Visa Rules Change Frequently
Quick Answer
What is the Thailand Visa Extension Guide?
Extend your tourist, visa exemption, or non-immigrant visa at any provincial immigration office.
Extending your stay in Thailand is a routine process that hundreds of thousands of visitors complete every year at Thailand's provincial immigration offices. Whether you are on a tourist visa, a visa exemption stamp, or a longer-stay non-immigrant visa, the extension process follows the same general pattern: visit the immigration office, fill in TM.7, pay the fee, wait, and receive a new stamp in your passport.
The extension available depends on your current visa type: tourist visas and visa exemptions can be extended once for 30 days (฿1,900); non-immigrant visas (retirement, education, business) are extended for one year. Some people use extensions alongside re-entry permits to create continuous long-term stays without returning to an embassy. Understanding the immigration office procedures, required documents, and common pitfalls makes the process significantly smoother.
Required Documents
| Document | Required |
|---|---|
| Passport (original, with current visa/entry stamp) | |
| TM.7 extension application form | |
| One passport photo (4×6 cm, white background) | |
| Photocopies of passport bio page, visa page, and current entry stamp | |
| Extension fee (฿1,900) in cash | |
| Additional supporting documents (for non-immigrant extensions) | Optional |
Fees
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tourist visa or exemption extension (30 days) | ฿1,900 |
| Non-immigrant visa extension (1 year) | ฿1,900 |
| DTV extension (180 days) | ฿1,900 |
| Overstay fine (if applicable) | ฿500 |
Step-by-Step Process
Find your nearest immigration office
Use the Thai Immigration Bureau website (immigration.go.th) to find the office with jurisdiction over your area. In Bangkok, Chaeng Wattana is the main office. Major provincial cities have their own offices. Many immigration offices are closed on Thai public holidays.
Prepare your documents and photos
Have your passport, TM.7 form (fully completed), one 4×6 cm photo, photocopies of your passport pages, and ฿1,900 in cash ready. Some offices have copiers on-site but the queues are long.
Take a queue number
At the immigration office, take a number for the extension queue. Wait for your number to be called. Depending on the day and office, waits can range from 20 minutes to several hours.
Submit your application
Present your documents to the officer. They will review everything and may ask questions about your stay. Pay the ฿1,900 fee and receive a receipt.
Wait for your passport to be stamped
Your passport may be taken away for processing (30 minutes to a few hours at busy offices). You will receive a slip with a return time. Collect your passport with the new extension stamp.
Check your new stamp
Before leaving the office, verify the 'permitted to stay until' date stamped in your passport. If there is an error, raise it immediately — errors are almost impossible to correct once you leave.
Expert Tips
- Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday — Monday and Friday are the busiest days at most offices.
- Some large provincial offices offer appointment booking online — check the office website to save queuing time.
- Consider using an immigration agent for ฿500–1,500 extra to avoid queuing. This is legal and common, especially in Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
- Dress respectfully — shorts and sleeveless tops are sometimes turned away at Thai government offices.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to bring cash — most immigration offices do not accept cards.
- Bringing the wrong photo size (e.g., 3×4 cm instead of 4×6 cm).
- Not making photocopies of passport pages before arriving.
Important Warnings
When entry can be refused
Holding a valid visa is not the same as a right of entry. The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) sets out eleven grounds on which an immigration officer may refuse a foreigner at the border.
- 1
No genuine valid passport, or a valid passport without a visa — unless you meet the visa exemption requirements. The terms of both visa issuance and visa exemption are set by Ministerial Regulations rather than by the Act itself.
- 2
No appropriate means of living after entering the country.
- 3
Entering to work as an unskilled or untrained labourer, or to work in breach of the Alien Work Permit law.
- 4
Being mentally unstable, or having any of the diseases listed in the Ministerial Regulations.
- 5
Not vaccinated against smallpox or otherwise inoculated as required, and refusing vaccination by the Immigration Doctor.
- 6
Having been imprisoned by a Thai court, or by a foreign court — except for petty offences, negligence, or cases the Ministerial Regulations exempt.
- 7
Behaviour that could endanger the public, or being subject to an arrest warrant from a foreign government.
- 8
Reason to believe entry is for prostitution, trafficking of women or children, drug smuggling or other smuggling against public morality.
- 9
Not holding the money or bond the Minister prescribes.(Section 14)
- 10
Being a person the Minister has prohibited from entry.(Section 16)
- 11
Having been deported by Thailand or another country, had a right of stay revoked, or been expelled from Thailand at the Thai government's expense — unless the Minister grants an individual exemption.
Summarised in plain English from the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand and read on 2026-08-12. This is a summary, not the statutory text — read the source document if anything here affects your travel.
Thai bank holidays, 2026
Banks, government offices and immigration are closed. Visa extensions and 90-day reports cannot be filed on these dates, and the days either side are the busiest of the month.
- H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great Memorial Day
- H.M. King Chulalongkorn the Great Memorial Day
- Substitution for H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s Birthday, National Day and Father’s Day (Saturday 5th December 2026)
- Constitution Day
- New Year’s Eve
Source: Bank of Thailand. Financial-institution holidays; some government offices keep different hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Visa Guides
Thailand Tourist Visa (TR)
The standard visa for planned holidays — 60 days with one possible 30-day extension.
Thailand Visa Exemption
Free entry for 93+ nationalities — 30 or 60 days with no pre-application required.
Thailand Retirement Visa (Non-OA / Non-OX)
The standard long-stay option for retirees 50+ — one-year renewable with financial requirements.
Thailand Re-Entry Permit Guide
Leaving Thailand temporarily? Protect your visa extension with a re-entry permit.
90-Day Reporting Guide (TM.47)
All long-term visa holders must report their address to Thai immigration every 90 days.
Get Thailand Travel Updates
Monthly updates on visa changes, new destination guides, best-value hotels, and seasonal travel tips — all written by people who actually live in Thailand.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.
Was this page helpful?
ThailandKnowledge Editorial Team
Factual claims on this page are sourced and dated. Where something could not be verified, we say so rather than guessing.
Our editorial standards