India Free Visa for Thai Nationals: 30-Day Double-Entry e-Tourist Visa Available Until 2027 

If you’ve been putting off that India trip because of the visa fee, here’s some good news. India has just scrapped the fee on its 30-day e-Tourist visa for Thai passport holders, and the deal comes with double-entry access too. The Indian Embassy in Bangkok confirmed the change, which is set to run all the way through the end of 2027, unless the government decides to end it sooner.

So What Exactly Changed?

Let’s be clear about what this is and what it isn’t. Thai citizens aren’t getting visa-free entry into India. They still need to go through the e-Visa process and get approved before they fly. What’s changed is simply that they won’t have to pay for it anymore. The visa itself covers a 30-day stay and allows two separate entries during that window, which is handy if you’re planning to hop over to a neighboring country and come back, or just want the flexibility of two trips.

How to Actually Apply

Nothing about the application process itself has changed. You still go through India’s official e-Visa portal, fill out the usual forms, and upload a photo and passport details. The main tip worth remembering: apply early. India generally wants applications at least four days before you land, though you can submit up to a month ahead of your trip. Given how quickly plans can shift, it’s smart not to leave it to the last minute.

Why Is India Doing This?

This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Thai tourists have become an increasingly important market for India roughly 130,000 visited in 2025, following more than 140,000 the year before. Add to that the fact that Thailand and India are connected by direct flights to over 15 Indian cities, and it’s clear both countries have been investing in making travel between them easier.

Cutting the fee is a fairly low-cost way for India to sweeten the deal for a market that’s already growing. It nudges more travelers toward booking, and cheaper entry tends to translate into more spending once people actually arrive at hotels, restaurants, local guides, shopping, the works. There’s also a cultural thread running through this. India and Thailand share a long history tied to Buddhism, and pilgrimage travel between the two has always been part of that relationship. A simpler visa process could give that kind of travel along with ordinary tourism a real boost.

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What This Means If You’re Planning a Trip

For Thai travelers eyeing destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Varanasi, or Bodh Gaya, this removes one small but real obstacle. The visa fee was never the biggest expense of a trip, but avoiding it is still money back in your pocket and every bit helps when you’re budgeting flights, hotels, and everything else.

Just don’t mistake “fee-free” for “visa-free.” You’ll still need that approved e-Tourist visa in hand before you travel, and India’s usual immigration rules still apply once you land. With this policy locked in until late 2027, it looks like a genuine long-term push to grow the India-Thailand travel corridor, not just a short-term promotion.

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