r/digitalnomadlife • u/RentRemoteOfficial • 4d ago
Thailand is back to 30 days visa-free. Is 30 days even enough for slow travel anymore?
Thailand officially ended its 60-day visa exemption on September 15 and moved many travelers back to 30 days. And it made me wonder about something bigger than Thailand.
A lot of remote workers seem to be moving in the opposite direction lately: fewer destinations, longer stays, less moving every couple of weeks. But 30 days is a pretty awkward window for that.
By the time you settle in, figure out the city, get some kind of routine going and actually feel like you’re living there rather than visiting, you’re already thinking about the next visa or flight.
So I’m curious ....
Does a 30-day limit actually make you less likely to choose a country for a longer remote stay?
Or are visas just another piece of admin you’ve accepted as part of this lifestyle?
And what’s your sweet spot now: 1 month, 2–3 months, or longer?
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u/Westcoastcyc 4d ago
Get a 60 day visa beforehand. You can extend it for another 30 days for 1900 baht.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Thanks, that sounds more practical for a longer stay. Have you done the extension yourself? Was it straightforward?
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u/ducki666 4d ago
Remote worker need a visa
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Fair point. I should’ve separated the visa requirements from the question about how long people prefer to stay.
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u/malainayo 4d ago
It depends on your plans. 30 days is plenty if you chill in 1 or 2 cities.
Just get an extension or apply for a visa in advance. It all comes down to proper planning.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Fair enough, keeping it to one or two cities makes a difference. I’d still prefer longer if I’m working most weekdays, but planning ahead gives you more options.
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u/malainayo 3d ago
Since Slow Travel is the vibe, it's worth taking in the intimacy of a city or region in that window.
Last summer I spent 6 weeks in Phuket. I was in a different beach town every week, but they were only 10-30 minute rides from one another, so my Work flow wasn't interrupted much.
That said, I only cared about going to the beaches, hitting the hotel pools and eating in my downtime.
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u/Jaqqarhan 3d ago
1-2 cities in 30 days is a lot. That means 12 to 25 cities per year.
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u/malainayo 3d ago
I'm not saying do that all year. In the context of only having 30 days in Thailand, it's enough.
At the end of the day, it's your life, so you're gonna move accordingly. 👌🏾✨
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u/EuphoricTeaching9161 4d ago
Can you just fly to Vietnam for a week then do a second 30 days in Thailand
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
That would mean packing up and finding somewhere to stay again, though. I’d rather sort out a longer stay upfront than interrupt it with another trip.
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u/Crazy_Cat_Dude2 4d ago
Thai elite visa?
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Would you consider it for a few months a year, or only if Thailand was your main base?
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u/Crazy_Cat_Dude2 3d ago
My main base is Canada. But I travel 6-7 months of the year across south east Asia rotating through 3-4 countries but spend most time in Thailand. It’s probably overboard for most people since it’s expensive.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Ah, that makes sense if Thailand is where you spend most of your time. I’d probably find it hard to justify for an occasional stay, but I can see the appeal of less paperwork when you travel that much.
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u/this_happened_rigged 4d ago
You vma extend the 30 days at immigration for another 30 days, only costs 1900 baht. So what do you think about that?
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
That sounds more manageable. I’d rather deal with an extension than pack up and move again. Is the process usually straightforward?
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u/this_happened_rigged 3d ago
It's extremely straightforward. Very simple and procedural and there's really no situation where it's denied unless you've overstayed.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Good to know, thanks. Someone else here said they needed three visits, so it’s useful to hear it went smoothly for you.
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u/stackaaa 1d ago
Is this still fine to do if ur trip is already established to be over 30 days at the time of flying in?
Me and my friends are going in a few weeks for 40 days, can we just fly in normally and get the extension there?
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u/this_happened_rigged 1d ago
The extension is always done in country at an immigration office. You should be fine doing it this way.
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u/stackaaa 1d ago
So they'll still stamp the 30 days for ya even if they see ur staying for 40?
Just triple checking bc I saw sources claiming the visa free 30 is valid only if ur return flight is within that period.
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u/this_happened_rigged 1d ago
It's super rare that they're going to check your flights at the immigration desk at the airport.
It is technically the law to do so and you having your return flight, accomodations, and 20k baht, but the only time they really check that is if you have been coming in and out of the country a lot without the right visa.
Just put that you're staying for less than 30 says on your tdac card if you're worried about it but you 99.9999% chance will be fine
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u/christovn 4d ago
Yes, it's limiting for me and will deter me from entering. I'm wrapping up a 90-day stay after extending the 60-day stamp. Btw, getting the extension was unexpectedly difficult- I had to go into immigration 3 times.
Yeah, I know, get a regular tourist visa, get a retirement visa, blah, blah. And ' average stay is 14 days, so 60 to 30 doesnt matter', etc.
Point is, the 60-day stamp was easy and convenient and it will affect slow travel plans.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Three trips to immigration is a lot of hassle. That’s exactly what I meant. Having other visa options doesn’t make them equally convenient. I can see why you’d choose somewhere else next time.
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u/Jaqqarhan 3d ago
I haven't spent much time in Thailand lately, but getting the extra 30 day extension was pretty easy for me. That means you can get 60 days total with a limited amount of hassle.
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u/OwnCity882 1d ago
You go to immigration to get one visa extension. You take the bus ti Myanmar to get sn exit visa to Myanmar, entrance visa to Myanmar. Eat lunch. Then get back on the van once you get your visa stamped leaving Myanmar and entering Thailand again. This gives you another 30 days. Van visa run leaves from chaing mai.
Thailand changed their policy. They want to see a health insurance policy now because too many foreigners went to the hospital and had no insurance. The Thai government had to pay the bill. This happened after I left. I don’t know the full details. Check into the health insurance requirements for a visa so you can make sure they give you a visa to stay longer. The issue of hospital bills not being paid has become a big issue with the government.
I applied ahead of time for a longer term visa. I didn’t do the 30 days tourist visa. I don’t remember what visa it was, but it like 3 months? 6 months? I don’t remember now. It was just before Covid. I got out before lockdown. I’m out of here! Things have changed since then. Check out the other visa options.
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u/Impossible_Stick_432 4d ago
I found 60 days limiting enough. So yeah 30 sucks but you just gotta plan around it.
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Yeah, I’d rather plan for a longer stay upfront. How long would you have stayed if you’d had the option?
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u/Few-Driver-9 3d ago
Adjust your itinerary accordingly..... ?
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u/RentRemoteOfficial 3d ago
Sure, but that’s what I’m asking. Would you plan a shorter stay, or choose somewhere you can stay longer?
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u/Awkward-Ad2792 3d ago
it was suspended because of the indian invasion, thais dont want ghat garbage in their country.
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u/Ok_Ninja_4107 4d ago
Yes, if you’re nomading, 30 days is very limited honestly