Thailand Tourist Visa from India: Eligibility, Fees, Timeline

Because a short holiday may fall under the visa exemption, the first job is to work out whether you need a visa at all. Fees and timelines below are as published by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and VFS Global, checked on 2026-10-10. For other visa types and the latest overview, see our Thailand visa guide for Indians.

Who needs a tourist visa and who can travel visa-free

The Royal Thai Embassy says the 30-day visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders, covering tourism and short-term business engagements, remains effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement. If your trip is a week in Phuket or ten days across Bangkok and Krabi, the exemption is the route to check first.

A TR tourist visa becomes relevant when:

• you plan to stay longer than 30 days on a single trip, since the single-entry TR allows a 60-day stay;
• you want several trips over a few months, where the multiple-entry TR (6 months validity, 60 days per entry) fits;
• you are travelling for medical treatment, which falls under the MT category in the same tourist group.

Because the exemption is “until further announcement”, check the Royal Thai Embassy visa page close to your travel date.

TR visa fees: one rate at the Embassy and all consulates

The Royal Thai Embassy's announcement of 15 April 2026 sets visa fees from 27 April 2026 at the Embassy and all Royal Thai Consulates-General in India, so the TR fee is the same whichever office handles your file. Some VFS Chennai pages still showed older, lower amounts when we checked; the announcement is the rate that applies.

VFS submissions carry a service charge of INR 500 per application (including GST), plus a convenience fee of INR 200 in Kolkata and Mumbai. Optional extras include SMS updates (INR 150-200) and the Premium Lounge (INR 2000). In Kolkata, the visa fee is paid by demand draft payable to the Royal Thai Consulate-General.

e-Visa portal or VFS centre: which route applies to you

This is the part to settle before you collect any papers. The Embassy states that, with the e-Visa system in effect since 1 January 2025, all applicants are required to apply through thaievisa.go.th. At the same time, VFS pages for the three consulates still publish visa application centre submission, fees and checklists:

• Chennai jurisdiction: Chennai, Bengaluru, Cochin and Hyderabad centres. Note that VFS announced on 6 August 2026 that application acceptance at the Bengaluru centre is on hold until further notice.
• Kolkata jurisdiction: Kolkata centre.
• Mumbai jurisdiction (Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh): Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Ahmedabad centres. Passports issued outside this jurisdiction need local address proof, such as a registered leave and licence agreement and a company letter.

Before applying, open the e-Visa portal and the VFS Thailand India page for your city and confirm which route currently accepts your application.

Documents for a TR application

The VFS consulate checklists list these core documents. The e-Visa portal's own upload list was not covered by the pages we checked, so follow it if you apply online:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months with two blank pages.
• Application form with your original signature, and the filled checklist.
• Two recent photographs, 3.5x4.5cm on a white background, not older than 3 months.
• Photocopy of a confirmed return travel ticket.
• Confirmed hotel reservation under your name, or an invitation letter with the host's ID if staying with friends or relatives.
• Bank statement for six months; the Kolkata checklist sets a minimum current balance equivalent to USD 700 per person or USD 1400 per family, and Chennai wants the balance to reflect consistently for six months.
• Proof of employment and income: ITR, employment letter, payslips or business registration.
• A typed personal covering letter, which is mandatory in the Mumbai jurisdiction.
• Copy of your last Thai visa and immigration stamp, if any.

Travel insurance is not listed as mandatory on the Embassy and VFS pages we checked; VFS offers it as an option.

Processing timeline by jurisdiction

Several of these are stated as minimums, so leave a margin between your submission and your flight rather than booking against the shortest figure.

Before you apply: final checks

• Confirm whether the 30-day exemption already covers your trip.
• Match the hotel booking, return ticket and covering letter dates exactly.
• Use photos no older than 3 months, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm on a white background.
• Check the photo rules: the VFS checklists want the face covering 60%-70% of the frame, neutral expression, mouth closed; an e-Visa upload needs a 630 x 810 pixel colour photo with the face filling 80-85%.
• If you are in Bengaluru, do not plan on that centre while acceptance is on hold.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us via the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can Indians get a visa on arrival in Thailand?

The Embassy's current notice centres on the 30-day visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders, effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement. Check the Royal Thai Embassy's page on the visa exemption and visa on arrival schemes before you travel.

Is there a long-stay option for frequent visitors to Thailand?

The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a multiple-entry visa valid for 5 years with 180 days per entry. The fee is 30,000 INR, the rate the Embassy set from 27 April 2026 for the Embassy and all Consulates-General in India.

Do I need a covering letter for a Thailand tourist visa?

A typed personal covering letter is mandatory in the Mumbai jurisdiction and appears on the common document list elsewhere. If a family member sponsors your trip, add the sponsor's cover letter and passport copy.

What extra documents does a child need for a Thailand tourist visa?

For minors, the Chennai checklist asks for a letter from the parents and a birth certificate with MEA attestation. Check the checklist for your own jurisdiction, as each consulate publishes its own list.