Desperate for clarity on tourist visa into study visa. Please!

[cam123]

Hi guys. Cannot believe how I have only just seen this after researching non stop for so long...

 

Essentially my question is...can I get the tourist visa set up and sorted at the UK/Thai airport/Thai school, or do I need to get this set up prior to getting to the airport?

 

Last year I went into Thailand for the first time on a 3 week return ticket and just assumed, clearly naively, that that was a tourist visa I had been given when at the Thai airport...but it must have been a visa exemption...i.e., no visa?

 

Would massively appreciate any help or insight anyone can provide here and also time frames etc. Thank you.

[Lite Beer]

You can get a Tourist Visa while in UK.

A stay of 60 days that can be extended at Immigration in Thailand by 30 days for a fee of 1,900 Baht.

VISA: General Information - สถานเอกอัครราชทูต ณ กรุงลอนดอน (thaiembassy.org)

 

Or a Visa Exempt Entry when you arrive. 30 days that can be extended at Immigration.

Edited January 16 by Lite Beer

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, cam123 said:

airport...but it must have been a visa exemption...i.e., no visa?

It was a visa exempt entry 30 day stamp that can be extended by 30 days.

For this next visit how long would you like to stay  in Thailand? 

[Liverpool Lou]

Enter visa exempt or with a tourist visa.  The school that you are going to attend will sort the ED visa for you once you are here, or

https://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/non-immigrant-visa-cat-ed-adult-education.php

[cam123]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It was a visa exempt entry 30 day stamp that can be extended by 30 days.

For this next visit how long would you like to stay  in Thailand? 

I will be staying for 12 months on a 12 month study visa issued by Genius language school in Chalong.

 

They are telling me over text I can come on visa exempt and they will be able to convert to study visa when there.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, cam123 said:

They are telling me over text I can come on visa exempt and they will be able to convert to study visa when there.

So what's that cost .....60k baht? 

[cam123]

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Enter visa exempt or with a tourist visa.  The school that you are going to attend will sort the ED visa for you once you are here, or

https://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/non-immigrant-visa-cat-ed-adult-education.php

Lou, is that 100% correct? I keep seeing conflicting info online.

 

Am i 100% able to fly into Thailand on a visa exemption (will be flying in on 1 way ticket so will make sure I show them an ontravel flight) and then the language school will be able to get me a study visa when there? 10000% have you heard of this before?

[cam123]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

So what's that cost .....60k baht? 

yeah 60k

[Liverpool Lou]

8 minutes ago, cam123 said:

Lou, is that 100% correct? I keep seeing conflicting info online.

 

Am i 100% able to fly into Thailand on a visa exemption (will be flying in on 1 way ticket so will make sure I show them an ontravel flight) and then the language school will be able to get me a study visa when there? 10000% have you heard of this before?

"10000% have you heard of this before?"

Yes.  You've already had it confirmed by your school, haven't you?...

"I will be staying for 12 months on a 12 month study visa issued by Genius language school in Chalong.  They are telling me over text I can come on visa exempt and they will be able to convert to study visa when there".

 

ED visas are 90-day visas.

Edited January 16 by Liverpool Lou

[Liquorice]

4 minutes ago, cam123 said:

Lou, is that 100% correct? I keep seeing conflicting info online.

You can apply for the Non ED visa at local Immigration offices after entering visa exempt.

The Immigration requirements are here;

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022C1_03.pdf

 

[cam123]

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"10000% have you heard of this before?"

Yes.  You've already had it confirmed by your school, haven't you?  

yes but just concerned about a language barrier over text and then when i arrive that's all

[cam123]

3 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

You can apply for the Non ED visa at local Immigration offices after entering visa exempt.

The Immigration requirements are here;

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022C1_03.pdf

 

it is an ed visa that i want though to stay for 12 months which the school have said coming on visa exempt is no problem they are still able to sort it for me

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, cam123 said:

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"10000% have you heard of this before?"

Yes.  You've already had it confirmed by your school, haven't you?  

yes but just concerned about a language barrier over text and then when i arrive that's all

You're concerned about a language barrier when communicating with a language school?  Right.

[Liquorice]

7 minutes ago, cam123 said:

it is an ed visa that i want though to stay for 12 months which the school have said coming on visa exempt is no problem they are still able to sort it for me

You can convert from a visa exempt entry to a Non Imm ED visa within Thailand.

The initial ED visa permits a stay of 90 days, then you can extend that stay.

 

This site explains it.

https://thailand.acclime.com/hr/immigration/education-visa/

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, cam123 said:

it is an ed visa that i want though to stay for 12 months which the school have said coming on visa exempt is no problem they are still able to sort it for me

Yes that's basically an agent via school ED visa.

Note it's actually 12 months from date of entry to Thailand. Requires extensions 

The 60k explains that.

[NoDisplayName]

51 minutes ago, cam123 said:

Hi guys. Cannot believe how I have only just seen this after researching non stop for so long...

 

Essentially my question is...can I get the tourist visa set up and sorted at the UK/Thai airport/Thai school, or do I need to get this set up prior to getting to the airport?

 

Last year I went into Thailand for the first time on a 3 week return ticket and just assumed, clearly naively, that that was a tourist visa I had been given when at the Thai airport...but it must have been a visa exemption...i.e., no visa?

 

Would massively appreciate any help or insight anyone can provide here and also time frames etc. Thank you.

 

Have you checked the school website?

 

 

Quote

 

Fill out your application online for a language course with an Ed Visa. You can apply in your home country and we will help you obtain an Education Visa from a Thai Embassy in your home country.

Alternatively its possible convert your Tourist Visa at Phuket Immigration and not leave Thailand. See Ed Visa page for details

 

https://www.thegeniuslanguageschool.net/apply/

 

 

Why not get the ED visa before you leave?  Fewer worries.

 

 

[cam123]

3 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Have you checked the school website?

 

 

 

Why not get the ED visa before you leave?  Fewer worries.

 

 

They are assuring me, and speaking to other people who know Thailand etc, that it is actually very common/easy to enter via visa exempt for 30 days and extend by another 30 at immigration and then by that point the school will have sorted the study visa.

[NoDisplayName]

15 minutes ago, cam123 said:

They are assuring me, and speaking to other people who know Thailand etc, that it is actually very common/easy to enter via visa exempt for 30 days and extend by another 30 at immigration and then by that point the school will have sorted the study visa.

 

Sure, but that doesn't answer the question.

Is there some reason you don't want to arrive on an ED visa?

[cam123]

9 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Sure, but that doesn't answer the question.

Is there some reason you don't want to arrive on an ED visa?

I need to be there for the 22nd for a competition/school thing. Agreed my own fault for being an idiot and not getting it fully perfect beforehand aha!

 

I.e., time is of the essence 

[GammaGlobulin]

4 hours ago, cam123 said:

Hi guys. Cannot believe how I have only just seen this after researching non stop for so long...

 

Essentially my question is...can I get the tourist visa set up and sorted at the UK/Thai airport/Thai school, or do I need to get this set up prior to getting to the airport?

 

Last year I went into Thailand for the first time on a 3 week return ticket and just assumed, clearly naively, that that was a tourist visa I had been given when at the Thai airport...but it must have been a visa exemption...i.e., no visa?

 

Would massively appreciate any help or insight anyone can provide here and also time frames etc. Thank you.

 

Good Luck with your passa Thai studies.

 

Learning passa Thai is very rewarding, when one is both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated.

 

I have been studying passa Thai for about 11 years.

Hope you will do the same.

 

 

Edited January 16 by GammaGlobulin

[cam123]

10 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Good Luck with your passa Thai studies.

 

Learning passa Thai is very rewarding, when one is both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated.

 

I have been studying passa Thai for about 11 years.

Hope you will do the same.

 

 

Wow that's amazing my friend! I might have to pay you for some lessons over Skype :)

[GammaGlobulin]

14 minutes ago, cam123 said:

Wow that's amazing my friend! I might have to pay you for some lessons over Skype :)

 

It's nice and uplifting to hear that people, such as you, are interested in coming to Thailand to learn passa Thai.

Passa Thai is a beautiful language, and the Thai script is beautiful, too.

Once you really "get into it", you will find the experience of learning passa Thai completely engrossing and ultimately interesting.

 

Please check out the Decker series of books.

The first Decker book for Beginners is Tops!

 

 

[Smokin Joe]

4 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Please check out the Decker series of books.

The first Decker book for Beginners is Tops!

 

 

I think you probably mean the ones by Benjawan Becker. And yes they are very good.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

8 minutes ago, Smokin Joe said:

 

I think you probably mean the ones by Benjawan Becker. And yes they are very good.

 

 

 

Yes.

The Orange One, and the Purple One...are great, in that order.

 

The Advanced one is subpar...but only in my estimation, perhaps.

 

Note:  The recordings that are designed to accompany these first two books are QUITE GOOD!

 

Much, MUCH work went into the production of the first two books and the recordings....

 

 

Edited January 17 by GammaGlobulin

[Caldera]

13 hours ago, cam123 said:

They are assuring me, and speaking to other people who know Thailand etc, that it is actually very common/easy to enter via visa exempt for 30 days and extend by another 30 at immigration and then by that point the school will have sorted the study visa.

 

Yes, nothing wrong with that approach.