My partner has an Egyptian passport and has been told in Cairo that he can only travel on a one month tourist visa and that there is absolutely no chance they would issue anything else. I have a UK passport and have a one year O visa. We want to stay in Thailand as long as possible but dont know what his options are. I have asked in Khon Kaen where I am staying with friends about an education Visa with a Thai language course but no one seems to know what I am talking about or where I can find a course. We are not sure yet where we will stay,possibly further south or Koa Sumai we are both teachers and hope eventually to get work but while the visa issue looms over us we can't even start to think about anything else. So my questions are, can he do a cross border trip after the month is up and get a month extension? Can he get an ed visa (seems to be some mention of 'middle east' students having to apply in own country but try telling the embassy in cairo that! Is Egypt classified as 'middle east' anyway? How can he get an O visa like mine?? Or better still a B visa and work permit? Grateful for any help or advise from anyone and would be really interested to hear from any other Egyptian nationals if there are any!!!

My partner has an Egyptian passport and has been told in Cairo that he can only travel on a one month tourist visa and that there is absolutely no chance they would issue anything else.

A single-entry tourist visa should be valid for travel to Thailand within 3 months from the date of issue of the visa. On arrival in Thailand, an Egyptian national with a tourist visa will be given permission to stay for 30 days. Before the expiration of this permission to stay he can apply at an immigration office for a 30-day extension of stay.

We want to stay in Thailand as long as possible but dont know what his options are. . I have asked in Khon Kaen where I am staying with friends about an education Visa with a Thai language course...

If the language school is approved by the Ministry of Education the school should be able to give students the necessary documents for the application for a non-ED visa at the Thai consulate in a neighbouring country and subsequently for extensions of stay every 90 days. Inquire directly with the school and obtain confirmation before signing up for the language course.

Thanks for replying Maestro, I am having a problem finding a language school in Khon Kaen that does a Thai course. What do you think about the visa agents who keep sending me messages who say they can get visa's, are they bonafide???Is it worth trying?

I have no experience with so-called visa agents and do not not know what they offer and how they operate. A visa for travel to Thailand must always be obtained from a Thai consulate, ie outside Thailand. These agents may may perhaps offer you assistance with filling out application forms and advice on which consulate in the region is more likely to issue a certain type of visa. You can get the same information free on this forum.

Some people say "visa" when they mean "extension of stay", ie something you apply for at an immigration office, ie within Thailand. An extension of stay can be obtained for a multitude of reasons, listed in the Royal Thai Police Order No. 777/2551. An application is a straight-forward procedure and most people do it themselves but some may use an agent to assist them with the paperwork and accompany them to the immigration office. Personally, if I felt the need for an agent I would use one of the law firms sponsoring this forum.

Thanks for replying Maestro, I am having a problem finding a language school in Khon Kaen that does a Thai course. What do you think about the visa agents who keep sending me messages who say they can get visa's, are they bonafide???Is it worth trying?

As far as I know Khon Kaen University do Thai courses. Check them out.

Having said that I cannot find anything on their website.

Thanks for replying Maestro, I am having a problem finding a language school in Khon Kaen that does a Thai course. What do you think about the visa agents who keep sending me messages who say they can get visa's, are they bonafide???Is it worth trying?

As far as I know Khon Kaen University do Thai courses. Check them out.

Having said that I cannot find anything on their website.

not anymore apparently lite beer, no AUA either I was told when I went there!

I have no experience with so-called visa agents and do not not know what they offer and how they operate. A visa for travel to Thailand must always be obtained from a Thai consulate, ie outside Thailand. These agents may may perhaps offer you assistance with filling out application forms and advice on which consulate in the region is more likely to issue a certain type of visa. You can get the same information free on this forum.

Some people say "visa" when they mean "extension of stay", ie something you apply for at an immigration office, ie within Thailand. An extension of stay can be obtained for a multitude of reasons, listed in the Royal Thai Police Order No. 777/2551. An application is a straight-forward procedure and most people do it themselves but some may use an agent to assist them with the paperwork and accompany them to the immigration office. Personally, if I felt the need for an agent I would use one of the law firms sponsoring this forum.

any idea what this means on Police Order, what nationalities are they talking about??

2.4 In the case of tourism purposes:

Each permission shall be granted

for no more than 30 days.

However, the total period of stay

shall not exceed 90 days from the

date of entry into the Kingdom.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a tourist visa (TOURIST).

(2) Must not be of a nationality or type prescribed by the committee monitoring official

proceedings of officers of the Immigration Bureau.

All nationalities.

A lot of nationalities get 60 days on a tourist visa, some get 30 days. If you get 60 days you can extend it one time by 30 days. The question is if you get a tourist visa (not a visa exempt entry at the airport) of 30 days if you can extend it twice for 30 days. The rules seem to allow it.