30 Day Tourist Visa Extension Chaeng Wattana Bangkok
While visiting Thailand with a tourist visa from a Thai Consulate or Embassy outside of Thailand (i.e., your home country or neighboring country) you can extend your single entry (60 days), 6 month multiple entry (METV) visa or a 30 day visa exemption (no visa required on arrival for certain countries).
The single entry can be extended for 30 days – just before the 60 days elapses and the METV can be extended every 60 days, also for 30 days.
I will run through the last visit I did to extend a single entry 60 day for 30 days at Bangkok, Chaeng Wattana Immigration, and done quickly. The requirements will be the same whether visiting Chiang Mai, Pattaya, or other offices, although the process may differ in how you get through that process within each office. I’ve also recently done extensions at the Samut Prakarn immigration office and its the same documents and requirements with its own unique queuing system.
Visa Requirements
Valid tourist visa: Single entry of 60 days or 6 months multiple entry.
Visa application form: You can either download a form and complete it before you go (recommended) or when you arrive through the doors of C. Wattana immigration ask the desk officer for a form (TM.7).
Photo: One passport photo of 4 x 6 cm is required.
Fee: 1900 THB.
Photocopies: A photocopy of your passport main page (with photo), last visa (single or METV), last stamp into Thailand, and your TM6 departure card. Sign your signature on all photocopies.
If you’re not able to photocopy your documents or get a passport picture, don’t worry. There are a couple of shops on the lower floor of the Government complex building that can do this for you. Down the escalator and walk to the right.
Other immigration offices will also have somewhere willing to photocopy your documents for a small fee.
There’s plenty of places to get something to eat and drink within the Government buildings complex. Upstairs near the immigration office also has a large area with stalls worth taking a look at.
Important!
Go to immigration at least on the previous day your visa is due to expire in Thailand, and check it’s not on a weekend or Thai holiday (Government buildings all close). If you overstay the date you will be charged 500 THB a day and have the overstay stamped in your passport. I have been to immigration to find the office closed and now prepare better, lesson learned.
I always complete an extension during the week before. I believe we can extend up to a week before the extension is due (exit date on the last stamp), but it could be more than 7 days. It’s wise to do the extension before the date, just in case unexpected problems occur on the day your visa extension is due.
Extension Process at Chaeng Wattana
I’ve been to the immigration office many times at Chaeng Wattana and tried to find the best time and way to do the process quickly, and the last time I did it was the quickest. I’ve tried later which is quick for getting through the process but the traffic getting back is horrendous. I also tried to miss the morning rush hour and queue at immigration then ended up staying over the lunch period.
This time I left my place just after 6.30, had a long taxi journey because of traffic, arrived at immigration at 7.45, and left with the extension stamp at 9.40 am.
When you arrive you can do the ‘This is Thailand’ style of queuing up. Put your bag, papers, a bottle of water, or other items and go and take a seat or do what I did and get a bite to eat. The doors to immigration open at 8.30 am.
At 8.30 am the doors open and people enter. If you have your forms completed already you can walk straight through to the second section to get a ticket number and then wait for your number to be called in section J (or another if it changes). If your forms are not completed you will have to get the form from the desk as soon as you arrive within the immigration doors and complete them there.
In section J2 when your number is called you’ll hand in your documents, passport, and 1900 THB to the officials.
After handing in your documents, passport, and fee, you’ll wait for the return of your passport from the next section, J1.
A quick check you’ve got the right stamp then crack on with your travels of Thailand for 30 days.
Address – Getting there
There are a number of options to get to Chaeng Wattana Immigration. One popular option is to arrive at Mo Chit BTS station and then take a taxi (approx 150 THB). If you’re closer to an MRT station, get the MRT to Chatuchak MRT station, then taxi onward.
There is a lot of traffic during the morning and in Bangkok generally, taking the MRT or BTS route the best option rather than getting a taxi all the way from where you’re staying. There are also minivans and cheap local buses if you’re trying to save a few baht that go past immigration (it’s cheap enough I reckon and to save a few baht???).
On this journey, I took a taxi from my place and a taxi from immigration to Asok after I received the extension. It took so long that the BTS Mo Chit would have been the quicker option and cheaper.
When you leave immigration taxis are available outside and motorbike taxis.
Address: The Government Complex Commemorating His Majesty, B Building, Floor 2 (South Zone)
Chaengwattana Road (Soi 7) , Laksi , Bangkok 10210.
Tel : 0-2141-9889 , Fax : 0-2143-8228
Office hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 16:30 (remember they close for an hour lunch 12.00 – 13.00)
Closed: Official holiday
Disclaimer: The information written here is valid at the date the article was written or updated shown at the top of this page. This is important because rules can change very quick in Thailand or legalisation that was not enforced can suddenly become enforced.
