Since 15 September 2026, Thailand's visa on arrival is available to citizens of only three countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, for a stay of up to 15 days (as of October 2026). Travelers from India, China, Taiwan and the other countries on older visa-on-arrival lists now enter visa-free or need a visa in advance.
Visa on arrival (VoA) means you apply for a short tourist visa at the immigration checkpoint when you land or cross the border, rather than at an embassy. For years it was how many travelers from Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East entered Thailand, and the list once covered more than 20 countries. The reform that ended the 60-day visa exemption also cut the VoA list down to three countries. This page explains who still uses it, what it costs, what to bring, and what everyone else should do instead.
Thailand visa on arrival, October 2026
- Eligible passports
- Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia (ordinary passports)
- Stay
- Up to 15 days
- In force since
- Tuesday 15 September 2026
- Fee
- 2,000 baht, cash in Thai baht, non-refundable (Thai embassy wording)
- Funds you may be asked to show
- 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family
- Extension
- Generally not possible, except illness that prevents travel
- Official list
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs VoA list, 15 September 2026
Who can get a visa on arrival now
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs published the current list on 15 September 2026. It has three entries, all for ordinary passports, and a maximum stay of 15 days:
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Serbia
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's summary of the Royal Gazette announcements, dated 1 September 2026, confirms the same three countries. The MFA's index page for visa exemption and visa on arrival links this list alongside the visa-exemption lists, and is the place to check before you travel.
What happened to the old visa-on-arrival list
Many websites, and the Royal Thai Embassy in London's own visa-on-arrival page (last updated in November 2022), still show a much longer list. That list is out of date. Under the September 2026 framework:
| Passport | On the 2022 VoA list (London embassy page) | Status since 15 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| India | Yes | 30-day visa exemption |
| Taiwan | Yes | 30-day visa exemption |
| Bhutan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Malta | Yes | 30-day visa exemption |
| China | Yes | 30 days under a bilateral agreement (since 1 March 2024) |
| Kazakhstan | Yes | 30 days under a bilateral agreement |
| Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia | No | Visa on arrival, 15 days |
If your country appears on none of the official lists (30-day exemption, 15-day exemption, bilateral agreements or VoA), you need a visa before you travel. Our guide to the Thai visa exemption has the full lists, and travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macao should read our page on Thai visa rules for Chinese citizens.
The fee and the documents
The fee most often quoted by Thai embassies is 2,000 baht, payable in cash in Thai baht and non-refundable. We could not find a 2026 page from the Immigration Bureau stating the fee, so check it at the checkpoint, and carry enough baht in cash; our article on where to exchange money in Thailand explains your options.
The London embassy's checklist, the most detailed official one we could read, asks for:
- a completed application form, available at the checkpoint;
- one recent passport photo (other embassies specify 4 × 6 cm);
- a passport valid for at least one more month, with at least two blank pages;
- a fully paid onward or return ticket for travel within 15 days of entry;
- proof of funds of 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family;
- the fee in Thai baht.
The funds rule is current: TAT published a reminder on 6 July 2026 that the amounts for VoA travelers are 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 baht per family, as cash or as documents showing the same amount. You must also submit the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival, as every foreign visitor must.
Book your return within 15 days before you fly. A visa on arrival gives 15 days, and an onward ticket dated later than that can get you refused at the counter. Overstaying even one day costs 500 baht a day and can lead to detention; see our guide to overstaying in Thailand.
Where visa on arrival is issued
VoA is issued at designated immigration checkpoints, not at every border post. The London embassy page lists the main international airports (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Samui, Chiang Rai, Surat Thani and others), several seaports, and land crossings such as Nong Khai, Mae Sai, Sadao and Padang Besar. That list dates from 2022, and we could not find a 2026 version, so if you plan to arrive by land or sea, confirm with a Thai embassy that your crossing issues VoA.
At the big airports, look for the visa-on-arrival counter before the normal immigration queue, and have your form, photo and cash ready. Our guides to Thailand's airports and to getting from Suvarnabhumi into Bangkok cover what comes after immigration.
Extensions and online pre-applications
A visa-on-arrival stay generally cannot be extended. The London embassy says the only exception is "special cases of illness" that prevent you from travelling, applied for at an Immigration Bureau office. If you might want more than 15 days, apply for a tourist visa instead.
Some older embassy pages still link to commercial websites for "VoA pre-application". These are not on the current MFA site, and VoA is not applied for on the official e-Visa portal either. Do not pay a website for a visa on arrival; it is issued at the checkpoint.
The alternative: a tourist visa through the Thai e-Visa portal
For anyone who does not qualify for visa exemption or VoA, or who wants to stay longer, the route is the official Thai e-Visa portal, run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You create an account, fill in the form, upload documents, pay the fee and receive the e-Visa confirmation by e-mail. You apply before you travel, from outside Thailand.
For a tourist visa, the portal's requirements (October 2026) include:
- the biodata page of your passport and a photo taken within the last six months;
- proof of where you are currently located, such as a valid visa or residence document;
- a travel booking and proof of accommodation in Thailand;
- financial evidence of at least 20,000 baht, for example three months of bank statements.
The portal offers single-entry tourist visas valid for three months and multiple-entry visas valid for six months. The portal also warns that the embassy may ask for an interview or more documents and that fees are non-refundable. Thai embassy pages state a tourist-visa stay of up to 60 days per entry, extendable once by 30 days, but confirm the current terms for your nationality with the embassy that will handle your application.
Our older overview of visas and retirement in Thailand covers longer-term options, and the Destination Thailand Visa is worth a look for remote workers.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries can get a visa on arrival in Thailand in 2026?
Only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, for a stay of up to 15 days, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list dated 15 September 2026. Older lists that include India, China, Taiwan and other countries are out of date.
Can Indian citizens still get a visa on arrival in Thailand?
Indian citizens no longer need one. Since 15 September 2026 India is on Thailand's 30-day visa-exemption list for tourism, according to the Royal Gazette list published by TAT and the MFA's 30-day list.
How much is Thailand's visa on arrival fee?
Thai embassies give the fee as 2,000 baht, paid in cash in Thai baht and non-refundable. We found no 2026 Immigration Bureau page confirming it, so carry enough baht and check the amount at the checkpoint.
Can I extend a visa on arrival in Thailand?
Generally not. According to the Royal Thai Embassy in London, a visa-on-arrival stay can only be extended in special cases of illness that prevent travel. If you need more than 15 days, apply for a tourist visa through the Thai e-Visa portal before you go.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs – Visa on Arrival list, 15 September 2026 (checked October 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs – Visa exemption and visa on arrival (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September (checked October 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, London – Visa on Arrival (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Entry reminder on proof of funds (checked October 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Thai e-Visa official website (checked October 2026)
- Thai e-Visa – Tourist visas (checked October 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Budapest – Types of visas and application fees (checked October 2026)