Living in or visiting Surat Thani long-term means dealing with immigration at the Kanchanadit district office: the TM7 extension process, 90-day address reporting, the TM30 your landlord files, and the re-entry permit you need before every trip abroad. Here is where to go, what to bring, and how to handle each task.
Surat Thani's immigration office sits about 15km outside town in Kanchanadit district, and most residents and long-stay visitors interact with it in four ways: the 30-day tourist/exempt-entry extension or an annual extension of stay, the 90-day address report, the TM30 address notification, and the re-entry permit that protects an extension when you travel. This guide covers exactly where to go, what to bring, the documents needed for a 30-day extension, how to file a 90-day report, and the standard fees.
The Surat Thani Immigration Office is located at Thung Rang subdistrict, Kanchanadit district, Surat Thani 84290 -- about 15km outside the town centre. It handles extensions of stay, 90-day reporting, TM30 filings and re-entry permits for foreigners living in or around Surat Thani town. Note this office is separate from the immigration coverage on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, which have their own island offices -- confirm which office covers your registered address before travelling.
Thai immigration offices nationally operate on standard government hours of roughly 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, closed on Thai public holidays -- Surat Thani follows this general pattern. Given the office's distance from town, it's worth calling ahead or checking the Immigration Bureau's website for any current holiday closures or schedule changes before making the trip.
Because the office sits roughly 15km from central Surat Thani, plan for a taxi, ride-hail, or motorbike/car journey rather than walking distance from town -- factor this into your visit timing, especially if you need to arrive early for an extension.
Any foreigner who stays in Thailand for 90 consecutive days or more on a long-stay visa or extension must report their current address to immigration every 90 days. It is a notification of where you live -- not a visa renewal -- and does not extend your permission to stay. The 90-day clock resets every time you leave and re-enter the country.
Report at the Surat Thani office within the window of 15 days before to 7 days after your due date. Bring your passport, a completed TM47 form, and your previous 90-day receipt (or your last entry receipt). You leave with a stamped receipt showing your next due date.
The nationwide online 90-day reporting system (website and app) lets you file from home within the same window, though it can be inconsistent -- file early rather than on the last day. Reporting by registered mail (TM47 plus signed copies of your passport photo page, visa page, entry stamp, departure card and previous receipt, with a stamped self-addressed envelope) is also accepted nationally; time it to arrive about 15 days before your due date.
A missed 90-day report is fixable: the standard fine is 2,000 baht, paid in person when you next report. If caught with an overdue report at an airport or checkpoint, the penalty is higher (around 5,000 baht). Go in person to file and pay the fine as soon as you realise -- don't wait.
For long-stay foreigners (retirement, marriage, education, Non-B work, dependant), extensions are processed at the Surat Thani office using a TM7 application, with a government fee of 1,900 baht. Each visa category has its own document checklist -- retirement and marriage extensions typically need bank letters and evidence of seasoned funds or income, photos and copies of every relevant passport page.
For tourist visa holders and visa-exempt entrants specifically, a single 30-day extension is available using the TM7 form. The fee is 1,900 baht, paid in cash. Required documents typically include the TM7 with a 4x6 photo, a copy of your passport photo page, visa copy, entry stamp copy and TM6 departure card copy -- past visitors report the process at Surat Thani taking as little as 15 minutes when the office isn't busy. Smart casual dress (trousers, a collared or plain t-shirt) is recommended.
The TM30 is a report of where a foreigner is staying, and by law the property owner or 'possessor' -- landlord, condo juristic office, or hotel -- must file it, usually within 24 hours of arrival at the address. An up-to-date TM30 is often required before immigration will process a 90-day report or extension, so confirm your landlord or building has filed it and keep a copy of the acknowledgement.
If you hold an extension of stay and leave Thailand without a re-entry permit, your extension is automatically cancelled. Buy a re-entry permit before any international trip: a single re-entry costs 1,000 baht, a multiple re-entry 3,800 baht. These are standard nationwide fees available at the Surat Thani office or at an airport immigration counter before departure.
The Surat Thani Immigration Office is in Thung Rang subdistrict, Kanchanadit district, about 15km outside Surat Thani town centre. It handles extensions of stay, 90-day reporting, TM30 filings and re-entry permits for the mainland area -- Koh Samui and Koh Phangan have their own separate island immigration offices.
The standard government fee for an extension of stay (including the 30-day tourist/exempt-entry extension via TM7) is 1,900 baht, paid in cash. Longer-stay extension categories like retirement or marriage require additional supporting documents but carry the same base fee.
Report in person at the Kanchanadit office (bring passport, completed TM47, and previous receipt), through the nationwide online reporting system, or by registered mail -- all within the window of 15 days before to 7 days after your due date. In-person reporting is the most reliable since you receive an immediate stamped receipt.
Yes, if you hold an extension of stay and plan to leave and return -- otherwise your extension is automatically cancelled on departure. A single re-entry permit costs 1,000 baht and a multiple re-entry 3,800 baht, available at the immigration office or an airport counter before you fly.
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Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
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Hero photo by Ekaterina Belinskaya on Pexels. General information only; Thai immigration procedures, fees, forms and office locations change and are applied differently by office and officer -- confirm current requirements with the Immigration Bureau and official sources before you rely on them.