TB Immigration Information Letter No. 029/24: Cabinet has reportedly approved new visa initiatives
Reporter: RonnyLatYa
Thai media reports that the cabinet has approved a number of new visa initiatives aimed at attracting more tourists. The intention is for this to come into effect on June 1.
The most important measures are:
- Extending the Visa exemption from 30 to 60 days. We should get news about this as soon as possible. Will it be permanent or for a certain period? Will it apply to all countries, in other words also to Belgium and the Netherlands?
- Foreigners who want to work and also visit tourist destinations could apply for a five-year visa. They can thus obtain a stay of up to 180 days, which can be extended by another 180 days. This would be aimed at digital nomads, remote workers, freelancers, Muay Thai students, Thai food students, etc. More details about this are not yet known.
- Foreign university students can extend their stay for up to one year after graduation, allowing them to work in professions that are not reserved for Thais. Perhaps interesting for foreign students. They don't have to leave immediately after their studies. Details to follow.
- Foreigners aged 50 and over who apply for a long-stay visa will have their health insurance reduced to Bt440.000 instead of Bt3 million. Would be in effect from September to December. This measure should normally apply to Non-OA visas, among others, where health insurance is a requirement. In fact, they simply go back to the previous requirements of 400 Baht. This would actually only apply to applications between September and December. I don't understand the point of introducing this for only 000 months. Perhaps there will be more clarity about this later.
See ao
https://aseannow.com/topic/1328402-big-thailand-visa-changes-from-june-1/
https://thethaiger.com/news/national/massive-positive-changes-to-thailands-visa-system-from-june-1
Normally this will also have to be signed by the PM and then appear in the Royal Gazette before it can become effective. Since no official details have been published yet, there is no point in asking questions about this now. With probably, possibly and I heard somewhere yesterday…. we can't get any further than guesswork.
I will follow up and as soon as details and requirements are known I will let you know.
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None of the measures mentioned will attract MORE tourists, but in a number of cases it will mean that the 'tourists' mentioned (some are not at all, such as foreign students and digital nomads) will stay longer.
At the same time, this also means that it becomes easier for criminal 'tourists' (including many Chinese and Cambodians) to stay under the radar in Thailand for longer.
YouTube is, as it were, exploding over this news, but looking at my own situation, it has absolutely no advantage or disadvantage. It just stays the same…
If that also applied to Belgians and Dutch people, then a visa exemption would be possible for 2 months for (a limited period?) wouldn't it? That would mean that applying for a tourist visa for a stay of 2 months would become pointless? My Thai friend and I are planning a stay of 3 months from September 2, 2024 (departure Belgium) to December 1, 2024 (departure Bangkok). Can't you extend a visa exemption by 1 month at the end of November? Although we have planned a city trip of 4 days to Hanoi at the end of November and then we will get a visa exemption again upon arrival in Thailand at the beginning of December (1 or 2 months)?
Afternoon question: I'm going to Thailand for 6 weeks in August and wanted to apply for a 60-day single entry tourist visa soon. But that is no longer necessary? Thanks for answer John
I think it's too early to determine that yet.
You still have some time, of course, but you can also play it safe and simply apply for a 60-day visa.
Or wait and see, and if it hasn't adjusted by the time you go, just extend the 30 days for another 30 days.
That is a bit more expensive than a 60-day visa, but also an option.
Not official yet, so still apply for a visa until it is official.
Apparently it will change on June 1, John is going to Thailand in August and you still have plenty of time to apply if you apply 1 month in advance. Would advise John to wait until the beginning of July before, if necessary, he starts with a visa application, because then more will probably be known and you will save the costs of a visa if it expires after 60 days of entry without a visa.
My wife and I have been living in Asia for two years now, mainly Thailand, but also Vietnam, Cambodia and Bali. Our preference is for Thailand, but we do not want a retirement visa yet as we have rented out our house in Amsterdam and live and travel there, our tenant has canceled this summer, fortunately we are in the Netherlands and we will look for it with our real estate agent. a new tenant for 1 or 2 years, so the obligation of a permanent fixture in Thailand is not convenient for us. Hopefully we can do something with the new 180 day visa, even though we are not digital nomads, and otherwise two months is already an improvement. Month extension, trip from Jomtien to Cambodia, before you know it you have already had almost half a year. Is also better for renting a condo. We keep our fingers crossed that these rules will continue and be flexible enough. Tomorrow we go to Siem Reap for two weeks to look at houses, Cambodia for a one-year visa for three hundred dollars, much easier, but Thailand is always our preference, but that is of course personal. We especially like the access and view of the sea
Why not take METV for 175 euros if you're going to be in the Netherlands later? You can stay like this for 8-9 months. You do have to cross the border every 60-90 days.
And why would they pay for 2 METV (350 Euro) if they can also bridge the same period on a Visa exemption, which then costs them nothing in visas?
At least if the same conditions of the Visa exemption are maintained, which is, among other things, that you can extend those 60 days by 30 days. You can also last almost 9 months, and you still have to make border runs.
But we will only know that when the guidelines appear.
Hopefully the airlines will also take this into account soon and finally stop this nonsense of demanding a return or onward flight ticket. Even after 60 days then….
A METV is still interesting if you combine it with the Visa Exemption.
If those 60 days are completed and you use it to supplement a METV, you can bridge an entire period with it. First use METV and then start applying for your Visa exemption, of course.
Perhaps interesting for those who are not yet 50 and who want to bridge a long period in Thailand and are not eligible for that DTV. (Whatever the requirements may be)
The following Info confirms that the visa exemption also applies to Belgians and Dutch citizens.
[Source: Farang Magazine of 30-05-2024]
NB ! : The effective date will be announced upon completion of final procedures.
1. Visa waiver
Nationals of the following 93 countries and territories are eligible for visa waivers for short-term tourism and business purposes for a period of up to 60 days:
Andorra
Australia
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei
Denmark
Germany
Estonia
Finland
France
Greece
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Ireland
Iceland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Canada
Qatar
Kuwait
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Monaco
New Zealand
The Netherlands
Norway
Oman
Austria
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
Switzerland
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
South Africa
South Korea
Czech Republic
Turkiye
Ukraine
Hungary
United Arab Emirates
USA
United Kingdom
Vietnam
2. Visa on arrival
Citizens of the following 31 countries and territories receive a “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) for tourism purposes for a period of up to 14 days upon entry at immigration checkpoints:
Armenia
Ethiopia
Byelorussia
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bulgaria
China
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Fiji
Georgia
India
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Malta
Mexico
Namibia
Nauru
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Taiwan
Tunisia
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Cyprus
3. Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
Eligible Foreigners:
Remote workers/digital nomads/freelancers
Participants in activities such as Muay Thai classes, Thai cooking classes, sports training, medical treatments, seminars, music festivals, etc.
Spouses and dependent children of DTV holders
Validity of the visa:
5 years (multiple registrations)
Visa costs:
10.000 baht
(All statements without warranty)
These lists can now be found almost everywhere on social media and are simply the current Visa exemption/Visa on Arrival countries supplemented with the countries that will be added. I saw somewhere that Consular Affairs of MFA has also distributed such a list on social media, but it actually does not contain more than what was announced to the newspapers at that press conference.
I think “Farang Magazine” (that's Der Farang I guess) has a list of those too.
Will it apply to Belgians and Dutch…. very probably yes, the opposite would surprise me, but just wait for now and soon there will be official news about it after it appears in the Royal Gazette.
We also know whether it is temporary or permanent and what the requirements of the DTV are.
By the way…5 years (multiple entries)… is simply 5 years Multiple entry.
DTV (Destination Thailand Visa)… What a name by the way and who came up with that I wonder. As if all those other visas don’t have Thailand as their destination…
I mean this list
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3701669030160007&set=pcb.3943127002677806
If the above really comes into effect then it will be very interesting. I hope that the indication “freelancer” or Digital Nomade” will be broadly defined because that means that you can also work (perhaps only online), but that is really a plus.
Dear Pieter,
It is therefore possible that you will have to pay payroll tax in Thailand on your digital nomad income. …………………
Indeed that could well be the case.
Finally, to obtain that visa, you will have to provide evidence that you want to work as a “freelancer” or “Digital Nomad”. Even if you want that extension of 180 days, I think..
And the question is whether this will be possible without a work permit.
These are all matters and requirements that need more clarity.
Small update.
Today you can read the following on the website of the Government Public Relation Department (PRD).
It would probably be more like late June or early July.
It also seems more realistic to me for something that was decided on May 28.
Visa Facilitation Measures to Stimulate Thailand's Economy and Tourism
The Cabinet approved a number of visas and travel facilitation measures to stimulate Thailand's economy and promote its tourism, following a proposal by the Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 28 May 2024.
The measures are divided into three stages.
Five short-term measures expected to take effect in late June or early July 2024 include the following:
1) Extending visa exemption for tourists and short-term business visitors for a period of up to 60 days (from the period of 30 days) for passport holders from 93 countries/regions;
2) Increasing the number of countries/regions whose passport holders qualify for Visa on Arrival (VOA) from 19 to 31;
3) Introducing the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for long-term travel, “digital nomads,” and participants in certain cultural activities, with a period of stay up to 180 days per visit, on a multiple-entry basis within 5 years ;
4) Improving the non-immigration visas to facilitate the travel of international students and those nearing graduation in Thailand;
5) Establishing a “Visa Policy Committee” to develop Thailand's entry processes and improve the efficiency of immigration procedures.
Three medium-term measures are as follows:
1) Grouping and streamlining non-immigrant visa types;
2) Lowering health insurance requirements and expanding the list of countries eligible for long-term non-immigrant visa applications;
3) Implementing the e-Visa system at all embassies and consulates by December 2024.
One long-term measure includes the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which will be implemented in line with the e-Visa system.
https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/48/iid/293120
Ronny, ad 3) would then mean that the interested party would have to cross the border after 180 days, if I interpret the text correctly. That's not really easy either... Or do you see it differently?
Well, at first it was stated that a 180-day extension was possible, but this text shows that the maximum is 180 days per entry.
But whether it is bad to leave Thailand after 180 days…. In itself that means just crossing the border once a year…
But it does not say whether the 60-day Visa exemption can be extended as with the 30 days. Perhaps that extension will be abolished and the Visa exemption will be limited to 60 days in its entirety upon entry without extension.
This means, for example, that a Tourist visa does not lose its function because you can still stay for 90 days (60 + 30).
But it is best not to go into too much detail about what is now being published, because that is actually only the broad outlines of what was apparently decided… the best example is that someone probably said that he would start on June 1st and that was also published in the media as the truth. I just saw a photo of a passport page of someone who entered on June 1st and there is already a 30-day Visa exemption on it
So let's wait and see the details only when the official conditions and requirements are known.
Perhaps as an addition.
I looked to see if I could find anything about it in the cabinet report of May 28.
There is nothing to be found about this in the “Synopsis of the Cabinet Meeting” but it is also not complete and as it also says “Some of the resolutions are as follows..” so…
https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/83727