Is Koh Phangan going to have an Immigration office?

[delgarcon]

I've been told that one is opening soon, but I can't find any mention of it.

[alw22]

Last month, I heard that there would be something in April, but no updates since.   It would definitely be better than having to travel to Samui with covid getting worse there.

[crazykopite]

It’s already built next to the police station but when does it open then that’s the million $ question I’d like to think in May as my yearly renewal is up in June .

[Aeiou7]

It is finally going to open on 20th May 2021, according to a note on the front door of the new office that has been there for the last few days and a Facebook posting by Surat Thani Immigration of today.

https://www.facebook.com/Suratimmigration/posts/2911250762468873

[alw22]

I wonder whether they'll do the full stamp like Samui or just an "under consideration" with a return date..

[Aeiou7]

10 hours ago, alw22 said:

I wonder whether they'll do the full stamp like Samui or just an "under consideration" with a return date..

Good question... I guess we'll find out over time if this office goes by the same rules as the one in Samui.

There was a rumour on Facebook about 2 months ago that the "pumpui" lady from the Samui ofice was going to work on Phangan. We'll find out as well if that's true or not but if it's indeed true, I guess the rules will more likely be the same as in Samui. 

????

[lom]

10 hours ago, Aeiou7 said:

There was a rumour on Facebook about 2 months ago that the "pumpui" lady from the Samui ofice was going to work on Phangan.

She was not in the Samui office today when I did my 90-day report.

[Aeiou7]

Update: Koh Phangan Immigration Office is open!

But it seems, for limited services only:

- extensions of short-term visas incl. 60-day covid extensions, but apparently not for long-term visas incl. ED visas, Smart visas (I heard about both cases) and I guess not for Non-O, Non-OA and Business visas neither (no confirmation yet)

- 90-day address reporting, but a completed TM47 is required (available there), not just the passport like in Koh Samui

- notification of residence (I guess that's address changes, but not sure)

Also, they seem to enforce the "dress politely" rule a bit more than in Koh Samui Immigration, which basically means no tank tops (showing shoulders) and no shorts. I heard of one lady who was sent home to dress up, but I also saw others in tank tops and very short shorts there.

There is a strange confusion that people who went there for 60-day covid extensions were apparently told that they would need to do 90-day address reportings as well (everyone knows that it doesn't make sense, no need to point it out any further), the first time in person with a TM47 form and from then on possible to do online. I guess it comes back to "things in Thailand don't need to make sense, every Immigration Office invents their own rules". ????

All in all, good to have this office open now, but not that useful for everyone. I fear that I still need to do Koh Samui trips for my own Non-O retirement extensions in the future. Oh boy... ⛴️

 

[delgarcon]

I just went along to the immigration office and I can confirm that long term extensions, in my case Non O retirement extension CANNOT be applied for in KP, they do not have a ranking officer with the authorisation for the moment. So it's back to Samui next week for me!

[HexTree]

Went today for a 60 day COVID visa extension. Pretty straightforward, was completed in 15 min after handing in all the documents. Officers were helpful and spoke good English. Notification of Residence slip wasn't asked for. Extension expiry was updated to be 60 days after previous expiry, not 60 days after today's date.

 

Everyone getting the extension was asked to file a 90-day report next, after getting their passport back.

 

[alw22]

I got my full 60 day stamp as well, no under consideration.

 

What do you suppose is meant by the 90 day report?  That wasn't mentioned to me.  But I do see it mentioned in my passport as part of the stamp.  But it was also part of my last 2 stamps.  Does simply applying for the 60 day covid extension cover us for the 90 day notification?

[HexTree]

2 hours ago, alw22 said:

What do you suppose is meant by the 90 day report?  That wasn't mentioned to me.  But I do see it mentioned in my passport as part of the stamp.  But it was also part of my last 2 stamps.  Does simply applying for the 60 day covid extension cover us for the 90 day notification?

In theory, everyone who stays longer than 90 days is supposed to file 90-day reports, which is a separate process from extensions (and applying for an extension does not count as a 90-day report). In practice, those of us on short-term visas are not normally asked to do them. What you are seeing in the stamp is just reiterating the rule I think.

If, after some number of extensions, they one day give you a specific date for your 90-day report, then from that point on it seems they've put you 'on the cycle' and you have to do them indefinitely from then on. This happened to me earlier in the year in Chiang Mai.

My understanding was that everyone in Koh Phangan was being put on the cycle regardless of their circumstances. I saw many tourists confused by this, but the offices reiterated that they have to do the report.

In your case I've no idea, but you had best go back and ask them. If they've put you on the cycle and failed to convey that to you, then they'll be expecting you to file it by the deadline.
 

[khunPer]

33 minutes ago, HexTree said:

In theory, everyone who stays longer than 90 days is supposed to file 90-day reports, which is a separate process from extensions (and applying for an extension does not count as a 90-day report).

It depends on the immigration office. On Koh Samui the extension of permission to stay in the Kingdom resets the 90-day reporting, i.e. count as a 90-day address report as you state your address when applying for an extension of stay, and your next 90-day address report is due 90 days after your extension of stay was permitted.

 

In the thread here about Koh Phangan Immigration Office it's posted that this office is not issuing extension of stay, so this office will not reset the 90-days reports, but Samui will.

 

Edit: A re-entry also resets the 90-days reporting, as you state you address upon entry to the Kingdom.

Edited May 24, 2021 by khunPer

[delgarcon]

"In the thread here about Koh Phangan Immigration Office it's posted that this office is not issuing extension of stay, so this office will not reset the 90-days reports, but Samui will."

 

It's posted that this office is not issuing LONG STAY extensions such as retirement!

[delgarcon]

Just for the rumour mongers, the fat lady is still in Samui and is still a pain in the neck!