Ed Visa - Fee For Transit Through Bangkok ?

[niteswim]

Hi

I have a question about my student visa. I arrived in Thailand initially as a tourist, and after 60 days I converted to a student Ed visa, as facilitated by my thai language school.

Can someone please let me know how I travel with this visa. It is single entry. When I exit Thailand I believe I will be charged 1900 baht at immigration, is this is done at the airport when I return to Thailand ?

Also, I was planning on routing some of my flights so that I transit through Bangkok. eg. Go to Hong Kong, then fly back to Bangkok, then fly to Loas. But in this case the Bangkok part is just transit, will I still get charged the immigration fee ? All flights will be with a the same airline (Air Asia).

Thanks

[lopburi3]

1. Do you have an ED visa issued by a Consulate outside of Thailand or a 90 day extension of stay issued by Immigration inside Thailand. Different things.

2. Travel on a single entry visa or an extension of stay requires a re-entry permit be obtained for local immigration office prior to travel. Cost is 1,000 baht single or 3,800 baht multi entry. This keeps your current permitted to stay until stamp alive.

[niteswim]

Hi there

1. The Ed visa was issued by an immigration office inside Thailand. It was all facilitated by my thai language school in Bangkok.

2. Will the re-entry permit be charged if I enter only at the airport, and then immediately catch a flight out again ?

[thaiphoon]

You are here on extension of stay (not a visa). You will need to obtain re-entry permit before leaving Thailand from local immigration office. You cannot obtain at airport. Failure to do so will terminate your permission to stay.

Point to point carriers such as Air Asia do not provide 'transit' services, meaning you have to clear immigration on arrival and then check-in again for onward flight.

[Tod Daniels]

It may also be good for the O/P to know that a re-entry permit is ONLY good for the current extension of stay (90 days), and expires when that extension runs out.

Unless in a given 90 day time frame the O/P is coming in and out of Bangkok multiple times, there is no need to get anything more than a single re-entry permit at the cost of 1900baht.

Hmmm, I see in re-reading the opening post, the O/P wants to use Bangkok as a 'hub' to fly around S/E Asia. I would say a multi-re-entry permit at a cost of 3800baht would be advisable, at least during the time they are touring S/E Asia. This would effectively 'keep alive' their current extension of stay no matter how many times they came in and out of the country during that extension.

Also make sure you are NOT out of the country when your next 90 day extension comes up for renewal. If you come into thailand after your extension expires you will only get the "30 day visa exempt" stamp. That would make you start back at square one with the ED visa process. You can find the date your current extension of stay expires in your passport.

If I might ask, what Language School did you use to convert your tourist visa into the ED visa?

I believe even Mac Walen’s school, (which helped many, many people get ED visas), has had little success in getting tourist visas converted in-country. Most schools provide documentation from the Ministry of Education which requires a trip to a Thai Embassy in a neighboring country to secure the very first single entry 90 day ED visa…

Good Luck...

[niteswim]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the replies - this forum is so helpful Firstly sorry, my mistake about my Visa, it was faciliated by a school in Bangkok, but I did have to go to KL where the visa was issued. Hopefully that should not make a difference to my circumstances of using Bangkok as a 'hub' for my flights.

Just to clear the picture, my 90-day Ed visa extension is due for renewal on the 24 November. I will do the renewal a few days before the due date. Then in December I want to go traveling and use Bangkok as a 'hub' for my flights (cheaper that way thanks to Air Asia).

If I may ask about the multi-re-entry permit which costs 3800baht - Just to confirm thaiphoon's comment that I must get this at an Immigration office BEFORE I leave Thailand - this is correct ? Also, are these multi-re-entry permits normally granted with ease, or is it up to the immigration officer on the day ?

Thanks !!

[Mario2008]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the replies - this forum is so helpful Firstly sorry, my mistake about my Visa, it was faciliated by a school in Bangkok, but I did have to go to KL where the visa was issued. Hopefully that should not make a difference to my circumstances of using Bangkok as a 'hub' for my flights.

Just to clear the picture, my 90-day Ed visa extension is due for renewal on the 24 November. I will do the renewal a few days before the due date. Then in December I want to go traveling and use Bangkok as a 'hub' for my flights (cheaper that way thanks to Air Asia).

If I may ask about the multi-re-entry permit which costs 3800baht - Just to confirm thaiphoon's comment that I must get this at an Immigration office BEFORE I leave Thailand - this is correct ? Also, are these multi-re-entry permits normally granted with ease, or is it up to the immigration officer on the day ?

Thanks !!

A re-entry permit is granted with ease and you have to get one from the immigration office for your area. You can not just shop around.

Be advised that the extension of your stay based on education is based on you studying an average of 4 hours a week. Immigration might question that if you are out of the country a lot.

[niteswim]

Hi !! Thanks for that Ok I do study every week, and I have a one on one tutor. In the first 90 day extension I did not go outside Thailand at all, so I spend the majority of my time here, so hopefully the officials will be cool with that.

One other question if I get the multi re-entry permit, how long will this last for ? Will I be able to use it throughout the 90 days of my extension ?

Thanks !!

[thaiphoon]

Re-entry permit will last for the period of your current permitted to stay period, so obtain after you renew your extension of stay on 24th November and you're good for 90 days from that date.

[niteswim]

Hi everyone, thanks again for your responses !! I really appreciate your time.