Heads up — the 60-day visa exemption most of us know is officially being replaced

We flagged the 60-day visa-free confirmation back in June and — well, plot twist. Turns out the Cabinet had already approved scrapping that exact scheme a month before that article even went up. Thailand bureaucracy moves in mysterious ways. Here's the honest, current status. ⚠️

What was actually approved

On May 21, 2026, Thailand's Cabinet approved a revision of the 60-day visa exemption scheme that's been in place since July 2024. Under the new structure, nationals of 54 countries and territories will get a 30-day visa exemption instead of 60. Three island nations — the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles — get 15 days. Separate bilateral agreements (some giving 14, 30, or 90 days depending on the country) aren't affected by this change.

Why nothing has changed yet

This is the important bit: the revised rules only take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette — and as of now, that publication hasn't happened. Until it does, the current 60-day exemption most Western passport holders are used to remains in force. So if you're reading this and planning a trip in the next few weeks, you're probably still fine under the old rules. But this could flip with fairly short notice.

What this means if you're planning a long stay

• If your trip depends on getting 60 days visa-free, don't assume it — check the current status closer to your travel date, not now
• If 30 days would actually be enough, or you were already planning to extend at the Thong Sala immigration office anyway, this changes very little for you practically
• If you're here on a proper visa (DTV, tourist visa, etc.) rather than the visa-exemption route, none of this affects you

We'll update our visa guide and this page the moment the Royal Gazette publication actually happens and we know the real effective date. Until then — treat this as "coming soon," not "already true."