Thailand: eGates now open to 33 nationalities for visa-free entry in Bangkok

Just days after its new 30-day visa exemption rules took effect, Thailand is taking another step toward automating border controls.

The new ABC eGates, short for Automated Border Control, are now available to certain foreign travelers arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The expansion was announced over the summer. On August 17, 2026, the Thai government said the Immigration Bureau had approved in principle the extension of Auto Gates to 31 additional nationalities. Officials said the rollout would be gradual, depending on equipment availability, security systems and the registration of biometric data.

On August 26, the government’s Public Relations Department confirmed that the Immigration Bureau had given the project the green light and that Airports of Thailand (AOT) was carrying out system adjustments and testing, with the service expected to launch within one month.

The system is now operational.

Four conditions to use Thailand’s eGates on arrival

Simply holding a passport from one of the eligible countries is not enough.

Signage now displayed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, along with the first reports from travelers using the system, indicates that four conditions currently need to be met:

1. Be a citizen of one of the 33 eligible countries or territories. The UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are among those included.
2. Have submitted the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival. The digital arrival card has been mandatory since May 2025 and must be completed before travel. The official form is free of charge.
3. Have previously traveled to Thailand. This allows the system to retrieve information already held by immigration authorities. In August, the government explained that travelers who had previously entered Thailand and whose biometric data was already available would be able to use the Auto Gates first, while first-time visitors would still need to see an immigration officer. Based on information currently reported from the airport, travelers using a new passport with no previous entry recorded under that document may also be directed to a staffed immigration counter.
4. Enter Thailand under the 30-day visa exemption program. This is an important point: the eGates currently available to foreign travelers are configured for visa-free entry. After the passport is scanned, the screen asks travelers to confirm that they are entering Thailand under “Visa-Free (30 days)” status. Visa holders must therefore continue to see an immigration officer.

This fourth requirement was notably confirmed by a Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) holder who tested the system. After scanning his passport, the eGate asked him to confirm a 30-day visa-free entry. He selected “Cancel” and was directed to an immigration officer, who told him that travelers wishing to enter using a DTV still need to use a staffed counter.

Travelers from 33 countries and territories can use the eGates

The signage currently displayed at Suvarnabhumi lists 33 countries and territories whose citizens may use the automated gates on arrival, provided they also meet the other three conditions.

They are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

The United States is not currently included among the nationalities eligible to use the new arrival eGates, even though US citizens are eligible for Thailand’s 30-day visa exemption for tourism.

In other words, being visa-exempt does not automatically mean a traveler is eligible to use the automated gates.

Visa holders could be added later

When the Auto Gate expansion was first announced, Thai authorities estimated that around 6.5 million additional travelers could eventually benefit from the system. They also referred to approximately 900,000 holders of certain long-stay visa categories.

Officials stressed, however, that the rollout would take place gradually, depending on system readiness and the availability of biometric data.

The configuration introduced in recent days therefore appears to represent an initial phase, currently limited to travelers entering Thailand under the visa exemption program.

Thai authorities have not yet publicly specified which categories of long-stay visa holders could eventually become eligible for automated immigration clearance, or when that expansion might take place.

Thailand is accelerating the digital transformation of immigration

The opening of the eGates comes as Thailand rapidly digitizes its entry procedures.

Since May 2025, foreign travelers have been required to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival. Thailand is also developing the THIM immigration app and has recently overhauled its visa and visa exemption rules.

Since September 15, 2026, citizens of 60 countries and territories, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, can stay in Thailand visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days, down from the previous 60-day allowance. Subject to certain conditions and immigration approval, that stay can be extended for up to an additional 30 days.

By opening automated arrival controls to foreign travelers, Bangkok is also seeking to reduce one of the most time-consuming stages of the journey: immigration clearance at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which handles up to around 70,000 arriving international passengers per day.