It’s always contentious to post up something that only seems to apply through one immigration office , but as the ability to put visa concerns aside for almost 90 days when you apply through Phuket, the benefits to the few who can make use of this are enough .
So , and it only seems to be Phuket immigration that permit this , you can get your 30 day extension to a tourist visa the day you arrive in Thailand .
I think this photo is a thing of beauty because it is the summation of my learning curve about setv , extensions and re entry permits .
Setv issued Vientiane feb 28 th , collected due to a holiday March 2 nd.
Crossed into Thailand March 2 nd and granted entry for 60 days until April 30 th .
Drove down to Phuket over 2 days and the following day March 5 th went to immigration to re register for the TM30. Queued up again and got my 30 day extension added to April 30 , so stamped in to May 30 .
And here really is where it all came together , because I had the extension in place , when I returned the next day to immigration on March 6 th , I got a re entry permit stamped through to May 30 th .
Having had my online bank identity stolen I needed to go to the UK , hence the March 14 departure stamp . Came back in on the re entry permit 2 weeks later .
I have always found Phuket immigration, friendly , efficient , professional and helpful .
I realise this ability to get the extension this early does not apply to the majority of immigration offices but if it helps one person then it is worth a mention . When I first came here I knew nothing of the options available but have through this site learnt some of the lessons to have attained this specific outcome .
TLDR : Answer Summary
The author shares a detailed experience regarding obtaining a 30-day extension to a tourist visa immediately upon arrival in Thailand, specifically through Phuket Immigration. After collecting their SETV, they entered Thailand and efficiently handled the TM30 registration, followed by the 30-day extension and re-entry permit. Although this process may not be available at all immigration offices, the author highlights the professionalism and efficiency of Phuket Immigration, encouraging others to learn from their experience.
