Thailand visa guide: 60-day exemption, DTV and long-stay options
Thailand entry rules in 2026 — the 60-day visa exemption, digital arrival card, eVisa applications, the five-year Destination Thailand Visa and extensions.
Citizens of 90+ countries enter Thailand visa-free for 60 days and can extend by 30 days at an immigration office for 1,900 baht. Longer stays use the eVisa system: a 60-day tourist visa, education and retirement routes, or the five-year Destination Thailand Visa for remote workers with 180-day stays per entry.
Visa exemption and the arrival card
The 60-day exemption applies on arrival by air or land, with land entries limited per calendar year. All foreign arrivals must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before travel — it replaced the paper TM6 and is checked at the airline gate.
The Destination Thailand Visa
The DTV targets remote workers, freelancers and people joining Muay Thai, cooking or medical programmes. It costs 10,000 baht, runs five years, allows 180 days per entry with one in-country extension, and asks for around 500,000 baht of financial evidence plus proof of remote work or enrolment.
Retirement and education routes
The O-A retirement visa needs applicants aged 50+ with 800,000 baht in a Thai bank or monthly income of 65,000 baht plus health insurance. Education visas cover language and degree study and require the institution to sponsor the file.
Border runs and enforcement
Immigration increasingly scrutinises back-to-back exemption entries. Repeated same-day border hops are refused at land crossings; if you intend to live in Thailand, use the visa category built for it.
Frequently asked questions
How long can tourists stay in Thailand?
Sixty days visa-free for eligible nationalities, extendable once by 30 days for 1,900 baht.
What is the Destination Thailand Visa?
A five-year multiple-entry visa for remote workers and soft-power activity participants, allowing 180 days per entry for 10,000 baht.
Do I need the Thailand arrival card?
Yes. Every foreign arrival must submit the digital arrival card within three days before entering.