01Do you need a visa at all?
Most first-time visitors do not need to apply for anything in advance. Citizens of a long list of countries, including the US, UK, most of the EU, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, get an automatic visa exemption stamp on arrival, typically valid for 60 days.
Always check the exemption length for your specific passport before you fly — it varies by nationality and occasionally changes, so do not rely on what a friend told you about their trip. Some neighbouring ASEAN nationalities get a shorter 30-day exemption instead of 60.
02Which visa type should you choose
For most first trips, you need nothing at all beyond the automatic exemption. Work out which bracket you fall into before you book flights.
- ✓Trip under 60 days: do nothing, you get the exemption automatically on arrival
- ✓Trip 60-90 days: arrive on the exemption, extend once in-country for 30 more days
- ✓Multiple trips over a year, or any single trip over 90 days: apply for a Tourist Visa (TR) or Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) before you fly, at a Thai embassy or consulate
- ✓Planning to study, work or volunteer: none of the above applies, you need a different visa category entirely
03Extending your stay in-country
The 60-day exemption (or a single-entry Tourist Visa) can be extended once at any immigration office in Thailand for an extra 30 days. The fee is 1,900 THB, paid in cash at the office.
Bring your passport, a 4x6cm passport photo, the TM.7 extension application form (available at the office or online), and your TM.6/arrival record. Processing is usually same-day if you arrive early. Bangkok's main immigration office at Chaeng Watthana gets busy — arrive by 8am if you can, or use a smaller provincial office, which is often faster.
- ✓Visa exemption: usually 60 days, extendable once by 30 days in-country, 1,900 THB fee
- ✓Tourist Visa (TR): apply before travel, typically 60 days, check single vs multiple entry
- ✓Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV): valid up to 6 months, multiple 60-day entries, not available to all nationalities
- ✓Border runs are heavily discouraged by immigration now — do not plan your trip around one
04The arrival card and digital entry
Thailand has moved to fully digital arrival processing. Travellers now complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online, free of charge, within 72 hours before landing. Keep the confirmation on your phone or print it — immigration may ask for it alongside your passport.
05Overstaying — what actually happens
The fine for overstaying is 500 THB per day, capped at 20,000 THB. A short, unintentional overstay of a day or two because of a flight delay is usually handled quickly and without drama at the airport on your way out.
Longer or repeated overstays are treated far more seriously and can result in a travel ban from Thailand, ranging from one year to permanently depending on how long you overstayed. It is never worth risking — extend before your stamp expires, not after.
06What immigration actually checks
In practice, arrivals are fast and low-friction for tourists from exempt countries. Have your passport, a printed or digital onward ticket, and an idea of where you are staying your first night. You very rarely get asked anything beyond that.
