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ThailandIn this article, we publish the latest news about visa and visa-free entry to Thailand for tourists and travelers. For general and more complete information, see the Thailand visa guide here. If you notice we've missed a news item, you can let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page.
Starting September 15, 2026, the visa-free stay period has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days.
Thailand has tightened entry rules for border runs (exiting and re-entering to extend visa-free stays). Since the beginning of 2025, over 2,900 people have been denied entry due to abuse of the visa-free scheme. Now, those who have twice entered and exited without a visa with short stays abroad may be denied entry and offered to apply for the appropriate visa. Authorities have officially reminded that visa runs are an unreliable way to stay in the country.
Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, stated at the Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2025 international exhibition in Chiang Mai that the government does not plan to reduce the visa-free period from 60 to 30 days in 2025.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has instructed the cabinet to reduce the maximum visa-free stay for tourists from 93 countries, including Russia, from 60 days to 30 days. The effective date has not yet been announced, but we recommend taking this into account when planning your trip and buying tickets.
Starting July 1, 2025, the immigration card (TM6 form), previously abolished, is being reintroduced. This form must be filled out by everyone before entering Thailand, regardless of whether you need a visa. It's simply for visitor registration and is not an authorization document. Forms are filled out before passport control or handed out on the plane. Don't forget to bring a pen.
Russian tourists have finally been allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days without a visa – not as a temporary measure, but on a permanent basis. All tourists now receive a 60-day stamp.
Russian tourists were allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days without a visa, but this was a temporary measure, not a permanent rule. The 60-day visa-free period was in effect from April 2024 to October 31, 2024.
Russian tourists were allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 90 days without a visa, but this was a temporary measure, not a permanent rule. The 90-day visa-free period was in effect only from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024.
Starting September 30, 2023, Russian tourists can extend their 30-day visa-free stay for another 30 days (previously only 7 days). To extend, visit any immigration office with your passport and application. The extension fee is 1,900 baht (57.75 USD, see Thai currency and exchange rates).
Thailand has launched a temporary visa-free regime for citizens of Kazakhstan and China. It will remain in effect until February 29, 2024. The visa-free stay period is 30 days.
The "promotion" extending the visa-free stay for Russian tourists from 30 to 45 days was not renewed. Russian tourists can now stay in Thailand without a visa for no more than 30 days again.
According to the latest news, the "promotion" extending the visa-free stay for Russian tourists from 30 to 45 days is planned to be extended until March 31, 2024.
Important! From October 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, the visa-free stay period for Russian citizens was temporarily increased from 30 to 45 days. Whether this "promotion" will be extended is still unknown.
From November 15, 2018, to January 13, 2019, visa fees for Visa on Arrival were waived for 21 countries whose citizens are eligible for Visa on Arrival. This includes citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other former Soviet republics.
From December 1, 2016, to August 2017, the Thai government temporarily waived visa fees for tourists from all countries applying for visas in advance at consulates abroad. During this period, the Visa on Arrival fee was also reduced from 2,000 baht to 1,000 baht.
Starting March 20, 2016, new rules came into effect that significantly toughen penalties for overstaying the permitted period of stay in Thailand (so-called overstay). Now, offenders face not only fines but also a ban on re-entry for several years.
Ban duration for intentional overstay:
- Overstay more than 90 days – entry ban for 1 year
- Overstay more than 1 year – entry ban for 3 years
- Overstay more than 3 years – entry ban for 5 years
- Overstay more than 5 years – entry ban for 10 years
Ban duration for overstay due to arrest or criminal prosecution:
- Overstay up to 1 year – entry ban for 5 years
- Overstay more than 1 year – entry ban for 10 years
It should be noted that overstay even due to illness or accident is treated as a willful violation.