Coming in on Education Visa then changing to RETIREMENT

[mikey88]

Hi..

I’ve always wanted to study Thai.

This may be the chance.

What are your thoughts on this strategy...?

I’m stuck in Australia. I have a current retirement visa.

I theoretically could apply to a university in Chiang Mai...enrol...pay the money... and then apply for an Education Visa for entry.

Why...because ED Visas are currently included in the current list for entry to Thailand ....it seems anyway.

So I do the course....which I would actually like to do.....and then transfer back to retirement visa.
Can it be done...?

What are the flaws..?

 

[jdlancaster]

Yes, of course it can be done. I'm entering on a student visa. It needs to be a university program, but could be an issue if not a degree program. There are 4 year degree Thai for foreigner programs. By then, I would certainly travel restrictions are lifted... or there is a much larger problem than what visa/extension type to get. You don't have much time as the semester is about the start , however, and getting a COE and paperwork from the university takes time.

[jackdd]

Afaik only students who study at a formal school are allowed back in. Which would mean an international program at a university.

This doesn't work as you think, because you have to apply a few months in advance, have to take an admission test (at least at Chiang Mai university, which requires you to be in Thailand) before you are actually allowed to study, and costs you 50k+ THB per semester.

[travelerjim]

And by applying and obtaining  a CoE this way you are taking a seat on a repatriation flight which should first be filled by an expat who is married to a Thai and has Thai children waiting for their Daddy to return to them.

 

????????????

 

 

[mikey88]

We’re all prone to assumptions I suppose....No kids but a lifelong partner that I’m separated from. House,  extended Thai family that I support etc etc...so I think I qualify for a seat thanks.

I was thinking of Payap University....they have a four month language program I’m told.

 

[5633572526]

I first came to Thailand on an ED visa because I thought it important to learn the language if you plan on staying. After finishing the classes the school took care of all the paperwork required to change my visa to retirement. If I had to do it over I would change nothing.

In a strange and I am sure only because of all the covid confusion, this year when I went to get my extension in April I had just gotten a new passport and written in bright blue ink in the same area as my transferred information was Non-ED and seeing that the officer gave all my financial information back along with my 90 day report and said “ED visa don’t need” and took my passport back and got it stamped and signed by her supervisor and I was out the door with my retirement extension. Don’t expect that to ever happen again but it was nice to have an immigration error go in my favor for a change.

[elektrified]

10 hours ago, mikey88 said:

We’re all prone to assumptions I suppose....No kids but a lifelong partner that I’m separated from. House,  extended Thai family that I support etc etc...so I think I qualify for a seat thanks.

I was thinking of Payap University....they have a four month language program I’m told.

 

The 4 month program won't work.

[EricTh]

On 7/30/2020 at 8:55 AM, jdlancaster said:

Yes, of course it can be done. I'm entering on a student visa. It needs to be a university program, but could be an issue if not a degree program. There are 4 year degree Thai for foreigner programs. By then, I would certainly travel restrictions are lifted... or there is a much larger problem than what visa/extension type to get. You don't have much time as the semester is about the start , however, and getting a COE and paperwork from the university takes time.

 

What do you mean by 4 year degree Thai? Is it learning Thai language as a major?

 

I doubt any foreigners would want to learnt Thai language for 4 years at the university level because it focus more on writing and formal words.

 

[EricTh]

On 7/30/2020 at 9:20 AM, jackdd said:

Afaik only students who study at a formal school are allowed back in. Which would mean an international program at a university.

This doesn't work as you think, because you have to apply a few months in advance, have to take an admission test (at least at Chiang Mai university, which requires you to be in Thailand) before you are actually allowed to study, and costs you 50k+ THB per semester.

 

So private languages schools are not considered 'formal' then?

 

There are Thai language schools at university but they are short term like one year. Are these acceptable?

[EricTh]

On 7/30/2020 at 12:40 PM, mikey88 said:

We’re all prone to assumptions I suppose....No kids but a lifelong partner that I’m separated from. House,  extended Thai family that I support etc etc...so I think I qualify for a seat thanks.

I was thinking of Payap University....they have a four month language program I’m told.

 

Is there a minimum number of months that immigration specify for people who wants to study in Thailand?

 

Four months is alright in normal situation but in times of Covid when they want to restrict foreigners from coming into Thailand, will they accept it?

 

If not, what's to stop a flood of 'tourist' people coming in to study short courses just to evade the ban? 

 

 

 

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

So private languages schools are not considered 'formal' then?

Yes

 

2 hours ago, EricTh said:

There are Thai language schools at university but they are short term like one year. Are these acceptable?

I'm not 100% certain about this, but i think to be called "formal studies", it requires that in the end you graduate with a bachelor, master or PHD, everything else isn't considered "formal" (i'm talking about options for adults, a regular school for children is of course also "formal")

 

The Thai terms for this are:

การศึกษาในระบบ = formal

การศึกษานอกระบบ = non-formal

 

If you want to know if the course would allow you entry into Thailand, ask the school if this course is considered to be การศึกษาในระบบ by the Ministry of Education and Immigration. If this is the case it should be possible to enter Thailand after you sign up.

If anybody knows a course shorter than the 3-4 years which are required for a bachelor, but is considered "formal", let us know.