Entry rules
Thailandentry requirements
U.S. citizens can visit Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism. That limit was cut from 60 days on September 15, 2026. You must fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within 3 days before you arrive, and your passport should be valid for 6 months.
Checked against official sources Oct 29, 2026 · Sources
Do you need a visa or travel authorization?
| Passport | What you need | Maximum stay |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. citizens | No visa needed Down from 60 days since September 15, 2026. Entries over land borders under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. | 30 days (tourism) |
| British citizens | No visa needed Down from 60 days since September 15, 2026. Entries over land borders under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. | 30 days (tourism) |
| Canadians | No visa needed Down from 60 days since September 15, 2026. Entries over land borders under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. | 30 days (tourism) |
| Australians | No visa needed Down from 60 days since September 15, 2026. Entries over land borders under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. | 30 days (tourism) |
| EU citizens | No visa needed Down from 60 days since September 15, 2026. Entries over land borders under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. | 30 days (tourism) |
Passport rules
Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, according to UK and Canadian government advice.
Blank pages: 1 (GOV.UK advice).
- British citizens: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
- Canadians: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the day you arrive.
Airlines check this at check-in. If your passport is close to the limit, renew it first: see the 6-month passport rule explained.
Changing planes in Thailand
- All these passports: Nothing extra if you stay airside. No visa and no TDAC if you don’t pass through immigration.
More: Do I need a transit visa?
Arrival card
Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which is free, within 3 days before you arrive, including the arrival day. You need a new one for every entry.
Official site: tdac.immigration.go.th. Unofficial sites may charge for this free form.
Good to know
- Visa-free entry covers tourism; GOV.UK says it doesn’t cover business travel, and the Government of Canada lists a business visa as required.
- Thailand has announced a future electronic travel authorization but has not given a start date; nothing to apply for yet.
Official links
Watch for look-alike sites. Use only the official addresses above. Sites that “process” your application charge extra for the same official form. How to spot a fake visa site.
Where official sources differ
- Thailand’s foreign ministry visa page (last updated July 2024) still describes the old 60-day exemption. More recent official sources (the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, GOV.UK, the Government of Canada) all give 30 days.
Official sources
- Visa Information (Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C., updated 19 Oct 2026) ·
Effective 15 September 2026: U.S. citizens, as well as travelers from many other countries, can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days
· checked 2026-10-29 - Thailand introduces new 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1 September 2026) ·
Under the new framework, holders of passports or travel documents from 60 countries and territories will be eligible for visa exemption for tourism, with a permitted stay of up to 30 days.
· checked 2026-10-29 - Thailand travel advice: Entry requirements (GOV.UK) ·
From 15 September 2026, if you enter Thailand under the visa exemption scheme, you can stay for up to 30 days for tourism only.
· checked 2026-10-29 - Travel advice and advisories for Thailand (Government of Canada) ·
you can obtain a 30-day visa exemption on arrival (no visa required), which can be extended at the Immigration Office for a maximum of 30 days, at the discretion of the immigration officer.
· checked 2026-10-29 - FAQ & update - Thailand Digital Arrival Card (Immigration Bureau) - transit ·
If you're not passing through immigration, a TDAC is not required. If you leave the airport, a TDAC is required.
· checked 2026-10-29
If an official page says something different from this page, the official page is right. Tell us and we’ll fix it.
Get an email when these rules change
Only when an official entry rule we track changes: a new travel authorization, a fee, a start date or a passport rule. At most once a week, with the official source for every change.