The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kota Bharu, at 4426 Jalan Tok Guru, is Thailand's career consulate for Malaysia's east coast, Kelantan and Terengganu. It is the nearest Thai mission to the Rantau Panjang-Sungai Kolok border crossing. Since 8 October 2024 you apply and pay online at thaievisa.go.th rather than at the counter.
Two local details catch people out. The consulate works Sunday to Thursday and is closed on Friday and Saturday. And the e-Visa system asks for proof that you are in Malaysia: the consulate wants your Malaysian entry stamp, preferably from a Kelantan checkpoint.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu |
| Address | 4426 Jalan Tok Guru, 15400 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| Chancery phone | +60 9 744 5266 / +60 9 748 2545 |
| Consular section phone | +60 9 743 0640 |
| Fax | +60 9 744 9801 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Sunday to Thursday, 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:30 (Malaysia time) |
| Consular section (passports, visas, legalisation) | Sunday to Thursday, 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-15:30 |
| Closed | Friday and Saturday, plus holidays on the consulate's 2026 list |
| Areas covered | Kelantan and Terengganu |
| Who can apply | Applicants who are in Malaysia, with a Malaysian entry stamp |
| How to apply | Online at thaievisa.go.th, including fee payment (since 8 October 2024) |
| Fees (MYR, from 15 July 2024) | Tourist 160 single / 800 multiple; Non-Immigrant 320 single; DTV 1,600 (read 27 Sep 2026) |
| Stated processing time | Not published by the consulate |
Which Areas This Mission Covers
The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur's consular jurisdiction map (January 2025) splits Malaysia into three:
| Mission | Area |
|---|---|
| Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu | Kelantan, Terengganu |
| Royal Thai Consulate-General, Penang | Pulau Pinang, Kedah, Perlis, and the Perak districts of Hulu Perak, Kerian, Larut Matang and Selama |
| Royal Thai Embassy, Kuala Lumpur | The rest of Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak |
The consulate's own site carries background pages on Kelantan and Terengganu, matching that map. For e-Visas, the Penang consulate describes the rule more loosely: anyone in Malaysia may apply through Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Kota Bharu. The safe choice is the post for the state you are in, and Kota Bharu's own guidance asks specifically for a Kelantan entry stamp.
Do You Need a Visa?
Malaysian citizens are on Thailand's 30-day visa exemption list since 15 September 2026, with one extension of up to 30 days available for 1,900 THB. Malaysians are exempt from the land-border cap, so repeated crossings at Rantau Panjang are not limited for them. Malaysian nationals and permanent residents can apply here for a DTV.
Other passport holders in Kelantan follow the rules for their own passport. Most Western passports get 30 days visa-exempt since 15 September 2026, extendable once by up to 30 days for 1,900 THB (form TM.7). The exemption is for tourism only. Exemption entries over land borders are capped at two per calendar year for most nationalities, so a run from Sungai Kolok to Rantau Panjang and back uses one of your two. See visa exemption, the 30-day change and visa exemption extension.
The consulate's visa page lists the categories it issues:
- Tourist Visa (TR)
- Non-Immigrant B: business, conferences, employment
- Non-Immigrant O: family of a Thai national, dependants, volunteers, retirement
- Non-Immigrant ED: study, internships and training
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): tourism and remote work
DTV for visitors: under the rule in force since 31 August 2026, DTV applicants must apply through the mission for their country of nationality or permanent residence and add a criminal record certificate. A tourist passing through Kelantan cannot get a DTV here.
How to Apply
- Enter Malaysia and keep your entry stamp page. The consulate prefers stamps from Kelantan checkpoints.
- Apply at thaievisa.go.th and select the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu.
- Upload the entry stamp in the field headed "Document indicating current location". The consulate's visa page shows an example of the stamp it expects.
- Upload the documents for your visa type and pay in the portal.
- Watch your email for requests for more documents. The consulate reserves the right to reject applicants who do not meet its requirements.
- Print the approved e-Visa and carry it with your passport.
Visa fees (Malaysian ringgit)
From the consulate's visa fee announcement, effective 15 July 2024:
| Visa | Fee (MYR) |
|---|---|
| Transit, single entry | 125 |
| Tourist, single entry | 160 |
| Tourist, multiple entry (6 months) | 800 |
| Non-Immigrant B, single entry (3 months) | 320 |
| Non-Immigrant B, multiple entry (1 year) | 800 |
| Non-Immigrant B, 3 years | 1,600 |
| Non-Immigrant ED / ED Plus, single entry | 320 |
| Non-Immigrant O, single entry / 1-year multiple | 320 / 800 |
| Non-Immigrant O-A (1 year) / O-X (10 years) | 800 / 1,600 |
| SMART visa | 1,600 per year of validity |
| Long-Term Resident visa | 8,000 |
| DTV | 1,600 |
Read 27 Sep 2026. The announcement predates the e-Visa and says fees are paid in cash in ringgit. Since October 2024 the fee is paid through the e-Visa portal, which shows the amount due. Fees are non-refundable.
Practical Notes
Friday is not a working day. Plan any visit for Sunday to Thursday. Consular services close at 15:30, an hour before the office.
The border route. The nearest crossing to Kota Bharu is Rantau Panjang (Kelantan) to Sungai Kolok (Narathiwat). Our Malaysia visa run guide treats Sungai Kolok as a less recommended option because of the security situation in Thailand's deep south. Check your government's travel advice before using it, and remember the two-per-year cap on exempt land entries.
Build in time. The consulate does not publish a processing time. The Penang consulate states 5-7 days, restarting if more documents are requested. Plan on at least a week in Kota Bharu.
Arrival card. File the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within 3 days before you cross back into Thailand, and carry proof of funds (20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Thai consulate Kota Bharu's opening hours?
Sunday to Thursday, 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:30 Malaysia time. The consular section, which handles visas, passports and legalisation, works 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-15:30. The consulate is closed on Friday and Saturday.
Which states does the Thai consulate in Kota Bharu cover?
Kelantan and Terengganu, according to the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur's consular jurisdiction map. Penang, Kedah and Perlis go to Penang, and the rest of Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur.
Can I apply to the Kota Bharu consulate from Thailand?
No. You must be in Malaysia, and the consulate asks you to upload your Malaysian entry stamp, preferably from a Kelantan checkpoint, as your document indicating current location.
How much is a Thai tourist visa in Kota Bharu?
MYR 160 for a single-entry tourist visa and MYR 800 for a six-month multiple-entry tourist visa, under the consulate's fee schedule from 15 July 2024. The DTV costs MYR 1,600.
Can I get a DTV at the Kota Bharu consulate?
Only as a Malaysian national or permanent resident. Since 31 August 2026 DTV applicants must apply through the mission for their country of nationality or permanent residence, with a criminal record certificate.
Is the Thai consulate in Kota Bharu an honorary consulate?
No. It is a Consulate-General of Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of three Thai visa-issuing missions in Malaysia alongside the embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the consulate-general in Penang.
Sources
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu: Location, map, telephone and email
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu: Working hours and holidays
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu: Applying for a Thai visa (e-Visa from 8 October 2024, entry stamp)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu: Visa fees as from July 2024
- Royal Thai Embassy, Kuala Lumpur: Consular jurisdiction (map, January 2025)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Penang: Thai e-Visa (location rule, processing time)
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September 2026
