Total	26,088,855	28,150,016	11,153,026	427,869	6,725,193	39,916,251	38,178,194	35,591,978	32,529,588	29,923,185	24,809,683	26,546,725	22,353,903

To legally work in Thailand, a foreigner must apply for a work permit. Work permit is a legal document that states a foreigner's position, current occupation, or job description and the Thai company he is working with. It also serves as a license to perform a job or an occupation allowed for foreigners inside Thailand.

A foreigner is eligible to apply for a work permit as long as he has a non-immigrant visa or a resident visa, has an available employer who will provide documents for work permit, and the occupation he will perform is not prohibited to foreigners.^[30]

The One Stop Service Centre for Visas and Work Permits was established on 1 July 1997 by authority of the Regulations of the Office of Prime Minister promulgated on 30 June 1997.

The objective of this centre is to simplify visa extension and permit issuance procedures to create a good investment environment. It aims to facilitate applications of visa extension and work permits (e.g., stay permission, re-entry permit, work permit).

The Center is located on Chamchuree Square Building, Floor 18, Phatumwan, Bangkok.^[31]

• Foreigner who is an executive or expert with privileges accorded to them by the following laws:
  1. Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977);
  2. Petroleum Act B.E. 2514 (1971);
  3. Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Act B.E. 2522 (1979);
• Foreigner who is an investor.
  1. If investing not less than 2 million Baht, he or she will be granted a 1-year permit.
  2. If investing not less than 10 million Baht, he or she will be granted a 2-year permit.
• Foreigner who is an executive or expert.
• Foreigner's associated company should be registered with capital or possess asset of not less than 30 million Baht.
• Foreigner who is a member of the foreign press must present a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a copy of an ID Press Card issued by the Department of Public Relations.
• Foreigner who is a researcher or developer on science and technology.
• Foreigner who is employed in a branch office of an overseas bank, foreign banking office of an overseas bank, provincial foreign banking office of an overseas bank or a representative office of the foreign bank in which all offices are certified by the Bank of Thailand.
• Foreigner who works on the necessary and urgent basis for a period of no longer than 15 days.
• Foreigner who is an official of the representative office for foreign juristic persons concerning the International Trading Business and Regional Office of Transnational Corporation in accordance to the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999).
• Foreigner who is an expert on information technology.
• Foreigner who works at regional operating headquarters.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Thailand.

• Visa policy of Laos
• Visa requirements for Thai citizens
• Thai passport
• Thai national ID card
• Tourism in Thailand

• Thailand Immigration Bureau
• Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Thailand Visa on Arrival
• Official website of Thailand Electronic Visa