Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi published revised consular fees taking effect April 27, with similar hikes signalled globally. LTR jumps to ฿55,000, DTV to ฿11,800, SMART up to ฿47,000.
The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi published a complete revision of visa, legalisation and consular service fees taking effect April 27, 2026. The hikes are widely seen as a template for the broader global Royal Thai Embassy fee restructuring expected through Q2 2026.
New Visa Fees (Effective April 27, 2026)
| Visa Type | New INR | Approx ฿ Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Resident (LTR) | INR 140,000 | ~฿55,000 |
| SMART Visa (4-year multiple-entry) | INR 120,000 | ~฿47,000 |
| SMART Visa (1-year) | INR 30,000 | ~฿11,800 |
| Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | INR 30,000 | ~฿11,800 |
| Tourist visa, multiple-entry | INR 13,500 | ~฿5,300 |
| Tourist visa, single-entry | INR 3,000 | ~฿1,180 |
| Transit visa | INR 2,500 | ~฿980 |
| Legalisation services (capped) | INR 1,400 | ~฿550 |
The DTV fee increase from approximately ฿7,500 to ฿11,800 represents a ~50% jump. The LTR fee increase is even steeper — previously around ฿35,000-40,000, now ฿55,000.
Why the Increases
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not published a unified rationale, but the timing aligns with broader tourist-fee restructuring (300-baht arrival levy, ฿1,120 departure tax) and the post-cabinet ‘value over volume’ tourism pivot. Higher visa fees signal a deliberate shift away from low-cost mass tourism toward higher-spending long-stay residents.
Impact on Expats
For expats considering switching from a tourist or non-immigrant visa to LTR or DTV, the cost wall just rose significantly. Combined with the DTV rejection wave, would-be applicants face both higher fees and tighter approval criteria.
What Expats Should Do
- Apply BEFORE April 27 if your application is ready — savings of ฿4,300 (DTV) to ฿15,000+ (LTR) per person.
- Consolidate family applications — every visa per family member is now sharply higher.
- Check your specific embassy — some have already implemented fees beyond the New Delhi schedule (US embassy historically charges more).
- Budget for renewals — multi-year visas now cost significantly more upfront. Factor into total cost-of-living calculations.
- Consider non-immigrant alternatives — some expat categories (retirement, marriage, business) may remain cheaper than DTV/LTR routes.
