Bangkok & Pattaya travel guide
Indian ordinary passport holders do not need a visa for Thailand for tourism stays of up to 30 days. The exemption took effect on 15 September 2026. Your passport should be valid for at least six months, and you must complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival. Confirm the rule before you book.
Facts checked 3 Nov 2026
Visa for Bangkok & Pattaya
Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.
Checked on 3 Nov 2026
Indian ordinary passport holders can enter Thailand for tourism without a visa. Under the current rule, the permitted stay is up to 30 days. The exemption replaced the earlier Visa on Arrival process for Indian travellers, and it took effect on 15 September 2026. The change was announced by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and Thailand's government public-relations department. Because rules can change, confirm the latest position with the embassy before you book flights or hotels.
For tourism, Indian ordinary passport holders do not need a visa for Thailand. You enter on the visa-exemption scheme, which allows a stay of up to 30 days from entry. No visa fee applies under this exemption. You do need to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before you arrive, and you must present your passport and arrival information to Thai immigration at the port of entry.
From 15 September 2026, Indian ordinary passport holders entering Thailand for tourism moved from the Visa on Arrival scheme to a 30-day visa-exemption scheme. Earlier 60-day exemption periods no longer apply to this trip, so plan for a maximum of 30 days. If you read older guides or travel forum posts, check their dates, because they may describe the previous process.
The maximum stay under this exemption is 30 days from entry. Our research does not confirm an extension option, so plan to leave Thailand within that period. Check the entry stamp, which records the date immigration has set for your departure, and keep your return or onward travel dates in line with it.
Expect to need the following when you travel:
Keep copies of your passport, bookings and arrival documents in your phone and in a printed copy in your bag.
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is a mandatory online arrival form for foreign nationals entering Thailand by air, land or sea. It is free and is not a visa. Complete it through the official Thailand Digital Arrival Card system, preferably three days before arrival. Once you have completed it, keep the confirmation with your passport. Arrival processing can be delayed if the form is not completed before you reach the immigration counter.
There is no visa application for this exemption, but there are two steps before and at arrival:
Three mistakes are common. First, assuming the former 60-day exemption period still applies, when the stay is limited to 30 days under the current rule. Second, failing to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, which can delay entry. Third, using the previous Visa on Arrival process, because Indian ordinary passport holders entering for tourism are now directed under the 30-day exemption. Use the current rules from 15 September 2026 when you plan your trip.
This page covers Indian ordinary passport holders travelling to Thailand for tourism. If you travel for work, study or another purpose, or you hold a different passport type, check the rules with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi before you book. Our packages include visa assistance, which covers checking these steps with you before you travel.
Read the Bangkok and Pattaya travel guide for the full overview, and check how to reach Bangkok and Pattaya for flights and transfers. Plan your days with places to visit and things to do. Browse our Bangkok and Pattaya tour packages when you are ready to plan the trip.
Ready-made trips
Bangkok 3N
Bangkok 2N · Pattaya 2N
*Approximate price per person, excl. GST. Contact us for exact pricing.
Packages cover stays, transfers, sightseeing and meals as listed. Flights are not included. Prices are per person, excl. GST.
FAQs
Short answers to what travellers ask about Bangkok & Pattaya.
Indian ordinary passport holders do not need a visa for Thailand for tourism stays of up to 30 days. The exemption took effect on 15 September 2026. You must still complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival, and present your passport at immigration on entry.
The permitted stay under the current exemption is up to 30 days from entry. Plan your return or onward travel within that period, and check the date recorded in your entry stamp. Our research does not confirm an extension option, so do not plan to stay longer.
It is a mandatory online arrival form for foreign nationals entering Thailand by air, land or sea. Complete it through the official system, preferably three days before arrival. It is free and is not a visa. Keep the confirmation with your passport for arrival.
The 30-day visa-exemption scheme took effect on 15 September 2026. It replaced the Visa on Arrival process for Indian ordinary passport holders entering for tourism. The change was announced by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi. Earlier guides may describe the previous process, so check the date of any source.
The entry requirements state that your passport should be valid for at least six months, with a blank page. Confirm the full specification with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi before you travel, because the detailed passport rules could not be fully verified from the sources reviewed.
Immigration may ask for return or onward travel evidence, and for proof of accommodation and financial means. Keep your flight details, hotel bookings and a sensible amount of funds with you. Carry printed copies in case the officer asks for them.
No visa fee applies under the visa-exemption scheme for Indian ordinary passport holders entering for tourism. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is also free. Confirm the current position with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi before you book.
Our research does not confirm an extension option under this exemption, so plan to leave within 30 days. Check your entry stamp for the date immigration has recorded, and make sure your flights or transfers match it. Confirm any extension rules with immigration before you travel.
Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming. A trip expert builds a day-by-day plan with prices that you can change.
Prefer to answer a few questions step by step? Use the trip planner.
