The advisory for Indians traveling to Thailand lists a series of verification and travel documents.
The Indian Embassy in Thailand has issued an 11-point travel advisory for those visiting the country amid the tightening of the 60-day visa exemption policy in May 2026. The advisory lists a set of reminders and measures that travelers should keep in mind in order to ensure smooth operations.
According to embassy guidelines, visitors are required to carry a valid passport with an additional validity period of at least six months from the date of arrival. Visitors should also ensure they have confirmed return tickets, hotel reservations, a suitable travel visa as well as clear travel plans and itineraries before travelling.
According to the advisory, travelers are required to fill out the Thai Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which is open for arrival up to 72 hours before arrival, and are advised to keep their individual travel documents for each group member ready before heading to the immigration office upon arrival.
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Those who wish to avail the Visa Waiver Waiver (VOA) facility must carry at least 20,000 THB per passenger in cash. It is recommended that the facility is only open to those who do not already have a job offer in hand. Those transiting through Thailand are only required to keep all relevant paperwork as well as the required visa for the final destination country in their possession.
Complete list of advisory indicators issued by the embassy
- Visitors must carry a valid passport, valid for at least 6 months, from the date of arrival.
- Visitors must have confirmed return tickets.
- Visitors must have confirmed hotel reservations.
- Visitors should have clear travel plans and itineraries.
- Visitors must fill out a Thai Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) which can be filled out within 72 hours before arrival.
- Visitors must obtain an appropriate visa according to the purpose of their travel.
- Tourists visiting to avail the Visa Waiver/VOA facility must carry a minimum of THB 20,000 per passenger in cash.
- You must have all documents in hand before heading to the immigration office upon arrival.
- If visitors are coming in a group, each member must carry the above documents individually.
- Visitors are advised not to avail the Visa Waiver/VOA facility, if they have a job offer.
- Visitors transiting through Thailand must be in possession of all relevant paperwork relating to the country of final destination along with the appropriate visa, as necessary.
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Thailand abolishes visa exemption policy
The advisory comes against Thailand’s decision in May 2026 to scrap the 60-day visa exemption policy for all 93 countries, including India. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangkitkiu stated at the time that the unilateral decision was part of a broader crackdown to reduce transnational crime and those who abuse the visa system rather than signaling a shift in policy towards any specific country.
According to the official website of the Public Relations Department of the Government of Thailand, the decision was made on May 19 in light of national security, tourism and economic interests, reciprocity, reducing overlapping visa privileges that may cause confusion for travellers, and the convenience now provided by the e-visa mechanism.
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Under the revised visa-on-arrival policy, the maximum period of legal stay in the country per entry is just 15 days, a reduction from the previous window of 60 days. Travelers can alternatively apply for an e-visa 3-5 days before their flight.
Stuti Gupta is a content producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, where she is part of the general news team, tasked with reporting on events across the country that impact the local and international environment. In her role at HT, she is responsible for monitoring incoming news updates, packaging stories and publishing them in a format that best suits her purpose. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from St. Xavier’s, Mumbai, and is interested in working in international affairs. Aside from her interest in the geopolitical world, she is a reader, writer, speaker, debater, and learner who loves getting new information. She has been recognized for her previous literary work at an international level having won the Gold Prize, Gold Prize and Silver Prize in various years participating in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition along with winning Third Prize and publishing her story in Children’s World in 2017. Except for academic and professional endeavours, she has a passion for traveling to new places, exploring new cultures and cuisines, documenting them through words and images and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. She is also very passionate about studying and actively participating in art forms such as cinema, dance, theatre, and music as a tool for cultural storytelling.Read more
