Key Takeaways
- Four Ministry of Interior notifications published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 take effect on 15 September 2026.
- The 60-day visa exemption in force since 15 July 2024 (93 countries; tourism, short-term business, and urgent work) is revoked.
- Replaced by a 30-day visa exemption for 60 countries and territories, for tourism purposes only.
- Land-border entries under the exemption are capped at two per calendar year (Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore nationals excepted).
- Whether a traveler entering under the new exemption may still file an Urgent Work Permit notification is pending clarification from the Department of Employment. Business travelers should obtain the appropriate visa in advance.
What Changed at a Glance
| Until 14 September 2026 | From 15 September 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt stay | Up to 60 days | Up to 30 days |
| Eligible countries | 93 countries and territories | 60 countries and territories |
| Permitted purpose | Tourism, short-term business, urgent or ad-hoc work | Tourism only |
| Land-border entries | No fixed cap | Maximum 2 per calendar year (MY, BN, ID, SG excepted) |
| Urgent Work Permit after visa-exempt entry | Available | Pending DOE clarification |
The Four Notifications
1. Revocation of the 60-day scheme. The Ministry of Interior notification of 15 July 2024, which granted visa-exempt entry of up to 60 days for tourism, short-term business, and urgent or ad-hoc work, is revoked.
2. New 30-day visa exemption (60 countries and territories), tourism purposes only:
- Asia-Pacific: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom
- Middle East: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
- Americas and Africa: Canada, United States of America, South Africa
- Central Asia: Kyrgyz Republic
Land-border entries under this exemption are limited to two per calendar year, except for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
3. Visa on arrival additions. Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia are added to the visa-on-arrival list at designated immigration checkpoints.
4. 15-day visa exemption. Seychelles and Mauritius receive a 15-day tourism exemption, with the same land-border limit.
Timetable
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 July 2026 | Cabinet approves the four draft notifications |
| 26 August 2026 | Notifications signed by the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior |
| 31 August 2026 | Published in the Royal Gazette |
| Until 14 September 2026 | Current 60-day scheme continues to apply to entries |
| 15 September 2026 | New measures take effect |
Foreign nationals who enter before 15 September retain the period of stay granted on entry. Nationals of countries not on the new lists may still enter visa-free under a bilateral visa-exemption agreement with Thailand, where one exists; otherwise entry is by visa on arrival or a visa obtained in advance through the Thai e-Visa system.
The Point That Matters for Business Travel
- The revoked 60-day scheme expressly covered short-term business and urgent or ad-hoc work. The new 30-day exemption is expressed for tourism only.
- Under the old scheme, an eligible traveler could enter visa-exempt and file an Urgent Work Permit notificationfor necessary and urgent work of up to fifteen days. The notification itself does not prescribe a visa type, which is why the practice worked.
- Whether a traveler entering under the new tourism-only exemption remains eligible to file that notification has not yet been addressed by the Department of Employment. Until the authorities confirm their practice, this point should be treated as pending clarification.
Practical Recommendations
- Urgent assignments in the coming weeks: arrange entry before 15 September, where the current scheme still applies.
- Business travel from 15 September: obtain the appropriate Non-Immigrant visa in advance for meetings, training, or urgent work rather than relying on visa-exempt entry.
- Frequent land-border travelers: plan around the two-entry annual limit.
- Travelers already in Thailand: a 60-day entry granted before 15 September remains valid for its full period.
Dej-Udom & Associates advises multinational employers and global mobility providers on Thai immigration compliance and will publish a further update once the Department of Employment confirms its position on urgent work permit notifications under the new framework. We would be pleased to review specific traveler situations before the effective date. Please contact our Immigration Department at [email protected].
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific guidance, please contact the Immigration Department of Dej-Udom & Associates at [email protected].