Thailand Entry Requirements 2026: 30 Days Visa-Free, Free TDAC – Rules & Traps

You are standing in the arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi. The air conditioning hums, and outside the heavy, humid warmth is waiting to wrap around you like a wet towel. In front of you, hundreds of people in queues – and this is the moment you find out whether your preparation worked. If you have the TDAC on your phone, a passport with enough validity and an answer to “How long are you staying?”, you are through in minutes. If not, you are hunting for a form on a dead connection – or you already paid 50 or 80 euros at home on a site that only looked like the government.

We love Thailand – Bangkok, Phuket, the longtail boats off Krabi – and we are flying back by February 2027 at the latest. So we took a close look at the new rules: what changed in September 2026, what is actually mandatory, where the traps are and which websites to use. No scaremongering, no agency fees.

Thailand entry requirements 2026 at a glance

Sources: Royal Thai Gazette vol. 143 (31 Aug 2026, English translation via tvc.co.th), Thai MFA press briefing of 3 Sep 2026 (mfa.go.th), German Foreign Office travel advice for Thailand, official TDAC website. Rules can change – check before you fly.

Sounds simple? It is – once you know the three stumbling blocks: the 30 days, the TDAC and the fake websites. One at a time.

Visa-free to Thailand: 60 days become 30

From July 2024 to September 2026, Austrians, Germans and many others could stay 60 days without a visa. That is over. With four notifications signed on 26 August and published on 31 August 2026 in the Royal Thai Gazette, Thailand repealed the 60-day exemption. Since 15 September 2026, Austria, Germany and Switzerland are back to a 30-day visa exemption – explicitly for tourism only. Anyone who entered before 15 September keeps the stay shown in their entry stamp (source: MFA briefing, 3 Sep 2026).

What does that mean in practice? Two weeks of island hopping plus a few days in Bangkok fit easily. But if you plan six or eight weeks in one go, as many long-term travellers do, you now need to think ahead:

• Extend in the country: According to the German Foreign Office, a one-time extension of up to 30 days is possible – for tourism only, requested before your permitted stay ends, directly at an Immigration Office. Not through agencies, not through your hotel. You will learn the fee at the office; we do not quote a number because we could not confirm it in an official source.
• Tourist visa in advance: For longer trips, apply via Thailand’s official e-visa portal or the Thai embassy. Only there – intermediaries earn fees you do not have to pay.
• Border runs over land: Visa-free entries via land borders are limited to two per calendar year; citizens of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt from the cap. There is no such cap for arrivals by air; whether sea arrivals count is contradictory in the sources.

The German Foreign Office also notes that entry may be refused if your tourist stays add up to more than 180 days a year. Worth knowing before that “quick” visa run to Malaysia.

Now to the form most travellers trip over – not because it is hard, but because they end up on the wrong site.

TDAC: how to fill in the digital arrival card

Since 1 May 2025, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) has replaced the old paper TM6 card. It is mandatory for all foreign travellers, whether you arrive by air, land or sea. And it is free: the title of the official site literally says “No Fees Required”.

Step by step:

1. Type the address yourself: tdac.immigration.go.th – do not google it, do not click an ad.
2. Respect the window: no earlier than 72 hours (3 days) before you arrive in Thailand. Landing in Bangkok on Friday evening? You can fill it in from Tuesday evening.
3. Have your details ready: passport data, flight number and arrival date, address of your first accommodation, countries you recently visited, a few personal details (occupation, contact) and a short health declaration.
4. One per person: children need their own card too. Families can add several travellers one after another.
5. Save the confirmation: after submitting, you receive a confirmation with a QR code and TDAC number. Take a screenshot and keep it offline – the terminal Wi-Fi is often overloaded.

Our advice: fill in the TDAC at home the evening before your flight, with good internet and a clear head – not at the gate. A typo in your passport number costs you more time at the counter than the whole form.

Easy enough. The catch is not the form, but what Google shows you first.

Thailand entry requirements: the fake-website trap

As soon as the TDAC became mandatory, the copies appeared. Thai Immigration warned on 1 May 2025 and again in June 2025 about fake TDAC websites that charge money and harvest personal data (reported by the Bangkok Post and Pattaya Mail, among others). The pattern is always the same: official-looking design, a flag, “Apply now”, then a “service fee” – for a form that is free.

• Check the address: the real TDAC ends in .go.th – the domain of Thai government agencies. Sites with “.com”, “.org”, “-visa” or “-online” in the name are not the government.
• No payment field: the moment you are asked for a credit card, you are in the wrong place.
• Ignore ads: the top results on Google are often paid ads from intermediaries.
• Already paid? Contact your card issuer about a chargeback, and still fill in the TDAC on the real site – you cannot know whether the intermediary actually submitted it.

This is exactly why we make our guides: instead of clicking through ads, the Frangipani guide “Thailand: Bangkok, the North & the Islands” gives you every official website as a link and QR code – TDAC, immigration, ferries, trains. Lose 30 to 80 euros once to an intermediary site, and the guide has paid for itself several times over. (The Thailand guide is coming soon; you can follow it on the guides page.)

Passport, funds, onward ticket: what the officer may ask

Thai border officers are polite but thorough. Know these points:

• Passport: according to the German Foreign Office, it must be valid for at least six more months on the day you enter. An ID card is not enough. Make sure you have blank pages for the stamp.
• Proof of funds: travellers without a visa must be able to show at least THB 20,000 per person (families THB 40,000) in cash or equivalent on arrival. Checks are random – but when they happen, there is no discussion.
• Onward travel: keep a return or onward ticket ready (PDF or app). You may be asked for it on a visa-free entry – and without a ticket beyond 30 days things can get tricky.
• Accommodation: your first address is in the TDAC anyway. A booking confirmation on your phone helps if questions come up.

Book your first nights where you can cancel for free: hotels in Bangkok and Phuket on Booking.com (ad), apartments with kitchen and pool on Airbnb (ad). How to avoid the classic mistakes is explained in Booking Airbnb the right way.

Entry fee and ETA: what is planned – and what is not in force

For years a “Thailand tourism fee” has been floating around the news, first 300 baht, now 450 baht. As of 6 Nov 2026: the fee is not in force. The National Tourism Policy Board approved the 450 baht in principle on 14 August 2026; consultation, Cabinet approval, publication and a 180-day lead time follow. Realistically, collection for air arrivals starts in 2027 at the earliest (source: Siam Legal, 28 Aug 2026). A departure tax was also discussed in October 2026 – also not decided.

The same goes for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for visa-exempt nationalities: announced since 2024, but currently not required for Austrians or Germans. What matters for you: anyone selling you a “Thailand ETA” or a “Thailand entry fee” today is selling something that does not exist yet.

Customs and bans: vapes, cannabis, cash

Thailand is relaxed – except for a few rules where there is no joking. According to the German Foreign Office:

• E-cigarettes and vapes are banned outright – import, sale, possession and use. Penalties include heavy fines or up to five years in prison. Leave them at home, even if you see them at street stalls.
• Beach smoking bans: on many beaches (including Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui) fines of up to THB 100,000 or prison.
• Cannabis: since June 2025 only for medical purposes with a doctor’s prescription. Public consumption remains illegal. Other drugs carry draconian penalties – even in transit areas.
• Cash: foreign currency is unlimited but must be declared above the equivalent of USD 20,000. Taking baht out: declare from THB 50,000.
• Drones must be registered; violations cost up to THB 100,000 or prison.
• The monarchy: criticising the royal family is a crime – sharing posts included. When in doubt, stay silent.

For cash and cards we keep it simple: bring little cash, withdraw locally with a card at the real exchange rate. Thai ATMs usually charge foreign cards a fixed fee per withdrawal – so withdraw less often, but larger amounts. We use Wise (ad), because you pay in baht at the mid-market rate without your home bank’s hidden mark-ups.

After landing: your first 60 minutes in Thailand

TDAC done, stamp in your passport – and now? Most travellers land in Bangkok, either at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK), the low-cost airport. How to get into the city without a taxi rip-off – Airport Rail Link from 15 baht, metered taxi, Grab, bus – is covered in detail here: Bangkok airport to city.

Our tip for the first hour: activate your SIM or eSIM at home, withdraw baht at an ATM in the arrivals hall (not at the exchange booth before customs) and save the route to your accommodation as a screenshot. Then you have arrived before the city swallows you – and you can enjoy what makes it special: street kitchens at midnight, golden temples in the morning light, longtail boats on the Chao Phraya. Our favourite places are in Bangkok things to do, the quiet corners down south in Phuket hidden gems.

Checklist: Thailand entry without stress

• ☐ Passport valid for at least 6 months on arrival, blank pages available
• ☐ Stay planned: up to 30 days visa-free – longer? Plan an extension or a visa
• ☐ TDAC filled in no earlier than 72 h before arrival at tdac.immigration.go.th (free), one per person
• ☐ TDAC confirmation with QR code saved offline as a screenshot
• ☐ Return or onward ticket as PDF on your phone
• ☐ Address of your first accommodation noted (it goes into the TDAC)
• ☐ Proof of funds possible: THB 20,000 per person / THB 40,000 per family
• ☐ No e-cigarettes or vapes in your luggage
• ☐ Travel insurance in place
• ☐ Airport transfer planned (Airport Rail Link, taxi kiosk, Grab)

FAQ: Thailand entry requirements

How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?

Since 15 September 2026, travellers from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the other listed countries can stay up to 30 days for tourism. The previous 60-day rule no longer applies. A one-time extension of up to 30 days is possible at an Immigration Office, according to the German Foreign Office.

Which countries get 30 days visa-free?

The list published in the Royal Thai Gazette on 31 August 2026 includes Austria, Germany and Switzerland among many others. Check the official list for your nationality with the Thai embassy or the Thai MFA.

Does the TDAC cost anything?

No. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is free. Sites that charge a fee are intermediaries or scams – the real site is tdac.immigration.go.th.

When do I have to fill in the TDAC?

No earlier than 72 hours (3 days) before you arrive in Thailand. Ideally the evening before your flight, with good internet, and save the confirmation offline.

Do children need their own TDAC?

Yes, every arriving person needs their own card and their own passport.

Do I need the TDAC when entering by land, e.g. from Malaysia or Laos?

Yes. Since 1 May 2025, the TDAC applies to all foreign travellers – by air, land and sea. Also note: visa-free entries over land are limited to two per calendar year.

Is there a Thailand entry fee?

Not as of 6 Nov 2026. A 450-baht fee is planned; according to Siam Legal (28 Aug 2026) it will be collected for air arrivals in 2027 at the earliest.

Do I need travel insurance for Thailand?

It is not required for visa-free entry. We still recommend it, because private hospitals in Bangkok and on the islands are expensive.

What happens if I overstay the 30 days?

Overstays are fined per day on departure and can lead to entry bans. Plan ahead: apply for an extension at Immigration before your stay expires, or get a visa beforehand.

Sources (as of 6 Nov 2026)

• Royal Thai Gazette vol. 143, special issue 207 Ng, 31 Aug 2026 – 30-day visa exemption (English translation: tvc.co.th)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand (mfa.go.th) – press briefing, 3 Sep 2026
• German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) – Thailand travel and safety advice
• Thai Immigration Bureau – official TDAC website tdac.immigration.go.th
• Wikipedia – Thailand Digital Arrival Card (Immigration warnings about fake sites, May/June 2025)
• Siam Legal – Thailand’s Foreign Tourist Fee: What’s Actually Confirmed (28 Aug 2026)
• VisasNews (14 Sep 2026) and Envoy Global (9 Sep 2026) – summaries of the new rules

Want more? Read next how to get into the city without a rip-off: Bangkok airport to city – or start dreaming of the Andaman Sea: Krabi and Phi Phi by longtail boat.