Big update for Indians travelling to Thailand: 60-day visa-free stay cancelled

Thailand has ended its popular 60-day visa-free entry scheme for Indian travellers, a major update that could affect holiday plans for thousands of tourists heading to the Southeast Asian destination. Under the revised rules approved by Thailand’s Cabinet on May 19, 2026, Indians will now have to obtain a Visa on Arrival (VOA) instead of entering the country without a visa.

The new framework is part of Thailand’s wider overhaul of visa categories aimed at tightening entry rules, improving security checks and simplifying the country’s immigration system. The changes will come into force 15 days after official publication in the Royal Gazette.

India had been included in Thailand’s extended 60-day visa-free scheme in July 2024, a move that boosted tourism and made Thailand one of the most preferred international destinations for Indian travellers. The policy also allowed visitors to extend their stay by another 30 days.

However, under the latest revision, Indian citizens have now been shifted to the Visa on Arrival category, limiting stays to 15 days only.

Why Thailand removed visa-free entry for Indians?

Thailand said the decision is part of its new “One Country, One Visa Privilege” policy, which aims to create a more uniform and controlled immigration structure.

Authorities had earlier raised concerns over misuse of long-term visa-free stays, including illegal employment, nominee businesses and transnational crime activities. Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul had indicated that the government wanted to focus more on “quality tourists” rather than simply increasing tourist arrivals.

The now-scrapped 60-day visa exemption scheme had covered 93 countries and territories, including India.

What changes for Indian travellers now?

Under the revised rules, Indian tourists travelling to Thailand will no longer get visa-free entry.

Instead, they will need to apply for a Visa on Arrival at designated immigration checkpoints after submitting the required travel documents. The stay duration under VOA will be capped at 15 days, making it more suitable for short vacations and quick trips.

Travellers already in Thailand under the existing visa-free arrangement, or those entering before the new rules officially take effect, will not be impacted immediately. They can continue to stay until their approved duration expires.

Once the updated rules become active, travellers will have to enter Thailand either through the revised visa categories, bilateral agreements or the country’s e-Visa system where applicable.

What is Thailand’s new visa structure?

Thailand has also reorganised visa access for other countries under multiple categories.

The revised system includes:

30-day visa exemption for 54 countries

15-day visa exemption for Seychelles, Maldives and Mauritius

Visa on Arrival for India, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia

90-day reciprocal visa exemption for countries including South Korea and Brazil

Separate reciprocal arrangements for China, Russia, Hong Kong and neighbouring nations

For Indian travellers, the biggest change remains the end of hassle-free long stays that had become increasingly popular among families, digital nomads and extended holidaymakers.