Phuket immigration confirms vaccination not needed for extension
In order to combat rumours swirling online and amongst nervous anti-vax foreigners, the Phuket Immigration Office reassured people that vaccination is not required in order to get an extension of their stay in Thailand. The office in Phuket Town made the announcement via their Facebook page, though they did not address well several other complaints and issues that have been plaguing the office recently.
The post explained that a visa extension, or visa waiver extension, is open to anyone who qualifies regardless of their vaccination status, whether they are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated, or have received one or more booster shots.
“At this time, evidence of vaccination certificates is not used in consideration of permission for extension of visas. [You] can apply for a visa extension right now.”
The confirmation about not needing vaccination to get an extension of stay comes after Phuket immigration have made a concerted effort to help people who are in isolation after becoming infected with Covid-19, visiting quarantine hotels to do extensions remotely.
An officer and Phuket Office explained that they were upgrading their phone system to add additional lines and that is why so many calls to the immigration office have gone unanswered recently. People have been complaining that they have called again and again and have been unable to get through to anybody at the office. The immigration officer suggested that they try messaging via their Facebook page if calls to their only phone number currently – 076-211905 – go unanswered.
They also responded to customers who are frustrated trying to use the new 90-day reporting app that was launched around Christmas time, though the response was fairly useless. Users complained about a number of issues that prevented them from being able to do their 90-day report online and save themselves a trip to immigration, but the response received was nothing more than a link to where they apply online or download and register the new mobile app and try their luck.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
