Thailand: Visa-Free Tourism Scheme for Travelers from China and Kazakhstan Announced
March 4, 2024

Update - March 4, 2024: The Thai Cabinet has agreed to extend the 30-day tourist visa waiver for Kazakhstan nationals until August 31, 2024. However, an announcement was also made that a Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed between Thailand and Kazakhstan in April that would implement the visa waiver permanently. As for the China agreement, effective March 1, 2024, nationals of China and Thailand are visa exempt to enter each other’s country for tourism or business activities.
September 26, 2023: The Thai government has approved a visa-free travel scheme for visitors from Mainland China and Kazakhstan for tourism, effective through February 29, 2024. Previously, travelers from Mainland China and Kazakhstan had to obtain an entry visa before traveling to Thailand for tourism. The government will review the temporary scheme upon its completion to determine whether it should be continued.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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