Ed Visa ?

[newlife]

Good afternoon

I went to the General Thai Consulat in Zurich this morning and asked them about the ED Visa.

They told me that they would only issue it for an exchange student who would study in a university in Thailand and not for somebody who would like to study Thai in a Thai language school in Thailand.

Can anyone help me with this? Are there any other options, I am not aware of (apart from applying for a retirement visa) ? I am a Swiss citizen with a Swiss passport.

Thank you very much in advance for your help. Looking forward to your comments.

Your website helps me to get organized for my forthcoming move to Thailand.

New Life

[lopburi3]

Options for what? You can study on any entry so ED is not vital to be able to study. Or are you trying to stay for a long period? You say forget retirement so you are under 50? Without knowing what you want it is rather hard to suggest anything. Some idea of age is always useful. And long term plans/abilities/support source and such.

[Colabamumbai]

If you have paid a Thai language school here in Thailand and they have sent you the documents from their school and the Education Ministry, to take to the Embassy I cannot see how they can refuse you. I think maybe you just went their and told them you wanted a visa to study Thai here.

[newlife]

Options for what? You can study on any entry so ED is not vital to be able to study. Or are you trying to stay for a long period? You say forget retirement so you are under 50? Without knowing what you want it is rather hard to suggest anything. Some idea of age is always useful. And long term plans/abilities/support source and such.

Thank you very much for your reply.

Okay, what I would like to do is the following:

I would like to stay in Thailand for about 1 year and seriously study Thai. I checked some of the Thai langugage schools and have also found one which I like (travelled a lot in Thailand over the last 30 years). I am almost 50 years old and could apply for a retirement visa within the next few weeks.

Money is not a problem.

The original plan was to stay in Bangkok for one year and get a retirement visa and study Thai in Bangkok. Due to the current situation in Thailand, I am thinking of changing my plans and study Thai outside of Bangkok. Most of the Thai Language schools advertise that you would get a ED visa if you study at least 4 hours per week, regardless of age.

What is your experience? Once I have all the papers together (paid the school) and go to the Consulat, will they issue a ED visa?

Could I go to Thailand on a 30 days stay and apply for a ED visa once I am in Thailand?

Thank you very much for your help.

Best regards

[Colabamumbai]

Yes sign up with thailanguagesolutions.com for a six month education visa, your course will be over in about 3 months and they will give you the documents for immigration to give you another 90 days you pay 1,900 bhat or you can leave the country and do a visa run to get your additional 90 days. Last year the course was $12,500 bhat. It may be more now.

Or sign up for a one year course at any school and every three months the school will give you the papers to take to immigration to renew the visa. Whether it is a private school that offers the visa or lets say Chaing Mai University, $30,000 bhat for the one year course, visa etc. About $1,000. Canadian dollars, for Chaing Mai University one year course.

The initial visa must be obtained outside of Thailand with the paperwork from the school and Education Ministry, the school sends you all the documents upon payment by registered mail, you take all the documents to your local Thai Embassy or Consulate and it is a done deal, you pay a small fee for them to issue you the visa. Ie. 6 months $70.00 one year $160.00.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Colabamumbai

[Colabamumbai]

I told the Thai consulate that although the Ed. Visa papers were for 6 months that I had lived in Thailand a lot in the 70's and was interested in retiring here, Im 59, they said ok, as long as you don't mind paying a little extra for the one year visa we will give you a one year Ed. Visa. So here I am finished the course, speak enough Thai to get around, have been here 5 months and am getting ready to do my first visa run. At any time I could change this visa to a marriage or retirement visa as long as I have sufficient funds in the bank here to support either applications.

[lopburi3]

For the ED visa you should have paperwork so expect that is what was missing during your Consular visit. If you can obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa (being over age 50 and checking out retirement options) you could easily extend for a year after 60 days hers and continue to do so by meeting the 800k/65k or combination needed. No exits of country of three month extensions of stay and no requirements to study at any specific school or area.

If not available there such a visa should be available nearby to Thailand.

Edited June 15, 2010 by lopburi3
add sentence.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Some of the Thai Embassy/Consulates would have their own special rules and regulation which stipulated by the Thai’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in granting certain type of visa. It is sorry to learn that Thai Consulate in Zurich would only grant Non-Immigrant “ED” Visa only to the Exchange Student Programs.

Better to apply at other Consulates or another Thai Embassy in Europe. But please be informed that in order for you to apply for this type of visa category. Part of the required documents would be the letter of acceptance from that Education Institute admitting you to the course. That letter should provide the course description (curriculum) as well as confirming that your tuition fees have been fully paid. Other supporting documents that would be required would be from the Education Institute confirming of their status.

[sunbelt][/sunbelt]

[newlife]

Yes sign up with thailanguagesolutions.com for a six month education visa, your course will be over in about 3 months and they will give you the documents for immigration to give you another 90 days you pay 1,900 bhat or you can leave the country and do a visa run to get your additional 90 days. Last year the course was $12,500 bhat. It may be more now.

Or sign up for a one year course at any school and every three months the school will give you the papers to take to immigration to renew the visa. Whether it is a private school that offers the visa or lets say Chaing Mai University, $30,000 bhat for the one year course, visa etc. About $1,000. Canadian dollars, for Chaing Mai University one year course.

The initial visa must be obtained outside of Thailand with the paperwork from the school and Education Ministry, the school sends you all the documents upon payment by registered mail, you take all the documents to your local Thai Embassy or Consulate and it is a done deal, you pay a small fee for them to issue you the visa. Ie. 6 months $70.00 one year $160.00.

Thank you very much for your help. Appreciate it a lot and it makes everything much clearer to me.

Thanks again.

[Colabamumbai]

Yes sign up with thailanguagesolutions.com for a six month education visa, your course will be over in about 3 months and they will give you the documents for immigration to give you another 90 days you pay 1,900 bhat or you can leave the country and do a visa run to get your additional 90 days. Last year the course was $12,500 bhat. It may be more now.

Or sign up for a one year course at any school and every three months the school will give you the papers to take to immigration to renew the visa. Whether it is a private school that offers the visa or lets say Chaing Mai University, $30,000 bhat for the one year course, visa etc. About $1,000. Canadian dollars, for Chaing Mai University one year course.

The initial visa must be obtained outside of Thailand with the paperwork from the school and Education Ministry, the school sends you all the documents upon payment by registered mail, you take all the documents to your local Thai Embassy or Consulate and it is a done deal, you pay a small fee for them to issue you the visa. Ie. 6 months $70.00 one year $160.00.

Thank you very much for your help. Appreciate it a lot and it makes everything much clearer to me.

Thanks again.

Anything more and you can private message me.

[newlife]

For the ED visa you should have paperwork so expect that is what was missing during your Consular visit. If you can obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa (being over age 50 and checking out retirement options) you could easily extend for a year after 60 days hers and continue to do so by meeting the 800k/65k or combination needed. No exits of country of three month extensions of stay and no requirements to study at any specific school or area.

If not available there such a visa should be available nearby to Thailand.

Thank you very much for your reply. Yes, I haven't had the papers with me, this might be why they reacted the way they did. My mistake, never take anything for granted.

Well, I will not give up and just go on living my dream.

Thanks a lot for your help.

[newlife]

Some of the Thai Embassy/Consulates would have their own special rules and regulation which stipulated by the Thai's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in granting certain type of visa. It is sorry to learn that Thai Consulate in Zurich would only grant Non-Immigrant "ED" Visa only to the Exchange Student Programs.

Better to apply at other Consulates or another Thai Embassy in Europe. But please be informed that in order for you to apply for this type of visa category. Part of the required documents would be the letter of acceptance from that Education Institute admitting you to the course. That letter should provide the course description (curriculum) as well as confirming that your tuition fees have been fully paid. Other supporting documents that would be required would be from the Education Institute confirming of their status.

[sunbelt][/sunbelt]

Thank you very much for your reply. I will go back to the Consulate and try it again, once I have all the papers.

Thanks a lot for your help.

[newlife]

Yes sign up with thailanguagesolutions.com for a six month education visa, your course will be over in about 3 months and they will give you the documents for immigration to give you another 90 days you pay 1,900 bhat or you can leave the country and do a visa run to get your additional 90 days. Last year the course was $12,500 bhat. It may be more now.

Or sign up for a one year course at any school and every three months the school will give you the papers to take to immigration to renew the visa. Whether it is a private school that offers the visa or lets say Chaing Mai University, $30,000 bhat for the one year course, visa etc. About $1,000. Canadian dollars, for Chaing Mai University one year course.

The initial visa must be obtained outside of Thailand with the paperwork from the school and Education Ministry, the school sends you all the documents upon payment by registered mail, you take all the documents to your local Thai Embassy or Consulate and it is a done deal, you pay a small fee for them to issue you the visa. Ie. 6 months $70.00 one year $160.00.

Thank you very much for your help. Appreciate it a lot and it makes everything much clearer to me.

Thanks again.

Anything more and you can private message me.

Great! And thanks a lot for your help.

[Colabamumbai]

Thank people like Lopburi, Mario and all the rest who have been my teachers here on TVF, and some of my personal experience living in Thailand having returned after 35 years.