While many Asian countries have a reputation for having strict immigration and even tourist visitor rules, the tide has slowly been changing amid the need to attract visitors post-pandemic.
At the start of the year, China tested a new policy allowing citizens of 10 European Union countries and Malaysia to come to the country as visitors for up to 15 days with just a passport. The option to travel to China without the additional step of getting a visa proved popular and Chinese authorities eventually extended the policy into 2025 while also expanding the list to countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
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While Thailand has been allowing Americans and citizens of most Western countries to come to the country visa-free for decades, the 30-day limit has been significantly lower than the 90 days typically offered by many other countries.
'Travelers from these qualified nations can visit Thailand for tourism'
As part of similar efforts to ramp up the country's tourism industry, Thai authorities are now raising the number of days visitors with visa-free access can stay to 60 while also significantly expanding the policy to 93 countries — a significant increase from the previous 57.
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Citizens of English-speaking countries such as the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia already had visa-free access and so now can visit Thailand for up to 60 days as of July 15. Nations that previously required visas but no longer do will include China, Mongolia, Russia, Jamaica and Croatia.
"Travelers from these qualified nations can visit Thailand for tourism or short-term business purposes," Traisuree Taisaranakul, a spokeswoman for the Thailand Ministry Of Tourism, said in a statement.
Numbers from the Thailand Ministry of Tourism show that foreign visitors to Thailand rose by 35% to 18.2 million compared to the first half of 2023 while the bulk of those tourists came from nearby countries such as India and China.
The visa-free option is available only to those who want to tour the country as a tourist or perform a limited list of business tasks such as attending a conference or meeting contacts.
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Want to stay in Thailand for longer as a digital nomad? There is an option for that too
Whether for a local or foreign company, those who want to work in Thailand need to apply for a formal visa at a Thai embassy or consulate in their own country. A few weeks ago, Thailand expanded its digital nomad visa to allow those with income from abroad to live in Thailand for up to 180 days per year.
Similarly to such visas launched in other countries, eligibility requirements include having consistent work from a country other than Thailand (the goal is to contribute to the economy rather than take work from locals) and either having or bringing in enough income to be able to sustain oneself comfortably while living there.
The application fee for the Destination Thailand Visa is 10,000 Thai Baht (approximately $276 USD) while another requirement is to show that one has at least 500,000 Baht (approximately $13,800 USD) in the bank for the stay.
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