Moroccan citizens travelling to Thailand will need to obtain a visa before departure from September 15, 2026, after Bangkok removed Morocco from its revised visa-exemption programme.
The change ends the 60-day visa-free access granted to Moroccan passport holders in July 2024 for tourism, short business visits and urgent or ad hoc work. Travellers arriving before the new rules take effect may remain in Thailand until the end of the period already authorised by immigration officials.
What changes on September 15
Thailand published a series of Interior Ministry notices in the Royal Gazette on August 31. The measures withdraw the temporary 60-day exemption previously available to nationals of 93 countries and territories and replace it with narrower schemes.
Under the revised system, a smaller group of nationalities will receive visa-free tourist stays of up to 30 days, while three countries or territories receive a separate 15-day exemption. Morocco is not included in either list and is also absent from the reduced Visa on Arrival programme.
As a result, Moroccan holders of ordinary passports who plan to enter Thailand on or after September 15 should obtain the appropriate visa before boarding their flight. The rules for diplomatic or official passports may be governed by separate bilateral arrangements and should not be confused with the requirements for ordinary travellers.
How Moroccan travellers can apply
Thailand operates an online e-Visa platform for applicants residing in Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia. Applications are submitted through the official portal at thaievisa.go.th, without handing over the original passport at the Royal Thai Embassy in Rabat.
Once an application is approved, the traveller receives an electronic confirmation. The embassy instructs passengers to print that confirmation and present it both at airline check-in and to immigration officers on arrival.
The precise documents depend on the visa category. For an ordinary tourist application, the embassy’s published guidance includes a passport valid for at least six months, identification and passport copies, travel reservations, proof of accommodation and evidence of sufficient funds. Applicants should consult the current checklist on the embassy or e-Visa website before submitting, as fees and supporting-document requirements can change.
The arrival card remains a separate requirement
A Thai visa and the Thailand Digital Arrival Card serve different purposes. Receiving an e-Visa does not remove the obligation to complete the digital arrival form.
All non-Thai nationals must submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, known as the TDAC, no more than three days before reaching the country by air, land or sea. The official form is available free of charge through the Thai Immigration Bureau at tdac.immigration.go.th.
Travellers should avoid commercial websites that imitate official immigration services or charge unnecessary processing fees. The e-Visa application and the free arrival card are separate online procedures hosted on different Thai government domains.
Why Thailand revised the programme
Thailand’s cabinet approved the broader policy review in May 2026. The government said the changes were designed to reduce overlapping privileges, apply the principle of one entitlement per country or territory, address security concerns and balance tourism benefits with reciprocity.
The revision cancels the blanket 60-day scheme introduced in 2024. Thailand retains visa-free access for a more limited selection of markets, generally for shorter stays, while travellers from countries removed from the lists are directed to the e-Visa system.
What passengers with existing bookings should do
Moroccan travellers scheduled to arrive from September 15 should not rely on information issued under the 2024 exemption. They should apply early enough to receive a decision before departure and check that the name, passport number and travel details on the approval are correct.
Airlines normally verify entry documents before boarding, while the final decision on admission remains with Thai immigration officers. Passengers should carry the e-Visa confirmation, a valid passport, onward or return travel details, accommodation information and their TDAC confirmation.
Anyone travelling close to the transition date should confirm the rule directly with the Royal Thai Embassy in Rabat or the airline, particularly where the departure date falls before September 15 but arrival in Thailand occurs after the new regime begins.
- Royal Thai Government Gazette — Interior Ministry visa-exemption notices published 31 August 2026: https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/
- Thailand Department of Consular Affairs — Review of visa exemption and Visa on Arrival measures (20 May 2026): https://consular.mfa.go.th/th/content/20-5-69-0000
- Thailand Government Public Relations Department — Revised visa policy for countries and territories (15 July 2026): https://thailand.prd.go.th/en/content/category/detail/id/2078/iid/522327
- Royal Thai Embassy in Rabat — Thailand e-Visa platform for residents of Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia: https://rabat.thaiembassy.org/fr/content/new-online-thailand-e-visa-platform
- Royal Thai Embassy in Rabat — Visa application requirements: https://rabat.thaiembassy.org/fr/publicservice/visa-requirements?cate=670ff19b4d4d5321c20f9e33
- Thailand Immigration Bureau — Thailand Digital Arrival Card guidance: https://tdac.immigration.go.th/manual/en/
- Le Matin — Thaïlande: fin de l’exemption de visa pour les Marocains dès le 15 septembre (1 September 2026): https://lematin.ma/societe/thailandefin-de-lexemption-de-visa-pour-les-marocains-des-le-15-septembre/362996
The Morocco Report Newsroom
The central editorial team of The Morocco Report, an independent English-language publication covering Morocco for an international audience.
