Phuket accelerates foreign student visa certification reforms to curb overstays

Phuket authorities are accelerating reforms to the certification process for foreign student visas in an effort to improve efficiency and reduce overstay cases.

Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiawa chaired the first meeting of a newly established committee at Phuket Provincial Hall’s Chanpanwa Conference Room. The committee was ordered by Governor Chotnarin Kerdsom after recent difficulties in processing student visas and extensions of stay.

The Phuket Association of Non-Formal Private Schools outlined problems with admitting foreign students and preparing documents for Non-Immigrant “ED” visas. Its recommendations included reviewing existing regulations, increasing staffing, creating urgent coordination channels and establishing a system for joint problem-solving.

Officials said the sudden resignation of two staff members without prior notice had disrupted processing and contributed to overstay cases. Phuket issued an order on 1 September 2026 formally appointing the committee to design a more resilient system.

The reforms under consideration include workflow automation, online submissions, document checklists, status-tracking dashboards and alerts for incomplete applications. The committee also discussed data-access procedures and information sharing between agencies.

Other participants included Phuket Education Office director Pannapa Phromwichian, Immigration Police inspector Lt Col Rangsinan Chanphet and Phuket Tourism Business Association president Sarayut Mallam. The representatives called for a streamlined, coordinated approach to support foreign students studying in Phuket.