Ed-Visa

[swissie]

As known, schools that provide ED-Visas offer Thai language classes, and other cultural education programs. Is there a annual (or monthly) minimum attendance required or is the "Attendance-Part" voluntary ? Or, in other words: Could "non-attendance" lead to problems, when it comes to extend the Ed-Visa for another year ? Do different schools handle this subject differently ? Thanks and cheers.

[moe666]

Yes attendance required.

[falkan]

4-6 hours a week is "standard"

[wolf5370]

Mmmm - depends on the question. Officially, if you are asking the requirements for the Visa, then I believe its 16 hours a month minimumj (confirmation?). If you are asking for the school's requirements, many will sign you off on payment of the ourse and couldn't care less if you turn up or not.

Of course, if you are paying for it, then why not do it? You can't work on an ED Visa, so 4 hours a week will not eat too much of your leisure time surely?

[ignis]

As known, schools that provide ED-Visas offer Thai language classes, and other cultural education programs. Is there a annual (or monthly) minimum attendance required or is the "Attendance-Part" voluntary ? Or, in other words: Could "non-attendance" lead to problems, when it comes to extend the Ed-Visa for another year ? Do different schools handle this subject differently ? Thanks and cheers.

I looked into it in January this year

A 1 year Visa is only issued to Full Time Classes 5x per week.

The sort of normal language School you get a 90 day Visa [from somewhere like K.L] which you then extend with a school letter and a Visit to Immigration, 1,900 baht and a extension for another 90 days... From reports on another Topic on Thai Visa at Immigration you have to take a spoken test 1st..

Most of these language School classes are 1x 4 hrs or 2x 2 hrs per week = 180 - 200 hours per year depending on school.

As yet have not done this option, the problem is takes well over 2 hrs to drive each way to the nearest school @ about 70,000 baht on petrol per year!

[swissie]

As known, schools that provide ED-Visas offer Thai language classes, and other cultural education programs. Is there a annual (or monthly) minimum attendance required or is the "Attendance-Part" voluntary ? Or, in other words: Could "non-attendance" lead to problems, when it comes to extend the Ed-Visa for another year ? Do different schools handle this subject differently ? Thanks and cheers.

I looked into it in January this year

A 1 year Visa is only issued to Full Time Classes 5x per week.

The sort of normal language School you get a 90 day Visa [from somewhere like K.L] which you then extend with a school letter and a Visit to Immigration, 1,900 baht and a extension for another 90 days... From reports on another Topic on Thai Visa at Immigration you have to take a spoken test 1st..

Most of these language School classes are 1x 4 hrs or 2x 2 hrs per week = 180 - 200 hours per year depending on school.

As yet have not done this option, the problem is takes well over 2 hrs to drive each way to the nearest school @ about 70,000 baht on petrol per year!

This is exactly my problem: From where I will live, it's MORE than 2 hours to the next school. From what I have read recently, it is possible to do the schooling by way of Internet. Anyone heard of that too ? Thanks & cheers.

[Tod Daniels]

Currently there are several private thai language schools which are coincidentally ALSO Thai Visa Sponsors who advertise 'on-line' thai language classes. Look on the main T/V page or the thai language sub-forum for them.

I'm sure it'd take at least an initial visit to pay your yearly tuition (although they might take a bank transfer), and most likely then a follow up visit to secure your paperwork (which they receive from the Ministry of Education) so you could get a Single Entry Non-Immigrant Type-ED visa in a neighboring S/E Asian country and get the ball rolling as far as online study. Possibly, after that, the school could mail you the paperwork they provide every 90 days to continue your extension(s) of stay.

Not being contentious but; I beg to differ with the poster known as 'ignis".

At just about any other thai consulate or embassy anywhere else in the world except in S/E Asia; garnering a year long, multi-entry, Non-Immigrant Type-ED visa is fairly straight forward and quite easy to do. However, the thai embassies and consulates scattered around S/E Asia are another kettle of fish altogether . Unless you're enrolled in a 'real university' (not a private thai language school) and are undertaking higher education for a 'real subject' (not the minimum 4 hours a week you do when studying thai) you're unlikely to get more than a single-entry Non-Immigrant Type-ED visa from any of them .

FWIW: an 'acquaintance' of mine recently asked for and received a year long Multi Entry Non-Immigrant Type-ED Visa from an Honorary Thai Consulate in the United States. He ONLY provided them with a letter (he wrote himself) expressing his intent to study thai at a specific private thai language school here in Bangkok.

This would lead me to believe the proverbial 'bar' is higher or lower based solely on the requirements of that particular thai embassy/consulate and the officers who work there. It would seem they have greater discretion in the issuing of visas versus the officers who staff the S/E Asian consulates/embassies.

Click on some of the Forum Sponsor Ads, and see which one of them offer online studies. ..