Visa and entry to Thailand: the Indian traveller's checklist

The short version

Indian passport holders currently enter Thailand under a visa exemption for tourism, with a stay of up to 60 days per entry and the option to ask an immigration office in Thailand for a further extension. Rules change with little notice, so confirm on the Royal Thai Embassy site for India before you fly.

Before you fly

• A passport valid for at least six months beyond arrival, with two blank pages.
• The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) submitted online in the days before travel. It replaces the old paper arrival slip and is free.
• A confirmed onward or return ticket within your permitted stay. Airlines check this at the Indian departure gate more often than immigration does.
• Proof of accommodation for at least the first nights.
• Evidence of funds. The commonly quoted figure is 10,000 baht per person or 20,000 per family in cash or equivalent; it is rarely inspected but it is the stated rule.

Which route applies to you

Visa exemption

For straightforward tourism, no advance visa is needed. Arrive, present your passport and TDAC, get the stamp.

Visa on arrival

Relevant only if the exemption does not apply to your case. It is issued at major airports for a fee, in cash baht, with a passport photo and a completed form.

e-Visa

Apply online in advance through the official Thai e-Visa portal when you need a longer stay, a non-tourist purpose, or you want certainty before booking non-refundable travel. Allow at least two weeks.

Why people get refused

• One-way tickets with no onward booking.
• A pattern of repeated back-to-back visa-exempt entries, which immigration reads as living in Thailand.
• Vague answers about where you are staying.
• Unofficial "agent" visas bought in India that do not match the entry you claim.

On arrival

Queues at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang can run past an hour at peak Indian arrival slots. Automated e-gates are being extended to more nationalities; check the signage rather than assuming. Keep your departure card stamp and passport together — hotels will photocopy them.

Extending or leaving

A 30-day extension is normally available at an immigration office for a fee. Overstaying carries fines per day and, past longer periods, a re-entry ban. Border runs are no longer a reliable way to reset a stay.