Thailand Visa News for Indians: 2026 Rule Changes

This roundup tracks what the Embassy in New Delhi and the VFS Global pages for the Thai consulates in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai currently publish. Fees and processing times are as published on those official sources, checked on 10 October 2026. For the complete country guide, see Thailand visa for Indians.

The September 2026 exemption notice

In 2026 the Embassy published a notice revising Thailand's visa exemption and visa-on-arrival schemes. The line that matters most for Indian travellers: the 30-day visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders, for tourism and short-term business engagements, remains effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement.

How to read it:

• It is limited by passport and purpose. Ordinary passports, tourism or short-term business only. Study, employment, retirement, media and other purposes still need the matching visa category.
• It is limited by length. If your stay will run beyond 30 days, plan for a visa.
• It is open-ended, not permanent. 'Until further announcement' means the Embassy can change it with a new notice. Check the Embassy page again close to departure.
• Visa on arrival is covered in the same notice. We have not summarised those details, so read the notice itself if you were relying on that scheme.

e-Visa portal or VFS centre: an unresolved overlap

According to the Embassy, Thailand's e-Visa system has been in effect since 1 January 2025 and all applicants are required to apply through thaievisa.go.th. At the same time, VFS Global, the Embassy's official partner in India, still publishes visa application centre submission for the three consular jurisdictions, each with its own categories, fees and checklists:

• Chennai jurisdiction: Chennai, Bengaluru, Cochin and Hyderabad centres.
• Kolkata.
• Mumbai jurisdiction: Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Ahmedabad centres.

The two positions had not been reconciled on the pages we checked. Start with the Embassy visa page and the e-Visa portal. If your consulate's VFS page still directs you to a centre, confirm the route with VFS before you book an appointment, and make sure you pay only once.

Bengaluru centre: applications on hold

A VFS notice dated 6 August 2026 put application acceptance at the Bengaluru visa application centre on hold until further notice. Bengaluru sits in the Chennai consulate's jurisdiction alongside Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad. If you were planning a Bengaluru submission, check the VFS Thailand Chennai page for the current position before travelling to a centre.

Fees now published: one table for the Embassy and all consulates

The Embassy's fee announcement of 15 April 2026, published as an image, sets new visa fees from 27 April 2026 at the Royal Thai Embassy and all Royal Thai Consulates-General in India, so Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai charge the same rates as the Embassy. Some VFS Chennai pages still showed older, lower amounts when we checked; the announcement is the rate that applies.

The Embassy also lists the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa at 140,000 INR for 10 years and the SMART Visa at 30,000 INR per year. At VFS, add the service charge of INR 500 per application (including GST), plus a convenience fee of INR 200 in Kolkata and Mumbai; SMS updates (INR 150-200) and the Premium Lounge (INR 2000) are optional. In Kolkata, the visa fee is paid by demand draft payable to the Royal Thai Consulate-General.

Processing times at the consulates

• Kolkata, tourist: approximately 14 working days; the travel date should be at least seven working days from submission.
• Chennai jurisdiction: minimum 3 to 5 working days from receipt by the Royal Thai Consulate General Chennai.
• Mumbai jurisdiction, tourist: minimum 05 working days in Mumbai, 07 in Pune and Goa, and 08 in Ahmedabad.

Documents: what the current checklists ask for

Document rules have not been the headline this year, but the VFS checklists are worth rereading before any application:

• Passport valid not less than 6 months, with two blank pages.
• Two photographs, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, white background, not older than 3 months.
• Six months of bank statements with a minimum current balance equivalent to USD 700 per person or USD 1400 per family (Kolkata checklist).
• A photocopy of a confirmed return ticket and a confirmed hotel reservation in your name, or an invitation letter with the host's ID.
• Evidence of employment and income such as ITR, employment letter and payslips.
• Mumbai: a typed personal covering letter is mandatory, and out-of-jurisdiction passports need local address proof.
• Chennai: minors need a parents' letter and birth certificate with MEA attestation.

Travel insurance is not listed as mandatory on the VFS and Embassy pages we read; VFS offers optional cover.

How to stay current before you fly

1. Reread the Embassy's exemption notice in the week you travel.
2. If you need a visa, start on the Embassy visa page and thaievisa.go.th.
3. If a VFS page still sends you to a centre, confirm with VFS, especially in Bengaluru.
4. Check the Embassy's current fee announcement before paying; the same rates apply at the Embassy and all consulates.

For the travel paperwork, 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 use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indians need a visa for a two-week holiday in Thailand?

Per the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, Indian ordinary passport holders can use the 30-day visa exemption for tourism, which remains effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement. Check the Embassy page close to your travel date in case it changes.

How long can I stay on a Thai tourist visa?

The Embassy's single-entry tourist (TR) visa has 3 months validity and allows a 60-day stay. The multiple-entry TR visa has 6 months validity with 60 days per entry.

Can Indians apply for the Destination Thailand Visa?

The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi lists the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) among its e-Visa categories at 30,000 INR. It is a multiple-entry visa for 5 years with 180 days per entry.

Is travel insurance compulsory for a Thailand visa from India?

It is not listed as mandatory on the VFS and Embassy pages we checked. VFS offers optional travel insurance.