Thailand visa: which visa to choose in 2025? (tourism, long stay, nomadic…)
Do I need a visa to go to Thailand?
🇫🇷 Good news for the French:
If you are coming to Thailand for less than 30 days, you do not need a visa. You have an exemption when you arrive at the airport or by land.
Main conditions:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months
- Exit ticket within 30 days
- Maximum 2 ground entries per year
The different types of Thailand visa
Are you staying longer? Do you want to learn Thai, work or live here? Here are the main types of visas according to your purpose 👇
📊 Stylized Visa Comparison Table
| 🪪 Visa Type | ⏳ Duration | 🔁 Renewable | 📍 Where to get it? | 👤 For whom? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exemption (without visa) | 30 days | Yes (30 days) | On arrival (airport) | Short-stay tourists |
| TR Tourist Visa | 60 + 30 days | Yes (30 days) | E-visa or Embassy | Long-stay travellers |
| METV Visa (Multi Entry) | 6 months | No | Embassy only | Frequent flyers |
| Education Visa (ED) | 90 days to 1 year | Yes | Partner School + Embassy | Thai lessons, boxing, university |
| O-A/O-X Visa | 1 to 10 years | Yes | Embassy | Retirees (+50 years) |
| Work/Non-B Visa | 3 to 12 months | Yes | Embassy + Work Permit | Expats employees, entrepreneurs |
| STV Visa (Removed) | Up to 270 days | No | — | Obsolete since 2023 |
Which visa should you choose according to your profile?
| 🎯 Your profile | ✅ Visa recommended |
|---|---|
| 2 to 4 week stay | Exemption (30 days) |
| Stay of 1 to 3 months | TR Tourist Visa |
| You want to go out and come back often | METV Visa (Multi-Entry) |
| You want to learn (Thai, boxing…) | Education Visa (ED) |
| You are retired (+50 years old) | O-A (or O-X) Visa |
| You work online (nomadic) | TR Visa (⚠️ Neutral, Not Pro) |
| You officially work | Visa Non-B + Work Permit |
Applying for your Thai e-visa online
Thailand now offers an official online e-visa to avoid trips to the embassy.
👉 Official website:
🔗 https://www.thaievisa.go.th/
You can ask:
- TR Tourist Visa
- Education Visa
- Retirement Visa
- Non-B Visa (if documented)
⚠️ Not possible for the 30-day exemption: it is done on arrival.
Extend your stay / Visa run
⏳ Extensions possible on site :
- At the local immigration office
- 30 days max (1,900 baht)
🌍 Visa run = leave the country and come back to “restart” your stay.
⚠️ Allowed, but to be avoided in chain → monitored!
Mistakes to avoid
❌ Exceeding the deadline → fine (500 THB/day) + possible blacklist
📎 Do not make a copy of your visa/passport
🏥 Traveling without valid insurance → some visa applications require it
🕒 Apply for your visa at the last minute → plan 2 weeks in advance
Useful links and official contacts
- 🌐 Official e-Visa Application : thaievisa.go.th
- 🏢 Thai Embassy in Paris : thaiembassy.fr
- 📄 Full list of visas (official): thaievisa.go.th/types-of-visa
📬 Need help?
📧 Thai Embassy in Paris
– Address: 8 Rue Greuze, 75116 Paris
– Email: visa@thaiembassy.fr
– Phone: +33 1 56 26 50 50
– Make a consular appointment
Conclusion
Getting the right visa for Thailand is simple when you know what you want :
Holidays, living on site, learning, entrepreneurship… Choose well, get ready, and stay on track.
👉 And if you just come to relax for 2-3 weeks: breathe, you don’t have to do anything. The stamp on arrival is sufficient 😎
Mini-tutorial: How to do your Thai e-visa online
📝 Simple steps to make sure you don’t miss anything:
- Prepare your documents :
- Color scan of your passport (valid +6 months)
- Recent passport photo
- Hotel or address reservation in Thailand
- Exit ticket
- Health insurance (depending on the visa)
- Go to the official website
👉 https://www.thaievisa.go.th - Create a user account (email + password)
- Choose your visa type
- E.g.: Tourist Visa (TR) / Non-Immigrant O-A / ED
- Fill out the form step by step
- Upload your scanned documents
- Online Payroll (International Credit Card)
- Wait for the response by email (between 3 and 10 working days)
- Download your PDF visa to present at the border
📌 Tip : Print your e-visa + a copy of your passport and keep it with you on arrival.
Immigration Offices in Thailand
🧳 Ready to apply for your visa?
If you want to stay longer than 30 days or prepare for your trip with peace of mind, apply for your Thai visa online, in just a few steps.
🔗 Apply on thaievisa.go.th