BANGKOK – Thailand’s immigration system has seen its biggest digital update so far, with new rules rolled out across 2025 and 2026. The focus is clear: make it simple for genuine tourists and long-stay, high-spending visitors to come in, while quietly closing the door on visa abuse.
The government’s two main goals are easy to see. First, make the entry smoother through the required digital systems. Second, grow flexible long-term visa routes for people who want to stay longer legally. Together, these moves show a shift towards quality visitors, not just higher numbers, in the post-pandemic tourism recovery.
Backed by the Cabinet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the current policies try to strike a careful balance. Entry is faster for real tourists and digital workers, but the rules are tighter for those using short-stay stamps to live and work in Thailand without proper permission.
Digital Shift: Goodbye to Paper Forms
The biggest change for foreigners in 2025 was the full launch of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which became compulsory on 1 May. This online form has completely replaced the old paper TM6 arrival and departure card, long disliked by travellers and airlines alike.
Every foreign visitor, no matter what visa they hold, now has to fill in the TDAC online before landing in Thailand. The idea is simple: cut queues and speed up checks at international airports, while bringing Thailand in line with modern border-control standards.
Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch, the National Police Chief, explained that TDAC plays a key role in security and health. The system sends data in real time to several agencies, including the Department of Disease Control and the Immigration Bureau, which helps with both screening and planning.
Alongside TDAC, the government also expanded the official Thai e-Visa system worldwide from 1 January 2025. Travellers can now apply online for many visa types, including the Single-Entry Tourist Visa, Business Visa, and the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). Applicants upload documents, pay fees, and complete the process fully online, without visiting a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in person.
This change fits with the broader ‘Thailand 4.0’ direction and has already made a difference. The process is faster and more convenient, which attracts more pre-screened visitors and cuts paperwork for Thai embassies and consulates abroad.
New Options for Long Stays and the Rise of the DTV
Remote workers and expatriates have seen clearer options appear in 2025 and 2026. Long-stay routes are now more defined, with the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) becoming a key choice for many. It is often called the “digital nomad visa” in everyday use.
The DTV is designed for “workcation” visitors and those joining “Soft Power” activities, such as Muay Thai training, Thai cooking courses, or music festivals. It gives a level of flexibility that Thailand did not offer before. The visa is valid for five years and allows multiple entries during that time.
Each entry lets the holder stay for up to 180 days. This stay can then be extended once inside Thailand, for another 180 days. In practice, a visitor can stay almost a full year on a single entry, without having to leave the country.
The visa targets people who earn money from outside Thailand and who are not taking local jobs. Applicants must show proof of funds, usually a minimum of 500,000 Thai Baht kept over the previous three months. While it is not a standard work permit, the DTV gives clear legal ground for remote work, reflecting how international work patterns have changed.
The price of this five-year multiple-entry visa depends on where it is issued and on the type of activity. In most cases, the total fee sits between 8,856 Baht and 36,826 Baht, with variations driven by local administrative costs and currency exchange at each embassy or consulate. Once in Thailand, DTV holders can extend each 180-day stay for another 180 days for just 1,900 Baht, which is seen as a modest fee for long-term flexibility.
Thailand has kept its popular visa-exemption scheme in place alongside these changes. Travellers from 93 countries can still enter without a visa for 60 days, a period that was increased in 2024. They can then extend their stay by 30 days at any immigration office, giving a total of 90 days without needing a formal visa. For genuine short-term tourists, this remains the simplest and quickest way to visit.
Tighter Rules on Visa Runs and Long-Stay Abuse
The “Easy Entry” approach is not a free pass. Authorities have matched the digital upgrades with firm enforcement against misuse, especially by people treating tourist entries as a way to live or work in Thailand under the radar.
In November 2025, the Immigration Bureau confirmed that it would step up checks on repeated “visa runs”. Deputy Immigration Bureau chief, Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee, told the Bangkok Post that officers are now told to look more closely at travellers coming in on a third visa-exempt entry in a row, particularly when previous stays were long.
He stressed that these checks apply to all nationalities and that holidaymakers have nothing to worry about. The real focus is on those who use the visa-free entry option to run unregistered businesses, work without a permit, or shift illegal operations from nearby countries into Thailand.
According to Pol Maj Gen Choengron, genuine tourists tend to stay around 15 days on average and can easily show onward travel and clear plans for where they will stay. By contrast, people who keep using the 60-day visa exemption back to back, instead of applying for a proper Non-Immigrant visa (such as B, O, or OA) or a long-stay visa like DTV or LTR, should now expect close questioning and a real risk of being refused entry.
This tougher stance is meant to close a long-standing gap that allowed some foreigners to stay almost permanently on back-to-back tourist entries, often while working or doing business that was never declared.
Tax Residency Rules for Long-Stay Visitors
People on long-stay visas, particularly DTV and Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visas, also need to be aware of new tax rules that took effect in 2025. Thailand now treats anyone who spends 180 days or more in the country in a calendar year as a tax resident.
For these tax residents, foreign income that is brought into Thailand can be subject to Thai personal income tax. This affects remote workers, investors, and retirees who use Thailand as a base while earning from overseas sources. Many long-stay visitors are now advised to plan carefully and speak with a qualified tax adviser before deciding how and when to remit money to Thailand.
The 2025 to 2026 visa updates mark a clear new stage in how Thailand manages who comes in and how they stay. The country has moved from paper forms to digital systems, from short-term stamps to more structured long-stay options, and from loose checks to firmer oversight of visa abuse.
By making entry easier for legitimate travellers and setting out legal paths for longer stays, Thailand aims to strengthen its position as a top destination for both holidays and remote work. The message is clear: visitors who follow the rules, spend responsibly, and contribute in a positive way are welcome, while serial visa runners and illegal workers will find it much harder to slip through the cracks.
