Thailand Visa-Free for Indians in 2026: The 30-Day Rule Explained

Published 2026-10-24 · 6 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Since 15 September 2026, Indian passport holders can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism. Here is what changed, what to carry and when you still need a visa.

Yes, Indians can now visit Thailand without a visa. From 15 September 2026, Indian ordinary passport holders can enter Thailand visa-free for tourism and stay up to 30 days. The old 60-day visa-free stay has ended, so if you need more than 30 days, or you are going to work or study, apply for a visa on the Thai e-Visa portal before you fly.

At a glance: Visa needed for tourism: No, if you stay 30 days or less. Maximum stay: 30 days per entry. Started: 15 September 2026, replacing the 60-day exemption. Extension: Up to 30 days, at the Immigration Bureau's discretion. TDAC: Free, compulsory, submit within 3 days before arrival. Carry: Hotel booking, onward ticket within 30 days, funds of about 20,000 baht per person. Longer stays: Tourist visa (60 days) or DTV (180 days per entry) via thaievisa.go.th.

What changed on 15 September 2026

Thailand's Cabinet approved a revision of its visa exemption and visa on arrival schemes on 19 May 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the revision would revoke the 60-day visa exemption for all 93 countries and territories that had it, and that each country would get only one scheme. The Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and took effect on 15 September 2026.

Under the new framework, 60 countries and territories, including India, get a visa exemption for tourism of up to 30 days. The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi confirms that the 30-day exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders "remains effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement". India is not on the new visa on arrival list, so do not plan to buy a visa at the airport.

You may have read that Thailand reviewed the scheme again on 21 October 2026 and kept the 30-day cap. We could not find this on any Thai government website. The latest official position we can confirm is the 15 September 2026 framework above. If a new announcement comes out, check the embassy site before you fly.

Who qualifies

• You hold an Indian ordinary passport. Diplomatic and official passports follow separate rules.
• Your trip is for tourism. The New Delhi embassy page also mentions short-term business engagements, but other Thai government notices say tourism only. For meetings or conferences, confirm with the embassy or take a visa.
• You will leave Thailand within 30 days and can show an onward or return ticket for that date.
• You are not planning to work, study or stay long term. Each of these needs a visa.

How long you can stay, and extensions

You get up to 30 days from the date of entry. Check the date on your entry stamp before you leave the immigration counter, because that is your last legal day in Thailand.

If you want to stay longer, Thai embassy guidance says you can request an extension of up to 30 days from the Immigration Bureau of Thailand. It is at the officer's discretion. The fee has long been 1,900 baht, but we could not confirm the current fee on an official page, so check the Immigration Bureau site first. Do not book a 50-day trip on the hope of an extension. If you know you need more than 30 days, get a tourist visa.

If you cross into Thailand by land, for example from Malaysia, Laos or Cambodia, TAT says the 30-day exemption can generally be used no more than twice per calendar year at land checkpoints. Some Thai embassy pages describe this as a limit on all visa-exempt entries, so if you plan more than two trips a year, apply for a visa.

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

Every foreign traveller must submit the TDAC online, including Indians entering visa-free. Thai embassies list these points:

• Submit it at tdac.immigration.go.th, the Immigration Bureau's official site.
• Submit it within 3 days before you arrive. Not earlier.
• It is free of charge. Sites that ask for payment are not official.
• Submit a new TDAC every time you enter Thailand.
• The TDAC is not a visa and does not replace one.

Documents to carry at immigration

Visa-free does not mean no checks. The Royal Thai Embassy in London lists what officers may ask visa-exempt visitors for, and these are worth carrying on paper or on your phone:

• Proof of accommodation, such as hotel bookings for your whole stay.
• Onward or return ticket dated within 30 days of arrival. A domestic flight inside Thailand does not count.
• Proof of funds of about 20,000 baht per person. A July 2026 TAT notice lists 10,000 baht per person for certain visa-exempt cases, so the figure varies by source. Carry the higher amount to be safe. Children under 12 are exempt.
• Passport valid for at least 6 months with blank pages. Thai rules state this for visa applicants and visa on arrival, and airlines often check it at check-in.
• Your TDAC confirmation.

Funds can be shown as Thai baht, an equal amount in another currency, or documents showing payment. Officers can also interview you, so know your hotel names and travel dates.

When you still need a visa

Since 1 January 2025, the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi accepts visa applications only through the Thai e-Visa portal (thaievisa.go.th). The embassy lists these options and fees for Indian applicants:

• Tourist visa (TR), single entry: 3 months validity, up to 60 days per entry, ₹3,000.
• Tourist visa (TR), multiple entry: 6 months validity, up to 60 days per entry, ₹13,500.
• Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): 5-year multiple entry, up to 180 days per entry, ₹30,000. For remote workers, freelancers, people joining activities such as wellness or sports programmes, and their spouses and children.
• Non-Immigrant visas (B, ED and others): single entry, 90 days per entry, ₹7,000. Use ED for study and B for business or employment. Working also needs a Thai work permit.

The embassy does not publish a fixed processing time. Apply well before your travel date and keep your hotel and flight bookings ready for upload.

Practical tips before you fly

• Book your flight out on or before day 30, and match it to the last date on your entry stamp.
• Do the TDAC on your phone 1 to 3 days before departure and save the confirmation.
• Book a refundable onward ticket if your plans are open. You must show one.
• Carry some cash and a card. An officer may ask about your funds.
• Do not overstay. Overstaying can lead to fines, detention or a ban on re-entry.
• Ignore paid TDAC sites and agents who promise a work permit on a tourist entry.

How Travlys helps

For a short holiday, you may not need us at all. Where we help is when the 30-day rule does not fit: tourist e-Visas for 60-day trips, DTV applications, business and study visas, and checking your documents before upload. We also help you fill the TDAC correctly and build an itinerary with the bookings immigration may ask for. Thailand visa help starts from ₹1,950 (Travlys fee). We have filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. WhatsApp us on +91 82009 18967.

Last checked: These rules were checked on 24 October 2026 against the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TAT Newsroom and the other sources listed below. Thai entry rules change often, so check the official portal before you fly.