Thailand’s immigration forms look similar, but each serves a different legal purpose. This guide explains the forms most visitors and long-stay residents encounter, where they fit in the process and why the form alone is never the complete application.
Quick guide to the main forms
| Form | Purpose | Typical user |
|---|---|---|
| TM.7 | Application to extend temporary stay | A person requesting more time in Thailand |
| TM.8 | Single or multiple re-entry permit | A resident protecting an existing permission to stay before travel |
| TM.30 | Notification of a foreign resident’s address | House master, owner, possessor or authorised reporter |
| TM.47 | 90-day address report | A foreign national staying continuously for more than 90 days |
| TM.86 | Change of visa status after entry with a visa | An eligible applicant changing status in Thailand |
| TM.87 | Visa application after visa-exempt entry | An eligible visa-exempt applicant changing status in Thailand |
TM.7: extension of stay
TM.7 is used for extensions including many tourist, family, marriage, retirement and other qualifying cases. It records the requested period and reason, but supporting evidence varies substantially. Check the relevant extension route rather than relying on a generic checklist. See our Thailand visa-extension guide and 60-day family extension guide.
TM.8: re-entry permit
A re-entry permit does not extend the expiry date. It protects the existing permission to stay when its holder leaves Thailand and returns before that permission expires. Travelling without the required permit can end the permission that the traveller intended to preserve. Read our re-entry permit guide.
TM.30 and TM.47 are different obligations
TM.30 concerns the accommodation where a foreign national stays; TM.47 is the foreign resident’s periodic 90-day address report. Completing one does not automatically replace the other. Our detailed guides cover TM30 address notification and 90-day reporting.
TM.86 and TM.87: changing status inside Thailand
These forms are used in eligible in-country visa-status applications. TM.86 generally applies where the applicant entered with a visa; TM.87 generally applies after entry without one. Eligibility, remaining permission, financial evidence and the responsible office must be checked early. Approval is discretionary.
How to avoid form problems
- Use the current official form and print every required page.
- Write consistently with the passport and supporting documents.
- Sign copies where required and bring originals.
- Use a recent photograph of the specified size.
- Do not assume one office’s checklist covers a different application or province.
- Keep proof of submission and check the stamp or receipt before leaving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download and complete the forms in advance?
Usually yes, but verify that the form is current and that the responsible office accepts the format. Do not sign where an officer must witness a signature.
Is an immigration form the same as an application checklist?
No. The form is only one component. Passport copies, photographs, address evidence, financial documents and purpose-specific evidence may also be required.
Should I use correction fluid?
It is safer to complete a clean replacement form if important information is wrong or unclear.
Official information
Prepare before you apply
Requirements depend on the applicant, the immigration office and the purpose of stay. Next Step Hua Hin can review your circumstances, organise the paperwork and explain the practical next step. Final decisions always rest with the responsible Thai authority.
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