Thailand cuts visa-free stay for Indians to 30 days from 15 September

What has changed

The Tourism Authority of Thailand confirmed on 1 September that new visa exemption rules take effect on 15 September 2026. The 60-day visa exemption that Indian tourists have used since 2024 is replaced by a 30-day exemption. The Ministry of Interior notifications behind the change were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026, following Cabinet decisions on 21 May and 16 July.

Passport holders from 60 countries and territories are eligible for the 30-day exemption for tourism, and India is on that list. A separate 15-day exemption applies to Seychelles and Mauritius, and Visa on Arrival now applies to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.

There is a new rule for overland travellers: anyone entering through a land-border checkpoint under the 30-day exemption may generally do so no more than twice per calendar year. Air arrivals are not subject to that cap.

What stays the same

Indian passport holders still do not need a visa for a tourist visit. The change is the length of stay granted at the border, not the entitlement to enter without a visa. Immigration officers continue to decide the permitted stay at the checkpoint.

The TAT announcement does not address extensions or what happens to travellers already in Thailand on the 60-day exemption when 15 September arrives. Until the Immigration Bureau or the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi publishes that detail, treat any figure you see elsewhere as unconfirmed.

What it means for Indian travellers

A standard Thailand holiday is unaffected: a week or two in Bangkok, Phuket or the islands fits comfortably inside 30 days. Anyone planning a longer stay, a workation, or a multi-country loop that returns to Thailand should now build the trip around a 30-day limit or apply for a Thai e-Visa before departure.

If you cross into Thailand by road from Malaysia, Laos or Cambodia more than twice in a year, the third crossing will need a visa. Our visa-free travel guide explains how exemptions differ from visas on arrival, and our Thailand packages are all well within the new limit.

Sources

This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.

• Thailand introduces new 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September — Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, 01 September 2026
• Thailand to halve visa-free stays for these 60 countries from September 15 — Gulf News, 01 September 2026