Effective 15 September, French passport-holders arriving in Thailand under the long-standing visa-waiver scheme will be limited to 30 days instead of 60 days, according to an updated advisory from France Diplomatie. The rule applies to air, land and sea entries and includes a cap of two land-border entries per calendar year without a visa. Overstays will attract fines or expulsion. The change reflects Bangkok’s broader tightening of immigration enforcement, which since August empowers authorities to fast-track deportations for ‘public-order’ violations. It also aligns with the 2025 launch of the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), now mandatory for all foreigners within three days prior to entry. French corporations rotating staff through Bangkok or Phuket must revise rotation schedules and ensure business-traveller visits do not exceed 30 days unless a proper visa is obtained. For French citizens on remote-work assignments, the SMART Visa or Non-Immigrant B visa becomes indispensable. Travel-insurance clauses should be checked: policies often hinge on travellers remaining in legal status. Employers should also warn staff against back-to-back ‘visa runs’; only two visa-exempt land crossings are now allowed annually. The embassy notes that deported overstayers aged over 18 can be barred for up to ten years, a risk that could jeopardise future ASEAN assignments.
Source: France Diplomatie
