Thailand will cut its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days for visitors from more than 90 countries, reversing a 2024 expansion that had opened long, paperwork-light stays to digital nomads and remote founders. The change, announced in Bangkok, takes effect as the government presses its case that the longer exemption has fuelled criminal activity.

Why is Thailand cutting the 60-day exemption?

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced the 60-day exemption in 2024, extending visa-free entry to passport holders from 93 countries. The longer stay helped draw an estimated 33 to 35 million international tourists a year and made the country a leading base for remote workers in cities from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

The Thai government has framed the reversal as "an effort to fight crime," according to Channel News Asia. Residents and tour operators have linked the shift to disruptive behaviour by short-term visitors and expatriates. Under the new rule, passport holders from more than 90 countries face a single 30-day visa-free entry. Travellers who want to stay longer will need to apply in advance for the appropriate Thai visa, a process the exemption had previously removed from the calendar.

Who qualifies for Canada's remote-work exemption, and what is changing?

Canada already allows digital nomads to enter as visitors and work remotely for a foreign or self-employed business for up to six months, without a Canadian work permit. In May 2026, Ottawa imposed stricter requirements on that pathway, adding documentation and eligibility checks that visitors must meet at the border.

Travellers affected include remote employees of foreign companies and self-employed professionals who had used the visitor status to base themselves in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The new rules leave the six-month ceiling in place; they raise the paperwork bar. Canada has not introduced a dedicated digital-nomad visa, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues to anchor the policy in its existing visitor framework.

What does the EU's new visa cascade mean for frequent travellers?

In 2026, the European Union adopted a more favourable Schengen visa framework for Thai passport holders, creating a ladder of multiple-entry options: a one-year, a two-year, and a five-year visa, each valid for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period within the Schengen area. The bloc also brought its biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) online at all Schengen borders, replacing passport stamps with fingerprint and facial scans for short-stay visitors.

The cascade rewards applicants with a clean travel history and lets frequent business visitors, journalists, and consultants re-enter the bloc without reapplying for each trip. Travellers should still verify which Schengen state issues their visa, since the first point of entry typically determines the consular post.

What about major events on the horizon?

FIFA World Cup matches scheduled in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026 have prompted the three host governments to publish updated entry guidance. The United States and Canada continue to require visas or electronic travel authorisations (eTA) for most non-citizens. Mexico offers visa-free entry to most Western passport holders, but remote-work rights there remain limited. Digital nomads planning to attend matches or work during the tournament should confirm their status well in advance.

What should affected travellers do next?

• Check the official Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs notice for the exact effective date of the 30-day cap and the list of qualifying nationalities.
• Apply for a longer-stay Thai visa in advance if more than 30 days are planned.
• Carry employer letters, proof of foreign income, and accommodation evidence when entering Canada under visitor status.
• For Schengen travel, request the longest visa category for which eligibility can be demonstrated and prepare for EES biometric enrolment at the first border crossing.

The pattern across 2026 is the same: longer, looser post-pandemic entry is giving way to re-tightened rules, with governments setting their own paperwork thresholds. Travellers should anchor every plan to the issuing authority's official notice rather than to aggregator sites.