I'm flying into BKK for quarantine next week. I hope I'll be able to get a tourist visa from a Thai embassy here (I'm from the US, currently in Ecuador). When that expires, will I be able to change to a visa for studying Thai language or another govt.-approved subject? BTW. I'll be 72 in Jan.; I don't have enough money yet for a Thai retirement visa, though. Thank you.

Which Thai embassy will you be applying for a certificate of entry at and the single entry tourist visa at.

For Ecuador the certificate application website states you will do it at the embassy in Lima, Peru. 

See this website. https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en

Embassy website is here. https://lima.thaiembassy.org/

Normally changing a tourist visa entry to a non-ed visa cannot be done when attending a language school since they are considered a informal school. But some schools can arrange it to be done for a additional fee.

Thank you!

 

On 12/7/2020 at 10:50 AM, cubism001 said:

I'm flying into BKK for quarantine next week.

How have you managed to get a COE without also applying for a visa?

I am just wondering how can I extend my visa in April when my university (MBA) ED visa expires?

To the OP (maybe UbonJoe can comment on this too)....

 

It's been reported that the cabinet just "resolved" to make the 90 day long-stay special tourist visas available to ALL countries (not just those with low virus case numbers.  Those are the visas that still require the quarantine but give the holder 90 days, with the ability to extend twice for up to 270 days total.

 

IF that becomes official in the next few days, it could be worth waiting (if that's an option) until you can get in on that.

 

Thoughts?  

30 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

To the OP (maybe UbonJoe can comment on this too)....

 

It's been reported that the cabinet just "resolved" to make the 90 day long-stay special tourist visas available to ALL countries (not just those with low virus case numbers.  Those are the visas that still require the quarantine but give the holder 90 days, with the ability to extend twice for up to 270 days total.

 

IF that becomes official in the next few days, it could be worth waiting (if that's an option) until you can get in on that.

 

Thoughts?  

 

So that means anybody can stay in Thailand for 6 months per year on tourist visa?

 

 

Edited December 8, 20205 yr by EricTh

7 hours ago, EricTh said:

So that means anybody can stay in Thailand for 6 months per year on tourist visa?

It is for about 9 months if a STV is issued. It is a 90 day entry plus two 90 day extension.

21 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is for about 9 months if a STV is issued. It is a 90 day entry plus two 90 day extension.

If we can stay for 9 months in Thailand, then who wants to apply for that ridiculous retirement visa requirements? 3 months in another country isn't a problem.

6 hours ago, EricTh said:

If we can stay for 9 months in Thailand, then who wants to apply for that ridiculous retirement visa requirements? 3 months in another country isn't a problem.

its a temporary one year program expiring in september 2021.

6 hours ago, EricTh said:

If we can stay for 9 months in Thailand, then who wants to apply for that ridiculous retirement visa requirements? 3 months in another country isn't a problem.

 

The people who don't want to stay in another country for 3 months?

14 hours ago, asiacurious said:

To the OP (maybe UbonJoe can comment on this too)....

 

It's been reported that the cabinet just "resolved" to make the 90 day long-stay special tourist visas available to ALL countries (not just those with low virus case numbers.  Those are the visas that still require the quarantine but give the holder 90 days, with the ability to extend twice for up to 270 days total.

 

IF that becomes official in the next few days, it could be worth waiting (if that's an option) until you can get in on that.

 

Thoughts?  

It was reported that it's not possible to convert this visa to a non-immigrant visa, so after 9 months you would have to leave, and if quarantine is still in place then but you want to stay longer...

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

It was reported that it's not possible to convert this visa to a non-immigrant visa, so after 9 months you would have to leave, and if quarantine is still in place then but you want to stay longer...

Yes thats correct, STV not extendable to any other visa type. Lets hope the border restrictions improve.

12 hours ago, EricTh said:

If we can stay for 9 months in Thailand, then who wants to apply for that ridiculous retirement visa requirements? 3 months in another country isn't a problem.

 

6 hours ago, at15 said:

its a temporary one year program expiring in september 2021.

 

Before Covid it was also possible to stay in Thailand for 9 months (or nearly so) on a tourist visa.  A 6 month Multi Entry Tourist Visa would give you 8 months (with border runs every 60 days) and then an application for permission to stay an extra 30 days at the end.  Of course, these 6 month visas had to be issued in  your home country.

 

And of course, the METV could be changed to a retirement visa if you were 50+.

 

6 hours ago, jackdd said:

It was reported that it's not possible to convert this visa to a non-immigrant visa, so after 9 months you would have to leave, and if quarantine is still in place then but you want to stay longer...

 

6 hours ago, at15 said:

Yes thats correct, STV not extendable to any other visa type. Lets hope the border restrictions improve.

 

If the borders were still closed, I think it highly unlikely that Thailand would kick people out after 9 months.  Most likely they would be allowed to apply for a Covid based extension like the many people here on SETV, METV, and visa exempt are currently doing.

 

And if borders are open, and the OP has put together the funds by then, a trip out of the country and back in is all he would need to change to apply for a retirement visa.