Do you need a visa for Thailand in 2026: what changed on September 15

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New visa-free entry rules have been in effect in Thailand since September 15, 2026. The previous scheme, which allowed citizens of several countries to stay in the country visa-free for up to 60 days, has been cancelled. Now, for citizens of 60 countries and territories, including Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, the standard visa-free stay is 30 days.

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In this article:

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• What has changed since September 15, 2026
• Is it possible to stay longer than 30 days?
• DTV (Destination Thailand Visa): who is the remote work visa for
• When it is better to apply for a tourist visa in advance
• Can I just do visa runs?
• Long-term stay through real estate
• What else should you keep in mind before arrival?
• Is Thailand still open for long-term living?

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What has changed since September 15, 2026

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The new rules were published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 2026, and took effect on September 15, 2026. The main change is the cancellation of the regime in place since 2024, which allowed for a 60-day visa-free stay, as confirmed by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an official clarification regarding the revision of visa-free rules and Visa on Arrival. Thailand has returned to a shorter format: citizens of 60 countries and territories can now enter for tourism purposes visa-free for up to 30 days.

For those who entered Thailand before September 15, 2026 and received permission to stay under the previous terms, the granted period will not be shortened. You should refer to the date stamped in your passport upon entry: if you were granted a 60-day stay at the border before the new rules came into effect, that permission remains valid until the specified date.

Below is a comparison of the main options for staying in Thailand, from short-term visa-free entry to long-term visas for remote work.

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Is it possible to stay longer than 30 days?

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Yes, of course. The reduction of the visa-free period does not mean that you can now only spend a maximum of one month in Thailand; it means that visa-free entry is once again intended primarily for relatively short trips rather than for living in the country for several months at a time.

One option for a longer trip is to apply to an Immigration Office to extend your permitted stay. For Russian citizens, after a 30-day visa-free entry, an extension of up to another 30 days is available for a standard fee of 1,900 baht. This way, a single trip can potentially last for about two months without the need to leave the country.

If you are planning to stay for several months or most of the year, you should consider other grounds for your stay in advance – below are details on the two most practical options.

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DTV: who is the remote work visa for

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The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is aimed at digital nomads, remote workers, freelancers, and several other categories of applicants. The visa is valid for 5 years, allows for multiple entries, and permits a stay of up to 180 days per entry. This period can be extended once for a maximum of another 180 days in accordance with Immigration Bureau regulations.

To apply, you must meet the requirements of your chosen category and provide proof of financial stability: the basic requirement is a balance of at least 500,000 baht. The specific document package depends on the basis of your application. For those planning to spend several months a year in Thailand who meet the DTV requirements, this format is a much better fit for long-term stays than relying on a standard tourist visa exemption.

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When it is better to apply for a tourist visa in advance

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Another option is to apply for a tourist visa in advance through the Thai e-Visa system or the relevant embassy. This is especially convenient when the length of your trip is known in advance: instead of entering for 30 days and dealing with the logistics on the ground, you can choose a visa duration that matches your actual travel plans from the start.

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You should check the document requirements, costs, and availability for a specific category directly on the official Thai e-Visa portal immediately before applying.

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Can I just do visa runs?

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A visa run is a common informal term for a trip where a person leaves Thailand and then re-enters the country, hoping to be granted a new period of stay.

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The Thai Immigration Bureau has stepped up control over foreigners who frequently enter and exit under visa-exempt schemes without returning to their country of permanent residence. If this pattern is used more than twice without a valid reason, entry may be denied, with each case being reviewed individually.

A specific clarification applies to land borders: the limit of two visa-exempt entries per year via land checkpoints does not apply to arrivals by air. Nevertheless, you should not rely on frequent short trips out of the country as a reliable substitute for a proper visa; frequent entries and exits may raise questions at the border, and the final decision on admission rests with the immigration officer.

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Long-term stay through real estate

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For those who view Thailand not just as a vacation spot but as a second home, there is another option: extending your stay based on real estate investment. It is important to understand that purchasing property does not automatically grant you a visa or the right to long-term residency; it is a separate administrative procedure with its own requirements regarding the property, documentation, and the applicant's status.

Depending on the situation, the basis for this may be, for example, a registered freehold condominium purchase or certain types of long-term leases. For those planning to buy property in Phuket for personal use, this mechanism should be considered as part of an overall strategy—alongside the DTV and other suitable visa categories—rather than as a separate issue unrelated to your visa.

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We have a separate article on this topic that we recommend reading: Long-term stay in Thailand through real estate investment starting from $85,000. 

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What else should you keep in mind before arrival?

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The visa-free stay period is not the only formal requirement. Before your trip, you must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC): this electronic arrival card must be submitted online within three days prior to entry, including the day of arrival.

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The TDAC is not a visa and is required for every new entry into the country. You should also check the current requirements for your citizenship and purpose of travel in advance, as well as your passport validity and any documents that may be needed at border control.

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Is Thailand still open for long-term living?

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The new rules don't make long-term stays in Thailand impossible; they simply require you to choose the right format in advance rather than relying on visa-free entry. For those planning to spend the winter, relocate, or spend a significant part of the year in Phuket, this is another reason to view your visa status, housing, and lifestyle as parts of a single long-term plan, rather than addressing each issue separately when time is already running out.