Non-immigrant Ed Visa Extension

[srs]

Hi all.

I study Thai for almost a year now and stay in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant ED (issued beginning of Jan 2008, enter before end of Jan 2009).

Now it is time for an extension/renewal/new Visa since I have been to Suan Plu on this visa three times already.

Currently I am allowed to stay in Thailand until January 2.

So my questions are (provided I have all the necessary documents from the school):

1. Do I have to leave the country to get a new ED visa or can that also be done at Suan Plu?

2. January 2 is not a very good date for any trip due to New Year .....

2a. Is it possible to extend the ED Visa for e.g. a week at Suan Plu to "buy" some time

2b. Or could it be an option to go to e.g. Vientiane and apply for a Tourist Visa and then to a later date go back to the school, enroll again and apply for a new ED visa?

I am just wondering if the kind of Visa a person has does have any affect on the next visa grant.

In my case I started with a triple entry tourist visa (doing extensions at Suan Plu plus visa runs) and now I have the ED visa.

Is it maybe a disadvantage to get a Tourist Visa (in the best case a double entry) now and then six months later enroll at the school again and apply for the ED?

Or is it maybe already difficult to get a (single/double entry) tourist visa after the ED expired?

Thanks a lot

[Maestro]

No need to get a new non-ED visa. As long as you continue your study of the Thai language the school can give you the usual paperwork for 90-day extensions as you have done the last three times. You can apply for your new extension any time during the last 30 days of you current permission to stay.

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Maestro

[srs]

Thanks Maestro for you quick answer.

So you are saying that as long as I have the paperwork from my school I just have to to go to Suan Plu as I used to do.

It makes no difference if one year is over or not?

And the "enter before" date on the visa has no affect on that?

Well, that would be great but it sounds to good ...

[Mario2008]

The visa and permision to stay are two seperate things.

The visa is a permit to come to thailand and ask for permission to enter. Nothing more. This in your case you have to do before Jan. '09. When you ask for permission the immigration official can do 2 things: deny you entry or give you permission to stay. You now have a permission to stay and this permission will be extended. Not the visa, as you are already in the country.

What is a visa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_(document)

[Maestro]

See also this information on the website of the Immigration Bureau:

www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/content/visaxpiredate.html

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Maestro