Phuket Immigration launches online queue for “one-year visas’

PHUKET: Phuket Immigration currently has no plans of launching an online queue system for re-entry permits similar to the one recently launched by Immigration Division 1 on Cheng Wattana Road in Bangkok, the busiest Immigration office in Thailand.

However, Phuket Immigration has quietly launched a queue system for people applying for one-year permits-to-stay.

“Even though we don’t have an online queue service for re-entry permits like in Bangkok, we do have our one-year ‘visa’ online queue service,” Phuket Immigration Superintendent Lt Col Napat Nusen told the Phuket Gazette today.

Using the online queue system (click here), foreigners who have already obtained visas such as business visas, education or “study” visas, or visas issued on the basis of marriage to a Thai national, can obtain a queue number without going to the Phuket Immigration Office in person.

“Those interested in the service can go on line and book their queue numbers, but the date of their appointments must be at least two days later. At this stage, we are able to accept advance appointments for up to six people per day,” Col Napat explained.

“We have no plans to extend any other services at the moment. We launched the one-year visa online queue service only a few months ago. So far, not many people have used it. We will wait for feedback for this service first; then we can decide whether or not we should extend other services,” he added.

Col Napat had more good news for expats living in Patong. He expects the Patong Immigration information center (click here for map) to be re-opened by November.

Following rumors in January that the Patong Immigration Office had closed, former Phuket Immigration chief Panuwat Ruamrak explained that the office was closed only temporarily for renovations.

“The building needed some improvements and they decided to close it so the work could be carried out properly,” he said.

Today, nine months later, Col Napat told the Gazette that, “We are hoping to have the office open in time for the peak tourism season so we can help the many tourists who will be in Phuket at that time.

“When it re-opens, officers stationed there will be allowed to issue re-entry permits and confirm 90-day reports for people already staying on ‘one-year visas’,” he added.

— Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai