India Boosts Thailand Travel With Free Double Entry e-Tourist Visa Fee Waiver Until 2027

Written By: Ankita Sarmah

Ankita Sarmah

A passionate storyteller and aspiring journalist, Ankita Sarmah is currently pursuing a Master’s in English at DU while exploring the evolving landscape of journalism. With two years of practical experience, she has developed a strong ability to transform ideas, observations, and experiences into engaging narratives that connect with readers. Her journey combines academic knowledge with real-world reporting, allowing her to explore diverse fields such as culture, travel, and lifestyle through a creative and insightful perspective. Driven by curiosity and a passion for meaningful storytelling, Ankita strives to create fresh, authentic, and impactful content that informs, inspires, and leaves a lasting impression. For her, every story is more than words — it is an experience crafted to engage, connect, and resonate with audiences.

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September 12, 2026 10:38 GMT+5:30

India has introduced free double-entry e-Tourist visas for all Thai nationals. India’s initiative will allow more Thai nationals to travel to India with greater ease. The agreement also includes waiving the visa fee for a double-entry e-Tourist visa with a validity period of 30 days. With these initiatives Thai citizens can also use the Indian Tourist e-Visa without incurring any cost, and the visa will be valid until 31 December 2027, or until further notice.

The visa-fee waiver is designed to strengthen tourism connections between India and Thailand, encourage more visitor movement, and support growing people-to-people links between the two countries.

Under the new policy, Thai nationals can apply online for a 30-day double-entry e-Tourist visa that allows two visits to India within the permitted period. However, the initiative does not provide visa-free entry. Travellers must still complete the online application process through India’s official e-Visa platform and receive approval before travelling.

The move reduces the financial burden for Thai travellers planning holidays, cultural visits, business-related tourism, and short-term trips to India. By removing the visa fee requirement, India aims to make its destinations more attractive to one of its important Southeast Asian visitor markets.

India Strengthens Tourism Links With Thailand Through Easier Visa Access

India and Thailand share long-standing cultural, historical, and economic connections, with tourism playing a key role in strengthening bilateral relations. The latest visa-fee waiver comes as both countries continue efforts to expand travel opportunities and improve connectivity.

Thailand has remained an important source market for Indian tourism. Official tourism figures show that Thailand ranked among India’s leading international visitor markets in recent years.

In 2024, India welcomed 140,489 Thai travellers, representing around 1.41% of total foreign tourist arrivals in the country. The figure increased significantly compared with 2023, when India recorded 116,060 visitors from Thailand.

Although Thai arrivals declined to around 130,000 visitors in 2025, the market continues to hold strong potential due to geographical proximity, cultural similarities, and growing demand for international travel experiences.

The free e-Tourist visa initiative is expected to encourage more Thai travellers to explore India’s diverse tourism offerings, including heritage destinations, spiritual sites, wellness experiences, wildlife tourism, festivals, and modern cities.

Free 30-Day Double Entry Visa Opens More Travel Opportunities

The new visa arrangement provides Thai travellers with greater flexibility when planning trips to India. The double-entry facility allows visitors to enter India twice during the validity period, creating more opportunities for travellers who want to combine multiple destinations or return for another short visit.

The 30-day duration also supports short holidays and cultural journeys, allowing visitors to experience India’s major attractions without a high upfront visa cost.

Popular Indian destinations for Thai visitors include historic cities, religious landmarks, coastal regions, and cultural centres. Improved visa accessibility could help increase demand for destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and other tourism hubs.

The measure also supports wider tourism growth by encouraging travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and local tourism businesses to develop more India-Thailand travel packages.

Strong Air Connectivity Supports India-Thailand Tourism Growth

Growing air connectivity between India and Thailand provides a strong foundation for increased visitor movement. Thailand is directly connected with more than 15 Indian cities, creating convenient travel options for tourists from different regions of India.

The two countries are connected through more than 500 flights per week, depending on seasonal schedules. This extensive air network helps travellers access major Indian destinations more easily and supports both leisure and business travel.

Strong aviation links combined with easier visa access could further improve tourism flows between the two markets. Airlines, travel operators, and hospitality businesses are expected to benefit from increased demand as more Thai visitors consider India for international holidays.

Visa Fee Waiver Supports India’s Tourism Growth Strategy

India has been focusing on improving travel accessibility, strengthening international tourism partnerships, and attracting more foreign visitors. Simplifying visa processes and reducing travel costs are important steps in increasing international arrivals.

The Thai visa-fee waiver aligns with these efforts by removing one of the barriers faced by travellers when planning overseas trips.

For Thai tourists, the initiative provides a more affordable pathway to experience India’s cultural heritage, natural landscapes, spiritual tourism, and diverse travel experiences. For India, it creates an opportunity to increase arrivals from Thailand and deepen tourism cooperation with a key regional partner.

The policy is expected to support future tourism growth by making India a more competitive destination for Thai travellers. With the arrangement continuing until the end of 2027, businesses across the tourism sector will have more opportunities to develop new products, partnerships, and travel experiences targeting visitors from Thailand.

Tourists from Thailand can now apply for 30 double-entry e-Tourist visas that will be valid for two years and charge-free. This initiative will bring many Thai travelers to India as part of India’s strategy to develop tourism and increase bilateral travel.

A Thailand-India bilateral tourism relationship is likely to develop in the near future. As India maintains its travel commitments, Thailand will be able to attract more tourism as India is becoming an attractive travel destination because of the falling visa costs.