Edu Visa - The Process Time At The Embassy

[mads]

I'm going get myself an education visa and I'm about to book the flight.

I got the paper work etc from the school. My question is how long is the

process time at the embassy ? Is it like a tourist visa, you give them your

passport and pick it up the next day ?

I'm just wondering how many days I need to make sure I get the visa.

Happy new year !

[beechguy]

Many places, it's drop off one morning, pick up the next afternoon. But it would be helpful to know which location you are going to.

[Tod Daniels]

Location is indeed a critical piece of information needed to answer your question with any degree of accuracy.

In the neighboring countries around thailand it is usually' drop off in the morning, pick up the following day in the afternoon sort of process. However with that being said; some places (even in S/E Asia) do offer 'same day service'.

It would be best to either post where you're going or call the thai embassy/consulate yourself to enquire.

FWIW: several years ago I was on an ED visa which I obtained in Vientiane Lao PDR. It was a drop off in the morning; pick up the following afternoon type of procedure.

Keep in mind weekends, and holidays where the consulates are closed do NOT count, so your mileage may vary.

[mads]

Well I was thinking about going to Hong Kong but then again it's too much of a hassle so I think I'm going to Kuala Lumpur.

[languageexpress]

TodD and Beechguy are bang on the money. At most places you should get it back the next working day.

If you study with us we provide student handbooks with embassy lists, maps and “what to do/what to bring” checklists. If by any chance you study with us and Nat didn’t give you the handbook, message me and I’ll have her send it through before you go.

[mads]

Unfortunately I'm not studying with you but I wouldn't mind getting the information

[languageexpress]

Unfortunately I'm not studying with you but I wouldn't mind getting the information

Oh man, I'm probably shooting myself in the foot here ... but send me private message to Thaivisa (and the city your going to) and I'll cut and paste the relevant pages into my reply..if the maps don't come out then try google earth. (And can you do me a favour? Don't hand it over to your school as it took us ages to put the handbook together).

I'll be at my compute for the next 30 minutes or so.

cheers.

[languageexpress]

FWIW: several years ago I was on an ED visa which I obtained in Vientiane Lao PDR. It was a drop off in the morning; pick up the following afternoon type of procedure.

I came on a visa from Sydney in 2007. I hadn't allowed enough processing time and looked like missing my flight. I waited till the end of the mornings session, then spoke with the Thai officer doing the processing. He was gracious enough to do a same day processing. I had a well prepared set of documents, and a letter from a decent sponsor connected to a major temple, but even so, I got lucky...he could have told me to come back the next day.

[crgram]

Well I was thinking about going to Hong Kong but then again it's too much of a hassle so I think I'm going to Kuala Lumpur.

KL worked just as advertised for me in Nov. Get your paper work in order as the KL Thai Embassy web site describes and have local currency in hand. As stated drop off in the morning, pick up the next day at 2 if I recall. If you don't want to wait long, bring an umbrella and arrive at least a half hour early. When you get in the gate stand by the door (not the covered seats), the umbrella is for shade. As long as your paper work is correct out and you get in the front of the line you'll be in and out in 30 min. Be sure and keep the receipt they give you, it's how they find your paper work when you return for pick up. Pick up is fast, but you may still want to arrive early and que at the door.

FYI: I stayed at the Corus about 2k baht per night. You can get cheaper, but it was only about a 10 min walk to the Embassy.

gl

c

[brebs]

At Kuala Lumpur Thai consulate, to get an education visa:

Doors open at 9.30am, although you should join the queue before then. When queueing outside the consulate, bear in mind that it's the side door that opens, rather than the main gates.

Bring a pen, 1 passport photo, visa documentation from the school, and signed photocopies of all the potentially-relevant pages of your passport (i.e. your picture, and anything fairly recent, and even a photocopy of the KL departure card). If in doubt, photocopy it!

We get handed an application form at the consulate entrance. You should immediately join the queue to get a ticket number, and fill out the form *after* getting a ticket number. Many people mistakenly fill out the form first, which means they lose their place in the ticket queue.

Cost is 220 ringgits for a single-entry education visa.

Collect your passport the next day, at 2.30pm.

I stayed at the Corus hotel - it's expensive, but within walkable distance. Just turn left and keep going straight, takes 10-15 minutes walk.

Wear shorts - it's far too hot in KL for trousers! Oh, and it rains *every* afternoon, so be prepared to need an umbrella on the day that you collect the passport.