{"id":6646,"date":"2026-09-05T19:14:59","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/glossary\/immigration-bureau\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T19:19:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:19:58","slug":"immigration-bureau","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/immigration-bureau\/","title":{"rendered":"Immigration Bureau of Thailand (Sam Nak Ngan Tor Mor)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>\u0e40\u0e14\u0e2d\u0e30 <strong>\u0e2a\u0e33\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e15\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08\u0e04\u0e19\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e40\u0e21\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e07<\/strong> (\u0e2a\u0e33\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e15\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08\u0e04\u0e19\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e40\u0e21\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e07, <em>Samnak Ngan Truat Khon Khao Mueang<\/em>, colloquially <em>Tor Mor<\/em> after the initials \u0e15\u0e21., and often just <em>\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e15\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08\u0e04\u0e19\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e40\u0e21\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e07<\/em>) is the division of the Royal Thai Police that administers the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979). It controls entry at the border, decides every application to extend a stay, receives TM30 and 90-day notifications, issues <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/re-entry-permit\/\">\u0e43\u0e1a\u0e2d\u0e19\u0e38\u0e0d\u0e32\u0e15\u0e01\u0e25\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e40\u0e17\u0e28<\/a>, keeps the blacklist and carries out deportation. For a foreigner living in Thailand it is the office visited most often, and its officers, the competent officials named throughout the Act, hold wide discretion over who stays and for how long.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>\u0e2a\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e0d<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#where-the-bureau-sits-under-the-immigration-act\">Where the Bureau sits under the Immigration Act<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#dealing-with-the-immigration-office-in-practice\">Dealing with the immigration office in practice<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#powers-a-foreigner-is-most-likely-to-meet\">Powers a foreigner is most likely to meet<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-the-bureau-sits-under-the-immigration-act\">Where the Bureau sits under the Immigration Act<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>The Immigration Act<\/strong> places the system under the Minister of Interior, who issues the ministerial regulations, and delegates day-to-day powers to the competent officials of the Bureau, which is a police command headed by a commissioner. The Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police issues the police orders that set the conditions for each type of extension of stay, which is why the money figures for retirement and marriage extensions come from a police order rather than from the Act itself.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>The Bureau is organised into divisions. Division 1 covers Bangkok from the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road; Division 2 controls the airports and ports, including Suvarnabhumi; and Divisions 3 to 6 run the provincial and border checkpoints in the regions, each province having its own immigration office. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/permanent-residency\/\">Permanent residence<\/a> applications go through the Bureau to the Immigration Commission, and deportation orders are made under Section 54 of the Act.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dealing-with-the-immigration-office-in-practice\">Dealing with the immigration office in practice<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>A foreigner deals with the office responsible for the province where they live, not with Chaeng Watthana unless they live in Bangkok. That office handles the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/extension-of-stay\/\">\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e02\u0e22\u0e32\u0e22\u0e40\u0e27\u0e25\u0e32\u0e1e\u0e33\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01<\/a> on form TM7 (1,900 baht), the re-entry permit on form TM8 (1,000 or 3,800 baht), the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/90-day-notification-of-address\/\">\u0e23\u0e32\u0e22\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19 90 \u0e27\u0e31\u0e19<\/a> on form TM47, the TM30 receipt, residence certificates for driving licences and bank accounts, and the change of visa status. Offices open on weekdays, typically 8.30 to 16.30, and the larger ones use an online queue.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>The common mistake is to treat the immigration office and a Thai embassy as the same thing. Embassies and consulates abroad issue visas under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Bureau decides what happens once the holder has entered. An extension granted in Thailand has no value at an embassy. Officers may ask for documents not on any published list, and an application accepted at one office may be questioned at another.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"powers-a-foreigner-is-most-likely-to-meet\">Powers a foreigner is most likely to meet<\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Matter<\/th><th>What the Bureau does<\/th><th>Where<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Entry<\/td><td>Stamps the permitted stay under the visa or the exemption<\/td><td>Airports and border checkpoints<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u0e2d\u0e22\u0e39\u0e48<\/td><td>Grants or refuses extensions, changes of status, re-entry permits<\/td><td>Provincial office or Chaeng Watthana<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Reporting<\/td><td>Receives TM30, TM47 and TM28 notifications<\/td><td>Provincial office, online portals<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e07\u0e04\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e43\u0e0a\u0e49\u0e01\u0e0e\u0e2b\u0e21\u0e32\u0e22<\/td><td>Overstay fines, detention, blacklisting, deportation under Section 54<\/td><td>Immigration Detention Centre, Suan Phlu<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Refusals are recorded on the file and follow the foreigner to the next office. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/overstay\/\">overstay<\/a> found at departure is fined at 500 baht a day up to 20,000 baht; one found inside the country leads to detention at the Immigration Detention Centre on Suan Phlu Road in Bangkok before removal, and a ban from re-entry. A foreigner ordered to leave may appeal to the Minister, but the appeal does not by itself end the detention.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">\u0e04\u0e33\u0e16\u0e32\u0e21\u0e17\u0e35\u0e48\u0e1e\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e22<\/h2>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Which immigration office do I go to in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>The office for the province where you actually live and where your TM30 is registered. Bangkok residents use Immigration Division 1 at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road; everyone else uses the provincial office, and some provinces have more than one. Extensions filed at the wrong office are refused.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">What is the difference between the Immigration Bureau and a Thai embassy?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>A Thai embassy or consulate abroad issues visas under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Immigration Bureau, part of the Royal Thai Police, controls entry and everything that follows: the permitted stay, extensions, changes of status, reporting duties, fines and deportation. A visa is only permission to present yourself at the border; the Bureau decides the stay.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Can the Immigration Bureau refuse an extension even if I meet the requirements?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes. Extensions are discretionary under the Immigration Act and the police orders set minimum conditions, not a right to approval. Officers can ask for further documents, make a home visit or refuse on grounds such as a suspected sham marriage or an unexplained gap in the bank statement, and a refusal is recorded on the file.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>\u0e14\u0e39\u0e40\u0e1e\u0e34\u0e48\u0e21\u0e40\u0e15\u0e34\u0e21: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/extension-of-stay\/\">\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23\u0e02\u0e22\u0e32\u0e22\u0e40\u0e27\u0e25\u0e32\u0e1e\u0e33\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/tm30\/\">\u0e17\u0e35\u0e40\u0e2d\u0e47\u0e2130<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/deportation\/\">deportation<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/glossary\/blacklist\/\">immigration blacklist<\/a>, , <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/thai-visa-finder\/\">\u0e04\u0e49\u0e19\u0e2b\u0e32\u0e27\u0e35\u0e0b\u0e48\u0e32\u0e44\u0e17\u0e22<\/a> \u0e41\u0e25\u0e30 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/thailand-immigration\/\">Thailand immigration guides<\/a>.<\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Immigration Bureau (\u0e2a\u0e33\u0e19\u0e31\u0e01\u0e07\u0e32\u0e19\u0e15\u0e23\u0e27\u0e08\u0e04\u0e19\u0e40\u0e02\u0e49\u0e32\u0e40\u0e21\u0e37\u0e2d\u0e07, Samnak Ngan Truat Khon Khao Mueang, colloquially Tor Mor after the initials \u0e15\u0e21., and often just [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":214,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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ThaiLawOnline","rank_math_description":"Immigration Bureau Thailand: the Royal Thai Police division that stamps entries, grants extensions of stay, takes 90-day reports and orders deportation.","rank_math_breadcrumb_title":""},"class_list":["post-6646","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6646"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6672,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6646\/revisions\/6672"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/th\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6646"}],"curies":[{"name":"\u0e14\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e40\u0e1a\u0e34\u0e25\u0e22\u0e39\u0e1e\u0e35","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}