At a glance
From 15 September 2026, Thailand abolished the standard 60-day visa exemption that most short-stay foreign visitors had travelled on since July 2024, replacing it with a 30-day tourist exemption for 54 countries and territories and a 15-day exemption for 3 more — down sharply from the 93-country, 60-day list it replaces; visa-on-arrival eligibility was also cut, from 31 countries to 4 [1][18]. The underlying regulation was published on 31 August 2026 and took effect 15 days later [1][6]. Anyone who arrived on or before 14 September 2026 keeps the permitted stay they already had for that entry — the change only bites for arrivals from 15 September onward [7][8].
For landlords and agents, this matters most for short lets and holiday rentals: a tenant who previously could stay a full 60 days on entry stamp alone may now get only 30 or 15 days depending on their nationality's new tier (or lose visa-on-arrival eligibility entirely), and may need to either apply for a longer visa category before travel, or use the one-time extension at an immigration office. Tenants on DTV, LTR, retirement (Non-O/O-A/O-X), Thailand Privilege, business, education or marriage visas are unaffected — the cut only touches the general tourist/visa-exempt entry [5][6][18].
Separately, regardless of which visa category a tenant holds, two administrative duties fall on you as the host: filing a TM.30 notification of residence within 24 hours, and helping long-staying foreign tenants track their 90-day report (TM.47) obligation [1].
Rules and requirements
Visa exemption (from 15 Sep 2026, reported):
- 30 days on arrival for nationals of 54 listed countries/territories, or 15 days for 3 more — down from a single 60-day, 93-country exemption; visa-on-arrival eligibility cut from 31 to 4 countries [1][18].
- A one-time extension of the exemption can be obtained in person at an immigration office, for roughly THB 1,900; how much extra time it adds depends on the tenant's 30-day or 15-day tier [9][10].
- Arrivals up to and including 14 September 2026 are grandfathered at the permitted stay they already had for that entry [7][8].
Long-stay categories unaffected by the cut — if your tenant holds one of these, the 30-day change is irrelevant to their stay length [5][6]:
- Thailand Privilege [4]
- LTR (Long-Term Resident)
- DTV (Destination Thailand Visa)
- Retirement (Non-O, O-A, O-X)
- Business visas
- Education visas
- Marriage visas
DTV specifics. The DTV is a 5-year, multi-entry visa allowing stays of up to 180 days per entry, costing THB 10,000, applied for through the Thai e-Visa system [2][11]. From 31 August 2026, DTV applications must be lodged only at the Thai mission (embassy or consulate) that covers the applicant's country of citizenship or legal residence — applicants can no longer apply at any mission of convenience — and a criminal-record clearance certificate is now a required supporting document [11][12][13].
LTR specifics. The LTR is a 10-year visa. The Wealthy Pensioner sub-category requires the applicant to be at least 50 years old with either (a) passive income of at least USD 80,000/year, or (b) passive income of USD 40,000–80,000/year combined with at least USD 250,000 invested in Thai government bonds or Thai real estate [3][6]. The Wealthy Global Citizen sub-category had its USD 80,000 income floor removed in February 2025 under BOI Announcement Por 3/2568 [3][14]. No further LTR eligibility changes have been announced for 2026 [6].
Arrival documentation. The paper TM.6 arrival card was replaced by the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), an online submission, from 1 May 2025 [7][15]. As of 2026 there is no separate Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme in force in Thailand — the TDAC is the relevant digital arrival requirement to ask tenants about [15].
TM.30 (notification of residence). Any landlord, agent, or accommodation operator hosting a foreign national must notify the local Immigration office within 24 hours of that person taking up residence at the property [1]. Filing is done through the Immigration Bureau's Section 38 online portal, avoiding an in-person office visit for most cases [1][16]. Failure to file carries a fine of up to THB 10,000, though in practice fines issued tend to fall in the THB 800–2,000 range [16][17].
TM.47 (90-day report). Foreign nationals who remain in Thailand continuously for more than 90 days must report their address to Immigration every 90 days. This is the tenant's own obligation, not the landlord's, but online filing is available and landlords/agents are often asked to confirm the address on file [1].
Costs, taxes and timelines
- Visa-exemption one-time extension: approximately THB 1,900, paid at an immigration office [9][10].
- DTV application fee: THB 10,000 for a 5-year, multi-entry visa [11].
- TM.30 filing window: within 24 hours of the tenant taking up residence; no direct fee to file, but late/non-filing risks a fine of up to THB 10,000 (commonly assessed at THB 800–2,000) [1][16][17].
- TM.47 cadence: every 90 days of continuous stay, ongoing for the duration of the tenancy [1].
- DTV mission-of-jurisdiction rule and criminal-record requirement: in force from 31 August 2026 [11][12].
- Visa exemption cut: regulation published 31 Aug 2026, in force from 15 Sep 2026; grandfathered for arrivals through 14 Sep 2026 [1][6][7].
Step by step
- Before move-in, ask which visa category the tenant is entering or staying on. A short-let guest on the general exemption now has a 30-day or 15-day runway depending on nationality (extendable once via the immigration-office process) [1][9][18]; a DTV, LTR, retirement or other long-stay visa holder is unaffected by the cut [5].
- Request the tenant's passport, visa/entry stamp or e-visa approval, and — for a digital arrival — their TDAC confirmation [15]. For DTV holders, confirm the visa was issued by the mission covering their home country/residence, consistent with the current rule [11].
- File TM.30 within 24 hours of the tenant taking up residence, using the Immigration Section 38 online portal [1][16].
- For stays likely to exceed 90 days, calendar the TM.47 due date and remind the tenant (or file on their behalf where authorised) [1].
- If a short-let guest wants to extend beyond the initial exemption period, point them to the one-time extension at an immigration office (~THB 1,900) rather than assuming they can simply stay on [9][10].
- Keep copies of the passport bio page, visa/stamp, and TM.30 confirmation in the tenancy file for the duration of the stay.
Common pitfalls
- Assuming every foreign tenant still gets a flat 60 days on arrival. That exemption was abolished from 15 Sep 2026 (reported); arrivals up to 14 Sep 2026 or tenants on long-stay visas keep their prior stay, but new general-exemption arrivals now get 30 days (54 countries), 15 days (3 countries), or lose visa-on-arrival eligibility (down from 31 to 4 countries) depending on nationality [1][7][18].
- Skipping TM.30 for short lets. The 24-hour notification duty applies regardless of how long the stay will be — a week-long booking still triggers it [1].
- Treating TM.47 as the landlord's job. It is the tenant's personal obligation, though agents commonly help track the date as a service [1].
- Not checking the DTV mission-of-jurisdiction rule for prospective tenants who are mid-application. Since 31 August 2026, an application lodged at the wrong mission, or missing the criminal-record certificate, will not produce a valid DTV — don't rely on a booking made before travel is confirmed [11][12].
- Confusing the TDAC with a visa. It is a digital arrival card, not a visa or an extension of stay [15].
- Assuming the one-time exemption extension is automatic. It requires an in-person visit to an immigration office and a fee (~THB 1,900); it is not granted at the border [9][10].
What changed recently
- 15 Sep 2026 (reported): Thailand's 60-day, 93-country visa exemption abolished; replaced by a 30-day tier (54 countries), a 15-day tier (3 more), and visa-on-arrival eligibility cut from 31 to 4 countries; regulation published 31 Aug 2026 [1][18].
- 31 Aug 2026: DTV applications restricted to the mission covering the applicant's citizenship/residence, plus a new criminal-record clearance requirement [11][12].
- Feb 2025: LTR Wealthy Global Citizen income floor of USD 80,000 removed (BOI Announcement Por 3/2568) [3][14].
- 1 May 2025: TDAC replaced the paper TM6 arrival card [7][15].