Thailand's visa-free stay is now 30 days: how to live in Phuket longer
Information, not legal advice. Thailand changed its entry rules twice in 2026 and may do so again. Check the Immigration Bureau (immigration.go.th, hotline 1178) and your Thai embassy before you travel. Figures in this guide are as of 28 October 2026.
Short answer: since 15 September 2026, visitors from the 60 countries on Thailand's new list — including the UK, the US, Australia, Germany and France — get 30 days visa-free instead of 60. You can extend once, by up to 30 days, for ฿1,900 at an immigration office. Staying longer than two months now needs a purpose-built visa: DTV (up to 180 days per entry), retirement (50+), Thailand Privilege or LTR. Buying property does not, on its own, give you a visa.
What changed on 15 September 2026
The Cabinet approved the change on 19 May 2026. Four Ministry of Interior announcements were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 (Volume 143, Special Issue 207 Ngor) and took effect 15 days later, on 15 September 2026.
The 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries, in place since 15 July 2024, was repealed. What replaced it:
| Group | Since 15 Sept 2026 |
|---|---|
| 60 countries and territories on the new list (incl. all EU states, UK, US, Australia, Ukraine, Georgia) | 30 days visa-free, tourism only |
| Mauritius, Seychelles | 15 days |
| Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia | visa on arrival, 15 days, ฿2,000 |
| Bilateral agreements (unchanged) | 90 days: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Korea · 30 days: China, Kazakhstan, Russia and others |
The official announcement is on the Tourism Authority of Thailand's news site. Arrivals on or before 14 September keep the 60 days stamped on entry. What counts is the date you physically landed, not when you bought the ticket.
How long you can stay without a visa now
- 30 days on arrival, whatever your return ticket says.
- Up to 30 more days by extension at the Phuket immigration office: form TM.7, passport and copies, one photo and a ฿1,900 fee. Approval is at the officer's discretion.
- Up to 60 days in total per entry.
After that you leave. Two limits catch people out:
- Land-border entries on the visa exemption are capped at two per calendar year (nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt). A bus run to Malaysia works, but only twice.
- Air arrivals have no formal cap, but officers see your entry history. A long chain of 30-day stays broken by short hops abroad invites questions and can end in a refused entry.
Overstaying costs ฿500 a day, up to ฿20,000, and a long overstay can bring an entry ban of a year or more. Extend or leave before the stamp runs out.
Which route fits how long you want to stay
Most long-stay visas must be arranged before you arrive, through the Thai e-Visa system or an embassy.
| How long | Route | Cost and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1 month | visa exemption | free, 30 days |
| up to 2 months | exemption + extension | ฿1,900, once per entry |
| up to 3 months | tourist visa (TR) | 60 days + 30-day extension, apply before travel |
| up to 6 months per entry, for years | DTV | 5 years, up to 180 days per entry + one 180-day extension, ฿500,000 in funds |
| permanently, aged 50+ | retirement visa (O-A, or Non-O extension) | ฿800,000 deposit or ฿65,000 monthly income, renewed yearly |
| permanently, no income test | Thailand Privilege (formerly Elite) | ฿650,000 for 5 years up to ฿5M for 20 years |
| permanently, high income or wealth | LTR | ฿50,000 for 10 years, strict income and asset tests |
DTV: the default for a winter in Phuket
The Destination Thailand Visa is a five-year multiple-entry visa. Each entry allows up to 180 days, extendable once by another 180 days. You show at least ฿500,000 in funds (statements typically covering three months) and a purpose: remote work, a "soft power" activity such as Muay Thai, a cooking course or medical treatment, or being family of a DTV holder.
Tighter since 31 August 2026: applications now need a criminal-record clearance certificate and proof of permanent residence in the country where you apply, replacing the old proof of current location. The rule follows the submission date. You can no longer apply from Thailand or from a third country where you are only visiting: apply at the Thai embassy or consulate in your country of nationality or permanent residence. More on the visa itself in our comparison of long-stay visas.
Retirement visa: for 50+
From age 50, with ฿800,000 in a Thai bank or proven income of at least ฿65,000 a month; the O-A issued abroad also requires health insurance. It runs for a year, renews annually without a cap and comes with 90-day address reporting. The details, including the ฿400,000 minimum balance after renewal, are in our comparison of long-stay visas for buyers.
Thailand Privilege: when you would rather not prove income
A paid membership rather than a purpose visa. On 28 October 2026 the programme's official site lists five tiers: Bronze ฿650,000 (5 years; authorised agents say Bronze applications are accepted until 31 December 2026), Gold ฿900,000 (5 years), Platinum ฿1.5M (10 years), Diamond ฿2.5M (15 years) and Reserve ฿5M (20 years, by invitation). Expensive, but there is no income test and entry is multiple.
LTR: ten years for the well-off
The Board of Investment's ten-year visa costs ฿50,000. The thresholds are high: the Wealthy Global Citizen category, for example, needs USD 1M in assets, of which USD 500,000 is invested in Thailand. Property only counts towards that investment, and only in two of the four categories — see our LTR and property guide.
What buying property does — and does not — do
Buying a condo or villa does not, by itself, give you a visa. Thailand has no residency-by-investment programme of the Portuguese or Greek kind. The right to buy and the right to stay are separate tracks.
Property does feature in three visa routes:
The ฿3M investment visa. Immigration Bureau Orders 237/2568 and 238/2568, in force since 1 October 2025, allow a one-year visa backed by a completed freehold condo from ฿3M, a registered lease worth at least ฿3.06M for more than three years, or a residential rental of at least ฿85,000 a month paid in advance. Under the 2025 rules the seller or landlord had to be a Thai individual or Thai company and the deal registered on or after 1 October 2025. According to market participants, that condition was dropped when applications reopened in October 2026: a freehold condo bought by a foreigner from any seller, or a long lease from any owner, now qualifies. We have not yet seen the official text of the new conditions. The gate is a certification letter from the Ministry of Tourism, issued through Thailand Longstay; without it, immigration applies the old ฿10M threshold.
The status at the end of October 2026: applications have reopened. On 3 October 2026 Thailand Longstay suspended new applications and extensions. Applications resumed on 26 October; according to the agency AIM Bangkok, everywhere except Bangkok. Before you sign, check with Thailand Longstay and Phuket immigration that your property and your seller or landlord qualify. The full breakdown is in our long-stay visa guide for buyers.
LTR Wealthy Global Citizen. A Thai property purchase counts towards the USD 500,000 investment.
The older ฿10M investment visa. Funds transferred from abroad and placed in a condo, a deposit or government bonds. It works, but the threshold is high.
What property allows without any visa: a foreigner may buy a condo in freehold within the foreign quota while visiting on the visa exemption — the type of entry does not affect the purchase. The funds must arrive from abroad in foreign currency with a bank's transfer confirmation; we walk through it in the guide to transferring money for a purchase. Freehold versus leasehold is covered separately.
How much stock sits above ฿3M
In our catalogue on 28 October 2026 there are about 1,100 condos and apartments for sale within the foreign quota; more than 900 are priced from ฿3M, and about 300 sit between ฿3M and ฿5M. The deepest choice from ฿3M is in Bang Tao (about 260), Karon (about 110), Surin (about 90) and Rawai (about 80). Browse condos for sale in Phuket.
That count is about price only. For the ฿3M visa route a unit must be completed, fully paid and registered in your name; off-plan units and deposits do not count. According to market participants, since applications reopened in October 2026 the seller can be anyone, including a foreigner — confirm the conditions with the operator before you buy.
Where to live meanwhile: rental numbers
For a three-to-six-month winter, most people are better off renting first and deciding on a purchase after living in an area. Our long-term rental catalogue holds 7,507 active listings, 4,807 of them available now. Median monthly rents on 28 October 2026:
| Property | Listings | Median, ฿ per month |
|---|---|---|
| Condo, 1 bedroom | 1,439 | 23,000 |
| Condo, 2 bedrooms | 541 | 55,000 |
| House, 3 bedrooms | 838 | 45,000 |
| Villa, 2 bedrooms | 377 | 80,000 |
| Villa, 3 bedrooms | 863 | 130,000 |
About 2,100 listings rent for ฿85,000 a month or more; according to market participants, since October 2026 the ฿3M route's rental option accepts any landlord, but confirm with the operator before you sign. See condos for rent or all long-term rentals in Phuket, and our maths on renting versus buying.
A plan for the 2026/27 season
- Set the length first. Up to 60 days: exemption plus extension. Longer: choose the visa before you fly.
- For three to six months, allow four to six weeks for a DTV — a criminal-record certificate and three months of statements take time.
- Do not build the plan on border runs. Two land entries a year is the ceiling, and frequent visa-exempt flights risk refusal.
- Match the lease to the visa. A six-month lease on a 30-day stamp is a common, expensive mistake.
- Thinking of buying? Live in the area first, and only pursue a property-backed visa with written confirmation from Thailand Longstay and immigration.
FAQ: frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa in 2026?
Since 15 September 2026, travellers from the 60 countries on Thailand's list, including the UK, US, Australia, Germany and France, get 30 days visa-free. You can extend once by up to 30 days at an immigration office for ฿1,900, so up to 60 days per entry. Anyone who landed by 14 September keeps 60 days.
Can I extend the 30-day visa exemption in Phuket?
Yes. Apply at the Phuket immigration office with form TM.7, your passport and copies, a photo and a ฿1,900 fee for up to 30 more days. The officer decides, so approval is not guaranteed. Apply well before the stamp expires: overstaying costs ฿500 a day, up to a ฿20,000 maximum.
Does buying property in Phuket give me a visa?
No, a purchase alone gives no visa. Property can support an investment visa: from ฿3M with a Ministry of Tourism letter, or from ฿10M without the letter, and it counts towards the LTR investment test. Applications on the ฿3M route reopened on 26 October 2026; confirm the current conditions with the operator before you buy.
What is the best visa for spending a winter in Phuket?
For most people, the DTV: a five-year multiple-entry visa allowing up to 180 days per entry plus one 180-day extension. You need at least ฿500,000 in funds and a purpose such as remote work, Muay Thai, a course or medical care. Since 31 August 2026 it also needs a criminal-record certificate.
Can I buy a condo in Thailand on a visa exemption?
Yes. Your entry type does not affect the right to buy: a foreigner can own a condo in freehold within the 49% foreign quota of a building's floor area. The money must come from abroad in foreign currency, documented by your bank. Land under a villa cannot be owned by a foreigner, only leased.
What happens if I overstay in Thailand?
You pay ฿500 for each day of overstay, capped at ฿20,000, when you leave. A long overstay, especially if you are caught rather than surrendering at the border, can bring an entry ban of a year or more. Extend or leave before your permitted stay runs out to avoid both.
Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand — new visa-exemption rules from 15 Sept 2026; Royal Gazette of Thailand, 31 Aug 2026 (Vol. 143, Special Issue 207 Ngor); Thai Immigration Bureau; Royal Thai Embassy Canberra — overstay rules; Royal Thai Embassy Oslo — Non-Immigrant O-A; Thailand Privilege official site; Immigration Bureau Orders 237/2568 and 238/2568; AIProperty Phuket catalogue data as of 28 Oct 2026; AIM Bangkok — ฿3M route status, 26 Oct 2026.