Visa Agent vs Doing It Yourself in Chiang Mai
File the tourist extension yourself. The fee is THB 1,900 and the handbook gives 40 minutes once the documents are complete. The office's e-Extension adds a service fee from THB 500. The 90-day report is the opposite: it can be done online, and another person may file it for you.
On this page
For a tourist extension, do it yourself. The 2019 handbook lists one service channel, in person at a local immigration checkpoint, and the fee is THB 1,900. The 90-day report is the opposite: it can be done online, and another person may file it for you.
This page sorts each paperwork job by who does it, what agents charge and what the official warnings say.
71 ถนนสนามบิน Suthep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Task by task: you or an agent
| Task | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| Tourist extension | In person at a local checkpoint, at the office for the area where you live; e-Extension with a queue booking |
| Re-entry permit | In person at the local checkpoint where you reside |
| 90-day report, on time | An alien can authorize another person to notify |
| 90-day report, late | Made in person, with a fine of THB 2,000 |
| TM.30 | The host notifies; another person may be authorised |
| Travel-record letter | In person, or through an attorney with a power of attorney |
The rows come from Immigration Bureau handbooks and the Immigration Act.
What you do in person
An extension for a visa-exempt visitor is filed at the immigration office for the area where you live. For Chiang Mai province that is Chiang Mai Immigration at 71 Moo 3, Sanam Bin (Airport) Road, Suthep, Mueang, Chiang Mai 50200.
- Use form TM.7.
- Bring the passport, original plus one copy.
- Pay THB 1,900.
- Allow about 40 minutes once the documents are complete.
- Book a queue online first; the service is on the office’s E-Service page.
- A second counter at Central Festival Chiang Mai, 2nd floor, handles tourist extensions. It is open 09:00 to 17:00.
Apply before the permitted stay ends. Approval is at the immigration officer’s discretion. The extension guide covers the documents and hours.
The online route
The homepage carries e-Extension for some visa categories. The office points applicants to thaiextension.vfsevisa.com. For tourism, the applicant pays online, books a queue and receives the stamp at the checkpoint. Whether a visa-exempt entrant qualifies is not confirmed.
Total cost: agent versus yourself
The government fee is THB 1,900.
The office’s own e-Extension adds a service fee by speed. It is THB 500 for the next 7 business days. It is THB 1,500 for the next 3, and THB 5,000 for the next day.
The regular tier brings the total to THB 2,400. At the counter the handbook lists the THB 1,900 fee alone.
Filings another person makes for you
An alien can authorize another person to notify the periodic address report; a late notification is made in person. The report may be made from 15 days before until 7 days after the due date. The address report guide has the channels.
Failing to notify is punishable by a fine not exceeding THB 5,000 plus not more than THB 200 for each day.
The TM.30 is the host’s notice, not the tenant’s. Section 38 puts the duty on the house-master, owner, possessor of the residence or hotel manager. The host notice guide explains the receipt.
A request for a letter on your arrival-departure record may go through another person with a power of attorney. The power of attorney is signed by the grantor, the attorney and a witness, with a 10-baht revenue stamp.
What agents publish as prices
These prices were read on agents’ own pages on 14 October 2026. The pages carry no date, so treat them as a guide to the range.
| Page | Service | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Siam Legal | 90-day report | THB 4,815 including VAT and transportation fees |
The government fee for the extension is THB 1,900. Add it to any quote that does not state it.
Fraud warnings and where to report
In August 2026 immigration police searched a Bangkok visa consultancy office. They seized fake bank stamps, stamps of various agencies, more than 20 suspected fake financial documents and dozens of other forged documents. That case involved documents for visas abroad, so it shows the forgery risk of paying for paperwork, not a fault in Thai extension stamps.
The suspects could face charges under Sections 264, 265 and 268 of the Criminal Code and Sections 251 and 252 for forging official seals.
No one can claim to assist in facilitating visas by requesting extra money apart from visa fees. A Thai consulate strongly advises against unauthorised agents and asks anyone who suspects fraud to report to the local police and the consulate.
The arrival card has its own trap. The TDAC can be completed free of charge, and travellers should be wary of any website charging administrative fees. The official site presents it as requiring no fees.
Where to report in Chiang Mai
- Tourist Police hotline 1155, available 24 hours.
- Immigration Police, 1178.
- The Prevention and Assistance in Tourist Fraud Center in Chiang Mai, at Chiang Mai International Airport, telephone +66 53 281 438 - 9.
196, Sriwichai Alley, Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Before you pay anyone
- For a tourist extension, compare the agent’s add-on with the THB 1,900 counter fee and the THB 2,400 e-Extension total.
- Count the THB 1,900 fee in any quote.
- Check the TDAC domain yourself; the official card is free.
- Report forged stamps or documents on 1155 or 1178.
For a trip over a land border, see visa run from Chiang Mai. If your passport is lost, see lost passport in Chiang Mai.
Photo credits
- Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Chiang Mai Immigration Office on Google Maps (opens in a new tab), Mueang Chiang Mai Tourist Police Station on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by IWASAKI SHIGERU, Thawarat Thasuwanna.
Not confirmed: E-Extension for visa-exempt entrants is unconfirmed: the homepage marks only some visa categories. No official text describes an agent licence to file at Chiang Mai Immigration. No official warning about fake extension stamps in Chiang Mai was found.
Reach readers planning life in Chiang Mai. Advertise → hello@chiangmaijao.com
Common questions
Should I use an agent or do the tourist extension myself?
Do it yourself: the fee is THB 1,900.
Can an agent extend my tourist stay for me?
The 2019 handbook for the tourist extension lists one service channel: contact in person at a local immigration checkpoint. File at the office for the area where you live.
Does the office have its own online extension?
Chiang Mai Immigration offers e-Extension for tourism, with a THB 1,900 visa fee plus a service fee of THB 500, 1,500 or 5,000 by speed.
Can I book a queue at Chiang Mai Immigration online?
The office offers online queue booking through its E-Service page.
Can someone else file my address report at Immigration?
An alien can authorize another person to notify. A late notification is made in person with a fine of THB 2,000.
Who must notify Immigration of my address at a rental or hotel?
The house-master, owner or possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager, notifies immigration within twenty-four hours. The handbook allows another person to be authorised to notify.
What do agents in Chiang Mai charge?
Siam Legal charges THB 4,815.
What does the extension cost without an agent?
The fee for the tourist extension is THB 1,900.
Is the arrival card free?
The TDAC can be completed free of charge, and travellers should be wary of any website charging administrative fees.
Where do I report visa fraud in Chiang Mai?
The Tourist Police hotline 1155 is available 24 hours. The Immigration Police number is 1178.
Read next
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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