The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chennai, at 116 Chamiers Road in Nandanam, is the Thai visa office for south India: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Puducherry. That makes it the mission for applicants in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram as well as Chennai. Applications are online only. What you bring to Chamiers Road is the fee, and since 20 May 2025 the consulate accepts it only as a demand draft.
Many travellers from the south will not need the consulate at all. Since 15 September 2026, Indian passport holders can visit Thailand for up to 30 days visa-free for tourism.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai |
| Address | No. 116, Chamiers Road, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035 |
| Phone | +91 44 4230 0730 / 4230 0740 / 4230 0760 / 4230 0780 |
| Fax | +91 44 4202 0900 |
| Visa email | [email protected] (visa enquiries only) |
| Consular email | [email protected] (all consular matters except visas) |
| General email | [email protected] |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00 |
| Demand draft counter | Monday to Friday, 10:00-13:00 (see Practical Notes) |
| Closed | Weekends plus Thai and Indian holidays on the consulate's 2026 list |
| Areas covered | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Puducherry |
| How to apply | Online only, at thaievisa.go.th (since 1 January 2025) |
| Stated processing time | About 14 working days from the date the fee receipt is issued |
| Fees (INR, from 27 April 2026) | Tourist 3,000 single / 13,500 multiple; Non-Immigrant 7,000 single; DTV 30,000 (read 27 Sep 2026) |
Which States This Consulate Covers
The consulate's Announcement No. 5/2025 describes its consular jurisdiction as "the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Pondicherry". India is split between four Thai missions:
| Mission | States and territories |
|---|---|
| Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Puducherry |
| Royal Thai Consulate-General, Mumbai | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa |
| Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kolkata | West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi | Areas not assigned to the three consulates, including Delhi |
Goa is not Chennai's. Goa sits on the Mumbai list. Lakshadweep is on none of the three consulates' lists, so by elimination it falls to New Delhi; confirm with the embassy before paying. Each mission handles the states on its own list, so residents of Karnataka and Telangana file under Chennai, not Mumbai.
Do You Need a Visa?
Indian citizens have been on Thailand's 30-day visa exemption list since 15 September 2026 (Royal Gazette, 31 August 2026). The exemption is for tourism.
- Extensions are short for Indians. The general rule is one extension of up to 30 days for 1,900 THB at a Thai immigration office. Immigration Division 1's published criteria cap tourism extensions at 7 days for Indian nationals, so plan on about 37 days in total, and confirm at the counter. See visa exemption extension.
- Visa on Arrival is not available to Indians. Since 15 September 2026 it covers only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
- Entries over land borders on the exemption are capped at two per calendar year.
- File the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within 3 days before arrival and carry proof of funds (20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family).
Details: visa exemption, the 30-day rule change, Thailand visa for Indian citizens.
Apply through the consulate when you want:
- More than about 37 days: a Tourist Visa gives 60 days per entry
- A Non-Immigrant B for business or work, ED for study, or O for family or retirement
- The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). Since 31 August 2026 the DTV goes through the mission for your country of nationality or permanent residence, and needs a criminal record certificate.
How to Apply
The consulate's Announcement No. 11/2024 and its e-Visa payment page set the process:
- Apply at thaievisa.go.th. You can apply yourself or use a travel agency or representative; the consulate names DU Digital, BLS International and VFS Global. It takes no responsibility for incomplete applications filed by representatives.
- Select the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai.
- Upload the documents your visa type needs.
- Get a demand draft payable to "Royal Thai Consulate-General" for the exact fee.
- Bring the draft and the offline payment document (the one generated by the e-Visa system with a QR code) to the consulate, Monday to Friday, in the morning window. Payment must be made within 14 days of submitting the online application; the expiry date is printed on the payment document.
- Allow about 14 working days from the date the fee receipt is issued, then print the approved e-Visa.
Do not pay by bank deposit. From 20 May 2025 the consulate stopped accepting cash deposits into its DBS Bank account. Its announcement says any application paid that way "will not be processed and the cash deposited will not be refunded". Some older guides still describe the DBS option.
Visa Fees (INR)
From an announcement by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi, posted on the Chennai consulate's fee page, effective 27 April 2026 at the Embassy and the Consulates-General in India:
| Visa | Fee (INR) |
|---|---|
| Transit | 2,500 |
| Tourist, single entry | 3,000 |
| Tourist, multiple entry | 13,500 |
| Non-Immigrant, single entry | 7,000 |
| Non-Immigrant, multiple entry | 13,500 |
| Non-Immigrant, 3-year multiple entry | 30,000 |
| SMART visa (per year of validity) | 30,000 |
| DTV | 30,000 |
| LTR | 140,000 |
| Legalisation (any category) | 1,400 |
Read 27 Sep 2026. Fees are non-refundable under all circumstances.
Practical Notes
Arrive by 10:30 for the draft counter. The consulate's announcement gives the payment window as 10:00-13:00, but the "Payment Timings" line on its e-Visa payment page says 10:30-13:00. Aim for between 10:30 and 12:30.
Office hours differ between pages. The consulate's 2026 holiday notice and its office-hours page both say 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00. The older location page says 9:00-13:00. Go by the 10:00 opening.
Remaining 2026 closures. The consulate's 2026 list closes it on 13, 19 and 23 October, 9 November (Deepavali), and 7, 25 and 31 December, as well as weekends.
One email per purpose. Visa questions go to [email protected] only. The consulate asks for other consular matters to go to [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states does the Thai consulate in Chennai cover?
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and the Union Territory of Puducherry, according to the consulate's Announcement No. 5/2025. Bengaluru and Hyderabad residents therefore apply under Chennai.
Can I pay the Thai visa fee in Chennai by bank deposit?
No. Since 20 May 2025 the consulate accepts only a demand draft payable to "Royal Thai Consulate-General", handed in with the e-Visa payment document. Cash deposits to its DBS account are not processed and not refunded.
Do Indians need a visa for Thailand?
Not for a holiday of up to 30 days. Since 15 September 2026 Indian passport holders can enter visa-free for tourism. Extensions for Indians are capped at 7 days under Immigration Division 1's criteria, so get a tourist visa if you need longer.
How long does a Thai visa take through the Chennai consulate?
About 14 working days from the date the receipt of the visa fee is issued. Pay within 14 days of submitting your online application, or the payment document expires.
How much does a Thai tourist visa cost in Chennai?
INR 3,000 for a single entry and INR 13,500 for a six-month multiple entry, under the India-wide fees in force since 27 April 2026. The DTV is INR 30,000.
Can I apply through Chennai if I live in Goa or Maharashtra?
No. Goa and Maharashtra are covered by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai. Choose the mission for the state you live in.
What are the Thai consulate Chennai's office hours?
Monday to Friday, 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00, closed on weekends and on the Thai and Indian holidays on its 2026 list. The demand draft counter is open in the morning only.
Sources
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: Location, map, telephone and email
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: Office hours and holidays (2026 list)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: Announcement No. 5/2025, payment option for e-Visa (jurisdiction; DBS deposits ended)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: e-Visa payment options
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: Announcement No. 11/2024, implementation of the e-Visa in India (processing time)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai: Visa and consular fees from 27 April 2026
- Thai Immigration Bureau, Immigration Division 1: Visa extension criteria
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September 2026
