Mr. Tee Lawyer

Thailand has decided to end the 60-day visa-free stay scheme
The system will likely return to a 30-day visa exemption
However, final details and exact effective date have not yet been announced
What Will Change
The previous 60-day visa-free stay (introduced after COVID-19) will be cancelled
Immigration rules will revert to the earlier system used before the 60-day policy
The change applies to all 93 countries currently under the scheme

2. Planned Framework
30-day visa exemption
Reduced from 57 countries to 54 countries
Some countries will be removed (not yet officially named)
15-day visa exemption
Introduced for certain nationalities
Visa on Arrival (VOA)
Simplified system
Reduced from 31 countries to 4 countries in this category
Bilateral agreements remain unchanged
Some countries still have special arrangements (14, 30, or 90-day stays depending on agreements)

3.All tourists entering Thailand under visa-free or visa-on-arrival schemes
Visitors already in Thailand will keep their current permitted stay until it expires

Concerns over foreigners using long stays to run businesses improperly
Security and immigration control issues
Overlapping visa schemes causing confusion
Need to review and simplify the overall visa system
📊 Tourism Context
Foreign arrivals (recent data): 12.9 million, down 3.3% year-on-year
Last year: 33 million arrivals (down 7%)
Forecast for this year: around 32 million
🧭 Important Note
The policy is approved but not fully implemented yet
Countries affected and exact dates will be officially confirmed later by Thai authorities
💡 In Simple Terms

Thailand is tightening and simplifying its visa-free entry rules, reducing the 60-day stay back to shorter periods, mainly 30 days or less, with some additional restrictions depending on nationality.

Source MFA

The Order of the Central Partnership and Company Registration Office No. 1/2026 has been effective from 1 April 2026 onwards. This measure focuses on monitoring companies that undergo structural changes, particularly in cases where a “foreigner” becomes a shareholder, or where there is an amendment to the directors or their authority resulting in a foreigner having the power to sign or co-sign on behalf of the company.

In this regard, the director applying for registration is required to submit an investment confirmation letter, which must include the following key representations:

Confirmation of investment: All partners or shareholders have jointly made actual capital contributions and fully paid their investments.
Confirmation of transparency: There has been no assistance, support, or joint business operation with a foreigner in the form of a “nominee” arrangement.

Lawyer TEE

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