Home to paradisiacal islands fringed by turquoise seas, vibrant metropolises that seem to never sleep, and a lush tropical nature so beautiful it looks almost otherworldly, Thailand is on the bucket list of millions of travelers for 2025.
Contrary to previous years, however, there are a couple of big changes coming that will impact Americans, Canadians and Europeans flying to the Southeast Asian country, so even if you’ve been before, you’ll want to read up on it in advance.
For the first time, U.S. citizens and most Westerners will need a travel permit to enter Thailand, and it comes into effect as soon as December:
Americans Now Need A Travel Authorization To Visit Thailand
From late 2024 onward, tourists will no longer be allowed to board Thailand-bound flights unless they have obtained permission to travel in advance––this document, called Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) applies to all current visa-exempt nationals.
This includes U.S. passport holders, who up until now, had been allowed to enter Thailand with their passports only; well, December marks the end of an era, as the Southeast Asian country joins the increasing list of international destinations requiring ETAs.
Just this year, the European Union confirmed its travel authorization system is coming into force at some point in 2025, while the United Kingdom is set to introduce its own from as early as January, so it was only a matter of time until Asia caught up with the trend.
The Thai ETA Is Free Of Charge
As dispiriting as that might sound to some people, particularly those who hate any kind of travel-related bureaucracy, we should note an ETA is not the equivalent to a visa––in fact, it is much easier to apply for, and it often gets issued instantly!
All you have to do is create an account for the Thai ETA once it goes live, and complete a form, where you’ll be asked a series of questions relating to your private information and travel information.
Usually an ETA is paid, with prices ranging from $9 to $23, depending on the destination, but in Thailand’s case, it’s completely free of charge.
Once you submit your application, it will be reviewed within 24 hours, and once the approval gets sent to your email, you’ll be able to download a QR code to flash at the border for faster screening––and this ties into big change number 2!
On The Brightside… Americans Will Be Eligible For eGate Use!
As much as the ETA introduction could be getting on your nerves––who likes additional paperwork, anyway?––what’s coming next should improve your mood:
If you’re in possession of a valid Thai ETA, you’ll soon be eligible to use eGates upon landing in Thailand for a much speedier border control: no more waiting several long minutes in line, or even filling out those dreaded on-arrival forms.
An eGate is a rapidly-spreading alternative to manual passport checks, as it allows incoming travelers to ‘check in’ to a country themselves without speaking first to a border agent, using state-of-the-art technology, and biometric readers to monitor new crossings.
Thailand is only the next country to extend eGate usage to Americans: in recent years, Mexico has installed them at many points of entry, including Cancun Airport and Los Cabos, and in Asia specifically, Malaysia is yet another example, with eGates open to U.S. since 2023.
We still don’t know at this point whether the eGate screening will eliminate the need for an entry stamp, or whether upon crossing the barrier, Americans will still be required to speak to a border agent before being granted leave to stay, but we should know more details soon enough.
After all, the eGate launch is set to coincide with the Thai ETA in only a few weeks.
It’s worth mentioning that American citizens who travel to Thailand as tourists are allowed a 60-day stay, and overstaying the two-month period is strongly discouraged: it will result in the cancellation of your ETA or visa, and it often results in hefty fines or even bans on ever returning to Thailand.
If you’re traveling to Thailand this winter, make sure you apply for an ETA some days, as it can take a whole day for the approval to be issued, and you will need it to board your flight.
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