The authorities are concerned about cases of abuse of the 60-day visa-free regime. In this regard, a special committee is being created to oversee immigration policy. The agency will analyze violations, assess the impact of the visa-free regime and prepare adjustments.Among the possible scenarios are stricter controls, a change in entry criteria, or even a reduction in the allowable length of stay.
The 60-day visa-free entry program is valid from July 15, 2024 for citizens of 93 countries and territories, including the Russian Federation. It allows you to stay in the kingdom for tourist or short-term business purposes. The period of stay may be extended by another 30 days.
At the same time, access to the Visa on Arrival (Visa on Arrival) is maintained, and it is currently available to travelers from 31 countries. The authorities are considering expanding the list to eight more countries at the second stage.
The newly introduced visa categories are recognized as relevant:
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for remote employees and professionals who want to combine work and long-term stay in Thailand.
Non-Immigrant ED Plus, which allows international students to legally combine their studies with work, expanding their educational and career horizons.
In addition, the government is reviewing the conditions for issuing long-term visas for foreign pensioners. The main task is to maintain its attractiveness to a paying audience, while ensuring an adequate level of regulatory oversight.
The reform on digitalization and simplification of obtaining visas was recognized as successful.
Starting from August 31, 2025, the number of nonimmigrant visa codes has been reduced from 17 to 7 basic categories, which simplifies navigation through the system. In addition, from January 1, 2025, the electronic visa service (e-Visa) became available in all 94 Thai embassies and consulates around the world, completely eliminating the need for personal submission of documents. Another step towards modernization was the full-scale operation of the Digital Arrival Card in Thailand (TDAC).Starting from May 1, 2025, TDAC allows travelers to send entry data online 72 hours in advance, speeding up border control.Source: VisasNews
