I am on a 60-day tourist visa and received paperwork for an ED visa from Walen. They told me I needed to leave the country and apply for the ED Visa at one of the Thai Embassy outside of Thailand. But I did some searches last night and noticed that some sites were saying if you are on a 60-day tourist visa you do not have to leave but can simply apply for a change of visa. Who is right? It would be great if I do not have to leave Bangkok to do this.

Some posters recently here on TVF have suggested as you say there may be a new rule that you do not have to leave the country to change the visa type, but if you look at the government website their is no mention of the new changes. Previously you would and maybe still have to leave the country because you are changing the visa type.

The way I understood the rule to be (after I made a trip to KL to change my tourist visa to an ED visa) is that if you have at least 21 days left on your existing tourist visa, you can go to Bangkok and change the visa without leaving the country. What remains unclear to me if it is 21 calendar days, or 21 working days.

The rule was 21 days but has been less recently. But this is not normally available to non top university study so those in private language courses have not been eligible for such a conversion. And as far as I am aware this has not changed.

I had read something similar about the 21 day requirement, and then another posting about how only study at a "university" might be eligible for something like this ... it's all very confusing. I tried calling the Immigration Office but the line disconnects as soon as it rings, and then the other branches nobody ever answers. Even the 3-bhat-per-call 24 hotline, nobody answers.

To be honest, I'd go down to Walen and get them to confirm and sort it out for you- that's what you're paying them for (along with the education you'll receive of course). The Bangkok branch has a whole desk- I think- dedicated to dealing with visas, so they should be able to help you.

Don't trust what walen say. Go down to immigration and try it yourself its only 1/2 a day wasted.

well, i spoke to immigration officer at the 1111 hotline and he said i could convert my tourist visa to an ED visa if there was at least 15 days left on the visa. i then called walen and they said in the past 3 years nobody from their school has done it like this and always travels outside of thailand. they said they could not guarantee the ED Visa if i applied for the conversion in bangkok, and said if my application was rejected, they would have to file for new ED papers for me with the Ministry of Education, and this would take another 3 weeks and 1000 Bhat. so, that made it an easy choice for me.

I teach here in Bangkok and have two children who are currently in the process of changing their tourist visa to a student visa. It is being done at Immigration, and we DON'T have to leave the country. It costs 2000 baht per visa, and my school are handling the paperwork for me. Perhaps your Uni/school have an admin person who is able to help you?

Good luck

I teach here in Bangkok and have two children who are currently in the process of changing their tourist visa to a student visa. It is being done at Immigration, and we DON'T have to leave the country. It costs 2000 baht per visa, and my school are handling the paperwork for me. Perhaps your Uni/school have an admin person who is able to help you?

Good luck

It makes a big difference if you want to convert because you are studying at a language school or other course (90 day extensions) OR if you are are converting because you are following a regular school or university ( 1 year extensions).

Only in cases where people can get a 1 year extension does immigration convert.

For every ones information the phone number for Immigration in Korat is 044 375 138 they speak English and are very efficient in answering all visa related subjects. It does take a few rings before they pick up