Thailand eases visas for Indians

Indian passport holders can enter Thailand without a visa for stays of up to 60 days under rules that took effect on July 15, 2024. (mfa.go.th) Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists India among 93 countries and territories covered by the 60-day visa-exemption scheme for tourism, business engagements, and urgent or ad-hoc work. The same notice says the stay can be extended once for up to 30 more days at an immigration officer’s discretion. (mfa.go.th) The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi says the 60-day visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders “remains effective until further announcement.” The embassy also says Thailand’s e-Visa system in India went live on January 1, 2025, for travelers who still need visa categories outside the exemption. (newdelhi.thaiembassy.org) The change replaced the shorter entry window many Indian travelers had used under earlier arrangements, and it gives tourists more time for longer holidays, multi-city trips, and family visits without applying in advance for a tourist visa. Thailand’s official visa page says tourist activities covered by ordinary passports include leisure travel, recreation courses, family visits of less than 60 days, and medical treatment of less than 60 days under the relevant visa categories. (newdelhi.thaiembassy.org) The easier entry rules now sit alongside a new paperwork step at the border. Since May 1, 2025, all non-Thai nationals entering by air, land, or sea must submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within three days before arrival. (tdac.immigration.go.th, london.thaiembassy.org) Thai authorities say the digital arrival card is not a visa and does not change the visa-exemption scheme. The London embassy notice says travelers entering under visa exemption still must complete the form, while transit passengers who do not pass immigration control are exempt. (london.thaiembassy.org) For Indian travelers, the practical split is now simple: short stays of up to 60 days can usually be made visa-free, while longer stays or other purposes still go through Thailand’s official e-Visa portal. The New Delhi embassy says that system has been operating for India since January 2025. (newdelhi.thaiembassy.org, thaievisa.go.th) So the “new visa update” is really two separate changes: Thailand widened visa-free access for Indian ordinary passport holders from July 2024, and it digitized the arrival form from May 2025. For most Indian tourists, that means no pre-trip visa for a 60-day visit, but one mandatory online arrival filing before they fly. (mfa.go.th, tdac.immigration.go.th)