Thailand Entry and Travel Requirements
Entry requirements for Thailand are a set of regulations that determine what all people who want to visit Thailand must do to enter the country without any problems. These regulations also outline the documents that anyone planning to enter Thailand must prepare before traveling.
Most visitors to Thailand must have a valid passport and visa. Passport must be valid for at least six months from the intended date of entry into Thailand. Depending on your nationality, purpose of travel and the amount of time you want to spend in Thailand, you may need to apply for a different type of Thai visa. Currently, Thailand's visa policy stipulates that citizens of about 60 countries around the world are allowed to enter Thai territory without a visa. Depending on their nationality, they can stay in Thailand from 2 weeks (14 days) to 3 months (90 days).
Citizens of 20 other countries are eligible to apply for a Thai e-visa issued for short-term travel purposes.
Additionally, 160 other nationalities need to apply for a regular Thai visa in person. Regular visas can only be obtained directly from the nearest Thai embassy or consulate. Applications for an embassy or consular visa may require supporting documents. Required documents may vary depending on the type of visa required, e.g. business visa, student visa, etc.
Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Thai authorities have also implemented certain protective measures to minimize and control the spread of new Corona virus infections, while allowing foreign visitors Arrive in Thailand safely. Foreign visitors planning to visit Thailand in the near future should check recent entry requirements before their planned trip.
Who can enter Thailand
Currently, Thailand allows entry both for vaccinated and unvaccinated foreign travelers who need to meet certain requirements. They can travel to Thailand if they qualify for one of the following Thai schemes:
-
Test and Go: only for travelers from eligible countries who must reside in Thailand for at least 21 consecutive days;
-
Sandbox: for travelers from any country who will stay in the Sandbox Area for 7 days and then can travel further within Thailand;
- Alternative Quarantine: for travelers from all countries who are subject to quarantine and then can travel further around Thailand.
The first two quarantine-free entry schemes are dedicated to fully-vaccinated travelers who wish to travel to Thailand, while the third one allows entry also to non-vaccinated persons. They, however, must undergo quarantine after arrival.
Documents check-list for entering Thailand
Every traveler to Thailand needs to have the following documents:
- Passport
- Vaccination certificate (if vaccinated)
- PCR test performed within 72 hours of travel
- Thailand visa or eVisa (if eligible)
- Thailand Pass
- Insurance with minimum coverage of $ 10,000
Moreover, depending on the travel scheme, travelers will also need the following:
Test and Go Program
- fully paid SHA Extra+/AQ hotel accommodation proof for day 1 (including the first RT-PCR and airport transfer)
SandBox Program
- 7-day booking confirmation in AQ hotel or SHA Extra+
Alternative Quarantine Program
- quarantine accommodation confirmation at AQ hotel
Thailand eVisa
As of September 2021, qualified applicants from 37 countries can receive a Thailand Tourist e-Visa, which is a single-entry e-permit allowing a 60-day stay in Thailand Lan.
There are nine different types of Thai e-visas that can be obtained entirely online. The registration process should take no more than 15 minutes but the form must be submitted 15 working days before the scheduled departure date.
Thailand Pass system
During the COVID-19 pandemic, anyone wishing to travel to Thailand must obtain a Thailand Passport, an online system created to facilitate entry into the country. Thanks to the Thailand Travel Pass, travelers can make the entire process of submitting travel documents much faster and easier.
The application process should be started in advance, preferably 5-7 business days before the expected departure date.
Testing, vaccination, and quarantine requirements
Check before arriving
All travelers to Thailand, including Thai citizens, must provide a negative RT-PCR test report taken within 72 hours before their scheduled flight from their country of departure.
Check in after arrival
Travelers to Thailand must be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival, a cost included in the hotel reservation. According to the input scheme, they must follow:
- Check and go: RT-PCR test upon arrival (Day 1)
- Sandbox: two RT-PCR tests (on day of arrival and on Day 6 or 7 of stay)
- Alternative isolation: two RT-PCR tests (on day of arrival and on Day 8 or 9 of stay)
Vaccination required
Thailand allows entry to both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Unvaccinated travelers can enter Thailand under an alternative quarantine program.
Vaccinated travelers can choose the Test&Go or Sandbox program to enter Thailand. International visitors, including returning Thau nationals and foreign residents aged 18 years or older entering Thailand under the Test&Go or Sandbox programme, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, the vaccine must be approved by the World Health Organization and Thailand's Ministry of Public Health. It takes at least 14 days from receiving the last dose of coronavirus vaccine to the scheduled date of travel to be considered fully vaccinated. Those who choose alternative quarantine as their system of entry into Thailand, if vaccinated, will benefit from a shorter quarantine period after arrival.
Currently, Thailand accepts 10 different Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers:
- Pfizer-BioNTech or Comirnaty (Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech) 2 doses/3 weeks apart;
- Moderna (Moderna Inc). – 2 doses 4 weeks apart;
- AstraZeneca or Covishield (AstraZeneca and Oxford University, SK Bioscience (Korea), Siam Institute of Serum and Biosciences of India (Covishield)) – 2 doses/4-12 weeks apart;
- CoronaVac (Sinovac Biotech Ltd) – 2 doses/2-4 weeks apart
- Janssen or Janssen/Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.) – 1 dose;
- Sinopharm or COVILO (Sinopharm Co., Ltd.) – 2 doses/3-4 weeks apart;
- Covaxin (Bharat Biotech International Limited) – 2 doses / 4-week interval;
- Sputnik V (Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology) – 2 doses – 3 weeks apart;
- Sputnik Light (Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology) – 1 dose (Sandbox mode only);
- Medigen or MVC-COV1901 – 2 doses/4 weeks apart (Sandbox mode only).
Quarantine required
International travelers, vaccinated and unvaccinated, choosing alternative quarantine programs to enter Thailand must undergo a mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine in Samut Prakan, Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya or Samui. They will then be able to travel to other parts of the country.
Those eligible for the Test&Go program must only stay one night at a previously booked SHA+ or AQ hotel (or until they receive a negative RT-PCR test result upon arrival). In return, the Sandbox program requires travelers to book 7 nights' accommodation at SHA+ hotels. Their movements are limited to the Sandbox area during this one-week period, but after that they can travel further.
Entry Rules for Children
Children aged 17 and under are allowed to enter Thailand under the same regime as their parents or legal guardians without needing to present a vaccination certificate.
An RT-PCR test is not required within 72 hours before departure for children 5 years and younger.
Transit through Thailand
Travelers who only consider Thailand as a transit stop before going to another destination do not need to apply for a Thailand Card. However, they must purchase travel insurance with a minimum coverage of 10,000 USD. Additionally, they must provide a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test report taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
Local requirements
Restrictions may vary across the country. Thailand operates a color-coded zoning system introduced to reflect the coronavirus situation in some Thai provinces.
The majority of destinations in Thailand have been classified as “green zones” with eased restrictions.
Public venues such as museums, cinemas, spas, sports facilities and other public facilities are operating under strict public health measures as well as limits on the number of visitors allowed, or 75% of normal capacity.
Many types of entertainment venues across the country, such as nightclubs, remain closed. Travel between provinces has resumed, including the operation of domestic flights to and from high-risk areas.
Wearing a mask is mandatory both indoors and outdoors and will result in a fine. Travelers should also be prepared for random temperature checks.
Travel Insurance
All foreign visitors to Thailand must have a travel insurance policy before departure. Travel insurance covering COVID-19 must be submitted when applying for a Thailand visa and Thailand Travel Pass. Its minimum coverage is USD 10,000 and must cover the entire period of the tourist's stay in Thailand.
