Thailand visa guide & entry requirements in 2025

We have more than a decade of experience with the Thai visa system to share with you.

Navigating choppy seas of visas, extensions, border runs and 90 day reports isn’t always straight forward. Whether you’re coming for a short holiday or you’re finding the most convenient way to stay in Thailand long term, this guide should set you on the right path and clear up a lot of old myths from back when the system was a little more relaxed.

Thailand’s visa landscape changed dramatically in 2024 with the introduction of the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa), giving digital nomads and remote workers their first legitimate long-term option. Combined with recent updates to the Thailand Privilege program (formerly Thailand Elite) and new LTR visa categories, you’ve got more choices than ever.

We’re doing our best to keep updating this guide, but please use this as a start to your research and not a definitive guide. Rules and regulations are vast and not every scenario can be covered in one post.

What visa do I need?

Of course, the type of visa that you need depends on your circumstances as well as your purpose for traveling to Thailand. Here are the most common situations:

Visiting for less than 30 days? – Start with the visa exemption, but remember that not all nationalities qualify.

Visiting for more than 30 days but not longer than 6-8 months? – Assuming you don’t plan to work, you will need a tourist visa. There are several options depending on your circumstances.

Digital nomad or remote worker? – The new DTV visa is designed for you. It’s a 5-year visa allowing 180-day stays.

Planning to retire in Thailand? – If you’re over 50 years old and can meet the financial requirements, the Non-Immigrant “O-A” visa is where you should start.

Teaching English or finding other work in Thailand? – The Non-Immigrant “B” visa is what you’ll need to begin the process of obtaining a work permit.

Planning to marry a Thai national and live in Thailand? – The Non-Immigrant “O” visa is the starting point for permission to stay based on marriage or being a parent of a Thai child.

Want the VIP treatment without hassles? – The Thailand Privilege visa (formerly Thailand Elite) offers 5-20 year options with premium benefits.

High earner or investor? – The LTR visa provides 10-year residence with work rights for those meeting higher financial thresholds.

Studying Thai, Muay Thai or attending university? – The education visa (ED) works if you’re a genuine student.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements vary depending on your visa but it’s also worth noting that airlines sometimes enforce requirements such as having a return/exit flight from your destination. This is usually if you’re flying to Thailand without a visa.

Regardless of your visa, it’s good practice to fly with documentation supporting your circumstances and reasons for traveling to Thailand.

Passport

• Passport must have at least 6 months validity
• Passport must have between 1 and 3 empty pages depending on your visa

Proof of funds

In our experience, proof of funds are rarely asked for. But officially the amounts are (in any currency):

• Visa exempt: Minimum of 20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family
• Transit visa: Minimum of 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family
• Tourist visa: Minimum of 20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family
• Visa on arrival: Minimum of 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family
• Non-immigrant visa: Minimum of 20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family

Return / onward tickets

If you’re flying to Thailand without a visa, technically you should have an outbound flight booked for 15, 30 or 90 days after your arrival (depending how long you’re eligible to stay on the visa exemption scheme). Buses, trains and other land transportation does not qualify, the same goes for domestic flights to the border. It must be an international flight leaving Thailand.

This is an immigration requirement but in our experience this is mostly enforced by airlines from the country you are flying from. The reason being that if you are denied entry in to Thailand, it is their responsibility to fly you back home.

Some websites offer ‘rental tickets’ – but we wouldn’t personally recommend it. Plan your trip in advance and genuinely meet requirements. Flights to bordering countries can be bought for as little as $25 with Air Asia, Nok Air, or Thai Lion Air so you can either take a cheap trip to another country or throw away the ticket.

Note: This is an immigration requirement for travelers entering without a visa. It’s often the case that a consulate will require proof of an onward flight to issue you a visa, such as the multiple entry tourist visa.

As a rule you generally want to be entering Thailand with:

• Proof of funds (in cash)
• Proof of an onward international flight (unless you have a non-immigrant visa)
• Proof of accommodation (rental agreement, hotel booking confirmation, etc)
• Bonus: Itinerary, bank statement, etc

Yellow fever vaccination

If you are flying from or have traveled through any of the following countries you need an International Health Certificate for Yellow Fever Vaccination:

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Venezuela

Visit mfa.go.th for more information.

Visa exemption

Commonly mistaken for a visa on arrival or tourist visa. The visa exemption stamp is not a visa, but a stamp on entry granting you a 30 or 90 day stay depending on your nationality. If you’re taking a short trip to Thailand and you don’t have a long history of entries in to the country, this really is an easy way to visit Thailand with little requirements.

If you plan to stay longer than 30 or 90 days, it can work out cheaper and more convenient to get a tourist visa ahead of time.

In the past, people used the visa exemption stamps to stay in Thailand for long periods of time. There is now an official rule of 2 land entries (crossing the land borders) every calendar year. This may or may not be enforced depending on your circumstances. There is no official rule for number of entries by air but people do get turned away for abusing this as a way to stay in Thailand without an appropriate visa.

You can extend your visa exemption once by an additional 30 days. See the extensions section below.

90 day exemption

The following countries are eligible for a 90 day entry stamp without a visa:

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Chile
• South Korea
• Peru

30 day exemption

The following countries are eligible for a 30 day entry stamp without a visa:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America

Visa categories

This is not a definitive list. There are dozens of visas for: diplomats, journalists, investors, permanent residents, athletes, researchers, etc. Below are the relevant visas for the majority of people looking to visit Thailand for tourism or become an expat.

Tourist visas

Before discussing the different types of tourist visas, it’s worth noting that with either visa the longest you can stay in the country at any one time is 60 days. At which point you can either make a ‘border run’ by leaving and returning to the country, or by extending your entry at an immigration office to further your stay by 30 days, then you have no choice but to do a border run.

These dates are fairly easy to manage, they’re stamped in to your passport when you enter.

Pro tip: Always check your stamp immediately, a fairly common mistake is being stamped in for a 30 day visa exemption instead of 60 days for your tourist visa

Example of long stay: If you wish to travel in Thailand for 6 months, you could enter with 60 days, make an extension for another 30 days, leave and come back, receive another 60 days and then make a final 30 day extension, bringing you to a total of 6 months with one border run. It does take some practice to time the dates correctly with flights and you have to be careful of national holidays which would mean immigration offices are closed. You cannot make an extension after the date has passed and you will go in to overstay.

Requirements may vary depending on your country, check your local consulate website.

Single entry (SETV)

The single entry tourist visa is the easiest option to make an extended trip to Thailand. The requirements are much lower than the 180 day multiple entry tourist visa.

The SETV can be applied for in your home country (recommended), as well as at a Thai consulate in many other countries.

The SETV is valid for 3 months (you must use your single entry before this date) and will allow you to stay in the country for 60 days at a time. You can stay a further 30 days with an extension at an immigration centre for 1900 THB. You must enter Thailand within the validity date. You cannot leave and re-enter Thailand on a SETV unless you apply for a re-entry permit.

Multiple entry (METV)

The METV is a fairly new addition to the system, replacing the old double entry tourist visas. Using this visa you’ll be able to stay in Thailand for 6-8 months at a time, with ‘border runs’ every 60-90 days. The METV should be applied for in your home country and has stricter requirements.

Advantages of the METV compared to SETV:

• Leave and re-enter Thailand as many times as you want
• Using extensions you can stay for almost 9 months
• Tougher requirements mean less scrutiny at the immigration checkpoint (in theory)
• Much more affordable than some other longer stay options

Disadvantages of the METV compared to SETV:

• Financial requirements are quite high for a tourist visa
• Must prove employment or occupation in your home country
• Can only be obtained in your home country

There is a validity date on each visa which begins from the date of issue. If you’re trying to squeeze an 8 or 9 month stay from the 6 month METV then we recommend not applying too long before your trip begins. You will want to exit and re-enter Thailand very close to the end of your validity date so you can get the last 60 day entry + 30 day extension.

To give a better example, if your visa validity expires on the 10th May, you could exit and return on the 9th, activating a final 60 day stay which can be extended by 30 days. The validity of the visa is only important for your entry, after that the date you need to be concerned with is stamped in your passport.

Tourist visa on arrival & eVisa

If you’re planning a short trip and don’t qualify for a visa exemption, the next thing to check is eligibility for a tourist visa on arrival. It is available at some land borders or at the airport once you arrive. It currently costs 1000 THB / $30 USD (this has varied in the past) and is valid for 15 days.

You can extend the tourist visa on arrival at an immigration office before the 15 days expires.

If you use a land border which does not supply visa on arrival, you will be turned away.

Requirements:

• Passport photo
• Minimum of 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family (or equivalent in other currency)
• Confirmed hotel booking

Applies to:

Andorra, Bhutan, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Destination Thailand visa (DTV)

In 2024 Thailand introduced the Destination Thailand visa (DTV) – a visa that finally fills the gap for remote online workers and digital nomads. It’s a five-year, multiple-entry visa that lets you stay in Thailand up to 180 days per entry, extendable by 180 additional days (for a total of 360 days without leaving the country).

It’s often called the “digital nomad” visa because online workers have been dreaming for such a visa for many years (but it’s not just for digital nomads). Staying long term in Thailand has been increasingly difficult over the past decade, with the exception of the Thailand Privilege visa.

With all that said, it’s still new, there are some issues, and we’re personally unsure how long it’ll be around in its current state.

Who is the DTV for?

• Digital nomads & remote workers
• Winter travelers who spend 6 months in Thailand
• Anyone with finances to stay long-term but not old enough for retirement visa
• People attending long Thai courses (Muay Thai, language, cooking)
• Expats with families (spouse and children under 20 can get dependent DTVs)

DTV requirements

• Age 20 or older
• 500,000 THB in bank (~$15,000)
• Proof of remote work OR enrollment in Thai course
• Must apply from outside Thailand
• Passport valid for at least 6 months

DTV benefits

• 5-year validity
• 180 days per entry (extendable to 360 days)
• Multiple entries included
• Can work remotely (foreign clients only)
• Only 10,000 THB (~$300)

Non-immigrant visas

Business (“B”)

If you plan to start a business or find employment in Thailand, the first step is to apply for a Non-Immigrant “B” visa. There is a 90 day single entry and a 1 year multiple entry visa. Which one you qualify for depends on your business and the consulate you use to apply for your visa.

This visa can be quite complicated if you don’t have an employer or you’re setting up your own business. Help is usually sought from local accountants and lawyers to handle paperwork and accounts.

You cannot work in Thailand with a Non-Immigrant “B” visa alone. In order to work you will need to apply for a work permit within the country during your initial 90 days and then extend your visa.

See the Thai Embassy website for more information on working in Thailand.

Retirement (“O-A”)

The retirement visa is valid for 1 year and may be the easiest way to stay in Thailand long term (assuming you can meet the financial requirements and you are 50 years old or above).

The retirement visa is quite straight forward but:

• You must be 50 years or older
• Able to show 800,000 THB ($25,000) in a Thai bank account (transferred from your home country) OR a monthly recurring income of 65,000 THB or more
• You must carry health insurance from an approved provider
• Report your address every 90 days

Marriage & family (“O”)

To apply for a Non-Immigrant visa based on marriage you must be legally married to a Thai national or have Thai children.

Initially valid for 90 days. You can extend for 1 year at your local immigration if you meet the requirements.

Financial requirements are lower than retirement visa:

• 400,000 THB in bank OR 40,000 THB monthly income
• Marriage certificate (translated and certified)
• Can apply for work permit

Education (“ED”)

This visa has been, and still is being used to stay long term in Thailand. We suggest only applying for this visa if you genuinely plan to study. The most popular education is learning Thai, but other options exist such as learning Muay Thai. We’ve personally used the education visa system to learn Thai and it’s certainly not hassle free.

If you’re joining a legitimate school, you will be expected to attend most, or every class and if you’re learning Thai, there will be tests.

You are able to stay for 3-12 months with extensions and usually your school will handle most of the paperwork. If you are applying from your home country, make sure to apply at minimum 4-6 weeks before you plan to travel as the school will need to send paperwork to your home country, where you’ll need to apply for a Non-Immigrant visa at your local consulate.

If applying from Thailand, make sure you have at least 30 days left on your current entry. After paying the school they’ll prepare documents and you’ll need to leave to a neighbouring country to apply for the visa (Laos seems the most popular).

School fees range from 25,000 THB to 50,000+ depending on the length of the course and the school.

As with other Non-Immigrant visas, it is initially valid for 90 days. The education visa must be extended every 90 days at your local immigration office, which in our opinion was the biggest inconvenience.

Thailand Privilege visa (formerly Thailand Elite)

The Thailand Privilege visa is an option for visitors who either don’t qualify for the other visa categories or would prefer to pay for convenience with some extra benefits.

The Privilege visa is technically a ‘special’ kind of tourist visa. You’ll be granted an extendable one year entry on each visit for a maximum of 20 years. If you’re not old enough for a retirement visa, you don’t want to work in Thailand, and you’re not married to a Thai national, this is a good option – assuming you have some spare cash to spend.

The Thailand Privilege visa ranges from 650,000 THB for 5 years, to 5 million THB for 20 years with all privileges.

Current packages (2025)

Note: Bronze tier ends December 31, 2025. After that, Gold becomes the entry level.

Advantages:

• Arguably the only hassle-free way to stay in Thailand long term
• Unlike tourist visas you do not need to do ‘border runs’ or leave the country
• Arrival escort and priority immigration queue
• Free transfer to your accommodation from the airport
• Some packages include benefits such as free health and spa treatments
• Assistance opening bank accounts, getting a driving licence, etc

Long-term resident visa (LTR)

Thailand’s LTR visa targets high earners, investors, and skilled professionals. It provides a 10-year visa with work rights.

LTR categories

• Wealthy global citizens: $1M assets, $80k/year income
• Wealthy pensioners: 50+, $80k/year income
• Work-from-Thailand professionals: $80k/year, work for established company
• Highly-skilled professionals: Work in targeted industries

LTR benefits

• 10-year visa
• Multiple entries
• Digital work permit included
• No 90-day reporting
• Fast-track airport service

Extending your visa

Extending your stay by 30 days is fairly convenient if you’re close to an immigration office. Chang Watthana in Bangkok will be your closest if you are in Bangkok.

You must do the extension before the date stamped in to your passport. Do not leave it until the last day, only to find out the office is closed for the weekend or a national holiday. Then you will be forced to leave the country on that day or go in to overstay.

Extension costs:

• Tourist visas and visa exemption: 30-day extension for 1,900 THB
• DTV: 180-day extension for 1,900 THB
• Most other visas: 1-year extension prices vary

Re-entry permits

In short, if you have a single entry visa and plan to leave and return to the country within its validity, you will need a re-entry permit so that your visa isn’t cancelled when you leave.

You cannot use this service for visa exemption or visa on arrival.

The price for the re-entry permit is 1,000 THB for a single re-entry or 3,800 baht for a multiple re-entry stamp. They do not accept credit or debit cards.

You will need:

• Passport (of course)
• Photocopies of passport photo page, visa page and departure card (white slip given to you on arrival)
• Copy of current entry stamp
• A pen – always travel with a pen
• Filled out application form, known as TM.8 (will be provided)
• 1,000 or 3,800 THB in cash

At the airport: You can apply at the airport on the day of departure. The office or booth is after security but before immigration. You want the permit before you stamp out. It only takes 5-15 minutes.

At an immigration office: You can apply for a re-entry permit in advance at an immigration office. The process is the same but if the office is busy it’ll take much longer.

If you forget to apply for a re-entry permit on a single entry visa, the visa will be cancelled when you leave and you will have to re-apply for another visa.

90-day reporting

If you stay in Thailand for 90 consecutive days without leaving, you must report your address to immigration. This applies to most long-term visas including:

• Retirement visa
• Marriage visa
• Education visa
• Business visa
• DTV visa
• Thailand Privilege (can use points for assistance)

The LTR visa is exempt from 90-day reporting.

Border runs

A border run means leaving Thailand and re-entering to activate a new entry stamp. Popular routes:

By air:

• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Singapore
• Vientiane, Laos
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia

By land:

• Poi Pet (Cambodia)
• Nong Khai (Laos)
• Ranong (Myanmar)
• Mae Sai (Myanmar)

Remember: Only 2 land border entries per calendar year on visa exemption.

Overstaying

Overstaying your entry in Thailand results in a maximum fine of 20,000 baht, the possibility of deportation, and being blacklisted. The penalties for overstaying are not as lenient as they once were. Overstaying should never be considered.

In the past overstaying your visa wasn’t a huge problem. You had the option to pay a fine and life was great again. Those days are gone however and overstaying will usually result in a fine plus deportation and a place on the blacklist.

Overstaying by 1 or 2 days is quite common. Travelers often make mistakes aligning their flights with their visa and they’re let off.

The worst outcome is a longer overstay and being caught by the police. If you are caught, you will be blacklisted.

Which visa is really best?

After years of dealing with Thai visas, here’s our honest take:

For most digital nomads: DTV wins hands down. It’s affordable, flexible, and designed for you.

For retirees: If you’re 50+, the retirement visa is straightforward. Under 50? Consider DTV or Thailand Privilege.

For those with money: Thailand Privilege remains unbeatable for convenience. No visa runs, no hassles, VIP treatment.

For families: DTV now allows dependents at a fraction of other visa costs.

For workers: You need the business visa – no way around it if working for a Thai company.

For genuine students: Education visa works but requires real attendance and tests.

Common visa mistakes to avoid

1. Overstaying – Even one day gets you fined. Long overstays = deportation and blacklist
2. Wrong visa assumptions – That 30-day stamp isn’t a tourist visa, it’s an exemption
3. Working illegally – Teaching English on a tourist visa? That’s jail time potential
4. Border run abuse – Immigration notices patterns. Have a real visa for long stays
5. Last-minute extensions – Immigration closes on weekends and holidays
6. Not checking your stamp – Always verify dates immediately at immigration

Don’t read horror stories on Facebook groups or the Thai Visa forum and scare yourself. Many of us have been guilty of this but their stories are not verified and everyone is in a unique situation. If you’re visiting with a genuine purpose and not abusing your visa category you will be fine.

Visa rules change often and it’s quite difficult to cover every aspect of every visa. Please leave a comment for us below if you have any questions, or if you find any outdated or missing information. Thank you!