Thailand announces visa exemption to 60 days
Bangkok: Thailand has announced new visa measures aimed at boosting its economy through increased tourism. The changes include extended visa exemptions, expanded visa-on-arrival eligibility, and the introduction of a new Destination-Thailand-Visa for digital nomads and remote workers.
Under the new rules, nationals from 93 countries and territories will be granted a 60-day visa exemption for tourism and short-term business purposes, up from the previous 57 countries. This stay can be extended for an additional 30 days at the Immigration Office.
The countries eligible for the 60-day visa exemption are: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (ROK), Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
The visa-on-arrival scheme has been expanded to include 31 countries and territories, an increase from 19. Visitors under this scheme can stay for up to 15 days with a visa fee of 2,000 Baht. The countries eligible for VOA are: Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Taiwan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Venezuela.
The newly introduced Destination-Thailand-Visa targets remote workers, digital nomads, and freelancers, as well as those participating in activities such as Muay Thai courses and medical treatments. Destination-Thailand-Visa holders can stay for up to 180 days, extendable for another 180 days, with a visa fee of 10,000 Baht (US$277). Applicants must provide proof of funds or a guarantee of at least 500,000 Baht (US$13,838) for the duration of their stay.
These measures aim to attract a wider range of visitors and boost Thailand's tourism sector, a key component of the country's economy.
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