Thailand visa exemption: 30 days since 15 September 2026

Since 15 September 2026, Dutch and Belgian passport holders can stay in Thailand visa-exempt for 30 days and extend once by 30 days for 1,900 baht. Tourism only.

Last checked: 11 October 2026

In short (as of 11 October 2026)
Since 15 September 2026, holders of an ordinary Dutch or Belgian passport can stay in Thailand without a visa for a maximum of 30 days, for tourism only.
The old 60-day scheme was revoked on that date. If you entered before it, you keep the period of stay stamped on arrival.
You can extend once by a maximum of 30 days at a Thai immigration office, for 1,900 baht. The extension is not a right: the immigration officer decides.
Over land you can enter Thailand on this exemption a maximum of twice per calendar year.
Staying too long (overstay) costs 500 baht per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht, and can lead to an entry ban.
Since 15 September 2026 you need a visa for a business trip or any purpose other than tourism.

This article is for Dutch and Belgian holders of an ordinary passport who travel to Thailand as tourists without a visa. The Thai rules in this guide are the same for every passport on Thailand's visa exemption list; the parts about embassies and documents are written for Dutch and Belgian passport holders, so if you hold another passport, check that your country is on the list and check the requirements of the Thai embassy or consulate that serves you.

Thailand visa exemption: the rule since 15 September 2026

The Thai Ministry of Interior set out the visa exemption in a notification dated 26 August 2026, published in the Royal Gazette (Thailand's official gazette) on 31 August 2026. The notification took effect 15 days after publication: on 15 September 2026.

Who: holders of a passport from 60 countries and territories, including the Netherlands and Belgium. All 27 EU countries are on the list.
Purpose: tourism only. The Dutch government writes: "Alleen toeristen reizen visumvrij naar Thailand. Andere reizigers moeten een visum aanvragen." (Only tourists travel to Thailand without a visa. Other travellers must apply for a visa.)
Duration: a maximum of 30 days per entry.
Land border: if you enter through a land border crossing, you can do so on this exemption a maximum of twice per calendar year. This does not apply to nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.
Belgian refugee passports: according to the Thai embassy in Brussels, holders of a refugee travel document issued by Belgium or Luxembourg do not fall under the exemption.

The Netherlands. The Thai embassy in The Hague wrote on 23 September 2026 that Dutch nationals can visit Thailand "for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism purpose" and can request a 30-day extension at the Immigration Bureau: "Extension is granted at the discretion of the local immigration officer."

Belgium. The page of the Thai embassy in Brussels (updated 18 September 2026) confirms 30 days for tourism from 15 September 2026, with the option to extend by 30 days at the Thai immigration service.

What you need on arrival

Passport: valid for at least 6 months on arrival (Dutch government and the embassy in Brussels). A damaged passport can be refused.
Ticket: a return or onward ticket showing that you leave within the permitted period (Dutch government; Brussels mentions "a round-trip air ticket").
Money: the embassy in Brussels asks for at least 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family. The Dutch government and the embassy in The Hague name no amount for visa-exempt travellers. The embassy in The Hague does write that the Immigration Act refuses entry to anyone without adequate means of support after arrival. Use the Brussels amount as a guideline, and if in doubt, ask the embassy in The Hague or Brussels which proof they advise.
TDAC: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, free to fill in online from 3 days before arrival.

On arrival you get a stamp with your latest departure date. That date is what counts.

Extending by 30 days: step by step

Immigration Division 1 (Bangkok) describes the extension of stay for tourists as follows:

The extension is granted once, for a maximum of 30 days from the date on which your permitted stay ends.
The fee is 1,900 baht per application (fee list of the Immigration Bureau, Ministerial Regulation No. 27, in force since 26 August 2003).
Approval is at the discretion of the immigration officer.

Check your end date in the stamp. Apply for the extension while your stay is still valid, so on that date at the latest; every day after it is overstay.
Choose the route. At the counter of an immigration office in Thailand. In Bangkok that is Immigration Division 1 in the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road; this office only serves the Bangkok area. Or online through e-Extension: Immigration Division 1 lists tourism as one of the 12 reasons for which e-Extension is available and refers to thaiextension.vfsevisa.com for the application. You then collect the visa sticker at Immigration Division 1. Locations and any extra costs are on that e-Extension site.
Bring the documents (see the checklist).
Pay 1,900 baht.
Check the new stamp before you leave the office.

Document checklist

For the extension (Immigration Division 1):

Application form TM.7
One passport photo, no older than 6 months, attached to the TM.7
Copy of your passport
Any other documents the immigration service asks for

For arrival:

Passport, valid for at least 6 months
Return or onward ticket
Proof of sufficient funds (Brussels: 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family)
Completed TDAC

Costs

Amounts in baht as stated by the Thai government. Euro amounts are an indication, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 October 2026: 1 euro = 37.574 baht.

Visa-exempt entry (30 days)                     free
Extension of up to 30 days               1,900 baht   (about 51 euros)
Overstay, per day                          500 baht   (about 13 euros)
Overstay, maximum fine                  20,000 baht   (about 532 euros)

Time limits and deadlines

Stay: a maximum of 30 days; the date in the stamp is your latest departure date.
Extension: apply on the end date at the latest; a maximum of 30 extra days, once. Together a maximum of 60 days per entry.
Land border: a maximum of 2 entries per calendar year (1 January to 31 December inclusive) on this exemption.
Overstay: the fine runs from the first day after the end date.

Entry ban for overstay according to Immigration Division 1, based on Ministry of Interior Order No. 1/2558 (2015):

Reported yourself to the authorities
  overstay of more than 90 days      ban of 1 year
  overstay of more than 1 year       ban of 3 years
  overstay of more than 3 years      ban of 5 years
  overstay of more than 5 years      ban of 10 years

Arrested and prosecuted
  overstay of up to 1 year           ban of 5 years
  overstay of more than 1 year       ban of 10 years

Staying longer or another purpose

If you want to stay longer or have another purpose, apply for a visa before you leave through thaievisa.go.th:

Tourist visa (TR): 60 days per entry. The Hague charges 35 euros (single entry) or 175 euros (multiple entry, valid for 6 months), Brussels 40 or 170 euros. The Hague asks, among other things, for proof of at least 20,000 baht. See the guide Thailand tourist visa.
Business visit: the document list of The Hague (31 August 2026) names the Non-Immigrant B (business visit) for this, with among other things an invitation from a company in Thailand and at least 30,000 baht (single entry).
DTV: see the guide DTV (Destination Thailand Visa).
Aged 50 or over: see the guide Thailand retirement visa.
Marriage or study: see the guides Thailand marriage visa and Thailand education visa (ED), and the forum posts Trouwvisum Thailand and Studentenvisum Thailand (in Dutch).

Common mistakes

Assuming 60 days. Many websites still mention 60 days; that scheme applied until 15 September 2026. For entries from 15 September 2026, the limit is 30 days.

Business trips without a visa. Since 15 September 2026 the exemption applies to tourism only.

Extending too late. If you go to immigration after your end date, you are already in overstay and pay 500 baht per day.

Leaving and re-entering again and again. On 12 November 2025 the Immigration Bureau announced that it can refuse entry after more than 2 visa runs without an explainable reason, at all checkpoints, airports included, and that offices in Thailand can refuse or revoke extensions for people who show this pattern.

A third time over land. Over land there is a limit of 2 entries per calendar year on this exemption.

Where the sources contradict each other

Total duration. Brussels writes (18 September 2026) "in total not exceeding 90 days of stay". The Royal Gazette sets 30 days; The Hague and Immigration Division 1 mention one extension of a maximum of 30 days. The immigration service in Thailand decides on the extension, so count on a maximum of 60 days per entry.
Visa runs. The Dutch government writes that a visa run is allowed "maximaal twee keer per jaar" (at most twice a year), without distinguishing between land and air. The Royal Gazette only limits entry over land.
Belgian travel advice. The page "Praktische info voor Thailand" of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs (last updated 4 September 2026) does not yet mention the change of 15 September 2026 as of 11 October 2026. For the duration, follow the embassy in Brussels and the Royal Gazette.

What has changed

12 November 2025: stricter checks on visa runs announced.
19 May 2026: Cabinet decision to revoke the 60-day scheme (93 countries and territories).
14 July 2026: Cabinet approves the country list for 30 days.
31 August 2026: publication in the Royal Gazette (notification of 26 August 2026).
15 September 2026: 30 days visa-exempt for tourism; a maximum of 2 entries per calendar year over land.
23 September 2026: clarification by the embassy in The Hague for Dutch passport holders.

Frequently asked questions

How long can you stay in Thailand without a visa?

Since 15 September 2026 a maximum of 30 days per entry, for tourism only. If you entered before that date, you keep the stamped period of stay (for example 60 days).

Can I extend my visa exemption in Thailand?

Yes, once by a maximum of 30 days at an immigration office in Thailand, for 1,900 baht. The officer decides; apply on the date in your stamp at the latest.

How much is the overstay fine in Thailand?

500 baht per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht. If you report yourself after more than 90 days of overstay, you get an entry ban of 1 year; if you are arrested and prosecuted, an overstay of up to 1 year leads to a ban of 5 years.

How many times can I enter Thailand visa-free by land?

A maximum of twice per calendar year through a land border crossing, according to the Royal Gazette of 31 August 2026.

Do I need a visa for a business trip to Thailand?

Yes. Since 15 September 2026 the exemption applies to tourism only. For a business visit, the embassy in The Hague names the Non-Immigrant B.

Do I need to show money on arrival in Thailand?

The embassy in Brussels names at least 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family. The Hague names no amount; keep the proof at hand.

Sources

All sources opened on 11 October 2026.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Thai visa rules can change and are sometimes applied differently from one office to another. Check the current requirements with the Thai embassy or the immigration office before you apply or travel.

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Thailand visa exemption: 30 days since 15 September 2026 and the 30-day extension