The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Shanghai is the Thai visa office for Shanghai and the three eastern provinces around it: Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui. If you live in Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei or anywhere else in those provinces, this is the mission you pick in the Thai e-Visa system. People in Beijing, Guangdong, Fujian or Sichuan belong to other Thai missions, listed below.
Most Chinese travellers never need it. Chinese passport holders enter Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days under the Thailand-China mutual exemption agreement. The consulate matters when you want a longer stay, a Non-Immigrant visa, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), or when you hold a foreign passport and live in its district.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai (泰王国驻上海总领事馆) |
| Address | No. 18 Wanshan Road, Changning District, Shanghai 200336 |
| Phone | +86 21 5260 9899 (visa: ext. 888, 812, 854) |
| Fax | +86 21 5260 9898 |
| Visa email | [email protected] |
| Other enquiries | [email protected] |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 09:30–12:00 and 13:30–17:30 |
| Visa and legalisation counter | 09:30–11:30 |
| Area covered | Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui |
| Visa applications | Online only, at thaievisa.go.th |
| Visa fees (RMB) | Tourist single entry 240 · Tourist multiple entry 1,200 · Non-Immigrant single entry 480 · DTV 2,300 (China-wide schedule in force since 15 July 2024; read 27 Sep 2026) |
| ThaiConsulate (泰王国驻上海总领事馆) |
Which Areas This Consulate Covers
The consulate's own history page states that its district covers Shanghai municipality and three eastern provinces: Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. It opened in 1997 and moved to its own building on Wanshan Road in the Hongqiao area in September 2015.
Thailand has an embassy and nine consulates-general in China. Here is how the mainland is split, taken from each mission's own website:
| Thai mission | Provinces and municipalities |
|---|---|
| Embassy, Beijing | Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hubei, Shanxi, Henan, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang |
| Consulate-General, Shanghai | Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui |
| Consulate-General, Guangzhou | Guangdong, Hainan |
| Consulate-General, Xiamen | Fujian, Jiangxi |
| Consulate-General, Kunming | Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan |
| Consulate-General, Chengdu | Sichuan, Chongqing |
| Consulate-General, Xi'an | Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia |
| Consulate-General, Nanning | Guangxi |
| Consulate-General, Qingdao | Shandong |
| Consulate-General, Hong Kong | Hong Kong and Macao residents |
Shandong is the one people get wrong. It borders Jiangsu, but it belongs to the Qingdao consulate, not Shanghai. Likewise Jiangxi goes to Xiamen and Hubei to Beijing.
Do You Need a Visa?
Chinese citizens: not for a holiday of up to 30 days. The Thailand-China mutual visa exemption has applied since 1 March 2024 and allows 30 days per entry, with no more than 90 days in total in any 180-day period. Thailand's new 30-day exemption list, in force since 15 September 2026, did not change this bilateral agreement.
- One extension of up to 30 days is available at a Thai immigration office for 1,900 THB. See the visa exemption extension guide.
- The exemption covers tourism. Business meetings, work or study need a visa.
- Immigration can ask to see funds of 20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family.
- File the Thailand Digital Arrival Card at tdac.immigration.go.th within three days before you arrive.
Foreign nationals living in Shanghai follow the rule for their own passport. Most Western, Japanese and Korean passports now get 30 days (Korea gets 90 under its own agreement). Check yours in the visa finder or read visa exemption.
You need the consulate, through the e-Visa portal, for:
- A stay longer than the exemption allows (Tourist Visa, 60 days per entry)
- Work, business, study or family stays (Non-Immigrant B, ED, O)
- The Destination Thailand Visa
- SMART and LTR visas (SMART applications start at smart-visa.boi.go.th)
How to Apply
The consulate's visa page says one thing: apply at www.thaievisa.go.th. It links the portal's English and Chinese user manuals. The mainland missions switched to stickerless e-Visas on 27 September 2021, so there is no passport drop-off for visas.
- Register on thaievisa.go.th and choose your visa type.
- Select the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai if you live in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang or Anhui.
- Upload the passport biodata page, a recent photo and the documents the portal lists for your category.
- Pay the fee online. It is not refundable if the visa is refused.
- Print the approval email and carry it for the airline and Thai immigration.
DTV rule since 31 August 2026. A Royal Thai Embassy Beijing notice for applicants in China adds two documents: proof of permanent residence in the country of your nationality or permanent residence, and a criminal record clearance from that country. A foreigner working in Shanghai on a residence permit is not a permanent resident of China, so under this rule the DTV has to be filed where that person is a national or permanent resident.
Visa fees in China (RMB)
The Embassy in Beijing and all mainland consulates-general use one fee schedule, effective 15 July 2024:
| Visa | Entries | Fee (RMB) |
|---|---|---|
| Transit | Single / double | 190 / 380 |
| Tourist | Single | 240 |
| Tourist | Multiple (6 months) | 1,200 |
| Destination Thailand Visa | Multiple (5 years) | 2,300 |
| Non-Immigrant (incl. ED Plus) | Single | 480 |
| Non-Immigrant | Multiple (1 year) | 1,200 |
| SMART | Multiple (1 to 4 years) | 2,300 per year |
| Long-Term Resident | Multiple (10 years) | 12,000 |
The notice states that applications can only be made online and that fees are non-refundable.
Practical Notes
Visa questions by email. The consulate publishes [email protected] for visa matters and separate numbers (ext. 888, 812, 854) for the visa section. There is no published processing time on its visa page, so apply at least three to four weeks ahead.
The counter is for documents, not visas. Visa and legalisation services run 09:30–11:30. The rest of the counter's day serves Thai nationals (passports, ID cards, civil registration).
Holiday closures for the rest of 2026. The consulate closes on Chinese National Day (1, 2 and 5 October), 13 October, 7 December and 31 December, as well as weekends. Its holiday list for 2026 is posted on the office hours page.
Getting there. The consulate is in the Hongqiao area of Changning District at No. 18 Wanshan Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Thai consulate covers Jiangsu and Zhejiang?
The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Shanghai. Its district is Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, so residents of Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Hefei all choose Shanghai in the e-Visa system.
Does the Thai consulate in Shanghai cover Shandong?
No. Shandong belongs to the Thai Consulate-General in Qingdao. Jiangxi goes to Xiamen and Hubei to the Embassy in Beijing.
Can I apply for a Thai visa in person in Shanghai?
No. Visa applications are made online at thaievisa.go.th. The in-person counter handles legalisation and services for Thai citizens.
How much is a Thai tourist visa in Shanghai?
RMB 240 for a single-entry tourist visa and RMB 1,200 for a six-month multiple-entry tourist visa. The DTV costs RMB 2,300. These are the China-wide fees in force since 15 July 2024.
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for Thailand?
Not for tourism of up to 30 days per entry, with a cap of 90 days in any 180-day period. Longer stays and non-tourist purposes need a visa from the consulate that covers where you live.
Can a foreigner living in Shanghai apply for the DTV there?
Only if they can prove permanent residence in China. Since 31 August 2026, DTV applicants must show permanent residence in the country where they apply and a criminal record clearance from that country.
What is the visa email for the Thai consulate in Shanghai?
[email protected]. General enquiries go to [email protected].
Sources
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai: History (jurisdiction)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai: Contact
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai: Office Hours and 2026 holidays
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Shanghai: Visa Service
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Guangzhou: Updated List of the Thai Visa Service Fees for Applicants in China (15 July 2024)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Beijing: Update on supporting documents for the DTV (29 Aug 2026)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Beijing: Announcement on Thai visa applications (26 May 2026, Beijing jurisdiction)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand: Thailand-China mutual visa exemption
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September
