TDAC and Thai visas:
30 days, not 60
Two things to get right before you fly. File the TDAC free at tdac.immigration.go.th, within the 3 days before you arrive, and show the QR code at immigration — any site charging a 'processing fee' is a copycat. And since 15 September 2026 Thailand's visa exemption is 30 days, not 60, for 60 countries and territories, down from 93. Older guides and forum threads still say 60 days; they are out of date.
The TDAC, and the visa rule most guides get wrong
TDAC first. Thailand's digital arrival card has been mandatory for every non-Thai arrival — by air, land or sea — since May 1, 2025: file it free at tdac.immigration.go.th, within the 3 days before you arrive, and show the QR code at immigration. The only trap is the ecosystem of paid lookalike sites charging for the free form — use the official immigration site only, and treat any 'TDAC processing fee' as a scam by definition.
Visas: 30 days, not 60. From 15 September 2026 the visa exemption is 30 days, for tourism only, and the list shrank from 93 countries and territories to 60. The US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India and all 27 EU states are still on it; Seychelles and Mauritius get 15 days; Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia need a visa on arrival. A few countries have their own bilateral deals instead — South Korea and Brazil, for example, get 90 days — so check the Thai embassy list for your passport before you trust a forum. Already in Thailand before 15 September? You keep the stay you were stamped for.
Staying longer, and the fine print. The 30 days can be extended once, by up to 30 more, at an immigration office — at the officer's discretion, not by right. The fee has long been ฿1,900 (~$57); confirm it at the office. Visa-exempt entries by land are generally capped at two per calendar year. Officers can ask to see money for your stay — the Thai embassy in Washington lists ฿20,000 per person or ฿40,000 per family, in cash or equivalent — and an onward ticket. Overstaying costs ฿500 a day, capped at ฿20,000, and can bring detention, deportation and a re-entry ban of up to 10 years.
One regional note: as of October 2026 the Thai–Cambodia land crossings remain suspended, and Bangkok is entirely unaffected — if Cambodia is on your route, fly there.
TDAC and visa FAQ
What are Thailand's visa rules in 2026?
From 15 September 2026, visa-free entry is 30 days, for tourism only, for nationals of 60 countries and territories — the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and all 27 EU states included. It was 60 days for 93 countries before that, so distrust any guide still quoting 60. One extension of up to 30 days is possible at an immigration office, at the officer's discretion. Officers can also ask to see funds for your stay (the Thai embassy lists ฿20,000 per person) and an onward ticket.
What is the TDAC and do I really need it?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card — mandatory for all non-Thai arrivals by air, land or sea since May 1, 2025. File it free at tdac.immigration.go.th within the 3 days before arrival and show the QR at immigration. Paid third-party 'TDAC service' sites are charging you for a free form.
Is there a tourist entry fee?
Not yet. The old ฿300 plan was replaced by a proposed flat ฿450 fee for foreign visitors; the draft was endorsed in August 2026 and still needs a public hearing, so collection could start in 2027 at the earliest. Nothing is charged at the border today — don't budget for it.
- TAT Newsroom — 30-day exemption for 60 countries from 15 Sep 2026, 15-day and visa-on-arrival lists, land-entry limit
- Royal Thai Embassy, Washington — the 60-country list, one extension of up to 30 days at the officer's discretion, ฿20,000 funds rule
- Royal Thai Embassy, London — TDAC required from 1 May 2025
- UK Foreign Office — overstay fine ฿500 a day up to ฿20,000, re-entry bans of up to 10 years
- UK Foreign Office — Thai–Cambodia land crossings remain suspended (still current 8 Oct 2026)
- Thai government portal — proposed ฿450 tourism fee, not yet in force
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