Running Out Of Time On My No-ed Visaprocess

[sukkha]

Hi,

There is a looooong post warning in advance here since I find myself in a bit of a bind with the sand running down in my egg timer.

I came to Thailand last Sept. (2009) on a multi-entry tourist visa, which with two extensions at Laksi was good for me until the end of Feb. (2010). My intention has been to get a Non-Imm-Ed visa learning how to speak Thai at a local language school here in Bangkok. I got my paperwork at the end of Jan. to apply for my NO-Ed visa. I went to Vientiane at the end of Jan. and got my visa. Stamped back into Thailand on Jan. 31st until Apr. 30th. So far so good, but here is where things go a little sour.

I admit I was not as diligent as I should have been looking into the exact process involved, and the language school neglected to tell me that after I got my NO-Ed visa that I needed to come back to them so they can apply for a letter from the Ministry of Ed for me to get my "real" visa when I go to Laksi again at the end of April.

I was actually reading a post on ThaiVisa.com about this paperwork and made enquiries to the language school on Apr. 9th (Friday) when they confirmed that yes they needed me to come in to get 3 copies of the visa in my passport to send to the Ministry of Ed. for the letter I need to take with me on Apr. 30th to Laksi, except they informed me it generally takes 4 weeks to get this letter, and one week this month is a total wipe out as far as any work is concerned with Songkran.

I spent the better part of my Friday at Laksi enquiring about what kind of extension option I might have so I do not have to leave and null-and-void my NO-Ed visa, but the only option I was informed about was a 7 day extension for 1900 Baht.

So my first question about this 7 day extension is: is it really 7 days or more like 5 or 6 days when they give it to you. I know that when you get a 30 day visa it is really just 28 or 29 days, and so if you keep reading you will realize why it is crucial for me to calculate these days exactly, and so if the 7 day extension is truly 6 days then I have to accommodate.

The language school told me they would get started on my paperwork for the Ministry of Ed on the 20th of April (Tuesday after Songkran) because there is nothing they can do until that date because Monday (12th), although they (the school) are open the one girl who can do the paperwork is taking that day off, and when she comes back on the 19th she will not be able to get the paperwork done because it cannot be done on the first day back from such a long holiday. I will not get into my thoughts about the school or the people working there, I am just hoping they will do their genuine best to get this letter as quickly as possible.

To make matters worse, I go back to Canada for a holiday on May 21st, so I need to stay until then with the least amount of resistance as possible, that is the cheapest, yet easiest avenue for staying in Thailand.

I have already prepared for the fact that the letter from the Ministry of Ed will not come in time, even with a 7 day extension and I may have to apply for the NO-Ed visa once again. Because of my upcoming trip to Canada so I thought it would be best to get the NO-Ed visa done there this time costing me no additional money except for the visa. So now I am faced with how to stay long enough in Thailand until the 21st of May, with my visa expiring on Apr. 30th.

I think if I leave for a day trip to Cambodia and back I will only be issued a 15 day visa, is that correct, and if so, again is it really 15 days or 13 or 14 days? Best case: 7 days + 15 days = 22 days which would be exactly perfect to allow me to stay without additional penalty until I leave to go to Canada. Unfortunately I have come to learn best case is not often the case for me.

A friend did make the great suggestion that if I need to I will cross over into Cambodia and stay for a night or two, or three if I need to to make the 7 day extension and 15 day border run visa work until the 21st.

Does this sound like my best option? I have thought about just going home to Canada and applying for another multi-entry tourist visa and re-doing this whole thing over with more knowledge and experience, so hopefully right this time. But, I really did enjoy my trip to Laos so I would rather avoid that avenue to be honest. I am also concerned that my passport with tourist visa, with extensions, a NO-Ed visa I let expire, 7 day extension and a 15 day border run visa is all going to look suspiciously like I am not making a real effort to stay in Thailand with genuine intentions, if that makes sense. In other words do you think I will run into any problems applying for a second NO-Ed visa having already let one lapse?

Sorry to have had to write up such a long post, but I am hoping to get some good advice and or confirmation from those who know much more about the Thailand visa process than what I obviously do. I hope I have not incited anyone to flame me, I know I was not as smart as I should have been, so live and learn right? Right now I am just in need of some learning.

[Mario2008]

If you leave and -reneter, the last day of your stay and the first day of your new stay will always be overlapping, so not ED-visa + 15 + 7. But Ed-visa + 14 + 6. You will need to stay some days outside of Thailand or make 2 border runs.

[mizzi39]

You have the non ed visa which you received in January, which i believe is good for 3 months. Before that 3 months runs out you need to get the 1 year extension from immigration.

Yes, you can cross over into Cambodia, and return with 15 days, and then repeat this. A friend of mine does this all the time. I don't know why though. He has been coming to Thailand for 7 years. On his last visit I suggested that he get a tourist visa in the states to save the hassle of border runs.

Crossing over into Cambodia a couple of times should not draw any "suspicion", just keep in mind that if your visa is still valid prior to doing this it will become null and void once you leave LOS without a re-entry permit.

You should have no problem getting a new Ed visa in Canada from your consulate assuming that you have a letter from the school. Just make sure that you keep on top of the 1 year extension, before the 3 month window is up.

Good luck!

[lopburi3]

He can not obtain a one year extension of stay for casual language school course. And he already said he did not have the paperwork for any extension of stay. He will require border crossings. But he might be able to make an air discount trip for about the same cost and get a 30 day entry so only have to do one time. That would be the best option.

[mizzi39]

Sorry, it was a long post. I should have read it a little more closely. Lopburi and Mario know, and always gives sound advice.

[sukkha]

He can not obtain a one year extension of stay for casual language school course. And he already said he did not have the paperwork for any extension of stay. He will require border crossings. But he might be able to make an air discount trip for about the same cost and get a 30 day entry so only have to do one time. That would be the best option.

hi again, and thanks for the replies. 

I thought I would give the 7 day extension a try just in case the letter from the Ministry of Ed shows up during that 7 day extension period. If so, "I think," but I am not sure I can then still go to Laksi to extend the visa I got in Vientiane back at the end of January. So, the 1900baht I thought would be better spent that way just in case.

Lopburi: I am assuming (again, sheesh!) you meant a cheap flight equalling or being less than the cost of the 7 day extension (1900 baht) plus the cost of heading to and spending a couple of days in Cambodia before returning to BKK? Or perhaps not?

What kind of cheap flights should I be on the look out for?

Also, I appreciate the explanation about the overlapping dates, but can anyone tell me exactly, or perhaps it is not an exact science with the Thai Immigration yet, if I get a 7 day extension on (Friday) the 30th of April, is that extension good until (Thursday) May the 8th or (Friday) the 9th?

And then, sorry to make this child-basic, but I got into this mess by assuming... if I have to head to Cambodia on the 8th or 9th of May and come back on a 15 day border run visa, so that I can stay until May 21st, which is the day I leave to go to Canada for a couple of weeks, can I enter Thailand again on the 8th or 9th of May?

thanks again

[lopburi3]

You need more than 15 days - each border run would be at least 2,000 baht and believe you may find a flight for a 30 day stay in the same 4,000 baht range (although have not checked them) and less work/additional expense involved. AirAsia type flight to KL and back (or whatever is cheapest).

You may not be able to obtain a 7 day extension without proof of air ticket out within that time.