The Bangkok immigration office - your practical guide.

The primary immigration office for anyone living in Bangkok is the Immigration Division 1 counter inside the Government Complex (Government Center) on Chaeng Wattana Road in Laksi, on the north side of the city. This is where you handle extensions of stay - retirement, marriage, education, Non-B and dependant visas - as well as re-entry permits and many 90-day reports. It is large, busy and organised around a queue-ticket system, so most expats arrive early. The MRT Pink Line now has a stop near the complex, which has made the once-awkward journey much easier than the old taxi-or-bus-only trip.

Immigration counters generally open 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, and close on Thai public holidays (of which there are many, so check the calendar before you travel across town). You take a numbered queue ticket for the service you need and wait for your number on the screens; popular services such as retirement and marriage extensions can run out of same-day tickets by mid-morning at peak times. Bring something to do, water and snacks, and dress neatly - it is a government office and staff appreciate it.

You do not always have to go to Chaeng Wattana. Bangkok has satellite service points - for example the 90-day reporting counter at Imperial World Lat Phrao - and immigration has pushed hard on online and postal channels precisely so residents can avoid the main office for routine reporting. Extensions of stay, however, are still handled at the main immigration division that covers your registered address, so first-time or complex tasks usually mean a trip to the Government Complex.

Immigration is organised by the address where you actually live, which is why the TM30 address report matters: your paperwork and your extension are processed by the division responsible for your registered address. For the vast majority of foreigners living inside Bangkok that means the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Division 1. If you live in a bordering province such as Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan or Pathum Thani, you report to that province's own immigration office, not to Bangkok's - confirm your correct office before making the trip.

Any foreigner who stays in Thailand for 90 consecutive days or more on a long-stay visa or extension must report their current address to immigration every 90 days. It is a notification of where you live - not a visa renewal - and it does not extend your permission to stay. The 90-day clock resets every time you leave and re-enter the country, so frequent travellers rarely trigger it, while those who stay put must file on schedule. You receive a receipt slip each time; keep it, as it feeds the date of your next report.

You can report in person at Chaeng Wattana or a satellite counter within the window of 15 days before to 7 days after your due date. Bring your passport, the completed TM47 form, and your previous 90-day receipt (or the receipt from your last entry). It is the most reliable method because you walk out with a stamped receipt showing your next due date, and staff can fix any address or data issues on the spot - but it costs you a morning in the queue.

Immigration runs an online 90-day reporting system (website and app) that lets you file from home within the same 15-days-before to 7-days-after window. When it works it is the easiest option - no travel, no queue - but the system is notoriously fussy about data matching and sometimes rejects reports without a clear reason, so file early in your window rather than on the last day, and save the confirmation and reference number. If it repeatedly fails, fall back to mail or an in-person visit before your deadline passes.

You can also report by registered post: send your TM47 form, a signed copy of your passport photo page, visa page, latest entry stamp and departure card, your previous receipt, and a stamped self-addressed envelope, timed to reach immigration within the reporting window (aim to post so it arrives about 15 days before the due date). Immigration mails back a fresh receipt with your next date. Use registered mail with tracking and keep proof of posting in case the receipt is slow to return.

Missing a 90-day report is a common, fixable slip rather than a disaster: the standard fine is 2,000 baht, paid in person when you next report. However, if you are caught with an overdue report at an airport or a checkpoint the penalty is higher (around 5,000 baht), and repeated lapses draw more scrutiny. If you realise you have missed it, simply go in person to file and pay the fine - do not wait, and do not ignore it, as it can complicate your next extension.

Long-stay foreigners renew their permission to stay through an annual extension of stay - for retirement, marriage, education, employment (Non-B) or as a dependant - and in Bangkok these are processed at Chaeng Wattana. The government fee is 1,900 baht, and each category has its own document set: retirement and marriage extensions typically need bank letters and seasoned funds or income evidence, a TM7 application, photos and copies of every passport page. Immigration increasingly requires an online appointment booking for extensions, so check and book before you go.

The TM30 is a report of where a foreigner is staying, and by law the property owner or 'possessor' - your landlord, condo juristic office, or a hotel - must file it, usually within 24 hours of your arrival at the address. In practice you often need an up-to-date TM30 on file before you can do a 90-day report or an extension, so make sure your landlord or building files it (many do it online) and get a copy of the acknowledgement. If you own or control your residence, you can file the TM30 yourself online or at the office.

This one catches people out: if you hold an extension of stay and leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, your extension is automatically cancelled and you return as a fresh visitor - losing the long-stay status you worked for. Before any international trip, buy a re-entry permit: a single re-entry costs 1,000 baht and a multiple re-entry 3,800 baht. You can get one at Chaeng Wattana in advance or at the immigration counter in the airport before departure, though the airport counter means arriving with extra time.

Core fees are modest: 90-day reporting is free, an extension of stay is 1,900 baht, and re-entry permits are 1,000 or 3,800 baht. Many expats hire a visa agent to queue, prepare paperwork and shepherd extensions - convenient but an added cost, and you still usually appear in person for extensions. To keep a visit smooth: arrive early for a queue ticket, bring your passport plus signed photocopies of every relevant page, confirm the current document checklist for your visa type in advance, and make sure your TM30 is current before you go.

The main office for Bangkok residents is Immigration Division 1 inside the Government Complex (Government Center) on Chaeng Wattana Road in Laksi, in the north of the city. It handles extensions of stay, re-entry permits and 90-day reporting. It is open roughly 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday and closed on Thai public holidays, and the MRT Pink Line now stops near the complex. Which office serves you depends on your registered address, so residents of bordering provinces report to their own provincial office instead.

You can report your address every 90 days in three ways: in person at Chaeng Wattana or a satellite counter (bring your passport, a completed TM47 and your previous receipt), online through the immigration website or app, or by registered mail with your forms and signed passport copies. All three must be done within the window of 15 days before to 7 days after your due date. In-person reporting is the most reliable because you leave with a stamped receipt showing your next date; the online system is easiest when it works but can be glitchy, so file early.

No - the 90-day clock resets every time you leave and re-enter the country. The report is only required after 90 consecutive days of staying in Thailand, so if you travel abroad and return, your next report is due 90 days from your latest entry. Frequent travellers rarely trigger it; it mainly affects long-stay residents who stay put. Keep your latest entry stamp and departure card, as they set the new due date.

The TM30 is a notification of where a foreigner is staying, and Thai law places the duty on the property owner or 'possessor' - your landlord, the condo juristic office, or a hotel - to file it, usually within 24 hours of your arrival at the address. It is often required to be on file before you can complete a 90-day report or a visa extension, so make sure your landlord or building files it (many do so online) and keep a copy of the acknowledgement. If you own or control your home, you can file it yourself.

Yes, if you hold an extension of stay (retirement, marriage, work, etc.) and plan to leave and return. Leaving without a re-entry permit automatically cancels your extension, and you come back as a fresh visitor. Buy a re-entry permit before you fly - 1,000 baht for a single re-entry or 3,800 baht for multiple - either in advance at Chaeng Wattana or at the immigration counter in the airport before departure. Holders of certain visas such as the LTR have different, more flexible re-entry rules.