A few weeks ago, Thailand unveiled excellent news for international tourists by announcing the upcoming extension of the visa-free stay to 60 days.
And good news never comes alone: it will no longer be 57 but 93 countries that will be eligible for this visa exemption.
Planned to be activated “between late June and early July”, this liberalization of entry rules for the Land of Smiles finally has an effective date.
VisasNews reports today that as of July 15, 2024, tourists and business travelers from 93 countries will be able to enter Thailand visa-free and stay for 60 days.
However, authorities have not yet officially announced whether and how this period could be extended on-site.
Obtaining an electronic visa remains possible for travelers who wish to stay more than 60 days in Thailand.
And good news never comes alone: it will no longer be 57 but 93 countries that will be eligible for this visa exemption.
Planned to be activated “between late June and early July”, this liberalization of entry rules for the Land of Smiles finally has an effective date.
VisasNews reports today that as of July 15, 2024, tourists and business travelers from 93 countries will be able to enter Thailand visa-free and stay for 60 days.
However, authorities have not yet officially announced whether and how this period could be extended on-site.
Obtaining an electronic visa remains possible for travelers who wish to stay more than 60 days in Thailand.
Thailand Updates Its Visa Policies
On July 12, Traisulee Traisoranakul, the spokesperson for Thailand’s Interior Ministry, explained that her ministry had approved four updates to the country’s visa policies.
These initiatives aim to “line up with global competition to attract more foreign visitors, generate more revenue, and thus boost the national economy”, according to Traisulee Traisoranakul.
According to the spokesperson, the deputy prime minister and Thai Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed off on these four updates, which have now been submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.
They will then be published in the Royal Gazette, the Thai Official Journal, and will take effect simultaneously from July 15, 2024.
Here are these measures:
These initiatives aim to “line up with global competition to attract more foreign visitors, generate more revenue, and thus boost the national economy”, according to Traisulee Traisoranakul.
According to the spokesperson, the deputy prime minister and Thai Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed off on these four updates, which have now been submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.
They will then be published in the Royal Gazette, the Thai Official Journal, and will take effect simultaneously from July 15, 2024.
Here are these measures:
- Extending the 60-day visa-free stay;
- Increasing the number of nationalities eligible for the visa on arrival;
- The launch of the new “Destination Thailand Visa”;
- The extension of stay duration for certain students.
The Countries Eligible for the 60-Day Visa Exemption in Thailand
If the conditions for staying in Thailand are relaxed in the coming days, tourists eligible for visa-free entry into Thailand will soon have to complete a new formality before their trip.
As travelers bound for the United States, Canada, or more recently Israel are accustomed to, it will soon be necessary to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to Thailand without a visa.
The ETA for Thailand is expected to launch in December 2024, in a pilot phase, and to be fully operational by June 2025.
In the meantime, citizens of the following 93 countries and territories can stay up to 60 days visa-free in Thailand, with no pre-departure formalities:
As travelers bound for the United States, Canada, or more recently Israel are accustomed to, it will soon be necessary to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to Thailand without a visa.
The ETA for Thailand is expected to launch in December 2024, in a pilot phase, and to be fully operational by June 2025.
In the meantime, citizens of the following 93 countries and territories can stay up to 60 days visa-free in Thailand, with no pre-departure formalities:
- South Africa, Albania, Germany, Andorra, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Colombia, South Korea, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Dominica, United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Spain, Estonia, United States, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Uzbekistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Dominican Republic, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam.
