On February 10, Thailand's Cabinet formally endorsed a progress report on the country's visa reform initiative, consolidating measures that have been gradually introduced since 2024. The Cabinet is continuing the 60-day visa exemption granted to nationals of 93 countries and territories, which currently allows eligible travelers to stay for tourism or short-term business purposes, with the possibility of a 30-day extension.
However, since the policy’s introduction, Thai officials have observed many repeated back-to-back entries and extended stays inconsistent with tourist status. In response, a committee established under the Ministerial Decree is reevaluating the program and may recommend shortening the exemption back to 30 days, tightening extension eligibility, or restricting land-border entries.
Beyond the exemption program, the reforms also include an expansion of the Visa on Arrival system to 31 countries, with eight additional countries under review; the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for remote workers and digital nomads; and the Non-Immigrant ED Plus category for students combining study with employment.
Meanwhile, Singapore is similarly tightening its border control enforcement. Effective January 30, Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) began issuing No-Boarding Directive (NBD) notices to airline operators at Changi and Seletar Airports, instructing them to deny boarding to travelers identified as prohibited, undesirable, or otherwise ineligible for entry, including those with invalid passports or missing visa documentation.
This upstream enforcement shifts passengers screening from arrival counters to pre-boarding checks. Airlines that fail to comply with an NBD notice face fines of up to SGD 10,000 (~USD 7,920), while individual airline employees who enable a flagged passenger to board may face additional criminal liability.
