My Current Ed Visa: Changing Study From Language To Scuba Diving

[jayjay2001]

Hi everyone,

I currently have a single entry 1 year ED visa that I got in Cambodia March 20, 2009. My next 90 day visit is scheduled for March 13, 2010. I have been studying Thai on this ED visa. In May, I am wanting to switch from learning Thai to a scuba internship that lasts for 8 months.

I've done a Thai Visa search to find the answer to some questions I have, but didn't come up with anything clear and particular to my situation.

So, does anyone know the answers to these questions?:

--Can I somehow use my current ED visa and switch over to learning scuba diving?

--If not, and I have to get a new ED visa, I am told by the scuba school that getting an ED visa for scuba diving in a neighboring country (e.g., Cambodia, Laos) is "pretty much impossible," but people haven't had any problems obtaing the scuba ED visa from their home country (which is the US for me). Has any one ever been staying in Thailand, and then gone to a neighboring country to get a scuba ED visa?

Thanks for any help.

JJ

[Maestro]

If the non-Ed visa you obtained from a consulate in Cambodia in March 2009 is, as you say, valid for one year from its date of issue you have to make a border run at least every 90 days and you are free to use it for an unlimited number of entries into Thailand until the day before the visa’s expiration date, regardless of what you study or whether you study anything at all. Your reference to “90 day visit” makes no sense for the holder of a multiple-entry non-Ed visa.

--

Maestro

[jayjay2001]

Maestro,

Thank you kindly for taking the time to reply and for your info. A couple of things just for clarification and question:

--You mention a "non-ED" visa. I do have an ED visa (1 year, single entry); I think you just made a typo writing "non-ED," and do understand that I have an ED visa.

--I've never had to do any border runs with my ED visa. I simply check in with the immigration office every 90 days (without having to leave the country), submit papers from my language school with my passport, pay my 1900 baht fee, and get my visa OK'd for another 90 days. (This is what I meant by the "90 day visit.")

--From what I am understanding from your post, I can study scuba under my current ED visa (that is, I can switch from studying language to scuba), even though the original visa was based on papers from the language school. (Is this correct?) Wouldn't I now need papers from the scuba school for the 90 day check-ins? Every 90 day check-in thus far I've needed papers from my language school attesting to the fact that I am still studying with them.

Thanks again for your info.

JJ

[monty]

Jay,

It seems the scuba school is not accredited by the ministry of education.

Basically to get an ED visa the school needs to get papers for you from the ministry of education, which you use to get your visa at an embassy/consulate.

It does not make sense that they would say that you can get the visa at home, but not in neighboring countries. If they supply you with the ministry of education paperwork, any embarrass/consulate will issue the visa.

Embassies/consulates in your home country are usually more lenient in issuing non immigrant visa's, but believe non will issue the ED type unless you have proper paperwork., it is however very well possible that a friendly conulate will issue you with a multiple non immigrant O type visa when showing paerwork from the scuba school.

This visa will however require you to do a border run every 90 days.

[jayjay2001]

Monty,

Thanks for your post. Can you tell me why the non-immigrant O-visa would apply here? I checked the info from the Thai embassy (Washington, DC) web page for non-immigrant O-visa and didn't see the relevance for scuba diving (I do see the relevance, however, with the ED visa):

Info from Thai Embassy (Washington, DC) web page on O-visa:

<Non-Immigrant Visa Category "O">

(1) Foreigners who wish to stay with family in Thailand must provide the following documents:

· If you are a former Thai citizen, proof of Thai citizen such as Thai passport, Thai identification card, Thai house register or Thai birth certificate

· If you want to visit as a spouse or family member (son or daughter), proof of relationship such as a copy of marriage license or birth certificate with a proof that your spouse or family member is a Thai citizen

(2) Foreigners who wish to perform duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to receive medical treatment in Thailand must provide the following documents:

· Letter of invitation or acceptance from the concerned companies/ organizations or institutes with business registration or business license

(3) Foreigners who wish to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process in Thailand must provide the following documents:

· Letter of invitation or acceptance from the Thai Government or concern organizations Visa

Thanks again,

JJ

[monty]

Actually the O stands for other, so much more reasons then the one stated in your post.

But it really depends on the issuing authority.

One often used reason is visiting friends in Thailand, Hull consulate issues for this reason without any paperwork, Perth for example wants a copy of a Thai ID card along with a note by that person inviting you to visit.

As you seem to be American, I'm not sure which is the easiest consulate in the states, sure others can help you there.

Indeed there is relevance with the ED visa, but to be able to get this visa you need paperwork from the ministry of education, and this can only be done by schools accredited by them.

[jayjay2001]

OK, I understand. Thanks again for all your info.

JJ

[merijn]

Officially you are not allowed to change the type of study on your current ED visa as the ED visa is given on basis of the language school papers.

You always (normally ) get a single entry ( most of the time an 90 day’s ) ED visa form the Embassy/Consulate for to be able to enter the country and to start the education.

After which you can extend the ED visa at the immigration office in Thailand as long you have to correct paperwork from a recognized school.

They will give you not an extension for diving schools as they are not recognized by the Thai government. ( again, normally, if you can find a nice immigration officer everything is possible )

Maybe you can get an ED visa for diving at a Thai embassy or Consulate but I don’t know this for sure.

[jayjay2001]

Hey merijn,

That seems logical and correct, that is, not being able to change to another subject of study with my ED visa since it was originally processed with the language school documents. Since it may be very true that an ED visa from a neighboring country to Thailand, e.g., Cambodia, Laos, etc., for scuba training is not a possibility (as told to me by the scuba school), and I don't wish to fly back to my country of origin (USA) to get an ED visa for scuba training, my other option is to simply continue with the Thai language training while I also do the scuba training. While this might not be the optimal situation (the language learning would take up 6 hours per week), it would provide a continuation of my current ED visa (the upside would be a continuation of learning Thai in a class setting). Fortunately, there's a language school in Koh Tao where I'm interested in for the scuba training. I've got an email out to them to see if they are registered with the Ministry of Ed.; if they're not, there is also the option of scuba training in Phuket where there is definitely a language school there that is registered with the MOE.

Anyhow, I'm rambling a bit. Thanks for your info!

JJ

[merijn]

Unofficially that would be the best option.

Use the ED visa for the language school and use it ( also ) for your scuba training.

It depends how long the scuba training takes off-course as the language school will not give you the papers for a second time ( I think ) while you do not attend the classes or pay for it.

For so far I know there are no diving schools what so ever recognized by the government.

According to them, diving is for fun and not a real education for which you get a ED visa.

Even a lot of language schools are not recognized as they do not qualify by the standards set by the Thai government.

[DegenFarang]

Sort of related but not answered here:

I'm going to be switching from a Thai language school to a Thai University. Still an ED visa but a different 'sponsor' or whatever you would call it. Would I simply need to present paperwork from the University when I go to renew my visa at Immigration in Bangkok? Or would I need to leave the country and get a new ED Visa?

[jayjay2001]

Unofficially that would be the best option.

Use the ED visa for the language school and use it ( also ) for your scuba training.

It depends how long the scuba training takes off-course as the language school will not give you the papers for a second time ( I think ) while you do not attend the classes or pay for it.

For so far I know there are no diving schools what so ever recognized by the government.

According to them, diving is for fun and not a real education for which you get a ED visa.

Even a lot of language schools are not recognized as they do not qualify by the standards set by the Thai government.

Hi merijn,

Just for clarification: In my last post I meant to communicate that I would be taking the scuba training while at the same time paying for and taking Thai classes. This might be a lot to do at the same time, but perhaps a solution (albeit, not an optimal one) to the Visa issue.

[merijn]

Yes i understood that and that was also the unofficial solution i was talking about.

If you actually go to the Thai classes is off-course up to you.

[merijn]

Sort of related but not answered here:

I'm going to be switching from a Thai language school to a Thai University. Still an ED visa but a different 'sponsor' or whatever you would call it. Would I simply need to present paperwork from the University when I go to renew my visa at Immigration in Bangkok? Or would I need to leave the country and get a new ED Visa?

Take the paperwork from the new Thai University with you when you apply for the ED extension.

You will get ( or not ) the extension based on the new papers, they don't recheck the old application papers which you used for the old ED visa.

make sure that the University is explaining that the study would take a year ( if thats the case ) in their papers which you are using for the extension.

Otherwise it is possible that you wil get only a 3 month extension after which you have to reapply again for a new extension.

[tombkk]

Sort of related but not answered here:

I'm going to be switching from a Thai language school to a Thai University. Still an ED visa but a different 'sponsor' or whatever you would call it. Would I simply need to present paperwork from the University when I go to renew my visa at Immigration in Bangkok? Or would I need to leave the country and get a new ED Visa?

You don't need to leave the country. When you leave the Thai language school, they have to report this (I believe to immigration), and your current extension of stay is cancelled. However, at that time you should already have the paperwork from the university in place, so that the visa is switched over to the university.

Very much like when you are here on a business visda and work permit, and you change from one company to the other.

The problem here is to get the letter from the university in time, as they are bureaucracies that don't work too fast. You can ask the language school to wait with their report to immigration.

[tombkk]

Unofficially that would be the best option.

Use the ED visa for the language school and use it ( also ) for your scuba training.

It depends how long the scuba training takes off-course as the language school will not give you the papers for a second time ( I think ) while you do not attend the classes or pay for it.

For so far I know there are no diving schools what so ever recognized by the government.

According to them, diving is for fun and not a real education for which you get a ED visa.

Even a lot of language schools are not recognized as they do not qualify by the standards set by the Thai government.

You don't need an ED visa for scuba diving. ;-)

I second the suggestion to continue going to the language school, as the ED visa is based on full-time learning. Full-time is defined as so many hours per week. If he doesn't go to school, they have to report him as otherwise they will risk their status as an approved institution for the ED visa. And I wouldn't know of any diving school that has this accreditation.

So, officially (not unofficially) this is the solution. Learn scuba diving while going to language school and learning Thai, take the best of both worlds and be legal at the same time!

[jayjay2001]

You don't need an ED visa for scuba diving. ;-)

I second the suggestion to continue going to the language school, as the ED visa is based on full-time learning. Full-time is defined as so many hours per week. If he doesn't go to school, they have to report him as otherwise they will risk their status as an approved institution for the ED visa. And I wouldn't know of any diving school that has this accreditation.

So, officially (not unofficially) this is the solution. Learn scuba diving while going to language school and learning Thai, take the best of both worlds and be legal at the same time!

Sounds like the best solution to me. Thanks for the input!

[LPCustom69]

Unofficially that would be the best option.

Use the ED visa for the language school and use it ( also ) for your scuba training.

It depends how long the scuba training takes off-course as the language school will not give you the papers for a second time ( I think ) while you do not attend the classes or pay for it.

For so far I know there are no diving schools what so ever recognized by the government.

According to them, diving is for fun and not a real education for which you get a ED visa.

Even a lot of language schools are not recognized as they do not qualify by the standards set by the Thai government.

You don't need an ED visa for scuba diving. ;-)

I second the suggestion to continue going to the language school, as the ED visa is based on full-time learning. Full-time is defined as so many hours per week. If he doesn't go to school, they have to report him as otherwise they will risk their status as an approved institution for the ED visa. And I wouldn't know of any diving school that has this accreditation.

So, officially (not unofficially) this is the solution. Learn scuba diving while going to language school and learning Thai, take the best of both worlds and be legal at the same time!

Does 6 hours a week qualify as full time language learning?

[thaiphoon]

A Non-ED visa does not have to be based on full-time learning. The minimum requirement for language schools is 4 hours a week of study.