Thailand Visa for Indians
What changed after Thailand ended visa-free entry for Indians in May 2026 - the visa on arrival, the e-visa alternative, fees, documents and the TDAC arrival card.
Indian passport holders no longer enter Thailand visa-free - the 60-day visa-free scheme ended on 19 May 2026. The current route is a paid visa on arrival (about USD 60 for a 15-day stay) or an e-visa applied for in advance on thaievisa.go.th, and every traveller must also complete the TDAC digital arrival card. Rules are still settling, so verify on the official portal before booking.
Thailand's rules for Indian passports changed in 2026, and most advice online is now out of date: the 60-day visa-free entry that ran through 2025 was cancelled on 19 May 2026. Indians once again need a visa - either paid on arrival or applied for online in advance.
This page covers the current position: what the visa on arrival costs, how long it lets you stay, the e-visa alternative that avoids airport queues, the documents both routes ask for, and the TDAC arrival card everyone must file. The final shape of the new rules is still settling, so treat the official portal - thaievisa.go.th - as the last word before you book anything.
Thailand Visa Requirements, Fees & Processing Time
The essentials for Indian citizens as they stand:
- Visa-free entry: ended. Thailand cancelled the 60-day visa-free scheme for Indians on 19 May 2026.
- Visa on arrival: available at major airports for a fee of about USD 60, allowing a stay of up to 15 days
- E-visa in advance: available on the official portal at thaievisa.go.th - apply before flying and skip the arrival counter queue
- TDAC: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card is mandatory for every traveller, filed online before arrival regardless of visa route
- Passport: at least six months' validity from arrival, with blank pages
Because the post-May rules are still being finalised, fee and duration details can shift - check the official portal close to your travel date.
Visa on arrival vs e-visa: which to pick
Visa on arrival is the walk-up option: land, queue at the VOA counter, pay about USD 60, get 15 days. It works, but arrival halls at Bangkok and Phuket run long queues in season, and a refused application at the counter is a bad place to discover a paperwork problem.
The e-visa, applied on thaievisa.go.th before flying, front-loads the same process: approval in hand before check-in, no counter queue, and time to fix any document issue calmly. For families and groups, advance e-visa is the obviously safer route.
How to apply for the e-visa, step by step
- Go to the official portal - thaievisa.go.th - and create an account.
- Fill the application with passport details, travel dates and accommodation.
- Upload documents - passport data page, a recent passport-style photo, confirmed return flight and hotel bookings, and proof of funds if asked.
- Pay the fee online and note your application reference.
- Wait for the approval email, then carry a printout with your passport.
- File the TDAC - the digital arrival card at the official TDAC site - within the window before your arrival. Every traveller needs it, on every visa route.
Documents you need
- Passport valid at least six months beyond arrival, with blank pages
- Recent passport-size photo, plain background
- Confirmed return or onward flight
- Hotel bookings or a host's address for the stay
- Proof of sufficient funds for the trip (bank statement class of evidence)
- Completed TDAC confirmation
The short version
The clean summary for 2026: visa-free Thailand is over for Indian passports - plan for a visa again. The e-visa on thaievisa.go.th beats the USD 60 airport counter for anything but a last-minute trip, the TDAC arrival card is mandatory either way, and the rules are new enough that a check of the official portal a week before flying is part of the trip. Plan the rest of it in Tripmojo and keep the group's documents in one place.
Rules change - double-check your exact passport and travel dates with the visa checker, then plan the rest of the trip in Tripmojo.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Thailand now?
Yes. The 60-day visa-free scheme for Indian passports ended on 19 May 2026. The current routes are a paid visa on arrival or an e-visa applied for in advance on the official portal.
How much does the Thailand visa cost for Indians?
The visa on arrival is about USD 60 for a stay of up to 15 days. E-visa fees are set on the official portal at thaievisa.go.th - check there close to booking, as the post-May rules are still settling.
How long can Indians stay in Thailand?
On the visa on arrival, up to 15 days. Longer tourist stays go through the e-visa route on the official portal, where current durations and fees are listed.
What is the TDAC and do I need it?
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card - a mandatory online arrival form for every traveller, on every visa route. File it before you fly and carry the confirmation.
Is visa on arrival or e-visa better for Indians?
E-visa, for anyone who can apply a week ahead: approval before check-in, no airport queue, and paperwork problems surface while they are still fixable. Visa on arrival suits genuinely last-minute trips.
Written and fact-checked by Tripmojo’s editorial team. Drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed by a human before publishing. Visa rules change - always confirm with the official source before you book.
Plan your next trip together
Tripmojo turns ideas like these into a shared itinerary - flights, stays and plans in one place, synced with everyone you travel with.
Get the app - free