Key points
- The key development: Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced on October 27, 2026, that it will propose a 15-day visa exemption for travelers from Colombia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan at the Visa Policy Committee meeting on November 9, 2026.
- What prompted it: Emirates airline lodged an official complaint with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) after experiencing 20 to 30 passenger no-shows per flight from Mexico because travelers could not obtain their Thai visas in time. Uzbek travelers faced eVisa applications routed exclusively through the Royal Thai Embassy in Russia, prompting local tour operators to cancel Thailand packages in favor of competing destinations.
- Critical context: All three countries were among 21 nationalities that lost visa-free access to Thailand entirely on September 15, 2026, when the government replaced its 60-day visa exemption with a tighter framework. The proposal would partially restore visa-free entry, though at 15 days rather than the 60 days available before the September overhaul.
- Not yet approved: The Visa Policy Committee must still evaluate the security and economic implications before granting any exemption. The proposal is a recommendation, not a confirmed policy change.
Thailand’s Tourism Ministry is seeking to reverse visa bottlenecks for three countries that lost all visa-free access six weeks ago, after airlines and tour operators reported severe disruptions
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced on October 27, 2026, that it will propose a 15-day visa exemption for travelers from Colombia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan at the Visa Policy Committee meeting scheduled for November 9, 2026. Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul confirmed the initiative, which aims to resolve severe visa processing delays that have disrupted airline operations and caused tourists to miss their scheduled flights, as reported by The Nation Thailand.
The three countries are among 21 nationalities that lost all visa-free access to Thailand on September 15, 2026, when the government replaced its broad 60-day visa exemption scheme with a revised framework. Under the new rules that took effect that day, 60 countries retained visa-free access at a reduced 30-day limit, but Colombia, Mexico, Uzbekistan, and 18 other nationalities were removed from the exemption list entirely. Citizens of those 21 countries now require a visa or eVisa to enter Thailand for any purpose.
The proposal would partially restore visa-free access for three of those 21 nationalities, though at a shorter 15-day stay rather than the 60 days that were available before the September 15 overhaul.
Why did these three countries lose visa-free access to Thailand?
Thailand overhauled its visa exemption framework on September 15, 2026, through four orders published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on August 31, 2026. The reform replaced a temporary 60-day visa-free scheme that had been in place since July 2024, covering 93 nationalities, with a permanent 30-day exemption limited to 60 countries and territories and restricted to tourism purposes only.
Colombia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan were among 21 nationalities cut from the exemption list entirely. The remaining 18 countries in the same position include Albania, Andorra, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kosovo, Monaco, Morocco, Panama, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
Citizens of all 21 affected countries have been required to obtain a Thai visa or eVisa before travel since September 15, 2026. Thailand expanded its eVisa system across its entire diplomatic network to accommodate the additional demand.
What prompted the proposal to restore a visa exemption?
The immediate trigger was an official complaint from Emirates airline to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Emirates reported experiencing 20 to 30 passenger no-shows per flight on its Mexico routes because travelers were unable to receive their Thai visas in time for departure.
Chiravadee Khunsub, Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Americas, Middle East and Africa) at TAT, identified two specific markets facing acute barriers. In Latin America, chronic delays in visa approvals and issuance routinely left Mexican and Colombian tourists unable to travel on their scheduled dates. In Uzbekistan, travelers faced a particularly difficult eVisa process that was routed exclusively through the Royal Thai Embassy in Russia, a cumbersome arrangement that led local travel agents to cancel Thailand holiday packages in favor of competing destinations such as Vietnam.
Minister Surasak confirmed that the Tourism Ministry views the 15-day visa exemption as a “long-term solution” to these operational bottlenecks and intends to push for maximum exemptions for nations the government assesses as presenting low security risks.
When could the 15-day visa exemption take effect?
The proposal is not yet approved. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will present it to the Visa Policy Committee at a meeting on November 9, 2026. The committee must evaluate the security and economic implications before granting any exemption.
The Visa Policy Committee includes representatives from multiple Thai government agencies, and its approval is required before any change to the visa exemption list can proceed to the Cabinet for final endorsement. An approved proposal would then need to be published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette before it becomes law.
The Tourism Ministry’s announcement signals intent, not a confirmed policy change. The timeline from committee approval to implementation could take additional weeks, and the committee may also modify the proposed terms, including the 15-day stay duration or the list of countries covered.
What do Colombian, Mexican, and Uzbek travelers currently need to visit Thailand?
Until the Visa Policy Committee approves a change, citizens of Colombia, Mexico, and Uzbekistan continue to require a visa or eVisa before traveling to Thailand. The Thai eVisa can be applied for online through Thailand’s expanded eVisa system, which covers the country’s entire consular network.
All international travelers to Thailand, regardless of visa status, must also complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival. The TDAC has been mandatory since May 2025 and is free of charge. Travelers entering Thailand under the existing 30-day visa exemption for the 60 qualifying nationalities are not affected by this proposal.
