A surgical access device includes a cannula and a housing coupled to the cannula. A cannula lumen and a housing interior communicate to define a working channel that extends along a central axis of the device between proximal and distal device ends. A needle entrance port is arranged on a side portion of the housing and opens to the working channel. A needle exit port is arranged distally of the needle entrance port on a side portion of the cannula, and communicates with the needle entrance port to define a suture path extending through the surgical access device at an oblique angle relative to the central axis. The needle ports are configured to guide a suture passer device distally through the surgical access device and first and second tissues of different thicknesses, while maintaining the same tissue bite distance in each of the first and second tissues.