Thailand Visa-Free Cut to 30 Days (2026): By Passport + TDAC

Who gets 30, 90 or 15 days visa-free in Thailand from 15 September 2026?

From 15 September 2026, most visa-free visitors get 30 days, but South Korean passports keep 90 days and Hong Kong passports get 30 days under separate bilateral agreements. The new scheme replaces the 60-day visa exemption; according to TAT, the Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026.

• Passports on none of these lists need a visa before travel; Thailand's official e-Visa portal is thaievisa.go.th.
• Thai embassy guidance says visa-exempt visitors must hold 20,000 THB in cash or equivalent per person, or 40,000 THB per family (≈ US$594 / US$1,187 at the 6 Oct 2026 rate).
• A few other countries have separate 14- or 30-day bilateral arrangements; check the Thai MFA summary or your Thai embassy.
• Ordinary passports only — diplomatic and official passports follow other agreements.

General information — check official sources for your situation.

What applies to Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong passports?

Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong passport holders can all enter Thailand visa-free, but only Korean passports get 90 days.

• South Korea — 90 days. Korea is not on the 30-day list; the Thai MFA puts Korea (ROK) in its 90-day bilateral group, and the Royal Thai Embassy in Doha (page updated 16 Sep 2026) lists it the same way.
• Japan — 30 days. Japan is on the 30-day list published by TAT and the Thai MFA, so the 60 days available before 15 September 2026 no longer apply.
• Taiwan — 30 days. Taiwan is on the same 30-day list (TAT and Thai MFA).
• Hong Kong SAR — 30 days. Hong Kong is not on the scheme list; the Thai MFA lists it under 30-day bilateral agreements, matching the Thai embassy list of agreements for ordinary passports.

How do you file the TDAC before flying to Thailand?

Every foreign visitor, including visa-exempt travellers, must submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online within 3 days before arriving, free of charge, at the official site tdac.immigration.go.th.

1. Open tdac.immigration.go.th no earlier than 3 days before your arrival date.
2. Complete the form with your passport and trip details and submit it.
3. Keep the acknowledgement email and present it at immigration on arrival.

Thai embassies warn travellers to submit only on the official site and to beware of fraudulent look-alike sites — the real TDAC costs nothing.

If you want mobile data from the moment you land, a Thailand 5G eSIM with unlimited data (AIS) is one option to set up before you fly. For getting from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang into town, see our Bangkok airport-to-city guide.

Can you stay in Thailand longer than 30 days?

Staying beyond 30 days is possible only if an immigration officer approves an extension, and you must apply before your permitted stay ends.

• Extension: Thai embassy guidance says the period of stay "can be extended at the discretion of the immigration officer"; apply in person at an Immigration Bureau office before your stay ends. The official pages we checked on 6 Oct 2026 do not state a current length or fee for extending the new 30-day exemption, so ask the office directly.
• Land and sea borders: entering under the 30-day or 15-day visa exemption scheme through land or sea checkpoints is allowed no more than twice per calendar year (Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia nationals are exempt from this cap).
• Longer trips: if you already know you need more than 30 days, apply for a visa before travel through the official e-Visa portal, thaievisa.go.th.
• Visa on arrival: only for the passports on the visa-on-arrival list; the fee is 2,000 THB (≈ US$59 at the 6 Oct 2026 rate) at designated checkpoints.

For your specific case, the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate for your country is the authority to ask. For hospitals, police and emergency numbers once you are in the country, see our Thailand emergency guide.