Hello,

I got my work permit now and I am going to apply for an one year Visa at PHUKET immigration. Any expat has experience with immigration in Phuket and can tell me how much time is required between the request for the one year multi entry Visa and and the release? I know I have to stay in Thailand for this timeframe, but I need to plan some trip abroad soon.

(please just help me with information related to 'Phuket' (Bangkok is different) and one year Visas based on work permits).

You will get your extension of stay based upon working (it is not a visa) and a multiple re-entry permit on the same day you go to apply as long as your paperwork is correct,

Thank you Ubonjoe. Do you know this from the immigration where you are (Ubon Ratchaithani) or you had experience with Phuket? Because I remember someone in my situation in Phuket getting a stamp saying "your request is under evaluation". But I do not remember how much he had to wait before getting the approval (and being able to exit the country).

Whether you get a 30 day under consideration period will depend upon the company you are working for. If they have a history of having foreign employees you should get it the same day.

Thank you Ubonjoe. Do you know this from the immigration where you are (Ubon Ratchaithani) or you had experience with Phuket? Because I remember someone in my situation in Phuket getting a stamp saying "your request is under evaluation". But I do not remember how much he had to wait before getting the approval (and being able to exit the country).

Immigration offices are all the same ( even in Ubon sorry about that ubonjoe) if all your paper work is correct you will be under evaluation which will take 1 month, you will be told to come back and you will get your extension NOT A VISA if you require to leave the country you will require a re-entry permit and they come in single or multi can be obtained at Airport (not sure Phucket ) or immigration

Not all immigration offices are equal about the under consideration period of the extension application. Nor is it for all extensions based upon working a lot can depend upon the company. Some do some don't.

Phuket Immigration normally has a 30 Day 'Under Consideration' waiting period running from the expiry date of the current Permission to Stay for 777/2551 Case 2.1 Extensions of Permission to Stay.

Here is the list of required paperwork:

Visa extension on the basis of employment 777 2551 Case 2.1t.pdf

Phuket Immigration has been very decent during my 12 years here. Now they have a ticket machine just inside the front door where the volunteers sit. Tell them your need because have different queue tickets.

I work for a Phuket company only with a long history of employing foreigners and they always do the "under consideration" thing. To the best of my knowledge, it is SOP in Phuket, regardless of who you work for.

Phuket Immigration has been very decent during my 12 years here. Now they have a ticket machine just inside the front door where the volunteers sit. Tell them your need because have different queue tickets.

Last time I was in there the volunteers also had all the blank TMxx forms hidden behind their desks, they even insisted on checking that my TM47 form was then filled out correctly before they would give me a queue number - felt like I was back at school again!

Much prefered the old system it was quicker and on the whole pretty painless, now you have to deal with the foreign volunteers whether you need them or not.

Phuket Immigration has been very decent during my 12 years here. Now they have a ticket machine just inside the front door where the volunteers sit. Tell them your need because have different queue tickets.

Last time I was in there the volunteers also had all the blank TMxx forms hidden behind their desks, they even insisted on checking that my TM47 form was then filled out correctly before they would give me a queue number - felt like I was back at school again!

Much prefered the old system it was quicker and on the whole pretty painless, now you have to deal with the foreign volunteers whether you need them or not.

Yes but not everybody knows which papers or form they need.

My experience that this new system is much more efficient but you are right that you have them to check you papers.

That they hold on to the forms is not their idea but a instruction from the big boss.

I did mine last year and got the stamp "under consideration". Just went back a month later and got the rest of the extension.