Thailand Visa-on-Arrival for Indians: Forms, Fees & Bank Statement Rules (2026)

✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-06-27

Indian passport holders usually get 60 days visa-free, which covers most trips. This guide covers the 15-day Thailand visa on arrival fallback: the current form, fee, and bank statement rules, plus the TDAC step everyone needs. For related planning, see our guide on Sea Backpacking Hub and Thailand visa photo size for Indians.

Subodh’s Pro Tip: Don’t queue up for VoA just because you read an old blog. As of 2026-06-27, Indian passport holders get 60 days visa-free with a passport and a completed TDAC. VoA is the fallback, not the default. You may also find Thailand Tourist Visa Unmarried Indian Couple Problems useful for this trip.

Quick Answers

WhatAnswerPrice (INR)
Visa required for Indians?No (visa-free 60 days)₹0
Primary visa typeVisa Exemption / Bilateral₹0
Fallback / alternativeVisa on Arrival (15 days only)₹5,600 (~$58)
Processing timeAt the immigration counter,
Validity / max stay60 days (visa-free or TR) or 15 days (VoA),
Extension possible?Yes (visa-free 60+30); VoA cannot be extended,
Mandatory arrival formTDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card)₹0 (free, but mandatory)

Visa Types Compared

For Indian passport holders, four channels exist in 2026. Only the first two matter for 99% of travellers. See also: Thailand Visa Free Entry for Indians Current End Date New Rules How Long It Lasts.

Visa Exemption (Bilateral, free). This is the channel most Indians use. Walk up to immigration, present your passport (minimum 6 months validity, 2 blank pages), a confirmed return ticket, and a hotel booking or host’s address. The officer stamps 60 days, single entry. Cost is zero. Extending once for another 30 days at a Thai immigration office is possible. As of 2026-06-27 this remains the current rule.

Visa on Arrival (15 days, paid). The fallback. Fee is around ₹5,600 (~$58) at current rates. Stay is capped at 15 days, single entry, and not extendable. The VoA also requires a more demanding document set: a printed application form (TM.7), a 4x6 cm photo on white background taken within the last 6 months, proof of onward travel, proof of accommodation for every night, and proof of funds equivalent to ~10,000 THB (~₹28,690 or ~$297) per person or ~20,000 THB (~₹57,380 or ~$594) per family. Most Indians who hit the VoA queue did so because they arrived without the TDAC or because they have a specific 15-day window in mind.

Safety Alert: If you’re landing with a VoA-eligibility question (forgotten TDAC, fresh passport, etc.), check the Indian Ministry of External Affairs travel advisory at mea.gov.in before you fly, and confirm current VoA rules on the Thai Immigration Bureau site. Rules around arrival documents shift more often than fee tables.

Tourist Visa (TR / METV, paid, pre-applied). Applied for in advance at the Royal Thai Embassy or via VFS Global. Single-entry TR costs ₹7,077 ($75; 2,500 THB), valid for a 60-day stay. Multiple-entry METV is available at 6,000 THB (₹16,980 or ~$175). Most Indians skip this because the visa-free route already gives 60 days for free.

e-Visa / E-Visa on Arrival. Thailand does not currently run a pre-approved e-visa system for tourism. The TDAC is not a visa; it is a mandatory arrival card. If a third-party website charges you for a “Thailand e-visa,” you are paying for something the Thai government does not sell.

For deeper context on Thailand’s broader rule changes and how they compare to neighbours, the Thailand visa hub for Indian passport holders covers everything in one piece.

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Step-by-Step: How to Apply (Thailand Visa-on-Arrival for Indians)

The VoA process happens at the airport, not online. There is no embassy visit and no pre-approval. Here is the exact sequence at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Phuket (HKT), Chiang Mai (CNX), and any other Thai international airport.

  1. Complete the TDAC digital arrival card before you board. Go to tdac.immigration.go.th. Fill in passport details, flight info, and your first night’s accommodation. The form is free. Save the QR code on your phone and print a copy. This step is mandatory for all arrival types, including VoA. Travellers report that some carriers will not let you board without the TDAC confirmation.

  2. Get your documents ready on the flight. Pull out your passport (6 months validity, 2 blank pages), the printed TDAC QR, your VoA application form (TM.7) already filled in, one 4x6 cm photo on white background, proof of onward ticket (a printed flight out of Thailand within 15 days), hotel booking covering every night, and proof of funds (bank statement or forex card receipt). Carry all of this in an A4 folder, not loose in your bag.

  3. Walk to the VoA counter on arrival. Follow signs marked “Visa on Arrival” or “VoA.” At Suvarnabhumi, this is on Level 2 near the immigration halls. Hand over the folder to the VoA officer. They will check the documents and take your photo (the one you brought) and your fingerprints.

  4. Pay the VoA fee. Most counters accept cash only (Thai Baht or USD notes); card payment is not widely available at VoA counters. Keep the receipt; you’ll need it at the immigration desk.

  5. Proceed to immigration. Hand over your passport, TDAC QR, VoA receipt, and onward ticket. The officer stamps 15 days single entry. Do not queue at the regular visa-free counter; you must use the VoA-processing line.

  6. Collect your luggage and clear customs. Standard arrival process. If anything looks off at the counter, ask to speak to a supervisor in Thai or English before walking away.

For the underlying VFS process if you ever need to apply for a Tourist Visa (TR or METV) instead, the Thailand visa via VFS Global step-by-step guide walks through that route.

The TM.7 Form: Where to Get It, How to Fill It

The Thai VoA application form is officially called TM.7 (sometimes labelled “Application for Visa on Arrival”). Travellers Google “thailand visa on arrival pdf” and “thailand visa on arrival application form pdf” looking for the actual document.

Where to download. The official PDF is hosted on the Thai Immigration Bureau’s website. Search the official site for “TM.7 form.” The Thai Embassy in New Delhi also publishes it under consular forms. Avoid third-party “visa service” sites that email you the form after collecting an email address; the PDF is free from the government source.

Sample layout. The TM.7 is one A4 page, double-sided. Front side covers personal data: full name, passport number, date of birth, nationality, occupation, current address, address in Thailand, flight number, and date of arrival. Back side covers declaration fields: purpose of visit, intended length of stay, and signature. If you Google “thailand visa on arrival sample,” the most useful results are filled-in examples on travel forums (one well-known example uses the placeholder “Mr. Sample / Passport No. 123456789”). The official form is straightforward; the sample is a teaching tool, not a substitute.

Print format. Print single-sided on white A4 paper. Photocopies are usually accepted. Do not fold or staple the form. If you forget to print the TM.7 in advance, the VoA counter keeps blank copies and a small window to fill them out, but you will move much faster with a pre-printed form ready.

The Bank Statement Rule: What “Proof of Funds” Means

This is the part Indian travellers Google most, “thailand visa on arrival bank statement,” and the part that gets the most confused advice online.

The rule (as of 2026-06-27). VoA applicants must show proof of funds equivalent to:

  • ~10,000 THB (~₹28,690 or ~$297) per person, or
  • ~20,000 THB (~₹57,380 or ~$594) per family travelling together.

What counts as proof of funds:

  • A bank statement showing a recent balance (last 30 days is the safest window; some officers accept 60 days).
  • A forex card receipt showing the loaded amount in THB or equivalent.
  • Traveller’s cheques in any major currency.
  • Cash in any major currency, though officers prefer a paper trail.

The Indian-specific catch. Indian bank statements often show balances in INR, not THB. Most Thai immigration counters accept INR-denominated statements as long as the closing balance meets the equivalent threshold. Show the closing balance, not the average balance. A statement dated within the last 30 days, stamped and signed by your bank (with the bank’s letterhead visible), is the cleanest proof.

What trips people up:

  • A statement with no bank stamp or letterhead. Online PDFs from netbanking portals without the bank’s official header sometimes get rejected.
  • A statement that shows the right number but is dated 3 months ago. Officers want recent proof.
  • A “current balance” screenshot from a mobile banking app without transaction history. Print a proper statement instead.

For a fuller rundown of Thai visa types, including the Tourist Visa and its bank-statement expectations, see Thailand visa for Indian passport holders: types, fees, how to apply (2026).

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At the Airport / Border: What Happens

The VoA experience at BKK or DMK is roughly 30 to 60 minutes longer than the visa-free line. Here’s the on-the-ground flow:

Counter location. Suvarnabhumi’s VoA counter is on Level 2 (Arrivals), signposted in English and Thai. At Don Mueang, the international terminal has a similar setup. Phuket and Chiang Mai international terminals also run VoA counters but with shorter hours; many smaller airports process VoA only during certain windows.

Photo and document check. The VoA officer will compare your photo to the 4x6 cm print, scan your passport, and verify each supporting document. Officers rarely ask questions; they scan, they stamp, they move on. If you have a confused itinerary or a return ticket dated more than 15 days out, expect a brief “are you sure?” pause, with the officer clarifying your VoA is 15 days, not 60.

Common officer questions:

  • “How long will you stay?” State 15 days or fewer. Saying 30 days will get you sent to the visa-free line or the Tourist Visa pre-application route.
  • “Where will you stay?” Have your first-night hotel address ready, plus a printed itinerary for the rest.
  • “Do you have onward travel?” Hand over your return flight printout.

Land border quirks. If you cross into Thailand overland from Laos (Huay Xai to Chiang Khong), Myanmar (Mae Sot), Cambodia (Poipet to Aranyaprathet), or Malaysia (Padang Besar), VoA is available at most major land crossings but the on-arrival infrastructure is patchier. Some land borders accept only Thai Baht cash and have no ATM within walking distance. Carry small USD or THB notes. The same document set applies: TM.7, photo, onward ticket, accommodation proof, funds proof. Processing time at a land border can stretch to an hour during peak hours.

Photo specs. The 4x6 cm Thai VoA photo is non-standard; it is not the same as the US 2x2 or the Schengen 35x45 mm. Indian photo studios do 4x6 routinely; just ask for “passport photo, 4 by 6 centimetres, white background, taken this month.” If you need a deeper dive on photo specs, Thailand visa photo size for Indians has the dimensions called out in millimetres and pixels.

Extensions & Overstay

Visa-free 60-day entry. Extendable once at any Thai immigration office (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui, etc.). The 30-day extension gives you 90 days total in Thailand. You can apply up to 7 days before expiry. Most offices process extensions same-day if you arrive in the morning.

VoA 15-day entry. Not extendable. Not extendable means not extendable. If you need more than 15 days, the VoA was the wrong tool. Travellers who try to overstay a VoA face the same fines as overstayers of any other visa type.

Overstay fines. ₹1,435 (~$14.83) per day, capped at ₹57,380 (~$593.51). Overstays above 90 days trigger blacklisting and possible deportation at your own cost. Above 1 year, expect detention, fines, and a multi-year entry ban. The fine is paid at the airport before you leave, usually in cash.

Common Mistakes & Rejection Reasons

  1. Forgetting the TDAC. The TDAC is a separate step from the VoA. If you complete only the VoA on arrival, you have not satisfied the arrival-card requirement and you may be sent back to the kiosks or asked to fill it on your phone at the counter. Complete TDAC before boarding.

  2. Wrong photo size. A 35x45 mm Schengen photo or a 2x2 inch US photo gets rejected at the VoA counter. Use 4x6 cm. If your photo studio uses a 4x6 print but crops to passport size, ask for the full 4x6 unmounted.

  3. No onward ticket. This is the single most common VoA rejection. The officer wants to see that you will leave within 15 days. A return ticket to India dated day 14 is fine; an open-jaw ticket or a one-way into Bangkok is a problem. Buy a cheap onward bus or flight to Cambodia or Laos if your plans are flexible, or book a refundable return.

  4. Insufficient funds proof. A bank statement showing ₹20,000 (~$207.60) closing balance when the threshold is ~10,000 THB (~₹28,690 or ~$297) per person is a soft rejection. Officers have discretion. Show 1.5x the minimum to be safe (~₹43,000 or ~$445 per person, ~₹86,000 or ~$891 per family).

  5. Aadhaar name mismatch. If your Aadhaar, PAN, and passport show slightly different name variants (e.g. “Suresh” vs “Suresh Kumar”), carry supporting documents that bridge them. Immigration rarely checks Indian IDs, but your bank statement must match your passport name exactly.

  6. Trying to use VoA for a 30-day trip. A common search is “thailand visa on arrival 30 days” from travellers who want more than 15 days. VoA cannot do this. You either fly visa-free (60 days, free), or you apply for a Tourist Visa in advance (60 days, ₹7,077 (~$75)).

  7. Currency confusion. Carry small USD bills; the counter does not give change in INR.

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Getting Connected

Step out of immigration and you need data for Grab, Google Maps, and the Bangkok BTS. The cheapest physical SIM at the airport is the AIS tourist SIM at the AIS counter inside the arrivals hall (~$4-6 USD for 15 days, ~15 GB). Just outside the terminal, 7-Eleven sells the same AIS or TrueMove tourist SIM for around ₹1,141 (~$11.84) for 15 days with ~15 GB. Bring your passport for registration. If you want to land already connected, Get Nomad eSIM lets you activate a Thai data plan before you board, with QR-code install over Wi-Fi.

Subodh’s Take

Here’s the honest read: if you’re an Indian passport holder planning a Thailand trip in 2026 and your stay is between 5 and 60 days, the visa-free entry is what you want, not VoA. The TDAC is the only mandatory step. VoA only wins in narrow cases: you forgot the TDAC, you need exactly a 15-day stamp for a specific transit, or you have a passport-status oddity. Pay the VoA fee only if you have a real reason. And on the bank statement question: Indian travellers get tripped up not because the funds rule is strict, but because they show up with a netbanking screenshot rather than a stamped statement. Get the printed version from your branch. Most VoA rejections at BKK are documents, not money.

FAQ

Do Indians need a visa for Thailand? No. Indian passport holders get 60 days visa-free on arrival as long as your passport has 6 months validity and 2 blank pages, and you’ve completed the TDAC online. VoA is a paid fallback, not the default.

Can I get a Thailand visa on arrival with an Indian passport? Yes, but only for 15 days, single entry, not extendable. You also need the full document set: TM.7 form, 4x6 cm photo, onward ticket, accommodation proof, and funds proof.

How many blank passport pages do I need for a Thailand visa on arrival? Two blank pages is the safe minimum. The TM.7 stamp and the entry stamp each take one page. If you have only one blank page left, you risk being sent to the visa-free line or, worst case, refused boarding at origin.

What is the TDAC, and is it the same as the visa? TDAC is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card. It is free, mandatory, and valid for one entry. It is not a visa. Every arrival type (visa-free, VoA, Tourist Visa) requires a completed TDAC. Apply at tdac.immigration.go.th.

Can I extend my Thailand visa on arrival? No. The 15-day VoA cannot be extended in Thailand. If you need more time, you must leave and re-enter on a visa-free stamp (a border run to Laos or Cambodia is the cheap option), or apply for a Tourist Visa in advance before your next trip.

What is the bank statement amount for Thailand VoA for Indians? At recent exchange rates, the threshold is the equivalent of ~10,000 THB (~₹28,690 or ~$297) per person or ~20,000 THB (~₹57,380 or ~$594) per family. A stamped bank statement from your Indian bank, dated within the last 30 days, is the cleanest proof.

Is there a Thailand VoA PDF form I can download? Yes. Search the Thai Immigration Bureau website for “TM.7” or check the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi’s consular forms page. Print single-sided on white A4 paper, fill it out before you land, and keep it in your hand luggage.