How to Extend Thailand Visa From India in 2026

Thailand quietly extended its visa exemption for Indians from 30 days (2023) to 60 days (2024-Nov 2026), and the 30-day in-country extension still works. Total possible stay: 90 days visa-free.

## The basics

- Default exemption: 60 days, free, stamped on arrival - Extension: +30 days, THB 1,900 (~Rs 4,650), at any Thai Immigration Office - Total: 90 days - Beyond 90 days: you must leave (border run or flight out) and re-enter — but the 2nd re-entry is now scrutinised in 2026

See Thailand visa for the entry rules.

## Where to extend

| Office | Wait Time | Notes | |---|---|---| | Chaeng Wattana, Bangkok | 2-4 hrs | Most efficient; arrive 7 AM | | Phuket Immigration (Phuket Town) | 1-2 hrs | Easy, friendly | | Chiang Mai Promenada | 1-3 hrs | Online appointment helps | | Pattaya Jomtien | 3-5 hrs | Busiest; avoid Mondays | | Koh Samui (Maenam) | 1 hr | Smallest, fastest |

## Documents you need

1. Passport + 1 photocopy of photo page + 1 photocopy of latest entry stamp 2. TM.7 form (filled at office, or download from immigration.go.th) 3. 1 passport-sized photo (4x6 cm, white background — there's a photo booth at every office for THB 200) 4. THB 1,900 cash exact (some offices reject cards) 5. Proof of address — hotel booking, Airbnb confirmation, or condo lease 6. Sometimes: proof of onward travel (flight ticket out within 30 days of new stamp)

## The actual process

1. Walk in, take a queue number from the "Visa Extension" counter 2. Hand over docs + cash 3. Wait 1-4 hours 4. Get called, sign, get the new 30-day stamp

That's it. No interview, no funds check, no Indian-embassy involvement.

## When to extend

Extend within the last 7 days of your 60-day stamp. Earlier is rejected. The new 30 days starts the day you extend (not when your old stamp ends), so don't extend too early — you lose days.

Example: enter Jan 1, stamp expires Mar 1. Extend on Feb 25 → new stamp valid till Mar 27 (not Mar 31).

## Cost summary

- Extension fee: Rs 4,650 - Photo: Rs 50 - Photocopies: Rs 15 - Grab to immigration office: Rs 200-400 - Total: ~Rs 5,000

## Beyond 90 days

You have two options: 1. Border run — fly/bus to Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), or KL. Come back, get fresh 60 days. Cost Rs 4-8k. 2. Convert to Non-Imm visa (DTV / Education / Retirement) — done inside Thailand for some categories, requires Thai consulate elsewhere for others.

Warning: in 2026 Thai immigration started flagging Indians on their 3rd back-to-back exemption entry in 12 months. If you're doing this often, get a proper visa (DTV digital nomad visa is Rs 28,000 and lasts 5 years).

## Scam warnings

- Visa agents at Khao San and Patong charge THB 3,500-5,000 for "extension service" — you can do this yourself in 2 hours - Fake immigration officers asking for "express fee" at the office — every legit fee is paid at the cashier counter with a printed receipt - "Border run buses" — fine, but check the visa stamp before paying. Some operators don't actually cross properly.

## From your city

Bangalore to Bangkok, Delhi to Bangkok.

Plan a long Thailand trip with our architect.

Source: Thai Immigration Bureau official guidelines (immigration.go.th); personal Chiang Mai extension Mar 2026.