Visitors to Thailand must obtain a visa from one of the Thai diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an e-Visa.[1]
In May 2014, there was a brief crackdown on visa runs, meaning that if foreigners wish to re-enter Thailand after their visa-free or visa on arrival period has expired they have to obtain a visa in advance, or remain outside Thailand at least for one night.[2]
In August 2014, Thailand Prime Minister ordered the Immigration Police to be more flexible as the strict application of the law was affecting schools and the tourist industry.[3]
On 31 October 2018 it was announced that within 30 days (by the end of November 2018), overstay visas will no longer be allowed, and there will be no remaining overstayers in the kingdom by that date.[4]
Due to bilateral visa exemption agreements with Thailand, citizens of the following countries and territories may enter Thailand without a visa for up to the duration listed below.[1][5] They may enter via any port of entry (unless otherwise noted).
90 days within any 6 months 60 days 30 days 14 days |
1 - For Chinese citizens with People's Republic of China passports, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports or Macao Special Administrative Region passports only.
2 - No more than 90 days within any 180 days.[6]
3 - For air arrivals only.
T - Temporary measure: 60 days from 1 May 2024 until 31 July 2024, then 30 days.[7]
Under the Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme, citizens of countries and territories around the world may enter Thailand without a visa for a stay of up to 30 days and may extend their stay for another 30 days,[8] provided the purpose of entering Thailand is for tourism only.[1][5][9]
Citizens of the following countries may enter Thailand for unlimited times without visa by air but are limited to a maximum of 2 visa-exempt entries per calendar year when entering Thailand via land or sea (unless otherwise noted).[1][5][9][10][11]
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B - Visa-exempt entries will be granted based on existing bilateral agreements.
T1 - Temporary measure from 10 November 2023 until 10 May 2024.
T2 - Temporarily exempt from business visa as well from 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2026.
1 - For Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport holders only.
2 - For British citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) only.
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports issued by the following countries and territories are allowed to visit Thailand without a visa for a maximum period of up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):[5]
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D - Diplomatic passports only.
1 - 30 days
Besides traditional visa on arrival policy, from 21 November 2018 Thailand started issuing tourist visas valid for 15 days in a simplified procedure to visitors from the countries whose citizens are eligible for visa on arrival.[13]
The e-Visa application also became available from February 2019 in some of the consulates of Thailand abroad.[14][15][16][5][17]
External image | |
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Map of entry points with Visa on Arrival facility |
Visa type | eVisa | eVOA | VOA | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple | Single | Single | Single | |
Duration of stay | 60 days | 15 days | ||
Validity | 6 Months | 3 Months | 30 days | N/A |
Visa-fee | Depend on applicant's nationality and place of residence (cheaper than VOA) | Standard: 2,560 THB
Express: 4,560 THB |
Standard: 2,000 THB
Express: 2,200 THB | |
Processing time | 3-10 working days | Standard: 24-72 hours
Express: less than 24 hours |
May take up to several hours (depends on how busy the visa office is at the moment) | |
Proof of funds | 60,000 THB (upload proof online) | 20,000 THB (upload proof online) | Following items may be checked at port of entry:
| |
Extendable | Yes | No | ||
Application submission | thaievisa.go.th | thailandevoa.vfsevisa.com | Visa office at the port of entry |
Visa on arrival e-Visa
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E - Already visa-exempt in general.
There are 48 immigration checkpoints providing visa on arrival, including:[18]
International Airport # - Airport which accepts e-visa on arrival Land and harbor checkpoint
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Citizens of the following countries and territories must apply for a visa at the Thai embassy or consulate in their home country.
Thai embassies or consulates abroad only accept applications of these citizens if they have a residence permit of the country they want to apply from.[19]
Sri Lanka and Thailand are working on a mutual visa waiver after both parties signed an FTA in 2024.[20]
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1 - Except Algeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritius and South Africa.
Passengers transiting through Suvarnabhumi Airport for less than 12 hours do not require a visa, unless they are travelling on Angkor Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Eastar Jet, Golden Myanmar Airlines, IndiGo, Intira Airlines, Jeju Air, Jet Asia Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, Jetstar Pacific, Jin Air, Juneyao Airlines, Lao Central Airlines, Tigerair Mandala, Norwegian Air, Orient Thai Airlines, Regent Airways, Shandong Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, South East Asian Airlines, SpiceJet, Spring Airlines, T'way Airlines, Thai Smile, Tigerair or VietJet Air.[1]
Those transiting through Don Mueang International Airport for less than 12 hours do not require a visa only when travelling on Thai AirAsia or Thai AirAsia X.[1]
Citizens of Pakistan are required to obtain a visa when transiting through Thailand at all times.[21]
Holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing "THA" on the back of the card may enter Thailand without a visa for business trips for up to 90 days.[1]
ABTCs are issued to citizens of:[22]
Citizens of the following countries or citizens arriving from the following countries require an International Certificate of Vaccination in order to enter Thailand, unless they produce evidence that they do not reside in the following areas.
Failure to fulfill this requirement could result in refusal of entry into Thailand.[23]
Most visitors arriving to Thailand on short term basis were from the following countries of nationality:
Country | 2/2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
China | 1,183,121 | 3,521,095 | 273,567 | 13,043 | 1,251,498 | 10,997,338 | 10,535,241 | 9,806,260 | 8,757,646 | 7,936,795 | 4,636,298 | 4,637,335 | 2,786,860 |
Malaysia | 822,824 | 4,626,422 | 1,948,549 | 5,511 | 619,623 | 4,265,574 | 4,020,526 | 3,494,488 | 3,494,890 | 3,418,855 | 2,613,418 | 3,041,097 | 2,554,397 |
Russia | 423,909 | 1,482,611 | 435,008 | 30,759 | 590,151 | 1,483,337 | 1,472,789 | 1,346,338 | 1,090,083 | 884,136 | 1,606,430 | 1,746,565 | 1,316,564 |
South Korea | 412,298 | 1,660,042 | 538,766 | 12,077 | 262,017 | 1,890,973 | 1,796,426 | 1,709,265 | 1,464,200 | 1,373,045 | 1,122,566 | 1,295,342 | 1,163,619 |
India | 311,823 | 1,628,542 | 997,913 | 6,544 | 263,659 | 1,996,842 | 1,598,346 | 1,415,197 | 1,194,508 | 1,069,422 | 932,603 | 1,050,889 | 1,013,308 |
Laos | 202,932 | 919,401 | 502,124 | 733 | 380,207 | 1,854,792 | 1,664,630 | 1,682,087 | 1,388,020 | 1,220,522 | 1,053,983 | 976,639 | 975,999 |
France | 192,422 | 545,003 | 268,587 | 23,461 | 237,317 | 745,346 | 749,556 | 740,190 | 738,878 | 681,114 | 635,073 | 611,582 | 576,106 |
United States | 188,529 | 930,206 | 453,678 | 37,880 | 212,669 | 1,165,950 | 1,122,270 | 1,056,423 | 975,643 | 867,505 | 763,520 | 823,486 | 768,638 |
United Kingdom | 184,807 | 817,220 | 444,432 | 38,663 | 223,087 | 992,574 | 986,854 | 994,755 | 1,004,345 | 947,568 | 907,877 | 905,024 | 873,053 |
Japan | 178,291 | 805,768 | 290,146 | 9,461 | 322,677 | 1,806,438 | 1,656,101 | 1,544,442 | 1,439,510 | 1,381,702 | 1,267,886 | 1,536,425 | 1,373,716 |
Taiwan | 177,624 | 724,594 | 94,834 | 1,675 | 117,511 | 790,039 | 687,748 | 573,077 | 522,273 | 552,699 | 394,149 | 502,176 | 394,225 |
Indonesia | 148,364 | 762,118 | 235,632 | 2,577 | 99,530 | 710,494 | 644,709 | 576,110 | 534,797 | 469,125 | 497,592 | 594,251 | 447,820 |
Vietnam | 130,413 | 1,033,688 | 468,393 | 1,794 | 132,127 | 1,048,181 | 1,028,150 | 935,179 | 830,220 | 751,162 | 559,415 | 725,057 | 618,670 |
Hong Kong | 115,109 | 802,368 | 162,240 | 1,657 | 124,518 | 1,045,361 | 1,015,749 | 821,064 | 751,264 | 669,617 | 483,131 | 588,335 | 473,666 |
Australia | 112,950 | 687,745 | 336,688 | 9,577 | 123,827 | 767,291 | 801,203 | 817,218 | 796,370 | 807,450 | 831,854 | 900,460 | 930,241 |
Germany | 103,746 | 729,163 | 365,030 | 45,874 | 231,782 | 852,481 | 886,523 | 850,139 | 837,885 | 761,819 | 715,240 | 737,658 | 682,419 |
Cambodia | 93,367 | 583,708 | 379,665 | 4,914 | 165,027 | 910,696 | 948,824 | 840,871 | 674,975 | 537,950 | 550,339 | 481,595 | 423,642 |
Myanmar | 75,358 | 394,134 | 193,778 | 7,256 | 55,279 | 378,232 | 368,188 | 365,606 | 341,626 | 259,678 | 206,794 | 172,383 | 129,385 |
Philippines | 73,329 | 461,251 | 178,021 | 4,078 | 72,762 | 506,430 | 432,237 | 381,252 | 339,150 | 310,968 | 304,813 | 321,571 | 289,566 |
Singapore | 73,329 | 1,027,424 | 614,627 | 5,931 | 126,771 | 1,059,484 | 1,069,867 | 1,032,647 | 967,550 | 938,385 | 844,133 | 955,468 | 831,215 |
Sweden | 69,648 | 178,259 | 97,378 | 17,094 | 111,994 | 287,341 | 311,949 | 323,736 | 332,895 | 321,690 | 324,865 | 341,398 | 364,681 |
Canada | 60,790 | 214,264 | 90,608 | 6,440 | 58,499 | 273,214 | 276,094 | 258,494 | 244,869 | 227,601 | 211,059 | 229,897 | 219,354 |
Italy | 59,756 | 191,983 | 85,254 | 5,322 | 60,602 | 272,374 | 279,905 | 264,524 | 265,597 | 246,094 | 219,875 | 207,192 | 200,703 |
Poland | 58,667 | 121,700 | |||||||||||
Kazakhstan | 58,082 | 172,489 | |||||||||||
Netherlands | 50,162 | 229,539 | 116,354 | 8,539 | 52,402 | 241,608 | 236,265 | 222,409 | 235,762 | 221,619 | 211,524 | 218,765 | 208,122 |
Denmark | 48,665 | 115,224 | 64,249 | 8,480 | 66,848 | 162,456 | 169,373 | 161,920 | 165,581 | 159,435 | 160,977 | 163,186 | 167,499 |
Switzerland | 42,099 | 156,337 | 81,180 | 11,429 | 52,361 | 192,130 | 207,471 | 209,528 | 209,057 | 206,480 | 201,271 | 199,923 | 191,147 |
Israel | 31,007 | 217,084 | 146,293 | 14,038 | 29,444 | 195,856 | 188,788 | 173,673 | 161,579 | 141,031 | 138,778 | 134,874 | 129,551 |
Finland | 30,746 | 76,193 | 38,561 | 6,139 | 59,567 | 128,014 | 140,961 | 140,464 | 134,238 | 134,750 | 142,425 | 141,692 | 154,919 |
Austria | 30,345 | 88,706 | 42,683 | 5,486 | 36,381 | 111,428 | 116,656 | 104,784 | 100,373 | 97,869 | 100,968 | 106,278 | 94,667 |
Norway | 28,108 | 83,952 | 46,521 | 5,763 | 39,778 | 127,992 | 128,841 | 127,850 | 131,039 | 135,382 | 145,207 | 154,049 | 148,796 |
Bangladesh | 27,322 | 140,657 | 81,106 | 1,955 | 21,838 | 136,677 | 129,574 | 121,765 | 100,263 | 107,394 | 88,134 | 82,418 | 72,657 |
Saudi Arabia | 26,097 | 178,113 | 96,389 | 467 | 4,227 | 30,006 | 28,337 | 33,531 | 24,834 | 19,168 | 12,860 | 21,452 | 17,084 |
Spain | 24,511 | 153,458 | 87,400 | 3,514 | 25,904 | 188,997 | 181,880 | 179,584 | 168,900 | 150,995 | 116,983 | 123,084 | 113,141 |
Belgium | 22,567 | 85,512 | 48,684 | 5,386 | 26,394 | 114,669 | 114,270 | 112,266 | 111,013 | 106,090 | 99,729 | 101,109 | 94,896 |
United Arab Emirates | 13,081 | 138,934 | 65,857 | 4,061 | 7,492 | 130,158 | 128,270 | 137,218 | 130,941 | 124,719 | 117,907 | 123,926 | 113,547 |
New Zealand | 13,067 | 85,897 | 35,900 | 1,151 | 15,709 | 112,680 | 116,726 | 117,962 | 111,595 | 112,411 | 108,081 | 118,395 | 113,871 |
Total | 4,275,236 | 28,150,016 | 11,153,026 | 427,869 | 6,725,193 | 39,916,251 | 38,178,194 | 35,591,978 | 32,529,588 | 29,923,185 | 24,809,683 | 26,546,725 | 22,353,903 |
To legally work in Thailand, a foreigner must apply for a work permit. Work permit is a legal document that states a foreigner's position, current occupation, or job description and the Thai company he is working with. It also serves as a license to perform a job or an occupation allowed for foreigners inside Thailand.
A foreigner is eligible to apply for a work permit as long as he has a non-immigrant visa or a resident visa, has an available employer who will provide documents for work permit, and the occupation he will perform is not prohibited to foreigners.[24]
The One Stop Service Centre for Visas and Work Permits was established on 1 July 1997 by authority of the Regulations of the Office of Prime Minister promulgated on 30 June 1997.
The objective of this centre is to simplify visa extension and permit issuance procedures to create a good investment environment. It aims to facilitate applications of visa extension and work permits (e.g., stay permission, re-entry permit, work permit).
The Center is located on Chamchuree Square Building, Floor 18, Phatumwan, Bangkok.[25]