Thailand has cut the visa-free stay for British tourists from 60 days to 30. The change was reported in early September, and the Royal Thai Embassy in London confirmed it on 8 September 2026. It applies to arrivals from 15 September.
The exemption covers tourism only. British passport holders can use it for two entries in a calendar year. Anyone arriving on or after 15 September gets a 30-day permission, and the Foreign Office says people who arrived before then should normally keep the stay granted when they entered.
Longtail boats off Krabi, Thailand. Earlier photograph.
For families, the change matters most on long trips, such as a month in Thailand followed by a stay in a neighbouring country, or a winter away that runs past 30 days. Those holidays now need a visa before travel or an extension in Thailand. The embassy’s tourist visa lets a visitor enter within three months of issue and stay up to 60 days, with a further 30-day extension possible. An extension can be requested from immigration, but it is at the officer’s discretion, so it shouldn’t be counted on for a trip that is already booked. No exception for children has been found, so every traveller’s passport needs checking.
Shorter holidays are largely unaffected. Thailand still asks for a passport valid for six months with a blank page, evidence of accommodation and onward travel within 30 days, and the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card, which has to be completed in the three days before arrival. The embassy and the Foreign Office also give different figures for the money immigration officers may ask to see, so families should check the current amount with the embassy before they go.
Visa-free entry is not a safety clearance, and the Foreign Office’s Thailand page carries separate warnings, including restrictions in border areas and a flooding notice. Families should check the advice and their entry rules close to departure.
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