by Admin Foreigners Visitors
As of early 2026, major new immigration rules focus on stricter border controls in Thailand, including a 2-time annual limit on visa-exempt, overland entries.
Thailand Immigration Updates (2026)
- Border Run Restrictions: Foreigners under the visa exemption list are limited to 30-day visa exemption stamps via land/sea borders (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia) to only TWO times per calendar year (Jan 1–Dec 31).
- Digital Arrival Card: Mandatory for all non-Thai nationals, requiring submission 3 days in advance of arrival via the Immigration Bureau website.
- 90-Day Reporting: Online reporting via the Immigration Bureau website can be done 15 days in advance.
- Visa on Arrival: Thailand fully adopted an e-Visa system as of January 1, 2025.
However, this change only applies to visitors who have not obtained a visa beforehand, and are entering from the border by land. Those who arrive at the airport without a prior visa will continue to receive a 30-days stamp up to 6 times per calendar year. Extensions at Thai Immigration for the visa exemption stamps remain to be 30 days for a fee of 1,900 baht.
The only exception to the new regulation will be Malaysian passport holders traveling from Malaysia, as they will continue to receive the 30-day Unlimited Visa Exemption stamps.
Beyond 90 Days
A dose of good news awaits tourists—following the new regulation set by Thai Immigration, visitors can now come regularly to Thailand without limiting their stay within a total of 90 days in a six-months period.
The restriction has already been abolished so tourists can now visit Thailand as often as they want, provided that they obtain 30 day Visa on Arrival at airports and 15 days Visa on Arrival if they are traveling via land borders.
However, immigration officials still recommend getting visas prior to arrival in Thailand, as they remind visitors that back-to-back short visas are not the proper way to extend the stay in the country on a long-term basis.
This new regulation is predicted to greatly benefit travel agencies as more border trips are expected to be booked with the increased influx of tourists eager to renew their visas.