India goes from visa-on-arrival to visa-free as Thailand officially ends 60-day stays for 93 countries

The cabinet approved the overhaul on July 14, 2026, adding India and five other countries to the 30-day visa-free list while replacing the blanket 60-day scheme with a "one country, one entitlement" framework

India has been upgraded from visa-on-arrival to full visa-free access for stays of up to 30 days, as part of a sweeping overhaul in which Thailand has officially ended the 60-day visa-free stays that travelers from 93 countries and territories have enjoyed since July 2024. The Thai Cabinet approved the restructure on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, with Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksameesangchan announcing the changes, according to The Nation Thailand.

Before this decision, passport holders from 93 countries could enter Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 60 days, a policy introduced in July 2024 to boost post-pandemic tourism. Now, the government has concluded that the generous window was being exploited for purposes beyond tourism, including illegal employment and activities that posed security risks. The new framework operates on a "one country, one entitlement" principle, where each nation gets a single, clearly defined access level.

Ploytalay said the reform is "not intended to reduce tourism opportunities, but to adjust the system to make it more appropriate, clear and verifiable, while maintaining a balance between economic stimulus, facilitating travel for tourists, international relations and national security."

Why did India get upgraded instead of downgraded?

If you are an Indian passport holder, you are one of the few nationalities coming out of this overhaul with better access than you had before the 60-day scheme existed. When the Thai Cabinet first approved the end of the 60-day scheme in May 2026, the original proposal would have moved India off the visa-free list entirely and placed Indian nationals on a 15-day visa-on-arrival arrangement. That plan triggered confusion among Indian travelers and led to a measurable decline in arrivals from one of Thailand's most important markets.

The government reversed course. In the July 14 cabinet session, India was added to the 30-day visa-free list, giving Indian passport holders a permanent upgrade from the visa-on-arrival system they were on before the 60-day scheme was introduced. Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the cabinet approved the 30-day visa-free entry "to align with the travel behavior of Indian tourists, who represent a large market for Thailand."

India currently ranks as Thailand's third-largest source of international tourists, behind only China and Malaysia, with the average Indian visitor staying approximately 7.17 days per trip. India's previous visa-on-arrival entitlement has been formally withdrawn to prevent overlapping access categories under the one-country-one-entitlement principle.

How many days can I stay in Thailand visa-free under the new rules?

If you hold a passport from one of the 59 countries and territories on the 30-day list, you will be able to enter Thailand without a visa for tourism stays of up to 30 days. This covers most of Europe, the Americas, and parts of the Asia-Pacific.

If you are from Mauritius or Seychelles, your visa-free allowance drops to 15 days per visit, subject to review based on tourist volumes and spending patterns.

If you hold a passport from Azerbaijan, Belarus, or Serbia, you will need a visa-on-arrival at designated immigration checkpoints rather than visa-free entry.

Everyone else from the original 93-country list who does not appear in any of these categories will need to apply for a Thai visa in advance through an embassy or consulate.

Do I now get visa-free access if I'm from India, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, or the Maldives?

If you hold a passport from any of these six countries, you have been added to Thailand's 30-day visa-free tier, giving you access that was not available under the previous framework. The addition of Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta means that all 27 European Union member states now sit on the same 30-day tier, a move the Thai government said would support its negotiations for Schengen visa exemptions for Thai passport holders and help develop broader economic agreements with the EU.

Is the change in effect right now?

If you are traveling to Thailand today, the 60-day visa-free scheme is technically still in force. The five related draft Ministry of Interior announcements will only become law 15 days after they are published in Thailand's Royal Gazette, and no publication date has been announced as of July 14.

That means there is a window of uncertainty. Travelers who enter Thailand before the new rules take effect will be allowed to stay for the full balance of their originally permitted period. But anyone booking for later in 2026 should plan around the 30-day limit, since the Royal Gazette publication could happen with little warning.

What is happening with border security?

Alongside the visa restructure, Thai authorities announced plans to strengthen the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system. The upgrades are designed to screen foreign nationals' records more thoroughly and track patterns of entry and exit from the country.

Security agencies are also working to speed up the process of wiring their systems together so that incoming passenger risk can be evaluated before a traveler even boards their flight. The goal is to keep a closer eye on how visa-free access is actually being used once people are in the country. The government framed this as part of the broader effort to close loopholes that allowed the 60-day scheme to be misused.