Planning a longer trip to Thailand? The rules are about to change. From 15 September 2026, Thailand cuts its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days for most visitors, so it pays to know where you stand before you book.
Here is exactly what is changing, who it affects, and what to do if you want to stay longer.
What is changing
Thailand is ending the special 60-day visa exemption it introduced in July 2024. The Ministry of Interior published the new rules in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026, and they take effect after a 15-day window, on 15 September 2026.
Two things change at once: the visa-free stay is halved from 60 to 30 days, and the number of eligible nationalities drops from 93 to 60. Anyone arriving before 15 September still gets the old 60-day stamp; from that date, the 30-day rule applies.
Who is affected
From 15 September 2026 there are three main pathways:
- 30-day visa-free entry for nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
- 15-day visa-free entry for Mauritius and Seychelles.
- Visa on Arrival for Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
For a two-week beach holiday in Phuket, nothing really changes. The 30 days is still plenty. The people who need to plan are long-stay travelers, remote workers and anyone who was counting on the full 60 days.
How to stay longer than 30 days
If 30 days is not enough, you still have options:
- Extend on arrival: visit any immigration office and extend your visa-free stay by 30 more days for about 1,900 THB.
- 60-day Tourist Visa: apply at a Thai embassy or online before you travel for a longer single stay.
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): a five-year visa aimed at remote workers, allowing stays of up to 180 days per entry.
Tip: if your trip runs close to 30 days, plan your extension early rather than on your last day. Immigration offices get busy, and overstaying carries a daily fine.
What it means for your Phuket trip
For most holidaymakers this is a non-event. A standard Phuket trip fits comfortably inside 30 days, and entry is still free and stamp-on-arrival for 60 nationalities.
If you were planning a slow month or more on the island, check your nationality against the new list and decide between an extension or a tourist visa before you fly. Once that is sorted, all that is left is the fun part. Browse our Phuket tours and excursions to plan how you will spend those days.
