Visa confusion.

[chowny77]

I am hoping the Ubonjoe will be able to answer this or anyone else with upto date knowledge can help. I am currently on a multiple Non-O based on marriage and I still have about 5 months left to run on this visa. I recently enrolled at a local university and decided for ease I would change my visa to an ed-visa. The woman at the university told me that I need at least 20 days left on my visa to do the transfer at the local immigration office. So I thought I could do a border run and come back with 3 months which would give me plenty of time for the uni to get all my documents together. As I was near the immigration office I thought I would ask the same question and get an answer from the horses mouth. The immigration officer then tells me that I can not change directly from a non-o to an ed-visa but would have to sacrifice my remaining 5 months left on my visa and do a border run and re-enter on a 30 day tourist visa. I found this a little weird that they would prefer me to do this. I asked why and got the usual this is Thailand and our rules. So I just wanted to check if the IO is correct or was having a bad day/got their information wrong. Love to hear what anyone has to say that can shed light on this situation.

[ubonjoe]

You cannot change visa categories but you could apply for an extension of stay based upon attending a university during the last 30 days of your current 90 day entry. All that is required to apply for an extension of stay is a entry from non immigrant visa of any category.

You may find some immigration offices or officers that will incorrectly say you would need a non-ed visa entry to apply for the extension.

[chowny77]

Thanks ubonjoe. This woman IO was full on about me having to totally cancel my multi non-o at the border and re-entering on a tourist visa. She was also pushing for my to go to Vientine to apply for the Non-ed at the consulate. I know I can squeeze about another 5 months out of my current visa if I do one more border run and apply for a 2 month visiting a Thai family member. This would give me plenty of time to apply for the ed-visa.

[JackThompson]

 

1 hour ago, chowny77 said:

The woman at the university told me that I need at least 20 days left on my visa to do the transfer at the local immigration office.

That likely references the time in-advance needed to apply a Non-Imm stamp - aka "conversion" of a Tourist Entry to a Non-Imm stamp - assuming the Imm-Office will do them for ED persons.  It is officially 15-days, but some offices want longer.

 

24 minutes ago, chowny77 said:

Thanks ubonjoe. This woman IO was full on about me having to totally cancel my multi non-o at the border and re-entering on a tourist visa. She was also pushing for my to go to Vientine to apply for the Non-ed at the consulate. I know I can squeeze about another 5 months out of my current visa if I do one more border run and apply for a 2 month visiting a Thai family member. This would give me plenty of time to apply for the ed-visa.

Entering on a TR Visa would do you no good at all.  If you were going to cancel your visa, it would be best to do it when going out for an ED Visa - not a TR-entry, which would leave you still needing to go out again for the ED Visa.

Given what you were told, it sounds like your office is not the most helpful, or they would have offered to use your existing Non-Imm entry to change to an extension based on ED.  You don't need an ED Visa to study legally, so assuming border-bounces are not a long trek, you could stick with the Non-O Visa route, and never have to deal with that Immigration office. 

But, if you do need to switch, and your office won't help, best to go out directly for an ED Visa at a nearby consulate, with the required paperwork from your school.  At that point, the office should provide you with the ED-based extension-of-stay.

[ubonjoe]

59 minutes ago, chowny77 said:

Thanks ubonjoe. This woman IO was full on about me having to totally cancel my multi non-o at the border and re-entering on a tourist visa. She was also pushing for my to go to Vientine to apply for the Non-ed at the consulate. I know I can squeeze about another 5 months out of my current visa if I do one more border run and apply for a 2 month visiting a Thai family member. This would give me plenty of time to apply for the ed-visa.

The officer was wrong. You should be able to apply for the extension based upon attending a university using the 90 day entry from your non-o visa.

Leaving the country would only end your current 90 day entry. It would not cancel your visa.

The tourist visa part was to apply for a change of visa status to get a 90 non immigrant visa (category ED) entry.

If they refuse to the extension I think it would best to use your non-o visa to stay in the country until it expires or apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage if you can meet the financial requirements.

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, chowny77 said:

I am currently on a multiple Non-O based on marriage and I still have about 5 months left to run on this visa. I recently enrolled at a local university and decided for ease I would change my visa to an ed-visa.

What is your rationale for making this change?

 

You are almost certainly better off sticking with a ME non-immigrant visa 'O', or getting an extension of stay based on marriage. You do not need a category 'ED' visa to study.

[PoorSucker]

30 minutes ago, elviajero said:

What is your rationale for making this change?

 

You are almost certainly better off sticking with a ME non-immigrant visa 'O', or getting an extension of stay based on marriage. You do not need a category 'ED' visa to study.

Multiple entry visa requires 90 day border run. 

Extension based on marriage 400.000 in the bank. 

 

Extension based on education, has none of these requirements. 

[BritTim]

18 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

19 hours ago, elviajero said:

What is your rationale for making this change?

 

You are almost certainly better off sticking with a ME non-immigrant visa 'O', or getting an extension of stay based on marriage. You do not need a category 'ED' visa to study.

Multiple entry visa requires 90 day border run. 

Extension based on marriage 400.000 in the bank. 

 

Extension based on education, has none of these requirements. 

But, the point is that whether you have an entry based on a multiple entry Non O or a single entry Non Ed, the extensions available, and their conditions, should be the same (always assuming the immigration office does not have its own special rules).