Immigration office in Koh SAmui
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE IN SAMUI
WHAT TO DO AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE IN KOH SAMUI
Relax! It can be a breeze!
Let’s face it, no one goes to immigration in Thailand unless is absolutely imperative. There are better places to spend your time on the island. This is a small inconvenience to extend your stay in Thailand! For those getting a Tourist Visa Extension, the process should be a straight forward so we recommend to discard overstaying in Thailand.
Fear not! Follow our suggestions and you will be in & out with your passport visa sorted!
- Get to the Samui Immigration Office before it gets busy
- Do your research on Thailand Immigration rules
- Get your paper work ready in advance
- Be patient and courteous with the immigration officials
- Dress appropriately
The new Immigration Office Koh Samui opened in 2016 and it is in Maenam. It replaces the old Immigration Office located in Nathon.
The new building is substantially bigger, with air conditioning, comfortable chairs and has relevant services onsite like photography and copy machine room, a lawyer and Visa Arrangement Services (HD Visa Samui) on site.
There is as well a convenient coffee place to relax while you wait for your paperwork!
Koh Samui Immigration Office Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 8:30am–12pm, 1pm–4:30pm
Your paperwork in two steps
Reception
The first step is to present your paperwork at the reception in the ground floor.
Stay on the queue for the right side of the window, one side is for Tourist and Short Term Visas and the other side is for Long Term Visas. At the reception they check your documents and application and they give you a turn number to be called on the first floor, where you see the officials. If there is information missign to process your application, you will be asked to gather the additional documents and come back.
Officials
Once they check the documents, the will give you a turn number. Go up the stairs to the first floor and access the waiting area and wait for your number to be called.
There are plenty of chairs but if the immigration office is busy you might have to stand on your feet.
Once you are called they will check your documents more in detail, they might take a photo of you and your family if compulsory. Once the application is valid and complete, the will process your passport for completion.
Collection
For most short term applications, the Immigration Officials will ask you to take a seat again, and wait. They will call you again to give you your passport and personal documents shortly after.
If waiting time is longer than 30 minutes, you can relax at the coffee place while you wait. If the officials expect the process to take more than 20 or 30 minutes to prepare your documents, they will ask you to come back next day or they will tell you what day you can come back to collect your passport.
Important Immigration Links
There are few transactions and applications you may do online. Check the following links. Make sure you change the language to your own. You may have to use google translate or similars to translate some forms. If you have any doubt or question, ask at the Immigration Office Reception in the ground floor.
Royal Thai Police | Immigration Bureau Online Services
Notifications of Residence for Foreigners TM30
FOLLOW OUR ADVICE
Our tips & suggestions to ease the process
Be ready
Make sure your understand Thailand Immigration rules and the application you are submitting in detail. Bring your visa application, passport, taxes and supporting documents ready!
There is a facility where you can get photos done and printed, and a photocopy machine in case you need to make copies.
If you have questions or any difficulty there is a lawyer office and a visa arrangement company on site. They organise visa runs and can help you preparing your paperwork and application is.
When to go?
Either if you are applying for a tourist visa extension or renewing your visa, don’t wait to the last day before your visa expires.
Best time to get to the Koh Samui Immigration Office is early in the morning before they open the windows, or right before the lunch break finish. Have breakfast or lunch there, the coffee and Thai food are quite decent and well priced!
Consider they have lunch break at 12pm. If you get later than 10am and still need to prepare the application, you risk having to go and come back after lunch!
Use common sense
You are in an Immigration Office.
Thai Officials and Immigration Police are on duty. Be respectful and courteous.
Dress appropriately and behave accordingly to the occasion and the location.
While it is understandable you may be on holidays, don’t do anything you wouldn’t do in a public building in your own country. Believe us, we have seen everything… Just use your judgment and common sense.
Visa regulations in Thailand
Immigration rules, regulation and Visa requirements change frequently in Thailand. Make sure you are well informed before you head to the sort out your paperwork. Check the news about Visa Policy in Thailand here.
WARNING. We recommend to all visitors to refrain from overstaying in Thailand. If you overstay, you will be fined before leaving the country, and you may be temporarily banned from entering the Kingdom. If you are caught in Thailand with an expired visa, authorities can give you few headaches. Extending your Visa at the Immigration Office in Koh Samui should be a painless transactional process that should take less than 2 hours if you follow our advice. Do not overstay; is not worth the potential headaches! Sort out your passport and go back to enjoy your extended holiday with peace of mind.
