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Home to paradise islands fringed by turquoise seas, vibrant metropolises that never seem to sleep, and lush tropical nature so beautiful it almost seems otherworldly, Thailand is on millions of travelers’ bucket lists for 2025.
Unlike previous years, however, there are some big changes in store that will impact Americans, Canadians and Europeans flying to the Southeast Asian country, so even if you’ve been there before: you’ll want to read about it in advance.
For the first time, US citizens and most Westerners will need a travel permit to enter Thailand, which will come into effect as early as December:
Americans now require a travel permit to visit Thailand
From the end of 2024, tourists will no longer be allowed to board flights to Thailand unless they have received prior permission to travel. This document, called Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), applies to all current visa-exempt nationals.
This also applies to American passport holders, who until now were only allowed to enter Thailand with their passport; Well, December marks the end of an era, as the Southeast Asian country joins the ever-growing list of international destinations that require an ETA.
Just this year, the European Union confirmed that its travel authorization system will come into effect sometime in 2025, while the United Kingdom will introduce its own system as early as January. just a matter of time until Asia caught up with the trend.
The Thai ETA is free
As discouraging as that may sound to some people, especially those who hate any form of travel-related bureaucracy, we must keep in mind that an ETA is not the same as a visa. In fact, it’s much easier to request, and is often issued immediately!
All you have to do is create an account for the Thai ETA when it goes live and fill out a form You will be asked a series of questions regarding your private data and travel information.
Usually an ETA is paid, with prices ranging from $9 to $23 depending on the destination, but in the case of Thailand it is completely free.
Once you submit your application it will be reviewed within 24 hours and once the approval is sent to your email you can download a QR code that you can flash at the border for faster screening – and this brings big changes brings with it number 2!
On the other hand… Americans are eligible for eGate use!
As much as the introduction of the ETA can get on your nerves – who likes extra paperwork anyway? – what comes next should improve your mood:
If you are in possession of a valid Thai ETA, You will soon be eligible to use eGates upon landing in Thailand for a much faster border control: no more waiting in line for minutes or even filling out those dreaded forms upon arrival.
An eGate is a rapidly spreading alternative to manual passport checks because it allows incoming travelers to self-check into a country without first speaking to a border agent, using state-of-the-art technology and biometric readers to check new crossings.
Thailand is only the next country Expand eGate use 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 the US since 2023.
We still don’t know at this time if the eGate screening will eliminate the need for an entry stamp, or if Americans will still be required to speak to a border agent when crossing the barrier before being cleared to stay, but we should. will know more details soon enough.
After all, the launch of eGate is will coincide with the Thai ETA in just a few weeks.
It is worth mentioning that US citizens traveling to Thailand as tourists are allowed a stay of 60 days, and exceeding the two-month period is strongly discouraged: this will result in the cancellation of your ETA or visa, and it often results in high fines or even a ban from ever returning to Thailand.
If you are traveling to Thailand this winter, make sure you apply for an ETA on 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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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
