Ed Visa From Singapore

[Bunni]

Hi guys

Just having one little question here... my bf (dutch and just got accepted into a Thai government university, now he's here on non-imm "o") is planning to obtain non-imm "ED" from Thai Consulate in Singapore. Any body have had experiences in requesting this kind of visa from there? Any difficulties? Any advices?

As I understand (correct me If I'm wrong), to obtain non-imm ED we have 2 options

1) get it directly from Thai Consulate abroad, or

2) get a tourist visa then have it converted to ED visa at Immigration office in Soi Suanplu

We are going to go on holidays in Singapore so we thought why not go for option 1. So... would appreciate it a lot if you could share your experiences!

big THANKS in advance

xox

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hi guys

Just having one little question here... my bf (dutch and just got accepted into a Thai government university, now he's here on non-imm "o") is planning to obtain non-imm "ED" from Thai Consulate in Singapore. Any body have had experiences in requesting this kind of visa from there? Any difficulties? Any advices?

As I understand (correct me If I'm wrong), to obtain non-imm ED we have 2 options

1) get it directly from Thai Consulate abroad, or

2) get a tourist visa then have it converted to ED visa at Immigration office in Soi Suanplu

We are going to go on holidays in Singapore so we thought why not go for option 1. So... would appreciate it a lot if you could share your experiences!

big THANKS in advance

xox

With a support letter from the University, Thai Immigration can convert his O visa to an ED visa. Immigration can also extend the ED visa for a year at a time during the currency of his program. He will need the cooperation of the University to do that extension.

[Bunni]

Hi guys

Just having one little question here... my bf (dutch and just got accepted into a Thai government university, now he's here on non-imm "o") is planning to obtain non-imm "ED" from Thai Consulate in Singapore. Any body have had experiences in requesting this kind of visa from there? Any difficulties? Any advices?

As I understand (correct me If I'm wrong), to obtain non-imm ED we have 2 options

1) get it directly from Thai Consulate abroad, or

2) get a tourist visa then have it converted to ED visa at Immigration office in Soi Suanplu

We are going to go on holidays in Singapore so we thought why not go for option 1. So... would appreciate it a lot if you could share your experiences!

big THANKS in advance

xox

With a support letter from the University, Thai Immigration can convert his O visa to an ED visa. Immigration can also extend the ED visa for a year at a time during the currency of his program. He will need the cooperation of the University to do that extension.

Hi dr_Pat_Pong

Yup, we got support letter from University.

We have tried to convert O to ED few months ago but it didn't work. The immigration said they could extend the O but then again the O he has did not expire yet and that it wouldn't be for "studying" purpose aswell. They explained to us (in a helpful manner I might add) that we can obtain ED through the above 2 methods. So, this time gonna be our 2nd attempt

The fact that they cannot convert O to ED finally makes sense to me now (not back then, I was quite pissed!). The immigration here can only do extension or conversion of visa's type. And since O and ED is the same type of visa (ie. non-imm visa), so they can't be converted.

Seen people reading this post but perhaps they have no direct experience on this topic. Anyway, thank you a lot for your advice!

xox

[Maestro]

We have tried to convert O to ED few months ago but it didn't work. The immigration said they could extend the O...

That’s exactly what your friend should do.

1. Start his studies now. He is allowed to do so regardless of the type and category of visa on which he entered (he came with a non-O visa)

2. Before his current permission to stay (not his visa) expires, preferably two to three weeks before expiration, go to the Immigration office with the support letter from the university and use form TM.7 to apply for an extension of permission to stay (not for a change of visa). On the TM.7, in the field "Reason(s) for extension", write "study"

--

Maestro

[Bunni]

We have tried to convert O to ED few months ago but it didn't work. The immigration said they could extend the O...

That's exactly what your friend should do.

1. Start his studies now. He is allowed to do so regardless of the type and category of visa on which he entered (he came with a non-O visa)

2. Before his current permission to stay (not his visa) expires, preferably two to three weeks before expiration, go to the Immigration office with the support letter from the university and use form TM.7 to apply for an extension of permission to stay (not for a change of visa). On the TM.7, in the field "Reason(s) for extension", write "study"

--

Maestro

Hi Maestro

Thanks for the advice

So you say we should extend the O and he studies while being on non-imm "O"? I know that will be cheaper than flying abroad and obtaining brand new ED visa but will the immigration office be O.K. with it? Cause his reason for extension of stay is not "others", it's study.

Thank you once again

xox

[Maestro]

Correct. The non-O visa was for the purpose of travelling to Thailand. Upon entry, he got an “admitted until...” stamp, giving him permission to stay until a certain date. For the application for extension of stay the only thing that matters is that he had a non-immigrant visa when he entered. The category of this non-immigrant visa, whether O, B, Ed, etc. no longer matters at this point. In fact, as you wrote yourself, the immigration officer explained to him that they can extend his stay.

See paragraphs 7.7 and 7.8 of National Police Order 606/2549

--

Maestro

[simon43]

Just a comment that I was able to convert my non-immigrant B visda to a non-immigrant ED visa at Suan Phu, without having to leave the country. Immigration said that they only do this for Chula students!!

Simon

[CWMcMurray]

The only reason that it may be worth going for the education is that to extend your "o" it sounds like he or you may need to show 40,000 a month in income; this is based on reading many of the posts on this site, not first hand knowledge because I have an education visa. This means that he will be liable to pay taxes on this income where if he has an ed visa he doesn't have any income requirements or tax liability.

It is also very easy to extend, I have extended mine 3 times with just a support letter, a copy of my grade report (this requirement is new this year), photocopies of my passport, visa and previous visa extensions. If you are already going to Signapore for vacation I would recomend changing it to an Ed visa, it will make things simplier when it comes to extend every year and it doesn't really cost you anything since you are already planning on heading to Signapore.

I got my ed visa in Signapore and the only problem I had was my support letter was origonally adressed to the New York Embassy and not the Signapore Embassy so they wouldn't accept it and I had to go back to Thailand, get a new letter and fly back again. I tried to change my tourist to a non im in Bangkok but they told me I couldn't and that I would have to leave the country to do it, but that was a few years ago...

[Maestro]

...I was able to convert my non-immigrant B visda to a non-immigrant ED visa at Suan Phu, without having to leave the country...

A point of terminology, since terminology seems to have got the OP confused to start with: Simon, I believe Suan Phlu did not convert your visa, but while you had entered on a non-B visa or were in Thailand on an extension for employment, Suan Phlu approved your new application of extension for the reason of study.

Mostly, it does no harm when “visa” and “extension of stay” are used interchangeably as it is clear from the context what is meant, but in this case it seems important to make the distinction.

--

Maestro

[Bunni]

Hi Maestro, CWMcMurray, Simon43

Thanks for all your advices. Very useful Extending the O sounds nice but since He & I are not married, not yet at least and he does not have any income .. so, made up my mind!, just like CWMcMurray suggested, we are planning to go to Singapore on holidays, might aswell ask for ED visa directly from there. Having seen that you got the visa granted with no problem (except for the incorrect addressing ... so sorry to hear that ... it totally sux when things don't go as smoothly as planned), we should give it a try

Thanks guys!

xox

Edited August 12, 2007 by Bunni