You are currently in Thailand and realized that 30 days are not enough to explore this beautiful and diverse country? I felt the same. When I arrived in Pai in the north of Thailand I never thought that I was going to stay there for two weeks. As those to weeks were already half of my available days I decided to extend my visa another 30 days in order to be able to see more of the country. Read about my experience on how to extend the visa on arrival quickly & easily in Pai and avoid the queues you would have to face in bigger immigration offices.
This blogpost is written based on my own experience. The content has been updated in 2023. For official information please check the website of the Thai Immigration Bureau.
Where’s the immigration office?
The good news is: For the extension you don’t have to go to Chiang Mai anymore as there is an immigration office in Pai! You can see the location of the Pai immigration service in the map below. There is enough parking space and it can easily be reached within walking distance from the town centre in Pai.
Updated opening hours in 2023: Monday until Friday from 8.30 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm.
Which documents do you need?
I went to the Pai immigration office to extend my tourist visa on arrival. However the procedure is the same for the 60 day tourist visa as well. For all other visa types it’s best to get in touch with the immigration office or do some research online.
Bring the following documents to the immigration office:
- Original passport plus the TM.6 departure card you receive once you enter Thailand.
Update in 2023: When I entered Thailand I wasn’t given the TM6 departure card. I read online that this was a measure to avoid congestion at the airports. If you haven’t been given one you won’t need it for the extension.
- Passport photo not older than 6 months (4x6cm)
- Copy of the main page of your passport
- Copy of the entry stamp (plus TM.6 departure card)
- Address of your current guesthouse or hostel
- 1,900 Baht in cash
You can get the photocopies and passport photos either in a copyshop in Pai (1-5 THB) or they can do it at the immigration office which costs a little bit more.
Ready for an unforgettable adventure in the north of Thailand? Do the Mae Hong Son Loop!
How does the process look like?
I went to the immigration office at 8.30 am, as I heard that it might get busy during the day. And I was lucky – I was the first one arriving in the morning. First I had to fill out a form with my personal data, the reason for extension and the place I’m staying. The whole process was super smooth and easy. The staff was really helpful and friendly. After filling out all the required forms the officer checks all your documents, charges 1,900 THB and there you go: Another 30 days in Thailand and a new stamp in your passport.
Enjoy your travels!
All in all getting a visa extension in Pai is a very easy and quick process once you have all the required documents. As Pai is less busy than the big cities you can also avoid long queues and waiting times. I hope this article helped you with your visa extension and you can now enjoy 30 more days in this beautiful country!
You are wondering what else you can do in Northern Thailand? Click here to read more about the scenic Mae Hong Son Loop!
