Dummy ticket for Thailand: onward flight proof under the 30-day rule

A dummy ticket for Thailand is a flight reservation, held in the airline's system without paying the fare, that shows you leaving Thailand. Since 15 September 2026, Indian passport holders get 30 days visa-free, not 60, so that flight must leave within 30 days of your arrival. Be clear about one limit before you order: some official Thai wording asks for "confirmed" tickets, and a held reservation is not a confirmed ticket. If your airline or the officer insists on a paid ticket, buy one.

Is Thailand still 60 days visa-free for Indians?

No. It has been 30 days since 15 September 2026. The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi says: "The 30-day visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders for tourism and short-term business engagements purposes remains effective from 15 September 2026 until further announcement."

The Thai Cabinet approved the change on 14 July 2026. The Ministry of Interior notices were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026 and took effect 15 days later, replacing the 60-day exemption Indians had used since July 2024. India is one of 60 countries and territories on the new 30-day list, and visa on arrival is now limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Any page still quoting 60 days, or visa on arrival for Indians, is out of date.

What airlines and Thai officers can ask to see

Airlines and Thai officers can ask for proof of onward travel, details of where you will stay, and proof of funds. Not every traveller is asked. The Tourism Authority of Thailand lists "accommodation details, and evidence of onward travel where required". Thai embassies abroad use firmer words, and the table below shows the difference.

The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi lists no documents for the exemption at all. That makes the airline counter in India, before you board, the first place anyone can ask. Our list of airlines that check onward tickets covers how carriers handle it, and if you are flying AirAsia, see its onward ticket rules.

Reservation or paid ticket: which to carry

A reservation shows a real, checkable flight out of Thailand, but it is not a paid ticket, and nobody can promise how a check-in agent or an immigration officer will treat it. It fits a check where the person wants to see a planned departure date. It does not meet wording that says "confirmed" or "paid".

If you want to remove that doubt, buy something you can use:

• Buy a cheap onward flight you will use, for example Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, dated inside your 30 days.
• Buy a refundable fare and cancel it later. Our comparison of a reservation and a refundable ticket sets out the cost and the refund risk.
• If you are leaving overland, buy the bus, train or boat ticket in advance.

Whatever you carry, describe it truthfully. If asked, say it is a flight reservation, not a ticket. An airline can refuse to board you, and an officer can refuse entry; our guide on what happens after denied boarding explains the next steps if that happens. For how other visa-free countries handle the same question, see our proof of onward travel guide.

Choosing an onward date inside your 30 days

Pick a departure date a few days before the 30 days run out, so a delay or a miscount does not leave you overstaying. Say you land in Bangkok on 10 November 2026. Counting the arrival day as day one, day 30 is 9 December. A flight out on 6 December leaves you three days of margin. The date that counts in the end is the one immigration stamps in your passport, so check it on arrival.

The flight does not have to go back to India. An onward flight to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hanoi works the same way, as long as it leaves Thailand inside your 30 days. Your next country may have its own onward rule; Malaysia, for example, asks for a confirmed return ticket, as our Malaysia page explains. For a single flight out, a one-way reservation costs the same ₹699 as a return.

If you plan several visa-exempt trips to Thailand in one year, note that Thailand also limits repeat visa-exempt entries. Thai embassy pages describe that limit differently, so read the embassy page before a third trip in the same calendar year.

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

Every non-Thai national must fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online before arriving, and it has been required since 1 May 2025. The official TDAC FAQ says to submit it "within 3 days in advance of arriving in Thailand (including the date of arrival)". It asks for your flight number, arrival date and address in Thailand. Use the official site and fill it in with your real arrival details.

The TDAC is not a visa and not proof of onward travel. Officers can still ask about your onward flight and your funds separately. A newer immigration app, THIM, was launched as an optional pilot in June 2026, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand said then that it "does not replace TDAC at this stage".

Proof of funds for Thailand entry

Carry evidence of 20,000 baht per person, because official Thai sources quote different figures and that is the higher one for the visa exemption. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says funds can be shown as cash or equivalent payment documents.

You do not have to carry it all in notes: the wording allows "equivalent payment documents", such as a recent bank statement. What counts as equivalent is the officer's call, so carry some cash as well and convert 20,000 baht at the day's rate when you plan.

Staying longer than 30 days

For a longer trip, apply for a tourist e-visa at thaievisa.go.th before you travel. The embassy lists these fees for applicants in India:

With a 60-day e-visa, date your onward flight inside 60 days instead of 30. On the visa exemption, the London embassy says you may request an extension of up to 30 days from the Immigration Bureau once you are in Thailand. That is a request, not a right, so plan your onward flight around the first 30 days.

Ordering a dummy ticket for Thailand

Dummy Tickets Visa makes the reservation in the airline's system for the names, route and dates you enter on the booking form. You get a PDF itinerary with a PNR you can look up on the airline's Manage booking page while the hold is live. The booking desk chooses the airline and flight; you can name a preferred airline in the notes box as a request.

1. Enter your details

   Names exactly as in the passport, date of birth, nationality, route and dates. No passport scan and no account.

2. Pay ₹699 per passenger

   By UPI in India, then send the payment screenshot on WhatsApp. From outside India, pay about US$8.50 per passenger by PayPal or card.

3. Receive it the day before you fly

   Delivery is by email or WhatsApp, typically 10 to 20 minutes after payment is confirmed, with delays possible at weekends and on holidays. Choose the day before your flight in the "When do you want to receive it?" field.

4. Check the PNR

   A reservation is a temporary hold, and how long it stays live depends on the airline. Check the PNR on the airline's website before you leave for the airport.

Orders are final once the reservation is issued, so check your dates before you pay. Dummy Tickets Visa is not affiliated with any Thai authority, embassy or airline, and no reservation, held or paid, decides what an airline agent or an immigration officer does on the day.

• Onward date inside 30 days of arrival, with a few days to spare
• A confirmed, paid ticket instead, if your airline's policy asks for one
• TDAC submitted within 3 days before arrival
• Evidence of 20,000 baht per person
• An address for your first nights in Thailand

Frequently asked questions

Last reviewed 27 September 2026 by the DTV Editorial Team. Visa requirements change, so confirm the current checklist with the embassy, consulate or official application centre before you apply. A reservation supports a visa file and cannot guarantee a visa decision.