Long term expat residents on Phuket and tourists who want to stay for three months and come and go to other countries are being advised to arrange re-entry permits in advance at Phuket Town Immigration headquarters.

From Sunday, November 1, it will not be possible to do the paperwork required for re-entry permits at Phuket International Airport.

News of the change comes as 10.3 million baht is being spent to upgrade the Immigration counter facilities at the airport. Eight more stations are to be added for arrivals, taking the total to 30, and two more for departures, taking the total to 20, completed by March.

The re-entry permit change is taking place to free up more Immigration officers to speedily process the tourist arrivals on Phuket during the high season.

Multiple re-entry permits will be available from the Phuket Town HQ at 3800 baht, while a single-entry permit will cost 1000 baht. A tourist on a 60-day permit, for example, who wished to visit other countries in that time using Phuket as a base, would be required to pay the same scale of fees.

Expats who travel without arranging re-entry in advance may have to settle for a stamp that entitles them to stay for a month or 15 days, and require an upgrade at Immigration HQ in Phuket Town.

The system for obtaining and renewing visas remains unchanged.

Written by Chutima Sidasathian
Published on Phuket Wan – http://phuketwan.com/