Extended Stay Options, Non Imm-o Or Ed?

[ghiakarmann]

Hello all,

I'm trying to put together the final pieces of my puzzle, and I'm hoping they'll all fit! I've already perused the forums and tried various searches, it seems like I have ideas but no clear solution.

Simply put, I'm a USA citizen currently in Thailand on a 60 day Tourist Visa (extended 30 days till the end of Sept.) and I love this place. I'd like to stay longer, just be a tourist with as few restrictions as possible. I'm in my mid-thirties, no Thai wife (nor am I looking!) and I'd like to minimize the waste of time and cost on visa runs every 90 days if possible. While I'm here, I'm hoping to learn to be a SCUBA Divemaster though I don't plan on actually working here when its done.

I've been told by some of my friends at the local dive shops that they've gotten Educational Visas simply by applying by mail to their Embassy/Consulate, using only a letter from a Thai dive shop stating that the shop is willing to train them to become a divemaster or Instructor. Company letterhead, TAT license #, etc, but thats all.

When I read up on the actual requirements though it seems like the consulates will demand a lot more than this, namely that the school where I'd be learning from would have to be registered with the Ministry of Education, or that I'd actually have to get a personal letter from the MOE. Further, they only list sources of education like Government, Private or International Universities. What do people use when they want to learn something like SCUBA, where its not taught as an accredited University? The most appropriate entry I find is for "Private School", and for requirements they list: "The school's registration papers. School principal and administrator's license". At a dive shop? Not likely!

This seems to be a disconnect from what I've been told by locals who have gone through the process. Its possible that their experiences are simply from a few years ago and the rules have changed, or they went through a particularly lenient Embassy. (Hull, in England)

Also, some places state that I must apply for an Education Visa from my home country, where other websites state that it simply has to be applied for outside of Thailand. Assuming that I can get all the other paperwork together can I simply go to Kuala Lumpur or similar, pop by an Embassy and reasonably expect to receive a Education Visa?

Given my circumstances, should I be considering a different type of Visa? Non-Imm O or something along that vein? Remember, all I want to do is stay a while in Thailand without having to jump through too many hoops.

Finally, one of my good friends back home in the States is thrilled with my descriptions of Thailand and is thinking of following in my footsteps. Everything I've read seems like it would be easier for him to apply for a Visa before he leaves. His nearest Embassy is not at all close by, and its likely he'll be mailing his passport and Visa application to the Embassy. I don't know what kind of problems could pop up in this non-face-to-face transaction. Other than double checking paperwork, anything else he can do to make things go smoothly? (no, I'm not talking about "accidentally" dropping some extra money in the envelope!)

One last thing, on the website for his local embassy they offer the option of a single entry or multi-entry. Obviously the Multi is preferred, but they don't go into ANY detail about how one qualifies for it. The Multi is more expensive, do you simply send a larger check and ask for the Multi, without providing any clarification for why you need it? And what happens if the Multi is denied but a single entry is approved, will they issue a refund on the difference? Return the big check and demand a smaller one for the correct amount?

Thank you all in advance for your advice!

[ubonjoe]

You will not get a multiple entry ED visa at any nearby consulate for dive training or anything else. The same story for a non O visa.

The nearest place you can possibly get one is Perth Australia. You can also get a multiple entry non O to visit friends/family there.

You could get one in the States at most honorary Thai consulates (not the embassy or the 4 official consulates) for diving with just the documents you wrote about. List of honorary consulates can be found here by using the pull down menu at top of page. http://www.thaiembdc.org/AboutEmb/EmbDirect.aspx Your friend or you should contact one of them (Houston is a good choice) by email about getting the ED visa they will tell you if they will issue the visa or not so you don't have to worry about the refund factor.

If you can't make it to Perth you should travel a bit further for your tourist visa and get a 2 entry in Vientiane Laos (free until March).

[ghiakarmann]

You could get one in the States at most honorary Thai consulates (not the embassy or the 4 official consulates) for diving with just the documents you wrote about.

Funny you should bring up honorary consulates, I only just heard about such a thing only this morning. So, please forgive my ignorance. What is the deal with honorary consulates, they're just a bit more lax on regulations? You've given me something good to think about, I particularly like the idea that my friend can contact them directly and get a solid answer before he wastes sending off his passport and check in the mail.

Just curious, (and I'll have to do some searched on the forum) but why Houston? Stories of particularly easy transactions through them?

The nearest place you can possibly get one (ED/O Visas) is Perth Australia.

Well, its not completely outside the realm of possibities considering my finances, but why Perth? Seems an odd choice. They wouldn't be happy helping me in a neighboring country but as long as I physically distance myself from the Thai border they're more accomodating?

While I don't doubt the wisdom of your advice, I don't think I can gamble the cost of the trip that they -might- approve me in Perth. Any chance I can directly get in touch with any Honorary Consulates in Australia like my buddy can do in the states?

If you can't make it to Perth you should travel a bit further for your tourist visa and get a 2 entry in Vientiane Laos

I'll have to look into that as well, thus far I'd not considered Laos at all. Any good reason why they're issuing 2 entry visas there and not anywhere else close by, or just another quirk of Thai immigration?

Thanks again for all the advice!

[Lite Beer]

Honorary Consulates rely on Visa issuing for their income , while Embassies are funded by their Governments.

[Maestro]

The impression I have gained is that because government-staffed consulates have a myriad of other, really important duties their staff consider rubber-stamping passports below their dignity and therefore discourage visa applications by making the process very difficult and refuse visas unnecessarily.

Honorary consulates are customer-friendly and readily issue visas in accordance with the guidelines they have been given.

--

Maestro

[ubonjoe]

You could get one in the States at most honorary Thai consulates (not the embassy or the 4 official consulates) for diving with just the documents you wrote about.

Funny you should bring up honorary consulates, I only just heard about such a thing only this morning. So, please forgive my ignorance. What is the deal with honorary consulates, they're just a bit more lax on regulations? You've given me something good to think about, I particularly like the idea that my friend can contact them directly and get a solid answer before he wastes sending off his passport and check in the mail.

Just curious, (and I'll have to do some searched on the forum) but why Houston? Stories of particularly easy transactions through them?

The nearest place you can possibly get one (ED/O Visas) is Perth Australia.

Well, its not completely outside the realm of possibities considering my finances, but why Perth? Seems an odd choice. They wouldn't be happy helping me in a neighboring country but as long as I physically distance myself from the Thai border they're more accomodating?

While I don't doubt the wisdom of your advice, I don't think I can gamble the cost of the trip that they -might- approve me in Perth. Any chance I can directly get in touch with any Honorary Consulates in Australia like my buddy can do in the states?

If you can't make it to Perth you should travel a bit further for your tourist visa and get a 2 entry in Vientiane Laos

I'll have to look into that as well, thus far I'd not considered Laos at all. Any good reason why they're issuing 2 entry visas there and not anywhere else close by, or just another quirk of Thai immigration?

Thanks again for all the advice!

You will not get an ED visa for diving from the embassy or the 4 official consulates. They are a bunch of government employees and do not waiver from the official line.

Houston because of mine and others experiences. Portland is reported to be helpful also. They normally give same day turnarounds for mail in applications. The official ones????

Perth is also an honorary consulate. See this report about them issuing non o's http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Non-Visa-Run...ml&hl=perth

You will find that every consulate or embassy does things there own way. Vientiane has been consistent about issuing 2 entry visas for a while. Others it has been on and off. Now Penang has gone sour on giving visas if you have gotten one before from them and gotten an extension or have 3 of them.

[ghiakarmann]

Ok, all good info! One other question: I noticed there is a good sample letter pinned in the drop down menus for applying for a non-imm B visa, any chance someone has a similar sample letter for applying for a ED visa? If not, any advice on what to include (and what not to include) in such a letter if my friend and I continue on this path and try to get our ED visas for SCUBA?

Some great stuff here, I've got a good bit more reading ahead of me. Thanks again, and anything else I'll need to worry about?

[ubonjoe]

Just have the shop write a letter stating that you are enrolled in a course of study to be a dive master for for X number of months. It would also be good if it stated that you had already paid for it. Letter should be signed by the owner, managing director or somebody with some other important sounding title.

Also I hope you are planning on a trip to the States. Don't even think about sending your friend your passport for him to get you a visa. That would be illegal and you will be caught when you try to use it without a departure stamp from Thailand corresponding to when the visa was issued.

You can get your visa in Perth and will find that the airfare is much less than a trip to the states. Check Air Asia for flights from KL to there and here to KL.

[ghiakarmann]

Just have the shop write a letter stating that you are enrolled in a course of study to be a dive master for for X number of months. It would also be good if it stated that you had already paid for it. Letter should be signed by the owner, managing director or somebody with some other important sounding title.

Also I hope you are planning on a trip to the States. Don't even think about sending your friend your passport for him to get you a visa. That would be illegal and you will be caught when you try to use it without a departure stamp from Thailand corresponding to when the visa was issued.

Good advice on the letter, shouldn't be too hard. Wasn't hoping to have to go back to the States, lotta $$$. Perth might be an option, if I can get in contact with the Honorary Consulate and get some assurance that I won't be "screwed" by some unforseen issue when I show up.

Oh, and while I'd briefly considered the whole "mail my passport home" idea, moments later I recalled the existing stamps showing I'm still in Thailand! So yes, I realize thats not an option.

I do have a friend here who claims he had his Swedish girlfriend send her Swedish passport via mail to Hull, England and successfully got an educational visa. She wasn't in Thailand at the time, but I'm still amazed they were so lax that they'd do the visa even for a non-Brit. Ahh well.

Thanks again!