The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi announced on Wednesday, December 11, the rollout of Thailand’s Electronic Visa (E-Visa) system in India. This new system, aimed at streamlining the visa application process, will officially take effect on January 1, 2025. Along with the digital visa initiative, an offline payment option will also be available for applicants.
The embassy confirmed this development through a post on its official social media platform, X. “We’re thrilled to announce that Thailand’s e-Visa will be implemented in India from 1 Jan 2025,” the post stated.
In addition to the introduction of the E-Visa, the embassy clarified that Indian passport holders would still benefit from the existing 60-day visa exemption policy. “However, the 60-day visa exemption for Indian passport holders remains effective,” the embassy added.
E-Visa Application and Payment Details
For the E-Visa process, applicants will need to submit their applications on Thailand’s official visa website, https://www.thaievisa.go.th/. To accommodate varying preferences, the embassy has also announced offline payment options. The relevant details for these payment methods will be provided by the respective embassy and consulate generals.
“Applicants must choose to pay a visa fee for which the respective Embassy and Consulate-Generals will provide details on the offline payment options,” the embassy emphasized in its announcement.
The order also noted that visa fees are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances. “Please note that visa fees are non-refundable under all circumstances,” the embassy warned.
Once the payment has been processed, the embassy will require approximately 14 days from the date of receipt to complete the visa processing.
Transition Timeline for the E-Visa System
As part of the transition to the E-Visa system, the embassy has set deadlines for regular visa applications under the existing framework. For ordinary passport holders, applications submitted through designated visa processing agencies will only be accepted until December 16, 2024.
“Ordinary passport applications submitted at the designated visa processing companies will be accepted until 16 December 2024,” the embassy’s statement confirmed.
Diplomatic and official passport applications submitted directly at the embassy or consulate general will have a slightly extended deadline. These will be accepted until December 24, 2024.
The embassy also reiterated that the 60-day visa exemption for Indian passport holders will remain valid until further notice, providing some continuity amid the procedural changes.
By transitioning to an E-Visa system, Thailand aims to simplify the visa application process for Indian travelers while retaining certain conveniences, such as the visa exemption for short stays.
