Announcement

Thailand cuts visa free stays for US passport holders from 60 days to 30

The 60 day visa exemption is over. Since September 15, 2026, US passport holders get 30 days on arrival in Thailand, for tourism only.

Published: 2026-10-15 · Effective: 2026-09-15 · Last verified: 2026-10-15

What changed

Ministry of Interior announcements published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026 (Volume 143, Special Issue 207) revoked the 60 day visa exemption scheme that had been in place since July 15, 2024. In its place, a revised exemption gives nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the United States, 30 days in Thailand without a visa, for tourism only. The change took effect on September 15, 2026.

Entries made before September 15, 2026 keep the stay that was stamped on arrival. The new 30 day limit applies to entries on or after that date.

Who it affects

Anyone entering Thailand on a US passport without a visa. The old scheme also covered short business contact trips; the revised exemption is tourism only, so a business visit now needs a visa arranged in advance. Anyone who planned around 60 days on arrival, including slow travelers chaining exemption stays, needs a different route for anything past day 30.

What to do instead

• Extend once inside Thailand. An exemption stay can be extended by up to 30 days at an Immigration office for a fee of THB 1,900. The extension is at the discretion of the immigration officer, not a right.
• Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). A 5 year multiple entry visa with up to 180 days per entry, built for remote workers, with financial evidence of at least THB 500,000 and a fee of THB 10,000. Apply from outside Thailand.
• For stays measured in years, the retirement, Long Term Resident, and Thailand Privilege routes carry their own funds tests. All of them are on the Thailand country page, linked below.

One rule did not change: every foreign arrival files the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival. It is free, and it is not a visa.