Indian ordinary passport holders enter Thailand without a visa for 30 days per visit for tourism and short business, under the exemption revised on 15 September 2026 (it was 60 days before that date). The only paperwork is the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card, filed online within 72 hours before arrival. Travellers who want longer apply on thaievisa.go.th for a tourist e-Visa: INR 3,000 for a single entry with 60 days of stay, or INR 13,500 for a six-month multiple-entry visa, both decided in about 10 working days and extendable once by 30 days for THB 1,900.
The short version with the price card and checklist is on the Thailand visa-free entry route page. This article is the long version, with the reasoning behind the border checks, the funds rule and the choice between the exemption and the tourist visa.
Is Thailand visa-free for Indians in 2026?
Yes, for a tourist or short business trip of up to 30 days. India is on Thailand's visa-exemption list for ordinary passports, and the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi published the revised 30-day rule on 16 September 2026 after the Cabinet trimmed the 60-day scheme introduced in July 2024. The conditions have not changed: a passport valid for six months on arrival, a confirmed return or onward ticket within the 30 days, an address in Thailand, and funds of THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family if an officer asks. The exemption covers sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, attending meetings, conferences and trade fairs, and medical appointments; it does not cover paid work, study, volunteering or journalism, each of which needs a Non-immigrant visa issued before travel.
The visa on arrival that Indians used for years is no longer relevant: it was a 15-day product for nationalities outside the exemption list, and India moved onto the exemption list permanently. Diplomatic and official passport holders remain exempt for 90 days under the bilateral agreement. Anyone planning a stay of 31 to 60 days, a long tour with Cambodia and Laos, or a language or Muay Thai course of a few weeks should hold the tourist visa (TR) rather than rely on the single THB 1,900 extension.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, and who must file it?
The TDAC replaced the paper TM6 card on 1 May 2025. Every foreign traveller, including visa-exempt Indians, children and infants, submits it at tdac.immigration.go.th within three days before arrival; a family or group of up to ten can be filed together. The form asks for passport details, the flight number, the first night's address in Thailand and a health declaration, and the confirmation arrives by e-mail within minutes. Airlines check it at check-in and immigration officers scan the QR code at the counter or the autogate. It is free, and sites charging USD 10 to 50 to "process" it are resellers. Only passengers transiting airside at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang without clearing immigration are exempt.
How much does a Thailand visa cost for Indians?
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa exemption (30 days) | Free | Indian ordinary passports, tourism and short business |
| Thailand Digital Arrival Card | Free | Online within 3 days before arrival; one per traveller |
| Tourist visa TR, single entry | INR 3,000 | Valid 3 months to enter; 60 days of stay |
| Tourist visa TR, multiple entry | INR 13,500 | Valid 6 months; 60 days per entry |
| Extension of stay | THB 1,900 | Once, 30 days, for exempt and TR entries |
| Overstay fine | THB 500 a day, maximum THB 20,000 | Entry bans from 90 days of overstay |
Tourist visa fees are paid online in rupees on thaievisa.go.th by card or UPI and are not refunded on refusal. Vistolane charges the INR 3,000 or INR 13,500 government fee at the official rate and shows its service separately on the Thailand destination page.
What documents does the tourist e-Visa need?
Identity and forms. The passport data page as a colour scan with six months' validity, a recent 3.5 by 4.5 cm photo on a white background, and proof of residence in India (Aadhaar or a utility bill) to confirm the embassy or consulate that handles your state: New Delhi for the north, Mumbai for the west, Kolkata for the east and Chennai for the south.
Trip. Confirmed return flights, hotel bookings or a host's invitation with their Thai ID or passport and house registration, and a short itinerary when the trip is longer than two weeks.
Funds and ties. Three months of bank statements showing the equivalent of THB 20,000 per person (about INR 55,000), plus an employer's leave letter or business registration; students add a bona fide certificate and a parent's statements. The travel document checklist helps you tick these off before you pay.
How does the application run?
- Create an account on thaievisa.go.th, choose "Tourist visa (TR)", single or multiple entry, and your embassy or consulate by state of residence.
- Upload the passport, photo, flights, hotel, funds and employment documents; names and dates must match the passport exactly.
- Pay INR 3,000 or INR 13,500 online; the fee is locked once paid, so check the entry type first.
- The embassy or consulate reviews the file in about 10 working days and may e-mail for extra documents; the approval is a PDF e-Visa to print.
- File the TDAC within three days before departure, travel within the three-month (single) or six-month (multiple) validity, and show the e-Visa, TDAC and return ticket at the counter.
How long does it take from India?
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Documents and scans | 1 to 3 days |
| Embassy processing | About 10 working days |
| Peak season (December to February, April) | 12 to 15 working days |
| TDAC | Minutes, within 72 hours of arrival |
The embassy asks applicants to lodge at least two weeks before travel and not more than three months ahead. Travellers using the exemption need no lead time at all beyond the TDAC.
What happens at the border and during the stay?
Immigration at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai stamps the exact exit date, 30 days for exempt entries and 60 days for TR holders, and the date on the stamp is the one that counts. Officers may ask for the return ticket, the hotel booking and THB 10,000 in cash or card balance; refusals at the counter are rare for Indian tourists with bookings but common for travellers who have made several back-to-back exempt entries, which the Immigration Bureau treats as living in Thailand on tourist status. A single extension of 30 days costs THB 1,900 at any immigration office with form TM7, a photo and proof of address.
Working, including remote work for an Indian employer on a long stay, is not permitted on the exemption or the TR; the Destination Thailand Visa guide covers the five-year visa that does allow remote work, and the Thailand work visa guide covers employment with a Thai company.
Why are Thailand tourist visas refused, and what fixes each reason?
Funds not shown. Statements under THB 20,000 per person or a large deposit a few days before applying. Show three months of statements with regular income and keep the balance above the threshold from the first page.
Pattern of exempt entries. Several visa-free visits in a year, read as residence on tourist status. Apply for a TR before travelling and carry the documents for the trip; longer stays belong on the DTV or a Non-immigrant visa.
Documents mismatched. Hotel dates outside the flight dates, or a name typed differently from the passport. Align every booking with the flights and copy the passport exactly.
Wrong embassy jurisdiction. Filing with Mumbai while resident in Delhi. Choose the mission for your state of residence and attach the address proof.
Overstay history. An unpaid fine or a stamped overstay on a previous trip. Settle fines, disclose the history and explain the circumstances in a cover letter.
How Vistolane files it
Vistolane checks whether your trip fits the 30-day exemption or needs the TR, files the TDAC and the e-Visa on thaievisa.go.th and charges the government fee as listed. Start with the free eligibility check or the Thailand visa-free entry route page. Travellers comparing South-East Asian trips can read the Malaysia visa-free entry guide, the Vietnam e-Visa guide and the Singapore visa guide.
