The Royal Thai Government Grants Temporary Visa Exemption scheme
for Short-Term Japanese Business Travellers entering Thailand
from 1 January 2024 and to 31 December 2026

In accordance with the Royal Thai Government’s economic policies to facilitate foreign economic activities in Thailand, a temporary visa exemption scheme is granted for holders of Japanese ordinary passports (or travel documents) who intend to enter and stay within the Kingdom of Thailand for the purpose of short-term business engagements, for a period not exceeding 30 days. This scheme will be effective from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026.

Japanese business travellers who wish to visit Thailand for 30-days business engagements, including to participate in business meetings; to conduct business with partners/companies; to work in an urgent or necessary or ad-hoc manner (such as technicians, engineers, auditors, trainees, public or private project-based contractors,among others), are eligible to enter Thailand by this visa exemption scheme and must be ready to provide document(s) or evidence related to the business engagement they intend to partake in, such as, a document confirming the appointment, an invitation letter, a certification letter from relevant agencies, to immigration officers upon their arrival at the port of entry in Thailand.

The said document(s)can be submitted in various forms, including original document(s), copy of document(s) in PDF version or electronic files displayed via mobile phones, all of which are deemed acceptable. It is recommended that the document(s) should have the company's letter head and should include company’s address and contact details, should address to “Immigration Bureau of Thailand", should contain the traveller's name / purpose of entry / date of entry / date of departure / length of stay, and should be signed by the authorized person(s) whose name(s) listed in the company's registration and include company's seal or sign by other person(s) who act on the authorized person(s)'s behalf. In the case of not submitting the mentioned documents, it is subjected to the discretion of the Immigration Bureau of Thailand, to reject the entry into Thailand. Note that the entry into Thailand by this scheme, the travellers are not eligible to file an application for permission of extension of stay at the Immigration Bureau of Thailand.

Note that for Japanese business travellers who wish to work in Thailand for not exceeding 30 days to conduct urgent or necessary or ad-hoc work (such as technicians, engineers, auditors, trainees,public or private project-based contractors, among others), it remains obligatory to formally notify the Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour of Thailand after arrival to Thailand.

For applicants who do not fall into the above-mentioned business engagements to enter Thailand, it is required to apply for an appropriate visa at the Royal Thai Embassy, Tokyo.Also note that the Japanese nationality who wishes to visit Thailand for the following purposes is excluded from this short-term business visa exemption scheme:

- To participate in business meetings; or to conduct business with partners/companies; or to work in an urgent or necessary or ad-hoc manner (such as technicians, engineers, auditors, among others) in Thailand for more than 30 days, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B (Business) visa

- To be employed / to work in Thailand for long-term period, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B (Working) visa 

- To perform at an event / a concert as artist in Thailand for any duration, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B (For Artist Performing in Thailand) visa 

- To participate in TV commercial production / shooting documentaries / music video and TV programme as media crews/actors/actresses in Thailand for any duration, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant M (For Movie / Filming) visa 

- To perform duty as a journalist in Thailand, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B (Business) visa for staying in Thailand within 90 days (https://site.thaiembassy.jp/en/visa/type/9567/) and for working as a journalist in Thailand for long-term period, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant M (Media: Journalist) 

- To teach in Thailand, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B Visa (Teaching) for teaching in Thailand

- To participate in a non-compulsory internship programme as a student in a Thai company, it is required to apply for a Non-Immigrant B (Business) visa for this internship in Thailand 

In the case of those Japanese business travellers who had received notice from immigration officers in Thailand to apply for an appropriate visa in order to enter Thailand again, it is therefore highly recommended to submit visa application at a Royal Thai Embassy/Royal Thai Consulate-General to ensure the smooth entry into Thailand.