Education Visas For My Children

[EmCross]

Hi, I want to apply for 1 year education visas for my two children aged 8 and 10 years old.

We have recently been back to the UK and they have valid tourist visas now until the 29th of May.

I have a non-immigrant B visa with a work permit until October 2008.

My children are in full time education at a bi-lingual school and I have a certificate from the school stating they are in full time education at that school for this academic year.

I asked the school about applying for a education visa for them both but they said that they need a valid visa for a minimum of 21 days before the visa expires and of course they do not have that now as they expire on the 29th of May.

I can not go out with them and get an extention because I only have a single entry visa which I have just used for our trip to the UK.

Does anyone have any advice about how I can get the 1 year education visas for my children?

[lopburi3]

Your dates do not add up - what is your permitted to stay until date? Your post makes it seem like October but you do not obtain more than a 90 day stay on a visa entry.

You can keep your current permitted to stay date and leave/return to Thailand if you buy a re-entry permit prior to departure. Any Immigration sells or you can obtain at airport after check-in.

If the school is OK with it your children can remain on overstay status without any fine being due - most children do this. When they exit there may be a stamp involved but no big deal.

[EmCross]

Thank you lumpuri3,

I have a 1 year non-immigrant B visa which finishes in October it is single entry and I have just been to the UK and got a re-entry visa so mine is fine until October but my kids have been on over-stay for 2 years previously to our recent visit to the UK and I know it is OK but I would much prefer them to have valid education visas and since they are in full time education here I do see why they can not have one.

I would really like to swop their 1 month tourist visas for valid 1 year education visas but don't know what the procedure is.

[snep]

They can both have their tourist visas converted to Non-O they being your dependents. Their visas once converted would also expire together with yours. All you need are their birth certificates authenticated by your embassy, and copies of your visa and work permit of course.

[lopburi3]

They can not convert - they are on 30 day visa exempt entry with less the 21 days remaining from OP. The school has provided the correct information but OP for some reason believes, or believed, he can not leave Thailand. All he needs to do is obtain a new re-entry permit and he can take them out to obtain non immigrant visas - if that is too long a trip a border run to obtain new 30 day entry seems to be all the school will require - but that will involve extra 2,000 baht conversion fee at Immigration before the 1,900 baht extension.

Poster is on a one year extension of stay - not on a visa entry. That also opens path to non immigrant visa and matching extensions of stay as his dependents (with no school involved).

Obtain paperwork from school - obtain re-entry permit for yourself - visit Consulate to obtain non immigrant visas for children - return and then school can help you to obtain the extensions of stay.

[EmCross]

You have have the situation spot on Lopuri3, thanks for the advice I will follow it!

Em

[geovalin]

ED Visa

I have no big additional information. Lopb' has always the perfect advice.

To have been in this process for my granddaughters, I just want to tell that the non imm visa you'll ask for your children in the consulate outside is "ED" for education. They asked me to prove that I have money on my bank account but as you have a work permit it should be easy.

Your kids will have a 3 months ED visas. DO NOT WAIT THE LAST MINUTE to work on the 1 yr extension. The school should help you to obtain a very important letter from the Ministry of Education (if you are in Bangkok). The requirements can be strange and numerous = the process can be long. Then, with this letter and the one from the school (the copy of the school registration), it's only 10 minutes at Suan Phlu.

[lopburi3]

There is no ED visa requirement. They can obtain non immigrant O visas as his dependents based on his one year extension of stay. They can then be extended to match his extension of stay.