Thailand visa for Russians in 2026: visa exemption, tourist, DTV, retirement and others

All figures below come from the websites of the Royal Thai Embassy in Moscow, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (thaievisa.go.th) and the Immigration Bureau, checked on 19 October 2026. Thailand’s visa rules changed several times in 2026, so every figure has a source and a date. Before applying, open the embassy page and make sure nothing has changed.

Which visa to choose

The names of the purposes come from the thaievisa.go.th reference list, which has its own document list for each purpose.

Visa exemption: 30 days

Russian citizens enter on an ordinary passport without a visa and may stay up to 30 days under the bilateral agreement. The 60-day exemption for 93 countries ended on 15 September 2026, and Russians keep 30 days. The Moscow embassy also reminds travellers that the immigration officer decides on entry and length of stay. What changed and how to extend is in how many days without a visa and how to extend a visa-free stay. On every entry fill in the digital arrival card TDAC: the immigration site says to submit the details 3 days before arrival.

Consular fees in Moscow

The embassy’s fee table is dated 15 July 2024, and its figures for the tourist visa and the DTV match their own pages, updated in 2026. We found no newer fee table on the embassy site as of 19 October 2026.

Fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. The table has no separate line for the O-A retirement visa, more in the retirement visa guide.

Tourist visa (TR and METV)

A visa for tourism. The Moscow embassy states a stay of up to 60 days per entry and a visa validity of 3 months for a single entry and 6 months for the multiple-entry METV.

Documents on the embassy’s list:

• passport valid for at least 6 months, and a copy
• a 4 x 6 cm photo taken within the last 6 months
• a confirmed, fully paid ticket to and from Thailand
• proof of accommodation booking
• an original statement from a local bank with a closing balance of at least THB 20,000 per person (about USD 700)
• for METV: statements for the last 3 months with at least USD 2,000 in every month, a travel itinerary, an employer letter or student proof
• for self-employed applicants a business registration, for minors a notarised birth certificate and parental consent

All documents in Russian must be translated into English and certified by a notary. A stay can be extended at the Immigration Bureau at the officer’s discretion, and the general extension fee is THB 1,900.

DTV

A 5-year multiple-entry visa for remote workers, freelancers and people on courses in Thailand. Up to 180 days per entry, USD 350 in Moscow, and a 3-month bank statement with at least THB 500,000. From 31 August 2026 a police certificate and proof of permanent residence in the country of application are required. Conditions, documents and limits are in the DTV guide.

Retirement visas

For people aged 50 and over. There are two routes: the O-A visa for up to a year, applied for before the trip, and a 90-day visa that you extend for a year inside Thailand. You need an income of THB 65,000 a month or THB 800,000 in the bank. O-A also requires insurance and certificates. The 10-year O-X retirement visa is not available to Russians: it is issued to citizens of 14 countries, and Russia is not one of them. All conditions and fees are in the retirement visa guide.

Other visas

• Non-B (work and business). Working in Thailand needs approval from the Ministry of Labour and the documents of a Thai company, and the work permit is issued separately after entry. The Moscow embassy reminds applicants that you may work only once a work permit is granted, and violations are punished by prison or a fine
• Non-ED (study). The e-Visa reference list has separate purposes for school, vocational and diploma courses, short courses (including Thai language and Muay Thai), internships and university study with ED Plus. Documents depend on the purpose
• Non-O (family). Purposes for staying with a Thai or a non-Thai family in Thailand for more than 60 days
• LTR. A 10-year BOI programme visa, with purposes in the e-Visa list for retirees with income, remote workers and wealthy individuals. The terms are set by the BOI and we did not check them
• Thailand Privilege. Paid membership in a programme, with special SE and PE visas in the e-Visa list. A comparison with the DTV and the retirement visa is in the DTV guide

How to apply

1. Choose a purpose and check the document list on thaievisa.go.th. Since 1 January 2025 Russians apply for all visas only through this site, personally or through a representative.
2. Collect documents and translations. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
3. Submit the application and check it before sending. The embassy cannot edit an application after submission.
4. Pay the fee. In cash in US dollars at the embassy in Moscow, on weekdays 9:30 to 12:00, within 14 days of confirmation. Online payment is not available.
5. Wait for the decision. Usually 14 business days after payment, plus 4-6 weeks if the Thai Foreign Ministry must approve. If requested documents are not supplied within 45 days, the application is cancelled and the fee is not refunded.
6. Print the approved visa. It is emailed to you and is needed by the airline and immigration.

The embassy recommends applying a month before departure.

What will not work

• Visa exemption as a way to live there long. It is 30 days since 15 September 2026, and we cover border runs in the article on visa runs
• A DTV from a neighbouring country. From 31 August 2026 you must show permanent residence in the country of application, so a trip to Laos or Malaysia for a visa does not help without a residence permit there
• A visa for buying an apartment. There is no direct visa for property, and what exists instead is in the answer does property give a visa
• Working on a tourist visa. Immigration reminds foreigners that you may not work without a work permit

What we could not find in official sources

• A separate fee line for the O-A retirement visa in the Moscow embassy’s table
• The terms of the BOI’s LTR programme and the cost of Thailand Privilege as of October 2026
• Processing times specifically for Non-ED and Non-O: the embassy page gives one general figure of 14 business days

We re-check this page every 30 days. If you want a specialist to look at your documents, write to us and we will pass your request to a visa partner we have vetted.

Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.