How early should I get there to get a tourist visa renewal? Would 7 am be OK? We're going on July 21. Thanks.

You cannot renew a tourist visa at any immigration office.

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your 60 day entry a tourist visa allows.

I would think 7 am would be early enough but be prepared for a long wait since it is the first day they will open after being closed for 5 days.

I live in Chiang Mai, and yes 7 am should be early enough. It would be helpful to have the TM7 form completed in advance. Be sure to know the address of the place where you're staying. It's amazing how many people turn up at Promenada for a 30 day tourist extension and are clueless as to their address in Thailand.

You can download the form from a Pinned thread at the top of this forum. Be sure to print it front-to-back on one page, not on two pages. Also, you need a 4 cm x 6 cm photo on BLUE background. Sometimes they'll accept a white background, but not always.

They don't issue queue cards to anyone unless they have the application completed, so the place gets clogged with tourists trying to fill out their applications in the morning.

Cost 1900 baht.

You can get a nice breakfast in the little restaurant in the Rim Ping supermarket. It opens at 8 am.

It is torture there not worth it just go to the visa agent two doors to the left of immigration any time of day. They will do your extenrion in 15 minutes for 500 baht service. Best 500 baht I ever spent!

2400 baht total

Thank you! Cubism

I've done two extensions at Promenada recently and have arrived after 2pm as to avoid the potential lines. I was in and out in about 40 minutes each time.

Oh!

Does Thai Immig have a quota of visa extensions for the day -- just in case. Only in that case would it be better to get there are 7 am or so.

Thank you.

Oh!

Does Thai Immig have a quota of visa extensions for the day -- just in case. Only in that case would it be better to get there are 7 am or so.

Thank you.

There is no quota for an extension of a tourist visa entry. The do have one for long stay extensions.

No, they don't appear to have a "quota" for tourist visa extensions the way they do for retirement extensions at Immigration Promenada. The advise for arriving at 2 pm could be OK for a slow time. I'd suggest a little earlier in the afternoon and not waiting until the final day of your permission to stay.

Another option would be to wait until around 9 am and if it appears they're still working thru the backlog of earlier arrivals, go get a nice breakfast at Rim Ping supermarket after you get your queue ticket.

No need to give 500 baht to the "queue jumping" business next to Immigration. That's just silly. If you can manage to get yourself on a plane and tour around Thailand, then surely you can fill out a TM7 form and get a photo organized.

Ha ha you are silly. I spent 3 to 5 hours in that torture chamber many times straining to hear my name being called afraid to go out of the room in case they should call me. The vibe is that place is chaotic and confusing. When I learned about the visa agent I was so happy. I walked past the crowds of refugees clamoring to cross the border and stepped into a helicopter. I would call it first class vip service some of us have better things to do with our time.

Hello. So far today I've had the hahaha you're silly advice and another friend saying the same thing a little more politely. Yesterday quite a few people said that going later in the day is OK.

I think that since it's the first open day after a holiday, I'll play it safe. I'll go slightly after 9 am & pick up my queue card. I have Ozzie friends who use agents for getting their Thai visas and pals in India and Nepal who do the same thing. I do my own, for two reasons. One, I want to see that it's done properly in my passport, not somebody else's, by mistake . Etc. Two: I'm a writer, so 500 B is occasionally a few meals & not expendable money. I hope I can be a good sport, whatever they dish out tomorrow.

Many thanks.