Advice Needed On Ed Visa

[alexelecom]

Hi guys,

I entered the country on an ED visa on 20/03/08.

I believe I can stay for 1 year by extending at the immi office every 3 months.

The first, current 3 month period expires on the 17/6/2008.

I will leave the country soon, prior to the 17/06, but probably after reporting to immigration.

I will most likely be out for more than 3 months, so I may not have the opportunity to report to immi for the subsequent renewals. I would however, like to keep the visa vaild.

What are my options?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[lopburi3]

Do you have a single or multi entry visa? If your only option for stay is 90 day extensions it would appear to be a single entry and you have can only obtain extension (for language study?) if you report to immigration with proof of study every 90 days. There would not be any way to keep it alive longer than 90 days in that case and you would have to obtain/use a new visa for next entry.

[monty]

If your visa is a single entry, you have a problem!

You can try to extend for another 90 days (can only be done around 1 week before your expiry on 17/6) for which you will need paperwork from your school.

Simultaneously apply for a re-entry permit (single, 1000 Baht) and then come back before expiry of that extension 3 months later, but I guess you'll then run into problems as you would need again papers from your school for the next extension, which they probably won't give you since you didn't study for the 3 months you were abroad!

[alexelecom]

If your visa is a single entry, you have a problem!

You can try to extend for another 90 days (can only be done around 1 week before your expiry on 17/6) for which you will need paperwork from your school.

Simultaneously apply for a re-entry permit (single, 1000 Baht) and then come back before expiry of that extension 3 months later, but I guess you'll then run into problems as you would need again papers from your school for the next extension, which they probably won't give you since you didn't study for the 3 months you were abroad!

Hi fellows, I appreciate the response.

In response to lopburi's reply in particular:

As I was not aniticipating travelling, I only purchased a single-entry visa.

Considering that I most likely will not be back within the 3 month reporting period, would a multiple-entry permit have helped me in this case?

Thanks again

Alex

[lopburi3]

A multi entry could be used anytime during its one year validity to enter Thailand so yes, it would have been to your advantage in this case.

[alexelecom]

A multi entry could be used anytime during its one year validity to enter Thailand so yes, it would have been to your advantage in this case.

Sorry lopburi3, I am a bit fuzzy on this.

In my case, I entered in March 2008. Provided my school would agree to supply all necessary docs:

1. Do you mean if I had obtained an ED visa with multiple-entry permit, I could have come in and out of Thailand an unlimited number of times between now and Mar 2009?

2. And for periods greater than 3 months?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

A multi entry non immigrant visa allows unlimited entry/exit, each stay for up to 90 days, during the year from date of issue.

1. Yes. But each entry would have been limited to 90 days or less.

2. An extension of stay during the last 30 days of the 90 day permitted to stay stamp. This is what you did obtain with your single entry version. With the multi you would have had a choice.