Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport now has automated arrival gates (e-Gates) for foreign travellers too. They speed up entry – but they are not for everyone.
If you arrive with a visa or an existing permission to stay, use a staffed immigration counter unless an officer directs you to a gate. This includes for example:
Why? An officer needs to check your visa or re-entry permit and record the correct permitted stay. The e-gates are designed for visa-exempt entry and may not put a stamp in your passport.
Note: the "visa holders use the counter" advice is based on traveller reports and guides – the Immigration Bureau has not yet published an official notice on this. Practice may change as the gates are rolled out more widely.
Have you used the e-gates yet? Share your experience – especially if you arrived with a visa or a re-entry permit!
Who can use the e-gates?
- Since September 2026 the gates have been open to 33 nationalities (including many European countries, Australia, Japan and others – the US, China, India and Russia are not on the list).
- They are meant for visa-exempt arrivals (tourists entering without a visa, 30 days).
- The rollout is gradual – not every gate or passport may work every time.
- At Don Mueang the arrival gates have not yet been opened to foreigners.
Have a visa or a re-entry permit? Use the staffed counter
If you arrive with a visa or an existing permission to stay, use a staffed immigration counter unless an officer directs you to a gate. This includes for example:
- Non-O (retirement or family) and O-A / O-X
- DTV, Non-B (work) and Non-ED (study)
- Tourist visa (TR) and METV/SETV
- People returning with a re-entry permit and a valid one-year extension
Why? An officer needs to check your visa or re-entry permit and record the correct permitted stay. The e-gates are designed for visa-exempt entry and may not put a stamp in your passport.
Always remember
- The TDAC arrival card is mandatory whether you use a gate or a counter: tdac.immigration.go.th
- Check your admitted-until date after entry. If it is wrong, have it corrected at the airport immigration office right away – not when you apply for an extension.
- Departure e-gates have been open to foreign biometric passports since 2023. If you need a stamp in your passport, use a counter.
Note: the "visa holders use the counter" advice is based on traveller reports and guides – the Immigration Bureau has not yet published an official notice on this. Practice may change as the gates are rolled out more widely.
Sources
- Next Step Hua Hin: Bangkok Airport E-Gates for Foreigners
- CMLocals: Thailand Airport E-Gates 2026 – Who Can and Cannot Use Them
- VisasNews: eGates now open to 33 nationalities
Have you used the e-gates yet? Share your experience – especially if you arrived with a visa or a re-entry permit!