E-Visa for Thailand: How to Apply Online Without Mistakes in 2026

In 2026, holders of ordinary Russian passports may stay in Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days under the bilateral agreement between Thailand and Russia. Since September 15, 2026, the former 60-day visa-exempt entry has been abolished; those who entered earlier remain until the end of the period shown in their entry stamp. If visa exemption does not fit your length of stay or purpose of travel, apply for an e-Visa at thaievisa.go.th: create an account, choose a category, fill in the application form, and upload documents.

Verified October 21, 2026: visa-exemption period and conditions for those who entered earlier — Embassy of Thailand in Moscow; e-Visa applications — official Thailand e-Visa portal and its guide.

A good place to start is the guide to visas for Thailand, and then clarify the procedure for your situation. Visa-free entry and e-Visa applications are different options: the right to enter without a visa depends on nationality and passport type, while application requirements depend on the category and the diplomatic mission. The electronic visa system (e-Visa) has been available worldwide since January 1, 2025.

Do I need a visa for Thailand after the changes of September 15, 2026?

Since September 15, 2026, the former visa-exemption scheme that allowed stays in Thailand of up to 60 days has ended. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand has also announced a revision of the tourist scheme: a 30-day stay, with the list of eligible countries and territories expanded to 60; a 15-day scheme for two countries or territories; and a reduced list for visa on arrival, to three countries or territories.

For holders of ordinary Russian passports, a separate rule applies: they may enter Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days under the bilateral agreement between Thailand and the Russian Federation. Details are given on the page of the Embassy of Thailand about changes to entry rules. Do not apply this condition to other nationalities or passport types.

These changes apply to visa-exemption schemes. The announcement about the end of the former visa-free stay period does not mean that the tourist visa itself has been abolished. If your trip requires a visa, separately check the appropriate category and application procedure.

What is an e-Visa (e-Visa Thailand) and how do you choose a category?

An e-Visa for Thailand is a way to submit an application through an electronic system. The system has been available worldwide since January 1, 2025. However, the online application itself does not determine which category suits you: the category is chosen based on the purpose of your trip and the requirements of the mission that will process the application.

The current list of categories and the requirements for each are shown on the official portal after you select a mission. If you are looking into specific visa options, see the separate materials on the MyThai site about the tourist visa for Thailand and the guide to the DTV visa.

Here it is important to distinguish two questions: whether visa-free entry applies to your trip, and which visa you can apply for online. A change to the visa-exemption scheme alone does not answer the question of requirements for a specific category.

Who can apply online and which mission should you choose?

Since January 1, 2025, residents of Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Belarus, and Moldova must submit applications for all visa types through the e-Visa portal. This rule concerns the applicant’s place of residence. Do not substitute it with a list of citizenships: these concepts do not always coincide.

For other cases, do not draw conclusions about the application procedure based on your passport or citizenship alone. Determine which mission will process your application in your situation and check its current requirements on the official portal. That is where you should confirm whether the selected place of application is suitable and which rules apply to your category.

Applications from residents of Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Belarus, and Moldova are processed by the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow. You can submit the application form online, but the embassy accepts the visa fee only in cash US dollars at the embassy itself. Details are in the cost section below.

What documents should you prepare for the selected category?

There is no single list that can be used for every applicant without checking. The required documents depend on the category and the mission. Open the current checklist for the specific visa and place of application, and before filling in the form, make sure you have all the supporting documents listed in it.

Check your personal details against your passport: the spelling of your name in the application must match the machine-readable zone (MRZ) of your passport. Do not correct the spelling from memory.

For a tourist visa (TR), the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow lists: the application form; a passport valid for at least 6 months and a copy of it; a 4×6 cm photo on a white background; confirmation of fully paid round-trip tickets to and from Thailand; confirmation of hotel or other accommodation; and the original bank statement showing a balance of at least 20,000 baht. For a multiple-entry visa, an additional bank statement for the last 3 months showing a balance of at least 2,000 US dollars in each month, an itinerary, and an employment letter (for students, a letter from the place of study) are required.

It is convenient to split preparation into two parts: the applicant’s data and the supporting documents from the checklist. This makes it easier to notice if a needed document is not ready yet and to avoid confusing recommendations for another visa with the requirements for your application.

How do you apply through the official e-Visa portal?

The official guide describes the application sequence. You can apply on the official e-Visa portal; then follow these steps:

1. Create an account.
2. Fill in the application form.
3. Upload supporting documents.
4. Pay the visa fee. Residents of Russia do not pay on the portal: after the application is confirmed, a document with a QR code is sent to your email, and the fee is paid in cash in US dollars at the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow within 14 days.
5. Wait for your application to be processed. At the embassy in Moscow, this takes up to 14 working days from the date the fee is paid.
6. Receive the e-Visa confirmation by email.

Before submitting, reread the form and check that the prepared documents match the selected category and the mission’s instructions.

After submission, watch for messages related to your application. If the mission asks for additional documents, follow the content of the request and its instructions, not someone else’s experience or the timelines for another consular district.

How much does an e-Visa cost, and how long do you wait for a decision?

The fee for a tourist visa (TR) at the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow — 40 US dollars for a single-entry visa and 200 US dollars for a multiple-entry visa; payment is accepted only in US dollars. For a single-entry visa, you must enter within 3 months; for a multiple-entry visa, within 6 months. Each entry allows up to 60 days of stay. Fees for other categories are listed on the page of the selected mission.

How residents of Russia pay: online payment is not available. After submitting the form, a confirmation with a QR code is sent to your email, and within 14 days the fee must be paid in cash in US dollars at the Embassy of Thailand in Moscow, on weekdays from 9:30 to 12:30, except on the embassy’s holidays. Banknotes must be in good condition and issued in 2009 or later. Processing takes up to 14 working days from the date of payment.

Apply early: the processing period counts only from the payment date, so it may take more than a month from submitting the form to receiving the visa.

How do you track your application and respond to a request for documents?

After submitting your application, check its status and watch for official messages. If a request for additional documents arrives, read exactly what must be provided and the deadline stated for your application.

Send the requested materials following the procedure specified by the mission. If the deadline or the way to respond is unclear, check with the mission.

It is useful to keep checking notifications until you receive a decision, rather than treating submission of the form as the end of the process. A decision may require additional action from the applicant, so it is important not to miss a request.

What to do after approval, and how not to confuse the application with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)?

After approval, the e-Visa confirmation is sent by email. Prepare a printed copy: you need to show it to the airline at the departure point and to immigration upon arrival in Thailand.

The visa confirmation and the digital arrival card (TDAC) are separate topics. For details, see the guide to the digital arrival card, where you can look into the card separately. In brief: the card is submitted online on the official website within 3 days before arrival (the day of arrival is included in those 3 days), and the e-Visa does not replace it.

If after the trip you have a separate question about extending a visa in Thailand, check the conditions for your category and situation. Approval of an online application does not replace checking the documents and requirements that apply to the trip.

Common mistakes before submitting an application

Before submitting, check your name and other form details against your passport. Then make sure the appropriate category and mission are selected, and that the set of supporting documents has been assembled according to the current checklist for them.

Do not assume that a general list of documents from search results suits every applicant. It may refer to a different category or to the rules of another mission. If the requirements differ, follow the current instructions of the authority that is processing your application.

Finally, reread the entire form after filling it in and check the attachments before submitting. This check helps catch an omission or mismatch in advance, but by itself it does not predict the decision on the application.