Thailand visa: which visa to choose in 2025? (tourism, long stay, nomadic…)

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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

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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 👇

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📊 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

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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

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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.

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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!

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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

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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

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📬 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

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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 😎