Key Takeaways
- The Chaeng Wattana immigration office is inside the Government Complex on the outskirts of Bangkok, about 30 km from popular expat areas like Thong Lor and Asok. Go to Building B, 2nd floor, Door 2.
- If you work at a BOI-promoted company, your immigration office is the One-Stop Service at One Bangkok, not Chaeng Wattana.
- By taxi or Grab, the trip costs around THB200 one-way and takes 50 minutes in normal traffic. Rush hour can push it past 90 minutes.
- The MRT Pink Line to Government Complex Station costs under THB100 and avoids traffic. From there a free shuttle bus runs to Building B every 10 to 15 minutes.
- Arriving early — by 7am or before opening — and booking an appointment online in advance can significantly cut your waiting time at the office.
- Monorail (MRT Pink Line) is the most reliable option for punctual arrival; taxis work well for convenience but are unpredictable during peak hours.
This article will take approximately 11 minutes to read. Don't have the time right now? No worries. Email the ad-free version of the article to yourself and read it later!
When you live in Bangkok, you need to regularly go to the immigration office in Chaeng Wattana for everything related to your visa.
The exception is if you work at a BOI-promoted company. In that case, you need to go to the One-Stop Service at One Bangkok instead.
Since the immigration office is located out of town, getting there can be challenging.
In this article, we are going to quickly guide you through all of the options you have to go to the immigration office in Chaeng Wattana. Let’s take a look.
Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Location
- Which Services Chaeng Wattana Handles
- How to Get There
- Good to Know
- Food
- Office Clothes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Immigration Division 1?
- Can I do a 90-day report without going in person?
- What if I arrive after 3:30 pm?
- Do I need an appointment?
- Is Chaeng Wattana right for TM.30 notification?
- What if my employer is BOI-promoted?
- Anywhere to eat or print documents if I forget something?
- Does it handle tourist visa / visa-on-arrival matters?
- Now, on to You
- Sources Cited
Location
The Chaeng Wattana immigration office is located inside the government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road on the outskirts of Bangkok, near Don Mueang Airport – around 30 kilometers away from popular expat areas such as Thong Lor, Asok, and Ekamai.
Here’s a google map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/u3kPuU68oEtUBE8V7
The government complex is a very big area with several buildings and government offices inside. For the immigration office, you need to go to Building B, 2nd floor, Door 2.
Which Services Chaeng Wattana Handles
Chaeng Wattana is Immigration Division 1, and it handles most of the visa business a Bangkok-based expat runs into:
- Issuing and changing visa types
- Visa extensions
- The 90-day notification (TM.47)
- The TM.30 notification of residence
- Re-entry permits
- Non-quota residence permits for permanent residents
A few categories go elsewhere. Visa-exempt entries, tourist visas on arrival, transit visas, and courtesy/APEC passes are handled at Counter K, IT Square Laksi Plaza (3rd floor). BOI-promoted, Smart Visa, and LTR holders use the One Stop Service at One Bangkok, Parade Zone, 6th floor. If you hold a NON L-A labor visa, you use the separate Immigration Service Center for Legalized Labour.
Read more: 90-day reporting in Samut Prakan.
How to Get There
While it can be far from downtown Bangkok, there are many ways you can get there. Popular options include:
- Taxi and ride-hailing apps
- Monorail
- Bus
- Private car
Let’s take a look at each option in detail.
Taxi and Ride-Hailing Apps
This is the easiest and most convenient way to go there. It’s also the most popular option for expats and tourists.
You can take a taxi or use a ride-hailing app such as Grab and Bolt to go there. You can say this to a taxi driver: “Tor Mor Chaeng Wattana”.
The whole journey takes around 50 minutes to get there from downtown Bangkok in normal traffic. During rush hour, it can easily be over an hour and a half. It should cost around 200 baht for a one-way trip.
It’s recommended to take the tollway since it can save you 10 minutes to 20 minutes on average for the additional cost of THB50-THB100 depending on which toll road you take.
Once you are inside the Government Complex, tell the taxi driver to stop at Building B, Gate 2.
BTS and MRT
You can take the new MRT pink line to the Government Complex Station. From there, you can walk 5 minutes to the entrance of the Government Complex and get a free shuttle bus to Building B.
The shuttle bus regularly leaves every 10-15 minutes.
If you are in a rush, you can pay THB15 and take a motorcycle taxi from there instead.
By taking the BTS or MRT, you won’t need to worry about traffic. The cost can be under THB100 and should take around 70 minutes from downtown.
Unless you live in Min Buri or Ram Intra, you need to transit at the following stations in order to go to the MRT pink line:
- Green Line: Wat Prasri Mahatat (3 stops to the Government Complex Station)
- Red Line: Lak Si Station (1 stop to the Government Complex Station)
While it’s a convenient way to go to the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Office, it requires some walking.
So some people just decide to take a taxi or a motorcycle taxi straightaway from the transit station. It shouldn’t cost more than THB70 but can save you a lot of time from walking.
Bus
If you are on a budget, taking a bus is the cheapest way to go to the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Office.
There are mainly two bus routes that stop directly in front of Building B at the Government Complex:
- Number 166 (from Victory Monument)
- Number 66 (from Taling Chan Bus Terminal, Pinklao, and Pracha Chuen)
It costs less than THB30 for the whole trip. However, traveling time can be unpredictable and can take around 1 to 2 hours.
Private Car
If you have a car, you can easily drive there. A 30 km trip from downtown Bangkok should take you around 50 minutes in normal traffic. If you take a tollway, it can be less than 40 minutes.
There are plenty of parking spots around Building B. If the parking spot is full, you can park at Building D. It costs THB20 per hour, capped at THB100 a day, with free parking during the first 2 hours.
Then, you can take a free shuttle bus to Building D.
Others
There are more ways to go to the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Office. For example, some people take a van or a bus to Chaeng Wattana Road Soi 7 and walk there.
However, this option isn’t available to everyone since it totally depends on where you live. And you may need to be able to speak or read Thai to use this method.
Related article: Transportation in Bangkok: A Guide to Taxis, Buses, Trains, and Mobile Apps
Read more: general transportation in Thailand.
Good to Know
There are some other good things to know about how to visit the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Office.
Opening Hours
The Immigration Office is open weekdays, except for public holidays, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm with an hour lunch break at noon.
The immigration office stops issuing queue tickets after 3:30 pm.
People normally spend around 1-3 hours here. While the queue can be unpredictable, going there in the late morning can be a bad idea because of the lunch break.
Book a Queue Online to Skip the Line
You don’t have to turn up early for a walk-in queue ticket. You can book a slot ahead of time through the Division’s official system at gov.immigration1.queueonline.net. Walk-in tickets are handed out from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm, and once they’re gone, that’s it for the day.
If you’re only there for a 90-day report, check whether you even need to go in person first. After your first in-person notification for an address, later reports can be filed online at tm47.immigration.go.th.
Serviced Shops
Since it’s a Government Complex with many government offices inside, you can find most, or even all of the services you need to do your visa here: taking photos, getting photocopies of documents, printing documents, getting bank statements, and more.
You can also find the Department of Business Development, post office, money exchange, and even a dental clinic here. There’s even a visa run service. All of them are located on the basement floor.
So, in case you forget to bring a certain document, you can just go there and do it. While it’s slightly more expensive than outside, it’s totally worth it. And these service providers tend to know the required documents well.
Food
There are plenty of places to eat there, from food courts and coffee shops to convenience stores. The price is similar to elsewhere.
However, they can be full during the lunch break since all of the government officers will go there and eat.
Office Clothes
If you need to shop for affordable office clothes such as suits, there are many shops on the B floor that sell office clothes for less than THB200. However, since they cater to government officers, sizes may be too small for expats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Immigration Division 1?
It’s the official name for the Chaeng Wattana office. It covers Bangkok (minus the airports and seaports) and handles most visa services for foreigners in the city.
Can I do a 90-day report without going in person?
Only after you’ve filed the first report for that address in person. After that, later ones can go through the TM.47 online portal.
What if I arrive after 3:30 pm?
Walk-in queue tickets stop at 3:30 pm even though the building stays open until 4:30 pm, so you’d have to come back another day.
Do I need an appointment?
Not for a walk-in, but booking a Queue Online slot ahead of time saves you a lot of waiting.
Is Chaeng Wattana right for TM.30 notification?
Yes. TM.30 is a standard service there, along with 90-day reports and extensions.
What if my employer is BOI-promoted?
BOI, Smart Visa, and LTR holders use the One Stop Service at One Bangkok, Parade Zone, 6th floor.
Anywhere to eat or print documents if I forget something?
Yes. The Government Complex has food courts, convenience stores, and print shops inside.
Does it handle tourist visa / visa-on-arrival matters?
No. Those are at Counter K, IT Square Laksi Plaza, 3rd floor.
Now, on to You
This is all you need to know about how to go to the immigration office in Chaeng Wattana. There are plenty of options available. It can be a challenge on your first try. But when you’ve been there once, the second visit will be much simpler.
Deutsch:
Français:
Español: