Savvy WandererTravels

Visa rules for Thailand

Of the 198 other passports, 67 can visit Thailand visa-free and 3 get a visa on arrival. 85 need an e-Visa or online approval before they travel. For 43, the rules changed recently: check first.

Visa-free67
Visa on arrival3
e-Visa or online85
Embassy visa or no entry0
DataDataset 17 Feb 2026 · checked 17 Oct 2026

Detailed guide for South Africans

Which passports can visit Thailand

Each country is coloured by what its passport holders need to visit Thailand. Hover over or tap a country for details.

What’s changed

New rules from 15 September 2026

Thailand replaced its 60-day visa exemption. Passports from 60 countries and territories, including South Africa, the UK and the US, now get 30 days visa-free; Mauritius and Seychelles get 15 days; Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia get a visa on arrival. Separate agreements between Thailand and some countries still apply. Passports marked “check first” aren’t named on the new lists: ask the Royal Thai Embassy before you book.

Arrival card

Every visitor must also fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before arriving: tdac.immigration.go.th. Sites that charge for it are not official.

Every passport, by entry type

Visa-free 67 passports

Southern Africa

Indian Ocean islands

Europe

Middle East

East Asia

Southeast Asia

South Asia

Central Asia and the Caucasus

North America

South America

Oceania

Visa on arrival 3 passports

Europe

Central Asia and the Caucasus

e-Visa or online authorisation 85 passports

Southern Africa

East Africa

West Africa

Central Africa

North Africa

Indian Ocean islands

Atlantic islands

Europe

Middle East

East Asia

South Asia

Central Asia and the Caucasus

Central America

Caribbean

South America

Oceania

Rules changed recently: check first 43 passports

Southern Africa

  • Namibia · rules changed: check first

East Africa

North Africa

  • Morocco · rules changed: check first
  • Tunisia · rules changed: check first

Europe

  • Albania · rules changed: check first
  • Andorra · rules changed: check first
  • Kosovo · rules changed: check first
  • Monaco · rules changed: check first
  • Russia · rules changed: check first
  • San Marino · rules changed: check first

East Asia

Southeast Asia

  • Cambodia · rules changed: check first
  • Laos · rules changed: check first
  • Vietnam · rules changed: check first

South Asia

Central Asia and the Caucasus

North America

  • Mexico · rules changed: check first

Central America

Caribbean

South America

  • Bolivia · rules changed: check first
  • Colombia · rules changed: check first
  • Ecuador · rules changed: check first
  • Paraguay · rules changed: check first
  • Peru · rules changed: check first
  • Uruguay · rules changed: check first
  • Venezuela · rules changed: check first

Oceania

Before you go

  • Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your trip, with 2 blank pages.
  • Carry a return or onward ticket, your accommodation details and proof you can pay for your stay.
  • Apply only on the official site: Thai e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Copycat sites charge extra.
  • Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate, especially if you travel from or through Africa or South America.
  • Airlines decide boarding with Timatic: check your route on the IATA Travel Centre.

Sources and checks

How current is this? Entry types come from an open visa dataset updated 17 Feb 2026, corrected where newer official notices show a change (checked 17 Oct 2026). Notes on this page were checked against the sources below. Rules change without notice: confirm with the embassy or official immigration site, and check your route on the IATA Travel Centre before you book.

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