Answer first: when a client's trip runs longer than Thailand's visa-free window, the route is the e-Visa — an online application made through Thailand's official electronic-visa portal, no embassy visit required. The everyday choice is the Tourist Visa (a 60-day stay, extendable once by 30 days); for long, repeat or remote-working stays, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) gives a five-year, multiple-entry permit with up to 180 days per visit. Either way, every traveller still files the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) on arrival. As a Thailand DMC for travel agents, Explera helps you match the right visa to the trip and confirm the current rules and fees for each nationality.
The Thailand e-Visa: how it works
The e-Visa is the modern way to obtain a Thai visa before travel. Applicants from participating countries apply entirely online through Thailand's official Ministry of Foreign Affairs e-Visa portal.
- Fully online — register an account, complete the form, upload documents and pay the visa fee by card; no in-person embassy visit or postal application.
- Wide coverage — available through Thai embassies and consulates in 40-plus countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
- Approval to print — once approved, applicants receive an e-Visa confirmation by email to print and show the airline and Thai immigration.
- Official portal only — there is a single official government e-Visa website. Any other site charging extra "service" fees is unofficial — direct clients to the official channel only.
The Tourist Visa: the everyday workhorse
For most holidaymakers who simply need longer than the visa-free allowance, the standard Tourist Visa (TR) is the answer:
- 60-day stay, with one possible 30-day extension obtained in Thailand at an immigration office.
- Single or multiple entry options, depending on the client's itinerary.
- Best for extended holidays, multi-region trips and travellers combining Thailand with neighbouring countries.
The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): the long-stay option
Launched to attract remote workers and "soft-power" visitors, the DTV is the headline long-stay visa agents should know:
- Five-year, multiple-entry validity, with each entry allowing a stay of up to 180 days, extendable once per entry by a further 180 days.
- Four categories — Workcation (remote work for an overseas employer or online business), Thai Soft Power (activities such as Muay Thai, Thai cooking or sports/wellness training, generally lasting six months or more), Medical Treatment, and Dependent (a spouse and unmarried children under 20, who each apply separately once the main applicant is approved).
- Apply from outside Thailand, with proof of residence in the country of application; applicants must be at least 20 and have a clean immigration record.
- Financial proof — a substantial savings balance held for a set period before applying (we confirm the current figure on request rather than publish numbers that change).
- Note for clients — Thai language courses no longer qualify as a DTV activity, and anyone in Thailand 180 days or more in a calendar year may become a Thai tax resident.
How agents match and package the right visa
- Size the trip first — short visits may need no visa at all; check the current visa-exempt duration for the nationality before recommending a visa.
- Up to ~3 months — the e-Visa Tourist Visa (60 days plus a 30-day extension) covers most longer holidays.
- Long, repeat or remote-work stays — consider the DTV for clients who return often or stay for months at a time.
- Never skip the TDAC — a visa does not replace the arrival card; see our TDAC entry-rules guide.
- Apply officially, plan early — use only the official e-Visa portal, allow processing time, and have proof of funds, onward travel and accommodation ready (we supply confirmed stays via our Thailand DMC hotel bookings).
- Lean on the DMC — our full Thailand DMC services for travel agents and source-markets desk make compliant, well-timed arrivals part of the package; the trade desk confirms the live rules and fees for any passport.
Frequently asked questions
Does the e-Visa replace the TDAC arrival card?
No. The e-Visa is a visa obtained before travel; the TDAC is an arrival declaration filed close to arrival. They are separate requirements — every non-Thai traveller still files the TDAC even with a valid visa or visa-free entry.
How long can clients stay on a Tourist Visa?
A Tourist Visa allows a 60-day stay, with one 30-day extension available in Thailand at an immigration office — so up to about three months in total for a longer holiday.
What is the DTV and how long does it allow?
The Destination Thailand Visa is a five-year, multiple-entry visa for remote workers, soft-power activities, medical treatment and dependents. Each entry allows up to 180 days, extendable once per entry by a further 180 days.
Where do clients apply, and is it safe?
Through Thailand's single official Ministry of Foreign Affairs e-Visa portal only. Unofficial sites that add their own fees should be avoided — direct clients to the official channel, and let our trade desk guide eligibility.
Is there a fee or financial requirement?
Yes — government visa fees apply, and the DTV requires proof of a savings balance held for a set period. We share the current figures with agents on request rather than publish numbers that change; the trade desk will confirm them for the client's nationality.
