Entry/Exit Requirements

If you are a U.S. citizen tourist staying in Thailand for fewer than 30 days, you do not require a visa to enter the country, but your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your entry into Thailand. Thai immigration officials may ask for your onward/return ticket, and airlines may ask for this information when you book or check in. If you are a tourist entering Thailand by air or land without a visa, you are allowed to stay in Thailand for 30 days per visit.

Note that Thai immigration authorities are closely scrutinizing travelers who receive a 30-day visa through the visa exemption program, and who then attempt to reenter Thailand repeatedly for an additional 30 days under the same program. If it appears individuals are entering and reentering Thailand to reside rather than for tourism, they are being denied reentry and referred to the nearest Thai embassy to apply for the appropriate Thai visa. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate are not able to intervene with Thai immigration or the airlines regarding their regulations and policies.

Business travelers should check with the Royal Thai Embassy about visa requirements. You must pay a Passenger Service Charge in Thai baht (Thai currency) when you depart from any of Thailand's international airports; this charge is included in the ticket price for flights from Bangkok's main airport, Suvarnabhumi International.

When you enter the country, Thai immigration officials stamp your passport with the date your authorized stay will expire. Make sure your passport has been stamped with the date your authorized stay will expire before you leave the immigration counter. Replacing a missing stamp later often requires a trip back to your original port of entry.

If you remain in Thailand beyond the date of your authorized stay without getting an official extension, Thai immigration officials will fine you 500 baht per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht (approximately 625 USD at 32 baht/1USD) when you leave Thailand. In cases of excessive overstay, as determined by Thai officials on a case-by-case basis, you may be arrested for violating immigration law and be detained as you undergo official deportation proceedings. If the police find that you are out of legal status before you leave the country (for example, during a Thai Immigration "sweep" through a guesthouse or in a popular a tourist area), you will be detained, fined, and deported at your own expense, and you may also be barred from re-entering Thailand. These determinations are the legal prerogative of the Royal Thai government, and the U.S. Embassy or Consulate may not intervene in the application of Thai law. Private "visa extension services," even those advertising in major periodicals or located close to immigration offices or police stations, are illegal. A number of U.S. citizens are arrested at border crossings each year with counterfeit visas and entry stamps they have obtained through these illegal services.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens carry proper travel documentation at all times. Thai police occasionally stop travelers in popular tourist areas to check their passports. Please carry at a minimum a copy of your U.S. passport identification page and current Thai visa to avoid detention by the Thai immigration police.

It is illegal for foreigners to work in Thailand without a work permit. This includes unpaid work, volunteer work (even for charitable causes), and work in exchange for room and board. If you work in Thailand without a work permit, you are subject to arrest, jail time, a fine, and deportation. Before traveling to Thailand for work—whether or not you will receive compensation—you should check with the Royal Thai Embassy to ensure that your plans are consistent with Thai law. If you are employed as a teacher with an agency, independently check to confirm the placement agency is in compliance with Thai visa rules and work permits before signing contracts. Several U.S. citizens are arrested each year due to work permit violations.

Thailand’s entry/exit information is subject to change without notice. For further information on Thailand’s entry/exit requirements, contact the Royal Thai Embassy at 1024 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20007, telephone (202)-944-3600, or contact the Thai consulate in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York City. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website lists the Thai embassies and consulates worldwide and provides current information about Thailand, including visa and other policies. The Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau maintains an English-language website as well.

Ebola restrictions. Upon arrival into Thailand, persons traveling from affected West African countries may be asked to see a doctor at the Suvarnabhumi Airport’s Health Control Unit. Such travelers will need to register with the Thai Ministry of Public Health for daily follow-up over a 21-day period to determine if symptoms present. Failure to do so may result in deportation.

HIV/AIDS restrictions. Some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of Thailand. However, these restrictions are generally not enforced. Please verify this information with the Royal Thai Embassy before you travel.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.