Thailand will implement a mandatory Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visa-exempt foreigners starting December 2023 to enhance security and monitor health risks, replacing the current visa-exempt entry system.
Thailand is set to implement a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, mandatory for all visa-exempt foreign travelers from December this year until June 2025. This system, while not a visa, serves as a digital security check to enhance safety and monitor health risks for individuals entering the country by air, land, or sea.
The ETA will be processed online and is expected to be free, allowing travelers to navigate electronic immigration gates using a QR code upon approval. Unlike other countries’ ETAs, the Thai system requires a new application for each entry.
Visitors currently enjoy a 60-day visa exemption, extendable by 30 days. However, the ETA may introduce new restrictions on repeated entries. The Thai government aims for the ETA to improve tracking and screening of foreigners, similar to existing systems in the U.S. and Europe.
Source : New travel rules: Thailand’s ETA to shake up visa-free visitors
