On August 31, 2026, the Royal Thai Government Gazette published four announcements issued by the Ministry of Interior concerning revisions to Thailand’s Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival (“VOA”) measures.
The key change is the revocation of the current 60-day visa exemption scheme, which has been in effect since July 15, 2024. Under the existing scheme, eligible foreign nationals may enter Thailand without a visa for tourism, short-term business engagements, and urgent or ad-hoc work, with a permitted stay of up to 60 days.
The new measures are summarized below.
1. Visa Exemption – 30 Days (60 Countries/Territories)
Nationals of 60 eligible countries and territories will be exempt from obtaining a visa for tourism purposes only and may stay in Thailand for up to 30 days. Travelers entering under the visa exemption will not be permitted to undertake business or work-related activities. Travelers entering Thailand solely for business purposes will need to obtain a Non-Immigrant “B” Visa prior to travel.
The eligible countries and territories are:
| Australia | France | Lithuania |
| Austria | Georgia | Luxembourg |
| Bahrain | Germany | Malaysia |
| Belgium | Greece | Maldives |
| Bhutan | Hungary | Malta |
| Bulgaria | Iceland | Netherlands |
| Brunei Darussalam | India | New Zealand |
| Canada | Indonesia | Norway |
| Croatia | Ireland | Oman |
| Cyprus | Israel | Philippines |
| Czech Republic | Italy | Poland |
| Denmark | Japan | Portugal |
| Estonia | Jordan | Qatar |
| Fiji | Kuwait | Romania |
| Finland | Kyrgyz Republic | Saudi Arabia |
For entry through land border checkpoints, the visa exemption privilege may generally be used no more than twice per calendar year, except for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
2. Visa Exemption – 15 Days (2 Countries)
Nationals of the following countries will be exempt from obtaining a visa for tourism purposes and may stay in Thailand for up to 15 days:
- Seychelles
- Mauritius
For entry through land border checkpoints, this visa exemption privilege may be used no more than twice per calendar year.
3. Visa on Arrival (VOA) – 3 Countries
Nationals of the following countries will be eligible to apply for a Visa on Arrival at designated Immigration checkpoints:
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Serbia
The announcements state that these new measures will take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Thai Government Gazette. As the Gazette was published on August 31, 2026, the changes are expected to take effect on September 15, 2026.
Foreign nationals who enter Thailand before the new measures take effect will remain authorized to stay in Thailand for the period originally granted upon entry.
Please also note that nationals of countries not included in the above measures may still be eligible to enter Thailand without a visa under applicable bilateral visa exemption agreements between Thailand and their home country. As such, certain countries may not appear on the new visa exemption lists in order to avoid overlapping privileges.
Impact on Travelers to Thailand for Short-Term Assignments
1. Entry Before 15 September 2026
The current 60-day visa exemption scheme will remain in effect until September 15, 2026. As this scheme expressly permits tourism, short-term business engagements, and urgent or ad hoc work, eligible foreign nationals entering Thailand under the visa exemption before September 15, 2026 may continue to proceed with the Urgent Work Permit (UWP) notification process as usual.
Under the transitional provisions, foreign nationals entering before the new measures take effect will remain authorized to stay for the duration granted upon entry.
Therefore, individuals with urgent work planned in the coming weeks should consider arranging travel before September 15, 2026, where feasible.
2. Visa-Exempt Entry for UWP Applications After September 15, 2026
Under the new 30-day visa exemption, visa-exempt entry will be specifically limited to tourism purposes.
Unlike the current 60-day scheme, the new measure does not expressly cover urgent or ad hoc work activities. Accordingly, further clarification is required from the Department of Employment regarding whether foreign nationals entering under the new 30-day visa exemption will remain eligible to submit a UWP notification while in Thailand.
Pending official confirmation, this issue remains under review. Newland Chase will provide an update as additional guidance becomes available.
3. Non-Immigrant “B” Visa for UWP Applications
While further clarification from the authorities is pending, individuals traveling to Thailand on or after September 15, 2026 for urgent or ad hoc work should obtain a Non-Immigrant “B” Visa prior to travel to help ensure compliance.
Summary
In summary:
- Entries before September 15, 2026: The current process remains unchanged, and eligible applicants may continue to utilize the existing visa exemption route and UWP process.
- Entries on or after September 15, 2026: We recommend obtaining a Non-Immigrant “B” Visa pending further clarification from the Department of Employment regarding the use of the new 30-day visa exemption for UWP purposes.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact Newland Chase directly for case-specific guidance.