Anybody know about getting a visa based on the fact that you study paasaa Thai here? I'm told that if you provide a letter and receipt for school dues to an embassy you can get a 1 year 'educational' visa. I also heard it's easier to get in your home country rather than neighbouring countries embassy.

What is your nationality, age, and what school are you talking about ?

I'm American, 40 years old and want to stay in Thailand and study Thai every day. The school is United, they are one of many schools that use the same corriculum that many schools use, Unity, TLA etc etc. If I get a letter from them with a receipt which shows that I'm paid up through the end of the year, can I get an educational visa? Either in America or possibly in Burma, maybe Burma is easier than the more standard visa run places, Laos, PP etc.

I'm American, 40 years old and want to stay in Thailand and study Thai every day.  The school is United, they are one of many schools that use the same corriculum that many schools use, Unity, TLA etc etc.  If I get a letter from them with a receipt which shows that I'm paid up through the end of the year, can I get an educational visa?  Either in America or possibly in Burma, maybe Burma is easier than the more standard visa run places, Laos, PP etc.

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Apply at the Royal Thai Consulate General in Houston. It can be done by mail or courier. Submit a letter from the school, and request issuance of a multiple entry Non-Immigrant ED visa.

Many of the Thai language schools aren't aware of this ED visa. Here is a link to one that is and uses it to their advantage.

http://www.auathai.com/visa_information.html

I followed the directions in the link above and got a letter from AUA within about 3-4weeks time. I then took that letter to my nearest consulate and got a 3 month visa issued. That was in Honolulu, back in December of 04. However, I was told I 'could' have gotten a one year visa with the letter. Consulate in Honolulu said NO only three months.

Just to know if the one year was possible, while in Denver, visiting family over the Xmas holiday, I called the Thai Consulate there and was told they *would* and *could* issue a one year with that same letter, for the correct fee of course. The 3 month cost me US $50 while the one year would have been US $100.

Also, this you might find nifty, I decided to test the boundaries of visadom a bit once I got to Don Muang and asked them to not use that visa right away- since it was good for three months from the issue date- and be issued a tourist visa first. To my utter surprise and delight they agreed. They asked me to write this out in the form of a request on the back on the tourist visa form and sent me on my way with a 30 tourist stamped on the page opposite the 90 ED.

Oh, and the OP might be interested to know that I hadn't paid for any classes at the time the visa was issued. I'd only expressed my intent to purchase.

Once my thirty days was up I went to Laos and asked the same favor again. They in turn made the same request of me and I wrote again on the back of my second tourist visa to not use the 90 ED visa I had presently in my passport.

One more thing which you will find very amenable: There doesn't seem to be any attempt to verify your studies once you're in-country.

Now, for the sad part of my story. While in Thailand on my second tourist visa you might say I lost sight of the calendar. I not only lost sight of the day when my 90 day ED visa would be invalid but the expiry on my present tourist visa as well. Both had lapsed before i got with the program. I then jumped on aplane to Sigapore where I learned they *do* want verification of your having purchased classes and that they will require two days to return your ED visa to you.

Many of the Thai language schools aren't aware of this ED visa. Here is a link to one that is and uses it to their advantage.

http://www.auathai.com/visa_information.html

I followed the directions in the link above and got a letter from AUA within about 3-4weeks time. I then took that letter to my nearest consulate and got a 3 month visa issued. That was in Honolulu, back in December of 04. However, I was told I 'could' have gotten a one year visa with the letter. Consulate in Honolulu said NO only three months.

Oh, and the OP might be interested to know that I hadn't paid for any classes at the time the visa was issued. I'd only expressed my intent to purchase.

One more thing which you will find very amenable: There doesn't seem to be any attempt to verify your studies once you're in-country.

Thanks for this, I looked at the link. I'll ask my school to issue a letter for me and provide me with a receipt for a number of months in advance to give me some legitamacy. Will give it a go in Myanma.

Many of the Thai language schools aren't aware of this ED visa. Here is a link to one that is and uses it to their advantage.

http://www.auathai.com/visa_information.html

I followed the directions in the link above and got a letter from AUA within about 3-4weeks time. I then took that letter to my nearest consulate and got a 3 month visa issued. That was in Honolulu, back in December of 04. However, I was told I 'could' have gotten a one year visa with the letter. Consulate in Honolulu said NO only three months.

Oh, and the OP might be interested to know that I hadn't paid for any classes at the time the visa was issued. I'd only expressed my intent to purchase.

One more thing which you will find very amenable: There doesn't seem to be any attempt to verify your studies once you're in-country.

Thanks for this, I looked at the link. I'll ask my school to issue a letter for me and provide me with a receipt for a number of months in advance to give me some legitamacy. Will give it a go in Myanma.

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Burma might not be too easy to get a one year visa. As they say here, Up2U

I agree with the Doc! I'd think the junta chumps wouldn't be cooperative at all.

I agree with the Doc! I'd think the junta chumps wouldn't be cooperative at all.

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It seems everyone there gets juntaitus

Yes sirree! And juntaitus, left untreated leaves them Juntaied

my thai language school headmaster said she never had any student who got better than 6 months educational visa.

The OP has gone missing.