Student Visa

[tropo]

I am the 3rd or 4th person to ask this : ANY similar school in Pattaya, now ???????

recommendations pliiz.

Let me be the 5th.

Does anyone know of a school in Pattaya or nearby which can arrange non-immigrant ED visas for ONE YEAR?

[Maestro]

...the letter from Ministry of Education was addressed to the consulate not immigration and was thus not acceptable and immigration wanted to cite the originals of the other documents not just the certified copies. Walen's response was the Ministry only issues this letter addressed to the consulate...

...according to Waylen the extension letter is always addressed to Immigration...

Pondering this apparent contradiction I am inclined to think that in the case of Bkkguy there must have been some miscommunication.

If a student asks the school for the paperwork to apply for a visa, he will receive a MoE letter addressed to the consulate (as it should be). If he asks for the paperwork to apply for an extension of stay, he will be given a letter addressed to the immigration office (as it should be)

Now, Bkkguy’s situation was a little different. He had entered Thailand on a tourist visa and therefore the path to his extension needed to be accomplished in two steps:

1. Application at immigration office for change of visa from tourist to non-immigrant (form TM.86)

2. Application at immigration office for extension of stay for the reason of study (form TM.7)

I have seen many posts about a routine change of visa to non-immigrant for the reason of living with Thai wife, for retirement or for employment, and I seem to remember also seeing one or two posts about a successful change for the reason of study. Generally, for the change of visa immigration needs to see the same documentation as is needed for the intended reason for extension of stay.

Therefore, Bkkguy would have had to ask the school for the paperwork for an extension of stay, not for a visa. However, add to this the possibility that the corresponding staff member at the school may not have been aware of the possibility of changing a tourist visa to a non-immigrant visa at the immigration office, and for this reason sent him to Penang with a letter addressed to the consulate.

Regarding step 1 of the above-mentioned two-step procedure it should be noted that the application for change of visa should be made with at least 21 days remaining of the current permission to stay.

--

Maestro

[MacWalen]

The Ministry of Education will NOT issue a first letter addressed to the local immigration, therefore every student has to leave the country and get the ED visa from a Thai consulate.

Changing tourist visa to ED visa at the immigration is NOT possible.

This information applies to the WALEN SCHOOL OF THAI, cannot speak for other schools. This information is accurate, we do it every day.

Maybe there are some other schools our there that can do it but I very much doubt it.

WALEN SCHOOL, Mac

[MacWalen]

...If you had had the full documentation for a language school you could have scored the one year visa.

Why would a student want to waste money on the more expensive multiple-entry non-Ed visa? Will not a single-entry non-Ed visa be sufficient, and after arrival in Thailand he gets repeated extensions of stay from the local immigration office every 90 days? This way, he does not have to do border runs.

Alternatively, if the person is already in Thailand on a tourist visa, can he not with the correct paperwork from the school apply at the immigration office for a change of visa (fee 2,000 Baht) to non-immigrant and then for his first extension of stay (fee 1,900 Baht)? I guess this would be more convenient and also more economical than a trip to a Thai consulate in the region for a non-Ed visa.

Or am I missing something?

--

Maestro

Maybe in theory, but in practise it is not possible, we tried a few times, the problem is with the MOE, they will not address a letter requesting the ED visa to the immigraiton, even if you ask them very nicely, but to a Thai consulate. If you know any school that can do it let us know, also if there are any students who had their tourist visa changed to an ED visa in Thailand please share your expereince. I heard that some universities can do it but did not hear about any private language schools being able to do it.

Mac, Walen School

[bkkguy1970]

Now, Bkkguy’s situation was a little different. He had entered Thailand on a tourist visa and therefore the path to his extension needed to be accomplished in two steps:

1. Application at immigration office for change of visa from tourist to non-immigrant (form TM.86)

2. Application at immigration office for extension of stay for the reason of study (form TM.7)

...

Therefore, Bkkguy would have had to ask the school for the paperwork for an extension of stay, not for a visa.

I must be missing something in the logic here - you rightly say it is a two step procedure but then say I only need the documentation for the second step?

as I understand it the documents for the TM 7 are not the same as the documents for the TM 86 and I can't submit the TM 7 until the TM 86 has been processed and the problem is the requirements for the TM 86 - Immigration will not accept the documents supplied but the consulates will.

bkkguy

[bkkguy1970]

I agree that is the cleanest way. Get the letter and apply for a multi entry Non Imm ED (1 year validity) and be done with it. Every three months then stamp out and back in at a border and thats all there is to it. If your trying for the in country extensions then there are issues of getting turned down, additional paperwork and fee's involved. Depends on where you are in thailand but can be fairly cheap and easy to make a border run. For me anyway in Chiang Mai

for me in BKK it is the reverse. the last time I did a visa extension at Immigration it took just over an hour including travel to/from Immigration and cost 1,900 Baht, the last time I did a border run it cost 2,200 Baht and was a boring waste of a day - hours sitting on a bus, crappy lunch at the casino, long lines at Immigration in the heat....

I may of course change my mind if they keep playing around with the extension requirements!

bkkguy

[MacWalen]

Since September 2007 there were no changes to the visa extension requirements. If the paperwork provided by the school is processed correctly there is no reason for the immigration not to extend your visa. Mastering Thai and learning about the Thai culture is a very legitimate reason to stay for a considerable period of time in Thailand.

I agree that visa extensions are no doubt cheaper and take a lot less time than making visa runs.

[Agenda]

I wrote already aboutb schools in Pattaya... there is ProLanguage school that promices to issue needed docs... however, we prepaid and wait for documents for over 1 month. Guess they don't care much.

[Maestro]

The Ministry of Education will NOT issue a first letter addressed to the local immigration, therefore every student has to leave the country and get the ED visa from a Thai consulate.

Thank you. So now we know. The MoE is the stumbling block.

Sorry, folks, if I raised false hopes. With the civil servants at MoE refusing to give that first letter addressed to immigration, the school cannot get you the documents that immigration would need for the change of visa preparatory to the extension for study.

--

Maestro

[thaiman]

I wrote already aboutb schools in Pattaya... there is ProLanguage school that promices to issue needed docs... however, we prepaid and wait for documents for over 1 month. Guess they don't care much.

Are you saying that they lied?

[Maestro]

I must be missing something in the logic here - you rightly say it is a two step procedure but then say I only need the documentation for the second step?

You must look at the change of visa as only a preparatory step to the extension of stay. If the applicant for change of visa does not meet the requirements for the extension for the reason that also needs to be stated in the application form for the change of visa, his application for change of visa will be rejected. There is one anomaly: because the immigration’s internal records have not yet been updated an applicant for change of visa for the reason of living with Thai wife has to show evidence of 400k in the bank for the change of visa, then 40k monthly family income for the extension.

In your case, for the change of visa for study you would have needed the same documentation as for an extension for study, and this documentation would have included a letter from the MoE addressed to immigration. Since the MoE refuses to address the first letter for a student to immigration, as we have in the meantime learnt, it is impossible for you to obtain the required documentation for a change of visa.

An elegant solution would be to get a letter from the MoE addressed “to whom it may concern” but based on everything we have heard so far about the way the MoE works in this regard it would be futile to hope for this to happen. And even if the MoE relented there would be no guarantee that immigration would accept a letter not specifically addressed to immigration. (And don’t anybody say TIT, I have seen this type unfathomable bureaucracy just about anywhere in the world)

--

Maestro

[sfokevin]

When you sign up and pay for the Thai language course the school will send you a confirmation. With this document you can apply at a Thai consulate for a non-immigrant visa category Ed (Education). When you arrive with this visa in Thailand you get permission to stay for 90 days. With a document you should get from your school you then can get an extension of permission to stay for one year from the Immigration office in Thailand.

--

Maestro

What are the chances that consulate in the USA will issue a 1 year multiple entry ED visa (as apposed to the 90 day visa) with just a conformation letter from a school that you have signed up for a Thai Language Course?... The Los Angeles consulate website says it issues them on a "Case-by-case" basis... http://www.thai-la.net/visa/visa-non-im-ed.htm

Edited October 29, 2007 by sfokevin

[Maestro]

Only the consulate at which you plan to apply can tell you that. Give them a call.

--

Maestro

[bkkguy1970]

You must look at the change of visa as only a preparatory step to the extension of stay. If the applicant for change of visa does not meet the requirements for the extension for the reason that also needs to be stated in the application form for the change of visa, his application for change of visa will be rejected.

again I don't understand this. I was applying for a visa change at Immigration Bangkok in the room upstairs that handles the issue of visas, I had a visa change application form TM86 and the list of required documents I was given by the officer matched the requirements quoted on the Immigration web site for the issue of a Non-IM ED visa and matched exactly the requirements for the issue of a Non-IM ED visa in Penang - the TM86, the immigration officer in Bangkok and the consul in Penang never once mentioned an extension or the requirements for an extension!

In your case, for the change of visa for study you would have needed the same documentation as for an extension for study, and this documentation would have included a letter from the MoE addressed to immigration.

again as I understand it to apply for a visa (or change of visa) I need certain documents including a letter from MoE requesting a visa be issued, to apply for an extension of stay I need another set of documents including a letter from MoE requesting an extension of stay be issued. You keep saying they are the same documentation and the school keeps saying the second MoE letter will only be issued after the Non-IM ED visa has been issued

bkkguy

[Maestro]

I give up on you, Bkkguy.

Because, as Macwalen said, the MoE refuses to give a letter addressed to the immigration office for a student who did not previously have a letter addressed to the consulate to get a visa, you cannot have the correct documentation, ie including a letter addressed to immigration, for an application for change of visa. A letter addressed to a consulate cannot be used for an application at the immigration office.

Like I said , I am giving up on you and won’t discuss this any further.

--

Maestro

[bkkguy1970]

Like I said , I am giving up on you and won’t discuss this any further.

In this and other threads you have been repeatedly speculating, obviously based on theory only, that it should be possible for language school students to get their Ed visa issued in Bangkok and I have been saying that in my experience Immigration in Bangkok won't accept the documents provided by the MoE and the school.

in this thread you seem to be implying that I am doing something wrong and I should be asking for and/or using extension of stay documents to apply for the visa and I have been saying this does not work.

now you finally concede based on macwalen's comments that it is not possible to get the documents to get the visa in Bangkok so you "give up" and "won't discuss this any further" - fine, but I am sure there are a large number of students and potential students at Waylen and other schools who would like to avoid a trip to Penang if possible and would like to know if any of the schools have managed to get around these petty departmental games

so, as I have asked before, has any language school student actually managed to get their visa issued in bangkok? and I suspect the answer is no despite your theoretical posturing!

bkkguy

[MacWalen]

Like I said , I am giving up on you and won't discuss this any further.

In this and other threads you have been repeatedly speculating, obviously based on theory only, that it should be possible for language school students to get their Ed visa issued in Bangkok and I have been saying that in my experience Immigration in Bangkok won't accept the documents provided by the MoE and the school.

in this thread you seem to be implying that I am doing something wrong and I should be asking for and/or using extension of stay documents to apply for the visa and I have been saying this does not work.

now you finally concede based on macwalen's comments that it is not possible to get the documents to get the visa in Bangkok so you "give up" and "won't discuss this any further" - fine, but I am sure there are a large number of students and potential students at Waylen and other schools who would like to avoid a trip to Penang if possible and would like to know if any of the schools have managed to get around these petty departmental games

so, as I have asked before, has any language school student actually managed to get their visa issued in bangkok? and I suspect the answer is no despite your theoretical posturing!

bkkguy

Let there be peace.

This is a good question and I believe we've asked this before but nobody so far replied that they did get one in Bangkok, so we assume that at least as far as the language schools go it is not possible at this moment.

Vientiane is a good place to apply for the ED visa too if you have the right paperwork. You can take a bus from Kosarn rd. only 650 Baht one way plus the Lao visa. This is probably cheaper thant a trip to Penang.

The name of the school is Walen not Waylen.

Walen School, Mac

[WilliamIV]

Like I said , I am giving up on you and won't discuss this any further.

In this and other threads you have been repeatedly speculating, obviously based on theory only, that it should be possible for language school students to get their Ed visa issued in Bangkok and I have been saying that in my experience Immigration in Bangkok won't accept the documents provided by the MoE and the school.

in this thread you seem to be implying that I am doing something wrong and I should be asking for and/or using extension of stay documents to apply for the visa and I have been saying this does not work.

now you finally concede based on macwalen's comments that it is not possible to get the documents to get the visa in Bangkok so you "give up" and "won't discuss this any further" - fine, but I am sure there are a large number of students and potential students at Waylen and other schools who would like to avoid a trip to Penang if possible and would like to know if any of the schools have managed to get around these petty departmental games

so, as I have asked before, has any language school student actually managed to get their visa issued in bangkok? and I suspect the answer is no despite your theoretical posturing!

bkkguy

I agree with bkkguy

Maestro's posts are VERY misleading

As a Platinum Member - others will tend to believe he knows what he is talking about

Right from the begining of this Topic Maestro was not even aware of the

requirement for an MoE letter - he learnt this from subsequent posts.

An ommission he could have been aware of just by FIRST reading the

Walen School advert.

Maestro - please confine your post to FACTS that are KNOWN to you please

It helps no one to read your Theories !!

AND your Arrogant "I am giving up on you and won't discuss this any further" addressed

to bkkguy - I find that deplorable - after all your misleading posts.

Thanks

Bill

Edited October 31, 2007 by WilliamIV

[tropo]

I agree with bkkguy

Maestro's posts are VERY misleading

As a Platinum Member - others will tend to believe he knows what he is talking about

Right from the begining of this Topic Maestro was not even aware of the

requirement for an MoE letter - he learnt this from subsequent posts.

An ommission he could have been aware of just by FIRST reading the

Walen School advert.

Maestro - please confine your post to FACTS that are KNOWN to you please

It helps no one to read your Theories !!

AND your Arrogant "I am giving up on you and won't discuss this any further" addressed

to bkkguy - I find that deplorable - after all your misleading posts.

Thanks

Bill

Maestro's posts are not misleading.

Walen School indicates that it has not been possible for a visa conversion to be done through a LANGUAGE SCHOOL. There is still a possibility that it can be done for someone enrolled in a University, or some other higher learning institution.

Edited October 31, 2007 by tropo

[MacWalen]

I don't want to get involved in any unpleasant exchange, just to state the facts what Maestro has written is in theory possible because immigration can change the visa status if they get the paperwork from the MoE requesitng the change, and as he rightly observed the problem lies with the MoE and not the immigration, so I do not think his comments were misleading anybody, just in practise it does not seem to work and that is all. We as a school just presented our experience with the MoE and the immigration.

This kind of questioning is beneficial as we are also looking for ways to improve the efficiency of helping our students with visas and if there is a better way of doing this we are always ready to adjust our way of processing the paperwork. I would say well done and thanks to all for your contribution.

Walen School, Mac

[WilliamIV]

When you sign up and pay for the Thai language course the school will send you a confirmation. With this document you can apply at a Thai consulate for a non-immigrant visa category Ed (Education). When you arrive with this visa in Thailand you get permission to stay for 90 days. With a document you should get from your school you then can get an extension of permission to stay for one year from the Immigration office in Thailand.

--

Maestro

The above is Maestro's first post

It is an immediate reply to the OP

It makes NO mention of the MoE

In MY opinion it is MISLEADING

Bill

[WilliamIV]

No, you must apply for the visa at a Thai consulate, and these consulates are outside Thailand.

However, you can go to Thailand with a tourist visa and then, with the required documentation from the school, apply at an Immigration office in Thailand for a change of visa status to non-immigrant, then apply for the extension of stay.

--

Maestro

Above is Maestro's second post

NO mention of MoE

[tropo]

No, you must apply for the visa at a Thai consulate, and these consulates are outside Thailand.

However, you can go to Thailand with a tourist visa and then, with the required documentation from the school, apply at an Immigration office in Thailand for a change of visa status to non-immigrant, then apply for the extension of stay.

--

Maestro

Above is Maestro's second post

NO mention of MoE

Required documentation = MoE

[cali4995]

I actually think Maestro's information is correct (it usually is). Reading on the Chulalongkorn

University website they provide the necessary steps for changing visa type in-country. I think

the crucial difference is private Thai language school Vs. major University. The one problem

I still have with all this is how every other private Thai language school in the country requires

full-time study 30+hours per week to issue an "ED" visa but there is only (1) where you can

study 4-6 hours/week. I just can't foresee that being allowed to continue very long.

---------------------------------------------------------------

How to change my visa type?

For person who does not hold Non-Immigrant Visa such as Tourist Visa, Transit Visa or etc. need to contact Office of International Affairs along with your passport and education evidences. To request for the letter from Chulalongkorn University for changing visa type.

Documents required

Application form (TM.86)

Copy of passport

1 passport photo (4 x 6 cm.)

2,000 Baht fee

Requested letter from CU

Education evidence

------------------------------------------------------------

[Dissolution]

For the purpose of information, this is how I got my non-imm, ED, 1 year visa.

I study/live in Bangkok. Currently on a 1 year, single entry (just takes ~20 mins at the counter before immigration at the airport prior to take-off to get a re-entry permit) non-imm ED visa.

I've never had anything to do with the Ministry of Education, so all this talking about them is confusing. Step by step, this is how I went about getting the visa:

1. Application and acceptance at school

2. Given letter from school for consulate

3. Got 90 day, single entry, non-imm. ED visa

4. Stayed in Bangkok for ~75 days

5. Got documents from school for immigration

6. Went to immigration and got my 1 year

Do note that the "1 year visa" does not always last a year. Unfortunately, the first time I went for that purpose, Thailand was summarily humiliated by Singapore in soccer the night before. This event, with the Shin Corp debacle still fresh on people's minds, somehow led to my "1 year visa" lasting 3 and a half months. (I'm Singaporean.)

Fortunately was able to pull on some strings, and their previous glassy stares and barely hostile behavior has changed to full blown joy and adulation when I arrive, and now always get a 1 year visa with a smile.

Good luck on all of you going for an ED visa!

[Bkkthebest]

Guys,

Is it possible to get a multiple entry student ED Visa? I do know that people wil get a single entry 90 day visa outside Thailand, if you requested at the immigration in Thailand for extension, will you be able to get a multi-entry visa upon request?

[Bkkthebest]

For the purpose of information, this is how I got my non-imm, ED, 1 year visa.

I study/live in Bangkok. Currently on a 1 year, single entry (just takes ~20 mins at the counter before immigration at the airport prior to take-off to get a re-entry permit) non-imm ED visa.

I've never had anything to do with the Ministry of Education, so all this talking about them is confusing. Step by step, this is how I went about getting the visa:

1. Application and acceptance at school

2. Given letter from school for consulate

3. Got 90 day, single entry, non-imm. ED visa

4. Stayed in Bangkok for ~75 days

5. Got documents from school for immigration

6. Went to immigration and got my 1 year

Do note that the "1 year visa" does not always last a year. Unfortunately, the first time I went for that purpose, Thailand was summarily humiliated by Singapore in soccer the night before. This event, with the Shin Corp debacle still fresh on people's minds, somehow led to my "1 year visa" lasting 3 and a half months. (I'm Singaporean.)

Fortunately was able to pull on some strings, and their previous glassy stares and barely hostile behavior has changed to full blown joy and adulation when I arrive, and now always get a 1 year visa with a smile.

Good luck on all of you going for an ED visa!

If you are on a single entry and wanna go back Singapore to settle certain issues, are you gonna do another visa again?

[WilliamIV]

If you are on a single entry and wanna go back Singapore to settle certain issues, are you gonna do another visa again?

Just get a Re-Enty Permit

[MacWalen]

Guys,

Is it possible to get a multiple entry student ED Visa? I do know that people wil get a single entry 90 day visa outside Thailand, if you requested at the immigration in Thailand for extension, will you be able to get a multi-entry visa upon request?

Yes, it is possible, but if you have a multiple entry visa you will have to do a visa run every 90 days, if on the other hand you wanted to stay here without leaving then a single entry if fine, with a proper paperwork you will be able to to extend your ED visa at the local immigration every 90 days. If during your period of stay you wanted to leave the country you will simply need to get a re-entry permit, a single one is 1,000 Baht.

If you do not plan to make a lot of trips then a single entry makes more sense as you will save yourself time and money.

Walen School, Mac

[MacWalen]

Guys,

Is it possible to get a multiple entry student ED Visa? I do know that people wil get a single entry 90 day visa outside Thailand, if you requested at the immigration in Thailand for extension, will you be able to get a multi-entry visa upon request?

No, you will not be able to get it from the immigration, you can obtain ED visa from a Thai consulate only, I assume you are talking about studying at a language school.

Walen School, Mac