Visa Rules Change Frequently
Quick Answer
What is the Thailand Tourist Visa (TR)?
Pre-applied visa granting 60 days on arrival, extendable to 90 days at immigration.
The Thailand Tourist Visa (officially coded TR) is the go-to option for travellers from countries that do not qualify for visa exemption, or for anyone who wants a guaranteed 60-day stay without worrying about border officers' discretion. You apply at a Thai embassy or consulate in your home country before departure and arrive with a visa sticker already in your passport.
Single-entry tourist visas cost around ฿1,000–฿2,000 equivalent at most posts and grant 60 days from the date of first entry. Once in Thailand you can visit your local immigration office and extend for a further 30 days, giving a total of 90 days on one visa cycle. Multiple-entry tourist visas (METV) are also available and allow repeated 60-day stays within a six-month window — useful for people making short trips to neighbouring countries.
Required Documents
| Document | Required |
|---|---|
| Valid passport (6+ months validity) | |
| Completed visa application form | |
| Recent passport photo (4×6 cm, white background) | |
| Proof of onward/return travel | |
| Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or invitation letter) | |
| Proof of sufficient funds (฿20,000+ per person) | |
| Travel insurance (some embassies require) | Optional |
Fees
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Single-entry TR visa | ~$40 USD |
| Multiple-entry TR visa (METV) | ~$200 USD |
| Extension at immigration (30 days) | ฿1,900 |
Step-by-Step Process
Find your nearest Thai embassy or consulate
Visit the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to find the embassy with jurisdiction over your country of residence. You must apply through the embassy that covers your area.
Download and complete the application form
Thai embassies use their own application forms. Download the correct form from the embassy website, fill it in neatly, and sign it. Do not leave any section blank.
Gather supporting documents
Assemble your passport, photos, flight itinerary, hotel bookings, bank statements, and any other documents listed on the specific embassy's requirements page. Requirements vary slightly between posts.
Submit your application
Either visit the embassy in person or mail your documents (passport included) according to the embassy's postal application instructions. Pay the visa fee.
Receive your visa
Once approved, the embassy will stamp a TR visa sticker into your passport. Check all details — name, date of birth, number of entries — are correct before leaving the counter.
Extend at immigration (optional)
If you want to stay beyond 60 days, visit any provincial immigration office before your permission-to-stay date expires. Bring your passport, a completed TM.7 form, one 4×6 cm photo, and ฿1,900. You will be issued a 30-day extension stamp.
Expert Tips
- Apply for a multiple-entry tourist visa (METV) if you plan to visit neighbouring countries during your trip — it saves time and money on repeated applications.
- Keep photocopies of your visa page and TM.6 departure card (if applicable) stored separately from your passport.
- Online check-in with airlines sometimes requires your visa details; have the number and expiry date handy.
- Some embassies have stricter financial-proof requirements than others — check the specific requirements for your embassy before applying.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying too late — some embassies have processing times of a week or more, especially during Thai public holidays.
- Booking non-refundable flights before the visa is approved — always use refundable or changeable tickets until the visa is in hand.
- Assuming the extension will be approved automatically — immigration officers have discretion and can refuse extensions.
Important Warnings
When entry can be refused
Holding a valid visa is not the same as a right of entry. The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) sets out eleven grounds on which an immigration officer may refuse a foreigner at the border.
- 1
No genuine valid passport, or a valid passport without a visa — unless you meet the visa exemption requirements. The terms of both visa issuance and visa exemption are set by Ministerial Regulations rather than by the Act itself.
- 2
No appropriate means of living after entering the country.
- 3
Entering to work as an unskilled or untrained labourer, or to work in breach of the Alien Work Permit law.
- 4
Being mentally unstable, or having any of the diseases listed in the Ministerial Regulations.
- 5
Not vaccinated against smallpox or otherwise inoculated as required, and refusing vaccination by the Immigration Doctor.
- 6
Having been imprisoned by a Thai court, or by a foreign court — except for petty offences, negligence, or cases the Ministerial Regulations exempt.
- 7
Behaviour that could endanger the public, or being subject to an arrest warrant from a foreign government.
- 8
Reason to believe entry is for prostitution, trafficking of women or children, drug smuggling or other smuggling against public morality.
- 9
Not holding the money or bond the Minister prescribes.(Section 14)
- 10
Being a person the Minister has prohibited from entry.(Section 16)
- 11
Having been deported by Thailand or another country, had a right of stay revoked, or been expelled from Thailand at the Thai government's expense — unless the Minister grants an individual exemption.
Summarised in plain English from the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand and read on 2026-08-12. This is a summary, not the statutory text — read the source document if anything here affects your travel.
Thai bank holidays, 2026
Banks, government offices and immigration are closed. Visa extensions and 90-day reports cannot be filed on these dates, and the days either side are the busiest of the month.
- H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Day
- H.M. King Chulalongkorn the Great Memorial Day
- Substitution for H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s Birthday, National Day and Father’s Day (Saturday 5th December 2026)
- Constitution Day
- New Year’s Eve
Source: Bank of Thailand. Financial-institution holidays; some government offices keep different hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Visa Guides
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Thailand Visa Extension Guide
How to extend any Thailand visa or stamp at immigration — step-by-step process and tips.
Thailand Re-Entry Permit Guide
Leaving Thailand temporarily? Protect your visa extension with a re-entry permit.
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