Airport Road: The Main Office
Address: 71 Moo 3, Sanambin Road, Suthep Sub-District, Muang District, Chiang Mai 50200
Hours: 08:00-16:00. Lunch 12:00-13:00. Closes 15:30 (stops accepting new cases). Open weekdays only. Closed Thai public holidays.
Services at Airport Road:
- ED Visa (initial applications and annual renewals)
- DTV Visa (initial applications, NOT 180-day extensions)
- Retirement Visa (Non-O)
- Marriage Visa (Non-O) — spouse must attend
- Business Visa (Non-B) extensions and work permits
- TM.30 residence address notification (digital and paper)
- Residence Certificate (formal document for driving license, vehicle purchase)
- Re-entry Permits (single or multiple)
The Queue Number Game
Arrive at 07:30 AM, before the gate opens at 08:00. Immigration issues queue numbers by 08:15 AM. If you arrive at 08:30 or 09:00, you might be number 40+. Office processes 3-4 people per hour. Do the maths. A low queue number (under 20) means 5-7 hours. A high number (40+) means 10+ hours or next day. Bring a book.
Guru Tip: The official Chiang Mai Immigration website allows online appointment bookings 2 weeks in advance. Book early if you want to skip the queue entirely. Appointments bypass the queue number system.
Central Festival: The Convenience Branch
Location: 2nd Floor, Central Chiangmai Mall, near Supersports zone, Superhighway
Hours: 09:00-17:00. Lunch break 12:00-13:00. Service until 16:30. Open weekdays only. Closed Thai public holidays.
Services at Central Festival:
- Tourist Visa extensions (30-day or approval letter)
- 90-Day Reporting (TM.28)
- Re-entry Permits (single 1,000 THB or multiple 3,800 THB)
- Passport Transfer (moving visa stamps from old to new passport)
- DTV 180-day local extensions (not initial applications)
Why Central Festival is Faster
Central Festival is faster because volumes are lower. 90-day reporting: typically 5-10 minutes. Tourist extensions: 20-30 minutes. No queue number system. First-come, first-served. A line forms at the mall entrance by 08:15 AM (mall doesn't open until 10 AM officially, but immigration staff start at 09:00).
TDAC: The Digital Checkpoint You Can't Skip
Thailand Digital Arrival Control. In 2026, every long-stay visa extension is cross-checked against this system. Your landlord or condo manager must have filed your TM.30 (residential address notification) into TDAC within 24 hours of your arrival or address change.
If your TM.30 is not in the system, immigration will reject your extension. They won't process it anyway. So call your landlord before you go. Say: "Please verify that my TM.30 has been uploaded to TDAC. Please show me the confirmation." If it hasn't, ask them to do it immediately. It takes 10 minutes. TDAC verification can take 1-2 days to appear in immigration's system.
Queue Strategy: Mainstream vs Deep Cut
Mainstream Approach
Arrive 07:30 AM at Airport Road if you have ED, DTV initial, or long-stay applications. Get queue number under 20. Expect 5-7 hour wait. Bring lunch, phone charger, book. Bring all documents. Do not assume you have everything. Missing one document equals full restart.
Deep Cut Approach
File an online appointment through the official Chiang Mai Immigration website. Appointments available 2 weeks in advance. You bypass the queue entirely. Takes 2 weeks planning, but saves 5 hours. Best move if your visa is time-critical.
Need Direct Support?
CMLocals can help with document preparation, visa strategy, and TDAC verification. Get your application correct before you queue.