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After having loosened visa rules for Westerners in July of last year, increasing the amount of time tourists can stay in the nation from only 30 days to 60, Thailand has taken a surprising U-turn in announcing a return of the old policy.
Soon enough, Americans will no longer be able travel around Thailand for up to 2 months at a time, and if you think the drastic reduction is the only significant update, you have another thing coming.
Here is everything you need to know about Thailand’s unexpected change of policy, why this is happening, and what else can U.S. citizens expect flying to the Land of a Thousand Smiles:
What’s Up With All The Recent Visa Changes?
It’s definitely been a bittersweet year so far for travelers.
From Trump’s pending travel bans, to full-fledged regional conflicts, to the stricter visa requirements a host of European nations is bringing in, and every added bureaucratic hurdle in between, it’s been a trickier world to navigate.
For that reason, we’ve set out on a mission to update you on the entry requirement changes affecting Americans traveling to every major destination worldwide, a series you can follow here.
Well-reputed for its hospitality towards guests, Thailand has never been one to crack down hard on its immigration policy, but it seems like its relaxed attitude has been changing:
In July 2024, Thai authorities doubled the length of time foreigners could remain in Thailand as visitors, a decision that was widely celebrated by digital nomads and slow travelers at the time.
As you might know, these are often individuals who resort to the so-called ‘visa runs’ to extend their stay, or in other words, formally exiting Thailand, often by means of briefly visiting a neighboring nation, only to re-enter the country and obtain a ‘new’ visa with additional months to it.
Still, visa runs are far from being common practice, or seen in a positive light by Thai officials, who seem to have had their fill of Westerners finding loopholes, or even abusing the system.
Unfortunately, regular tourists will now also pay the price.
This Is Why Thailand Is Making Entry Rules Stricter
According to the Association of Thai Travel Agents, authorities have been concerned over an ‘increasing number’ of foreign nationals who have been found to be engaging in ‘illicit’ business activities while claiming to be in Thailand primarily for tourism.
As the rules clearly state, if you’re entering Thailand as a short-term visitor on a visa-waiver, you are not, under any circumstance, allowed to carry out paid work should your compensation originate from Thailand.
To put it simply, you can’t simply rock up to Phuket as a tourist, find a temporary job at a local hostel to earn some money on the side as you travel.
Unless you hold a valid work permit for Thailand, that is the equivalent of breaking immigration law, however short a period it is carried out for, and even if your current visitor visa is valid.
Additionally, the 60-day stay has resulted in a rise in the illegal letting of apartments to foreigners, who now feel encouraged to remain in Thailand for longer, be it for the tropical weather, the cheap cost of living, or the fascinating culture.
Hey, we get it, Koh Samui is literal paradise on earth, with its golden-sand beaches and turquoise seas, and we’ll never get over how vibrant and exciting a temple-dotted Chiang Mai can be during Songkran, but there are rules that need observed.
Only 30 Days Instead Of 60
If you plan on relocating to Thailand, you must do so via legal means, either on a Digital Nomad Visa, if that applies to you, or another immigration route.
That being said, the Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong has now moved to reduce the number of days you’re allowed to be present in Thailand on a single trip back down to just 30.
The Government has stated that they hope the move will ‘curb misuse of the waiver period’ without being detrimental to tourism, after all, data from Forward Keys indicates that only 7 percent of visitors to Thailand between January and February stayed for longer than 22 nights.
Essentially, this is a measure that is set to impact the digital nomad community the most.
The change has not been implemented yet, so in theory, you will be issued a 2-month tourist visa landing in Thailand today, and the Thai gov is willing to show some tolerance, as there will be ‘possible exemptions’ or ‘transitional measures’ for those who have trips booked already.
Nonetheless, you should prepare for incoming changes in the near future.
On top of that, last year, Thailand announced that visa-exempt visitors, and this includes U.S. passport holders, would need a new digital permit to enter the country.
Though easy enough to obtain, this was perceived by some as a clear sign Thailand is turning more protective as it pertains to securing its own borders.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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