Traveling from Thailand to Europe in 2025
If you’re planning to travel from Thailand to Europe, you should know that the new travel authorization system and Schengen visa updates may impact your experience. In 2025, traveling to the European Union (EU) will be a different experience.
This page will explain the various changes, the easiest travel routes into the EU, and what visa you should obtain for a seamless journey.
How to Travel from Thailand to Europe
If you want to travel from Thailand to Europe, you should obtain a Schengen visa before your trip. A Schengen visa allows you to stay for up to 90 days within 180 days and travel from one country in the EU to another without requiring additional visas.
However, depending on your nationality, you may be eligible for a visa-exemption program, allowing temporary visa-free travel into your desired country. If applicable, you can simply travel to the country without applying for a visa and show the border officer your passport. Countries exempt from needing a Schengen visa include:
- Africa: Mauritius, Seychelles
- Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste
- America: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela
- Europe: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Holy See, Kosovo, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine, UK
- Middle East: Israel, UAE
- Oceania: Australia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu
IMPORTANT: Even if you are eligible to enter the Schengen Area visa-free, you must still complete a travel requirement to enter legally, as we will cover below.
Obtaining a Schengen Visa
If you or someone you are traveling with is a Thai citizen or otherwise ineligible for visa-free entry, you will need a Schengen visa. If you need a Schengen Visa, you’ll need to prepare the following documents:
- A valid non-EU passport
- Passport-sized photograph of yourself
- Completed and signed Schengen Visa Application Form
- Proof of your finances (such as a bank statement)
- Proof of accommodation at your destination (such as a hotel itinerary)
- Any additional documents, as requested by the immigration officer
You can apply for a Schengen visa through any embassy of a country in the Schengen Area. However, be aware that most of these countries outsource their visa application intake to private companies. These are different for each embassy and include organizations such as TSLcontact, VFS, and BLS.
However, depending on your nationality, you may be eligible for a visa-exemption program, allowing temporary visa-free travel into your desired country. If applicable, you can simply travel to the country without applying for a visa and show the border officer your passport. IMPORTANT: Even if you are eligible to enter the Schengen Area visa-free, you must still complete a travel requirement to enter legally, as we will cover below.
Changes to the Schengen Visa
New amendments have been made to the Schengen visa program, effective throughout 2025. The two major changes are:
New Countries Added to the Schengen Visa
On January 1, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania are now confirmed to be part of the Schengen area in Europe. You can now visit these two countries on a Schengen visa without additional travel documents. You can access these two nations for travel, work, business, or even to advance your studies.
Along with Bulgaria and Romania, you can also visit the following countries on the same visa:
- Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Higher Schengen Visa Fee
In 2025, you’re expected to pay a slightly higher fee to obtain a Schengen visa for yourself or your children. On June 11, 2024, the Schengen visa fee increased from 80 to 90 Euros for adult applicants and 40 to 45 Euros for applicants under 12 but above 6 years old. Children aged six or younger do not require visa fees.
New Travel Authorization System
A new travel authorization system is expected to be launched in mid-2025 for travelers looking to visit the EU. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is mandatory if you’re exempt from needing a Schengen visa, and it will be affixed to your passport once you’re registered. Once implemented, you must register if you’re from any of the visa-free countries.
ETIAS applications are completed online and are expected to take up to 4 days to be processed. Upon approval, the travel authorization document will be valid for up to 3 years or by your passport’s expiry date. As long as it’s active, you can enter an EU country whenever you want and remain for up to 90 days per entry (although you can extend it for the same period every 180 days).
As of February 2025, the launch date for this system has not been confirmed, but authorities stress that it will go live this year.
Contact Siam Legal for Professional Assistance
To ensure immigration issues don’t ruin your European trip this year, contact Siam Legal for professional guidance in obtaining the right visa. As a full-service law firm and visa consultancy, we have been helping foreigners for over 20 years in resolving their immigration needs.
Whether you need a Schengen visa, a Thai visa to return, or both, our visa consultants have the expertise to help you secure your visas swiftly and seamlessly. We do this by assisting you in gathering your required documents and carefully reviewing your application to correct any mistakes. Once everything is ready, we will submit your application on your behalf so you can focus on preparing for your trip to the EU with confidence.
Contact Siam Legal today for a convenient and relaxing trip to Europe and a smooth return to Thailand.
