Thailand is changing its short-stay entry rules from September 15, 2026. The broad system introduced in 2024, which allowed passport holders from 93 countries and territories to enter visa-free for 60 days, is being replaced by a narrower structure: 30-day visa exemption for 60 countries and territories, 15-day exemption for two, and visa-on-arrival access for only three nationalities.
The key point is passport nationality. The rule does not depend on where a traveller lives, which language they speak or where the flight departs.
The 60-day regime ends
The Thai government approved the reform on May 19, 2026. The relevant measures were published in the Royal Gazette on August 31, with implementation from September 15, 2026. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that the previous 60-day exemption framework is being withdrawn.
France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada and Switzerland: 30 days
Ordinary passport holders from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada and Switzerland remain visa-exempt for tourism, but the permitted stay falls from 60 days to 30 days.
Longer stays or travel for another purpose require the appropriate visa category.
Mauritius and Seychelles: 15 days
Mauritius and Seychelles move into a separate 15-day visa-exemption category. The change is particularly significant for Mauritian travellers, who previously benefited from 60 days.
Monaco and Morocco: visa required
Monaco and Morocco were included in the former 60-day regime but do not appear on the new 30-day or 15-day exemption lists or in the visa-on-arrival category. Travellers using those passports should therefore obtain the appropriate visa before departure.
Entries before September 15 keep their original permission
The change is not retroactive. Travellers already admitted under the old rules, or entering before September 15, may stay until the date granted by Thai immigration at entry.
TDAC remains mandatory
The visa change does not remove the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC). Since May 1, 2025, non-Thai nationals passing through immigration must complete the digital arrival card before entering the country.
The form can be submitted during the three days before arrival, including the arrival date. A new TDAC is required for each entry.
Passport validity
The Royal Thai Embassy in Paris advises travellers to hold a passport valid for at least six months on arrival. Information used for entry formalities or an e-Visa application must match the passport used for travel.
Why Thailand is tightening the system
Thai authorities cite national security, tourism and economic interests, reciprocity, simplification of overlapping exemption schemes and the growing availability of the e-Visa system.
What travellers should remember
France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Switzerland: 30 days visa-free for tourism from September 15.
Mauritius and Seychelles: 15 days visa-free.
Monaco and Morocco: visa required.
TDAC: still required for foreign travellers who pass immigration.
Official sources
Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Thailand Immigration Bureau: TDAC
Royal Thai Embassy in Paris
Situation checked on September 8, 2026. Immigration rules can change quickly; travellers should verify the rules for the passport they will use.
Related: French overseas territories: which travel documents do you need?, another practical guide to entry and travel-document rules.
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