Chiang Rai Immigration (ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองจังหวัดเชียงราย) handles visa extensions, 90-day reports, re-entry permits and TM30 for foreigners living in 16 of Chiang Rai's 18 districts. The mistake people make is going to the wrong building. The office's headquarters is in Mae Sai, about 60 km north on the Myanmar border. If you live in or around Chiang Rai city, your counter is the branch service office inside Central Chiang Rai on Phahonyothin Road. And if you live in Chiang Khong or Chiang Saen district, neither of those is your office: those two districts belong to the Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองจังหวัดเชียงราย (Chiang Rai Immigration Division) |
| City branch | Central Chiang Rai (CentralPlaza Chiang Rai), 99/9 Phahonyothin Road, Tambon Rop Wiang, Mueang Chiang Rai |
| City branch phone | 097-280-7338 |
| City branch hours | Monday-Friday, 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30 |
| Closed | Weekends and Thai public holidays |
| Headquarters | 117 Moo 10, Phahonyothin Road, Tambon Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai 57130 |
| HQ phone | 053-731-008 (foreigner services: extension 14) |
| [email protected] (HQ), [email protected] (city branch) | |
| Covers | 16 of Chiang Rai's 18 districts; not Chiang Saen or Chiang Khong |
| Queue booking | Online booking for both offices via the office website |
| Extension of a visa-exempt stay | Once, up to 30 days, 1,900 THB |
Which Office Covers Your Address
The office's own organisation page states that it is responsible for 16 of the province's 18 districts, with Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong excluded. In practice that splits the province three ways:
| Where you live | Where you file |
|---|---|
| Mueang Chiang Rai and nearby districts | Chiang Rai Immigration branch at Central Chiang Rai |
| Mae Sai and the other northern districts (except the two below) | Chiang Rai Immigration HQ in Mae Sai, or the Central Chiang Rai branch |
| Chiang Saen district | Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint, 119 Moo 3, Tambon Wiang, Chiang Saen 57150, tel. 053-777-118 |
| Chiang Khong district | Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint, Chiang Khong office, 345 Moo 10, Tambon Wiang, Chiang Khong 57140, tel. 053-791-692 to 694 |
Phayao province has its own office, Phayao Immigration, which gives its address as 188 Moo 8, Tambon Mae Puem, Mueang Phayao 56000. The only number on its homepage, 054-430-880 ext. 2, is labelled as a fax line. If you live in Chiang Mai province, see the Chiang Mai Immigration Office page instead.
Getting There
Central Chiang Rai branch. The branch moved out of the Chiang Rai Provincial Administrative Organization building in September 2023. It closed at the old site on 13 September and reopened at Central Chiang Rai on 18 September 2023. The relocation notice puts it on the ground floor, on the Robinson side of the mall, next to the temporary passport office. The mall is on Phahonyothin Road (Highway 1) in Tambon Rop Wiang. If you are following an older guide that sends you to the provincial administration building, it is out of date. The branch is still running in 2026: the office's own activity posts show foreigner-services staff at the "one-stop service centre (branch), Central Chiang Rai" through the first half of the year, most recently on 23 June 2026, and the site footer still lists the branch phone.
Mae Sai headquarters. 117 Moo 10 on Phahonyothin Road, Tambon Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai. The office has been at this address since at least 1978, when it was the Chiang Rai provincial immigration checkpoint. It makes sense mainly for people who live in the northern districts. Green Bus services run from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai; see our Myanmar visa run guide for the transport details.
Services and What to Bring
The 2023 relocation notice lists the services at the Central Chiang Rai branch: extensions of stay, re-entry permits, accommodation notifications (TM30) and 90-day reports. For anything outside that list, call before you travel; you may be sent to Mae Sai.
Extension of stay on a visa exemption or tourist visa
- Form TM.7 with one photo taken within the last six months
- Passport and a copy of the photo page, latest entry stamp and current permission to stay
- 1,900 THB fee
- Your address in Thailand. Bring your TM30 receipt if you have one, since the office checks where you are staying.
Immigration Division 1 publishes the national criteria for this extension: it is granted once, for no more than 30 days from the day your current permission expires. Details are in our visa exemption extension guide.
Retirement and marriage extensions
These follow national criteria, also published by Immigration Division 1. Retirement: age 50 or over, and either 65,000 THB a month in income, or 800,000 THB held in a Thai bank for two months before filing and three months after approval (after that it can drop, but not below 400,000 THB), or a combination totalling 800,000 THB. Marriage: a foreign husband of a Thai wife needs 40,000 THB a month in income or 400,000 THB held in a Thai bank for the past two months; Division 1 lists no income figure for a foreign wife of a Thai husband. Both spouses attend in person. The same 1,900 THB fee applies. See the retirement extension guide for the document list.
90-day report (TM.47)
Free. You can report from 15 days before to 7 days after the due date. After that you must report in person and pay a 2,000 THB fine, per the Immigration Bureau. The Chiang Rai office website links to the online 90-day system; your first report generally has to be in person. More in our 90-day reporting guide.
Re-entry permit (TM.8)
1,000 THB single, 3,800 THB multiple. Without one, leaving Thailand cancels an extension of stay. See the re-entry permit guide.
TM30
Under Section 38 of the Immigration Act, the house owner, landlord or hotel must report a foreigner's stay within 24 hours. The office website links to online TM30 filing for owners. See our TM30 guide.
Do You Need a Visa?
Since 15 September 2026, nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of the EU and India, get a 30-day visa exemption for tourism. This replaced the 60-day scheme. Anyone who entered before 15 September keeps the stay they were given. Seychelles and Mauritius get 15 days. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia are the only nationalities left on Visa on Arrival. Details: visa exemption and our 30-day exemption news explainer.
At this office you can extend a 30-day exempt stay once, by up to 30 days, for 1,900 THB, which gets you to roughly 60 days in total. One detail worth knowing: Immigration Division 1's published criteria cap this extension at 7 days for nationals of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Togo, Nigeria and Uganda. If you hold one of those passports, ask the counter what applies before you plan around 30 days.
For anything longer, such as retirement, marriage, study or remote work, you need a proper visa, applied for online at thaievisa.go.th from outside Thailand. Start with the Non-Immigrant O visa, the DTV or our visa finder.
Border Crossings in Chiang Rai Province
Mae Sai - Tachileik (Myanmar)
Chiang Rai Immigration runs the Mae Sai checkpoints. Its website lists two permanent crossings. Mae Sai Bridge 1, in Mae Sai town opposite Tachileik in Shan State, is published as open 06:30-18:30 daily for travellers with a passport or border pass. Mae Sai Bridge 2, at Ban San Pak Hi, is for trucks and cargo vehicles only. That is a published schedule, not a live status, and border crossings can close at short notice, so confirm it is open before you travel: call 053-731-008 or check the office's Facebook page. The full process is in our Myanmar visa run guide.
Chiang Khong - Huay Xai (Laos)
The Friendship Bridge 4 crossing at Chiang Khong is staffed by the Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint, not by Chiang Rai Immigration. The checkpoint's website does not publish crossing hours that we could find, so call its Chiang Khong office on 053-791-692 to 694 and confirm the crossing is open before you go. Our Laos visa run guide covers the Nong Khai-Vientiane route, which is the one to use if you need the Thai embassy.
The land-border cap
Since 15 September 2026, entries on the 30-day exemption through land borders are capped at twice per calendar year. Nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are exempt from the cap. At any crossing the officer can also ask for proof of funds (20,000 THB per person or 40,000 THB per family) and an onward ticket within your permitted stay. A Mae Sai day trip does not reset your options indefinitely; see visa runs.
Practical Notes
- Book a queue slot online. The office website has an online queue booking page with separate booking calendars for the Mueang Chiang Rai branch and the Mae Sai office.
- The city branch closes for lunch. The Thai text of the 2023 relocation notice gives 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30, so do not plan to arrive at 12:15. The English text of the same notice just says 08:30-16:30, and the office has not republished hours since; call 097-280-7338 if the timing matters.
- Hours for the Mae Sai HQ are not published separately on the website. Call 053-731-008 before driving up.
- Announcements such as holiday closures appear on the office's Facebook page (chiangraiimmigrations), linked from its website.
- Overstays are handled by the office too, but read overstay penalties first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the immigration office in Chiang Rai city?
Inside Central Chiang Rai (CentralPlaza Chiang Rai), 99/9 Phahonyothin Road, Tambon Rop Wiang, on the ground floor on the Robinson side. It moved there from the provincial administration building in September 2023. Phone 097-280-7338.
Is Chiang Rai Immigration in Mae Sai or Chiang Rai?
Both. The headquarters is at 117 Moo 10, Wiang Phang Kham, Mae Sai. The branch in Central Chiang Rai handles extensions, re-entry permits, TM30 and 90-day reports for people living around the city.
Where do I extend my visa if I live in Chiang Khong?
At the Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint's Chiang Khong office, 345 Moo 10, Tambon Wiang, Chiang Khong (053-791-692 to 694). Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen districts are outside Chiang Rai Immigration's area.
Can I extend a 30-day visa exemption in Chiang Rai?
Yes, once, by up to 30 days, for 1,900 THB with form TM.7. Nationals on Immigration Division 1's 7-day list (including India) should confirm the length at the counter.
What are the opening hours of Chiang Rai immigration at Central?
Monday to Friday, 08:30-12:00 and 13:00-16:30, according to the Thai text of the 2023 relocation notice. Closed on weekends and public holidays.
Is the Mae Sai border open for visa runs?
Chiang Rai Immigration publishes Mae Sai Bridge 1 as open 06:30-18:30 daily, but the crossing has closed without notice before. Confirm it is open on the day, and remember the twice-a-year cap on land-border exemption entries.
Sources
- Chiang Rai Immigration, contact information (checked 16 Sep 2026): https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/68o4/
- Chiang Rai Immigration, area of responsibility and border crossings: https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/68o2/
- Chiang Rai Immigration, organisation information (16 of 18 districts): https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/en/organization-information/
- Chiang Rai Immigration, branch relocation to Central Chiang Rai (posted 28 Aug 2023): https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A1-%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%A7-%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2-%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B3/
- Chiang Rai Immigration, online queue booking: https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/%e0%b8%9a%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%88%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%87%e0%b8%84%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%99%e0%b9%84%e0%b8%a5%e0%b8%99%e0%b9%8c/
- Chiang Rai Immigration, service at the Central Chiang Rai branch, 23 Jun 2026: https://chiangrai.immigration.go.th/%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%b1%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%97%e0%b8%b5%e0%b9%88-23-%e0%b8%a1%e0%b8%b4-%e0%b8%a2-69-%e0%b9%80%e0%b8%88%e0%b9%89%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%ab%e0%b8%99%e0%b9%89%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%97%e0%b8%b5%e0%b9%88%e0%b8%87/
- Immigration Bureau, online appointment (Division 5; lists both Chiang Rai calendars): https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=19958
- Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint, contact (Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen offices): https://chiangsaen.immigration.go.th/contactth/
- Phayao Immigration: https://phayao.immigration.go.th/
- Immigration Division 1, extension criteria (tourism extension, retirement, marriage): https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/visa-extension/
- Immigration Bureau, fees: https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=1401
- Immigration Bureau, 90-day notification: https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=1648
- Immigration Bureau, TM30 accommodation notification: https://www.immigration.go.th/?page_id=1660
- Royal Thai Embassy London, visa exemption entry conditions: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/exemp-visa
- TAT Newsroom, new 30-day and 15-day exemption rules from 15 September 2026: https://www.tatnews.org/2026/09/thailand-introduces-new-30-day-and-15-day-visa-exemption-rules-from-15-september/
