Thailand Visa basic rules and Extension – Location of the Visa office in Bangkok

Data Updated for : 2024

Note : I am updating here the entry requirements, but I am not an official source so it is your duty to double check, before your trip, the entry requirements at an official source, like for example at the Thailand Consulate in your country. Also : Thai Immigration Website and Thai Consular Services.

Overall, it is now very easy to enter into Thailand :

  1. Visa – On July 2024, visa exemption for many countries was extended from 30 days to 60 days (Great !). See later on the page.
  2. Health Insurance – It is no more a requirement for entering Thailand. Still, it is very recommended to have an health insurance when you are traveling. Use an health insurance you know from your country or buy one that is international, like the one described here.
  3. Return Ticket – They usually don’t ask for it. In some cases, you may be asked to show a return ticket from Thailand (at the check in at the airport or at the arrival in Thailand). If you are asked and you don’t have one, don’t panic. You can always buy a cheap flight ticket to a neighboring country (Vietnam for example). They don’t care to where you fly, when you leave Thailand.

On this page :

Thailand Stay Rules – the Basics

  1. For Tourists from many Western countries (including U.S, U.K, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) arriving to Thailand, a 60 day stay is given at the airport or land border. It is free, you just get a stamp in your passport. (It is not a visa).
  2. Tourists can make a “Tourist Visa”, before traveling to Thailand in one of the Thai consulates around the world.

Thai Visa Extension

You can extend your stay in Thailand in one of the Immigration offices in Thailand :

  • If you received a 60 days stay permit on arrival, you can extend your stay by 30 days.

Note : If your stay permit has ended, you have to get out of Thailand.
You can go to one of the neighboring countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam (or other countries) and then re-enter Thailand with the same rules.

Where to do the Visa Extension in Bangkok and how to get there ?

  • Before going to the immigration office, make sure it is not holiday time. Remember there is 1 hour break for lunch. You will need half a day to arrange the visa.

The main immigration office is located in the north of Bangkok, near the domestic airport Don Mueang.
(I know what you think, but no, I am not aware of an immigration office in Bangkok center).
The place is 15 Km from Bangkok center (At middle distance is the Chatuchak week-end market at skytrain station Mochit).
The address is :
The Govenment Complex  (South Zone)
Chaengwattana Road (Soi 7) , Laksi , Bangkok 10210

Look at the red symbol in the following Google interactive map :

Or see this fix map, click to enlarge :

immigration office bangkok map

Metro Map :

To get there, you can :

  1. There is now a Metro station exactly at the Government Complex. The pink line. It is a monorail. See the metro map above.
  2. Taxi, Motorbike-Taxi, Bus, Tuk-Tuk.

Also : Use the smartphone applications Google Maps and Moovit and ViaBus to find the public transport to take as I explained in the page about the Buses of Bangkok.

Note :

  • The immigration building is situated in a huge government complex area. Make sure the taxi is getting you down in front of the right building.

What to bring for the Visa Extension

  1. immigration office bangkokPassport
  2. Money (the last time I went, it costed 1900 baht)
  3. A photocopy of your return flight ticket (they usually don’t ask for it, but they may)
  4. 1 photo passport (you can also do it at the shop in place)
  5. Details about your address where you stay in Thailand and your phone number (You should really know the exact address of your hotel and the room number, they ask for it).

immigration office bangkokAt the offices you will need also to :

  • Fill a form (it’s easy, there is a model)
  • Go to the shop and make photocopies of specific pages in your passport (it just costs 2 baht per copy)

Show the Taxi driver these photos, he should recognize the place :

immigration office bangkok

immigration office bangkok

Visa for other countries in South East Asia :

star More on Bangkok and Thailand :

star Other Stuff :

star  If you find incorrect data on this page, like a restaurant that has closed or a big river that has moved or you want to tell me something, please write me to contact.