PHUKET, THAILAND – A Swiss retiree’s annual visa extension at Phuket Immigration raised questions over an unexplained 800-baht charge.
Early arrival at Phuket Immigration
Room 103 at Phuket Immigration opened at 8:30 a.m., but Ulrich T. from Patong arrived shortly before eight and only just secured the last parking space. Seven people were already waiting ahead of him, while next door an estimated 60 to 70 migrant workers from neighbouring countries queued at a counter that had opened at 8 a.m.
At exactly 8:30 a.m., a young, friendly officer opened the door and called him in first. He presented his red Swiss passport with all pages copied and signed, along with a stamped SCB bank confirmation, which the officer examined carefully and accepted. Most other documents were handed back; the only item missing was a photo of him standing in front of his house number, which he was allowed to submit the next day when collecting his passport.
Offer of same-day service and missing 800 baht
The responsible immigration officer then made him an offer: he could also apply for a multiple re-entry permit the same day and avoid a second visit. The total price quoted was 6,500 THB, and because he only had 5,000 THB in cash, he paid the remaining 1,500 THB via QR code.
When he received his passport the next day, there were two receipts inside: 1,900 THB for the extension of stay and 3,800 THB for the multiple re-entry permit, adding up to 5,700 THB. When he asked what had happened to the remaining 800 THB, the officer replied that this amount was for completing the paperwork and for sparing him a second trip to the office.
Unreceipted fee raises concerns
The 800 baht did not appear on any official document. Whether it was an unofficial service charge or something else could not be determined from the outside. Ulrich T. drew his own conclusion and decided that next year he would again apply for the two services on separate days and thus save the 800 THB.
For those wanting certainty, the official fees were 1,900 THB for the visa extension and 3,800 THB for the multiple re-entry permit. Anything charged on top of these amounts should be recorded on a receipt.
New mandatory forms and reader’s account
Since 2025, three new forms – STM.2, STM.2/1 and STM.11 – have been mandatory at all immigration offices across Thailand. He had completed all three at home in advance, which significantly reduced the time spent at the counter.
According to the report, the forms were available for download from the official Thai Immigration website. Applicants who arrived with the documents already filled in were able to move through the process more quickly, especially in the period after Songkran, when waiting times in many offices were long.
The account published by the outlet reflected the reader’s personal experience in full. The editors stated they had not independently verified the situation he described.
“It keeps going round in my head and won’t let me go. Is this a new way to rip off foreigners? In any case, next year I will do it again the way I always did – apply for everything on two separate days and save 800 THB. As a pensioner, I can really use that money.”
said Ulrich T., reader from Patong.