From 15 September 2026, the Royal Thai Embassy confirms that Indian passport holders entering Thailand for tourism get a visa-exempt stay of 30 days, down from the earlier 60 days. Anyone who entered before that date on the old 60-day exemption keeps the stay they were granted on arrival. Indian travellers also need a Thailand Digital Arrival Card before landing, and may be asked to show proof of onward travel and sufficient funds.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
If you are planning a Thailand trip from India, the length of your visa-free stay has changed this year, and it affects how long you can stay without applying for an actual visa.
What exactly changed, and from when?
The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi confirms that the 30-day visa exemption scheme for Indian ordinary passport holders entering Thailand for tourism officially took effect on 15 September 2026, replacing the earlier 60-day exemption. The change followed Thailand’s Cabinet approval in July 2026 and a notification in the Royal Gazette. It applies to tourism and short-term business visits on an ordinary Indian passport, and it sits alongside similar revisions to Thailand’s visa-on-arrival scheme for other nationalities.
Who is affected, and who is not?
The 30-day limit applies to Indian passport holders who arrive in Thailand visa-free from 15 September 2026 onward. If you entered Thailand on the old 60-day exemption before that date, your originally granted stay is not retroactively cut short, you keep the number of days stamped on arrival. The change does not affect Indians travelling on an actual Thai visa, such as a tourist visa obtained in advance, only those relying on the visa-exemption scheme.
Can you extend a 30-day visa-free stay?
Yes, once. Thailand allows a single extension of a visa-exempt stay by applying in person at a Thailand immigration office before your stamped date expires, using the standard extension form and paying the applicable fee in cash. It cannot be extended a second time within the same stay, so plan your trip length with that in mind if you want to stay longer than 30 days.
What else do Indian travellers need to show at entry?
Since May 2025, every traveller entering Thailand, including those on a visa exemption, must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival, typically within the three days (72 hours) before landing. It is a free declaration, not a visa, and does not replace the visa-exemption stamp itself. Immigration officers can also ask to see proof of onward travel out of Thailand and proof of sufficient funds, an older requirement that has been enforced more consistently recently, so it is worth having both ready even if you are rarely asked for them. See our separate guide to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card for how to fill it in.
Does this affect travel plans like Tomorrowland Thailand?
For a short leisure trip or a festival visit, 30 days visa-free is still generous for most Indian travellers, since the typical holiday or event trip runs well under that. It mainly matters for anyone who was planning a longer multi-week stay that relied on the old 60-day allowance, including some past patterns around trips built around Tomorrowland Thailand and onward travel in the region. If your plans run close to 30 days, build in the one-time extension option rather than assuming you can simply stay on.
How should this change your Thailand trip planning?
For most Indian leisure travellers, a 30-day visa-free window is still more than enough, since the typical Thailand holiday runs well under two weeks. Where it matters more is for longer stays that used to lean on the full 60 days, such as an extended multi-city trip, a working holiday, or combining Thailand with onward travel elsewhere in Southeast Asia on a single visa-free entry. If your plan genuinely needs more than 30 days, decide early whether you will rely on the one-time extension, apply for an actual Thai visa in advance, or split the trip into separate entries, since each option has different paperwork and different lead time.
It is also worth building the Digital Arrival Card and the proof-of-funds point into your pre-trip checklist alongside your visa-exemption dates, rather than treating them as separate concerns. Submitting the TDAC inside the window before arrival, keeping a return or onward ticket handy, and having evidence of funds ready are all small, low-effort steps that avoid friction at the immigration counter, even on days when checks are relaxed.
Common Questions
Is the 60-day visa-free stay for Indians completely gone?
For arrivals from 15 September 2026, yes, it has been replaced by a 30-day exemption. Anyone who entered before that date on the 60-day scheme keeps the stay they were originally granted.
Can I still apply for a Thai tourist visa for a longer stay?
Yes. The visa-exemption scheme is separate from Thailand’s regular tourist visa. Applying for an actual visa in advance is still an option if you need to stay longer than the visa-exempt period allows.
Do I need the Digital Arrival Card even if I only have a 30-day visa-free stamp?
Yes. The TDAC applies to all travellers entering Thailand, regardless of whether you are on a visa, visa-on-arrival or visa exemption.
How much does the one-time visa-exempt extension cost?
Thailand charges a fee, payable in cash at the immigration office, for the single permitted extension. The exact amount can change, so confirm the current fee at the immigration office rather than relying on an old figure.
Does this 30-day rule apply to Indians transiting through Thailand?
The visa-exemption scheme is primarily aimed at tourism and short business visits. Transit rules can differ depending on your onward connection, so check your specific routing rather than assuming the tourism rule automatically applies.
Will the 60-day exemption ever come back?
That is a decision for the Thai government. The embassy’s announcement describes the 30-day scheme as effective from 15 September 2026 until further notice, so any future change would need a fresh official announcement.
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Visa and entry rules change. Confirm current requirements with the Royal Thai Embassy or Thai immigration before you travel.
