If you’ve been exploring Thailand and you’re thinking about extending your Thai visa – I get it. I’ve been doing it a few times myself.
This time, I was staying in Chiang Mai so it made sense to renew my Thai visa at Chiang Mai Immigration Office.
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Forget about the visa run, you can extend your stay without even leaving Thailand.
From October 1st, 2022, most people will have 45 days on arrival, which is great news!
In Thailand, it’s quite easy to extend your visa for an extra 30 days by visiting one of the immigration offices. Forget about the visa run; you can extend your stay without leaving Thailand.
From October 1st, you might be able to get an extra 45 days extension, but this hasn’t been confirmed just yet.
Not in Chiang Mai? Consult this list of immigration offices. Most big cities have their own offices. You can also check the process for Koh Samui visa extension here.
Chiang Mai Visa Extension | The Process
If you’re planning on extending your Thai visa from Chiang Mai, here’s an easy step by step guide.
Note that you will need a bit of time, but you should be able to get your visa in one day. It took us about 1h30 to ask for the visa and to get it.
If you need a Chiang Mai residence certificate, you can also get one at the Immigration Office next to the airport (different floor).
Chiang Mai Immigration Office | Opening Hours & Map
| Monday | 7:30AM-4:30PM |
| Tuesday |
7:30AM-4:30PM |
| Wednesday | 7:30AM-4:30PM |
| Thursday | 7:30AM-4:30PM |
| Friday | 7:30AM-4:30PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Many people have reported that the waiting time in this office is quite long these days. We recently found out that there is an Immigration Office at Central Festival. It opens at 10am.
It’s located on the second floor, and you might need to ask a security agent how to access it (there’s one elevator that can take you there if you arrive before 11am, which is Central Festival official opening time).
We managed to extend our tourist visa there in December 2022 in just 30 minutes.
How to Get to Chiang Mai Immigration Office
You can either rent a motorbike or call a Grab driver to get there. The immigration office is located close to the airport, so it’s not that close to the city centre. You can usually rent a motorbike for about TBH 200 per day.
How to Get the Visa Extension Chiang Mai
Let’s dive into the important stuff – in this section, I’ll give you details on what you need and what to expect when it comes to getting your Thai visa extension.
What You’ll Need to Extend your Visa in Chiang Mai
Here’s a list of the Thailand visa requirements you’ll have to provide:
- Photocopy of your passport
- Photocopy of your current visa and immigration card (if you have one – in 2022, I didn’t receive any immigration card on arrival)
- Photo
- Visa extension form
- TBH 1900 in cash
- See update below
Just across the street, there’s a shop called the Colonel – you can make photocopies and take photos there. I’d suggest you stop there first, as you will need everything to apply for the visa extension.
You can make a copy for TBH 3 per page, and you get get a photo for TBH 100.
Once you have everything ready, you can cross the street and enter the Chiang Mai Immigration Office. You will see a queue at the front desk – give your paperwork to the staff, pay the fee, and you will then receive a number.
We waited about an hour for our number to get called – the crew verified a few things from our form, and then we waited until the passport was ready a few minutes later.
At Central Festival, you can present your document at the front desk to get a number.
They can do photocopies for THB 2 per page, and they can take photos for THB 120. The whole process took about 30 minutes, which was super quick.
Before you leave the Chiang Mai Immigration Office, make sure to double-check the visa!
Update December 2022: Many people have reported that the Chiang Mai Office asks for another paper that your hotel or accommodation can provide.
We simply asked our accommodation reception if they could print out the immigration paper for us, and they printed it out. The hotel staff knew what we were referring to.
Chiang Mai Immigration Office Etiquette
It’s important to remember to dress up appropriately when visiting the immigration office in Thailand.
This means you should wear long shorts (tiny shorts won’t cut it) or pants, and you should cover your shoulders. Alternatively, bring a jacket or a sarong to cover up.
If you don’t follow these rules, you might need to leave and return another day.
That said, it seems like the Chiang Mai Office is a bit less strict with enforcing these rules.
Where to Stay in Chiang Mai
Are you planning on staying in Chiang Mai? Here are a few options for every budget.
Hostels: Baan Heart Thai / The Entaneer Poshtel / About a Bed Hostel
Mid-Range: Villa Thai Orchid / Crew Hotel / BED
Luxury: Ping Nakara Boutique Hotel / Akyra Manor / Anantara Chiang Mai
