Quick summary
#Foreigners in Thailand on a visa-exemption entry who qualify for a Non-Immigrant category (work, study, Thai family, or retirement) and want the visa without leaving the country.
While more than 15 days of permitted stay remain on your visa-exempt entry
File in person at your local immigration office; after approval, extend the 90-day stay with TM.7 if needed.
Names, dates of birth, and passport details on other forms Program checklist requirements Supporting documents and translations
Overview (What is Form TM.87?)
#Foreigners who entered Thailand visa-exempt and later qualify for a Non-Immigrant category (work, study, marriage or family, retirement) can use TM.87 to obtain the visa without leaving the country. Applicants who entered on a Tourist or Transit visa use form TM.86 instead, and applicants abroad apply through a Thai embassy as described in the Thai Visa Application Form guide.
First page of TM.87 form
Source: TM.87 online portal
Context and workflow
#TM.87 applications are decided by the Immigration Bureau office with jurisdiction over your address. Decisions commonly take a few weeks, and you must still have more than 15 days of permitted stay remaining on the day you apply.
Why this matters
- Inconsistencies often trigger returns or follow-up requests because they create uncertainty in the case record.
- This form helps confirm that the application matches the program’s requirements and checklist.
Where it fits in the workflow
- Filed in person at the immigration office with jurisdiction over your Thai address
- Time-sensitive: cannot be accepted with 15 days or fewer of permitted stay remaining
- Usually followed by a TM.7 extension of stay once the 90-day visa is issued
Who uses it
This form is for foreigners physically in Thailand on a visa-exemption entry (15-, 30-, 60- or 90-day stamp) who want to convert to a 90-day Non-Immigrant visa — for example after receiving a job offer, enrolling with an approved school, marrying a Thai national, or qualifying for retirement at age 50+.
When it is used
- When you entered Thailand without a visa (visa-exemption stamp) and now qualify for a Non-Immigrant category
- When you have found employment in Thailand and need a Non-Immigrant B before applying for a work permit
- When you enrolled with an approved school and need a Non-Immigrant ED
- When you are married to a Thai national or are 50+ and financially qualified, and need a Non-Immigrant O
- Only while you still have more than 15 days of permitted stay remaining — offices refuse later filings
Failure prevention (What causes Form TM.87 rejections?)
#Substantive weaknesses
- Insufficient supporting evidence
- Inconsistencies between forms and documents
- Failure to address all eligibility criteria
What you need (What do you need for Form TM.87?)
#- The current edition of TM.87
- Your passport with the visa-exemption entry stamp (and copies of the photo page, entry stamp, and arrival record)
- One 4x6 cm photo taken within the last 6 months
- Evidence for the requested category — employer letter and company documents for Non-B, school acceptance and Ministry approval for ED, marriage or family documents for Non-O, or age and financial evidence for retirement
- The 2,000 THB application fee in cash (non-refundable)
- More than 15 days remaining on your current permission to stay
Checklist (What is the Form TM.87 checklist?)
#- Download the current TM.87 and instructions from the official Immigration Bureau website
- Confirm you entered visa-exempt (TM.87) rather than on a Tourist/Transit visa (TM.86)
- Check that more than 15 days remain on your permitted stay before you file
- Gather the supporting documents for your requested Non-Immigrant category
- Complete all sections of TM.87, sign, and submit in person with the 2,000 THB fee
Fees
#| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee2,000 THB, paid in cash when you file. The fee is not refunded if the application is refused. | See official schedule |
Can the Form TM.87 fee be waived?
No. The 2,000 THB fee applies to every application and is not refunded if the application is refused.
What happens if I submit the wrong fee?
The office will not accept the filing without the correct 2,000 THB fee in cash. Verify the current amount on the official Immigration Bureau fee schedule before filing.
Fee waiver: There is no fee waiver for TM.87. Budget separately for the later TM.7 extension (1,900 THB) and TM.8 re-entry permit (1,000 THB single / 3,800 THB multiple) if you will need them.
Fees change; always verify on Immigration Bureau.
Processing times
#| Category | Processing time |
|---|---|
| In-country visa application (TM.87) | about 2 to 6 weeksas of July 2026 |
- Acceptance is same-day when the file is complete; the decision commonly follows an under-consideration period of roughly two to six weeks depending on the office.
- Processing differs by immigration office and workload — Bangkok (Chaeng Watthana) and tourist-heavy provinces often run longer queues.
- Do not leave Thailand while the application is pending without a re-entry permit; departure without one cancels the application.
- While pending: keep your TM.30 residence notification current, respond promptly to document requests, and keep your contact details up to date with the office.
Where to file
#File in person at the Immigration Bureau office with jurisdiction over your address in Thailand — in Bangkok, Immigration Division 1 at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road. TM.87 cannot be filed at a Thai embassy; embassies handle visa applications from outside Thailand.
Submit application
Submit the completed TM.87 with supporting documents and the 2,000 THB fee at your local immigration office. Some offices require an appointment or queue booking — check your office’s procedure before visiting.
Filing locations and procedures may change. Always verify on the official Immigration Bureau website before submitting.
Examples (What are examples for Form TM.87?)
#- Strong application: An applicant on a 60-day visa-exempt entry receives a job offer, files TM.87 with the employer’s letter and company documents while 30 days of stay remain, and receives a 90-day Non-Immigrant B stamp.
- Strong application: A student enrolls with a Ministry-approved language school, files TM.87 with the school’s acceptance letter and supporting approval, and converts to a Non-Immigrant ED without leaving Thailand.
- Strong application: A 55-year-old visitor with THB 800,000 seasoned in a Thai bank files TM.87 for a Non-Immigrant O (retirement) with bank letters and statements, then extends the resulting stay with TM.7.
- Weak application: An applicant files TM.87 with only 10 days of permitted stay remaining; the office cannot accept it and the applicant must leave and apply at a Thai embassy abroad instead.
Common misconceptions (What misconceptions surround Form TM.87?)
#- TM.87 is not a re-entry permit — the re-entry permit is form TM.8. Filing TM.87 does not protect your stay if you leave Thailand.
- TM.87 is not an extension of stay — extensions of an existing status use form TM.7.
- Approval grants a 90-day Non-Immigrant stay, not a one-year visa; longer stays come from a TM.7 extension afterwards.
- A Non-Immigrant B visa alone does not permit work — a separate work permit is still required before starting work.
- Paying the TM.87 filing fee does not guarantee acceptance — the fee is generally non-refundable even when the form is rejected for technical errors.
- A fee waiver for TM.87 is not automatic — only specific qualifying categories are eligible, and a waiver request can be denied while the underlying form is still expected to be filed.
Edge cases and variations
#- If you are asked to submit or update TM.87, treat it as a package update: check every place the same details appear and keep them consistent.
Key differentiators
#- Unlike Form TM.86: Change of Visa (Tourist/Transit entrants): TM.87 covers visa-exempt entrants; TM.86 covers those who entered on a Tourist or Transit visa
- Unlike Form TM.7: Visa Extension Application: TM.87 obtains a new 90-day Non-Immigrant visa; TM.7 extends a stay you already have
- Unlike Form TM.8: Re-entry Permit: TM.87 is not a travel document; TM.8 preserves your stay when you leave and re-enter Thailand
What happens after you submit
#- Await receipt confirmation from the agency
- Respond promptly to any requests for additional information
- Keep copies of all submitted materials
Verification
#This guide is derived from official Immigration Bureau instructions for TM.87 and is updated when form editions or filing rules change. Always verify current requirements at the official Immigration Bureau website.