What Longer-Stay Travellers Need to Do
Travellers planning extended trips to Thailand this winter are being urged to check their plans as the country’s 60-day visa-free allowance is cut to 30 days from 15 September
Travellers heading to Thailand for more than a month will face new entry rules from 15 September 2026, after the Thai government formally confirmed it is cutting its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days.
The change means UK passport holders who previously planned to spend up to two months in Thailand without arranging a visa will need to reconsider their options if their trip extends beyond the new 30-day allowance.
Thailand’s revised visa measures were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August and will take effect on 15 September. The previous 60-day visa exemption scheme is being revoked, with a new 30-day scheme covering 60 countries and territories, including the United Kingdom, United States and Australia.
The change could particularly affect backpackers, gap-year travellers and people planning extended winter trips across Southeast Asia, where spending five, six or eight weeks in Thailand has become a common part of longer itineraries.
Jurgen Himmelmann, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Work & Travel, said the biggest risk is travellers assuming the rules they researched when booking their trip will still apply when they arrive.
He said:
“This is a significant change for anyone planning a longer trip to Thailand because 30 days can pass incredibly quickly when you’re travelling. Under the previous rules, someone could comfortably plan six or seven weeks exploring Thailand without needing to arrange a visa before travelling. From 15 September, that same itinerary needs more thought.
The biggest thing I’d tell travellers is not to panic, but don’t ignore it either. If you’re planning to be in Thailand for longer than 30 days, check which visa or extension option is appropriate for your trip before you leave rather than assuming you’ll be able to sort everything out once you’re there.
This is particularly important for backpackers and people travelling around Southeast Asia for several months, because Thailand is often treated as one of the easier parts of the itinerary.
People might have booked accommodation, internal flights and activities based around spending five or six weeks there.
I’d also be careful about building an itinerary around leaving Thailand briefly and then immediately returning simply to reset your stay. Immigration rules and admission decisions should never be treated as a travel hack. Plan your trip around the rules that actually apply to you.”
What if you’re travelling to Thailand before 15 September?
There is an important distinction for travellers arriving before the rule change.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that foreign travellers who enter the country before 15 September 2026 under the existing exemption can remain until the end of the period already granted to them, as shown on their immigration stamp.
Jurgen Himmelmann, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Work & Travel added:
“The date you enter Thailand matters. Someone arriving before the new rules take effect shouldn’t automatically assume their permitted stay is being cut halfway through their trip.
Check the date stamped into your passport when you enter, because that is what you should be working from.”
Planning five, six or eight weeks in Thailand?
For travellers arriving from 15 September, the new visa exemption allows eligible UK passport holders to enter Thailand for up to 30 days.
The Royal Thai Embassy states that the 30-day visa-exempt stay can potentially be extended for up to 30 days, although any extension is at the discretion of the immigration officer.
Travellers planning longer stays can also investigate the appropriate Thai visa for the purpose and length of their trip. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says travellers can apply through its e-Visa system where appropriate.
Jurgen Himmelmann, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Work & Travel said:
“If you’ve got a 35, 40 or 50-day Thailand trip booked for later this year, this is something I’d check now.
Don’t wait until you’re at the airport to discover that the entry rules have changed since you booked. Consider the length and purpose of your trip, check the official Thai guidance, and make sure the route you’re taking is suitable before travelling.
Thailand is still an incredible destination for longer trips. This doesn’t change that. It simply means travellers staying beyond a month need to do a little more planning than they may have done previously.”
The rule change reverses the 60-day visa exemption introduced in July 2024, when Thailand expanded visa-free access to nationals of 93 countries and territories.
Thailand says its latest review considered factors including national security, tourism and economic interests, reciprocity, simplifying overlapping visa exemptions and the availability of its e-Visa system.
Links:
Thailand Tourism
What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Thailand
