Vientiane Visa Trip Report

[Jawnie]

I just returned from Vientiane, Laos, where I obtained an Education (ED) visa. I applied for ED visa for several reasons. First, I'm in Bangkok indefinitely and don't want or need to work full time. An education visa allows a person to work part time, less than 20 hours a week. Also, I, like everyone else, don't like "visa runs" and the uncertainty associated with tourist visas. Finally, I want to learn Thai language. In checking out the options for staying in Thailand indefinitely, the non-immigrant Education visa seemed like a good option.

One of the main requirements for the ED visa is to obtain a letter from the Ministry of Education to be submitted with the ED visa application. I obtained the Ministry letter through a separate process that language schools go through with the Ministry. The school must submit forms on your behalf, along with their own forms, to the Ministry of Education. After doing so, my school received my 'clearance letter' back from the Ministry one week after submitting it. Of course, the school requires you to pay for your 6 or 12 month course in advance of their submission to the Ministry. And, finally, as a general matter, you must attend a minimum number of class hours each week. My school gave me a completed seven-page set of documents, all in Thai, that I had to submit with the visa application.

After doing all of this, i.e., pay the school fees, begin to study Thai language, and receive the Ministry letter, I set out for Vientiane. I travelled from Bangkok to Udon Thani on AsiaAir for 3,931 baht, round trip. There were no problems with the one-hour flight, except for leaving a little late.

Upon arrival in Udon Thani, I retrieved my luggage and reached the airport lobby within 10 minutes of landing. After a few more minutes, I had purchased a ticket and was seated in an 11-passenger van, a "limousine', to the Thai border (200 baht) with six other passengers. The ensuing forty-minute drive to border was uneventful.

Arriving at the border, I departed Thailand, giving up the departure card, bought a bus ticket (20 baht) to cross the Mekong river to Laos, and then got off the bus at Lao immigration. This took about 20 minutes.

Once at Lao immigration, I applied for a Visa-on-Arrival, $35 US or 1,500 baht (one passport photo needed). It was a simple and orderly process and the place was not very busy at around 7:30 pm. It was only 30 minutes between arrival at Lao immigration station to collecting my passport/visa and entering Laos. From there, it was another 25 minutes by taxi to my hotel. The taxi was little expensive, 80,000 kip, or 290 baht (down from 400 baht), a local helped talk the driver down. It turns out that 290 baht (80,000 kip) is near the going rate.

The next day, I arrived at Thai Embassy at 8:20 am for its 8:30 am opening time. I got my queue number and waited only 20 minutes or so. I submitted a visa application, form (TM.87), that I downloaded from the Thai Immigration website, but it's not the correct form. I was given a different form at the window to use for the non-immigrant ED visa. She said I could return directly to the window when the form was complete. I returned to the window in about ten minutes with the completed form (two passport photos needed). The woman appeared a somewhat skeptical and 'fussed' a little, asking me where I stayed the previous night (a hotel in Vientiane, I gave her a card from the hotel).

Also, I had requested "multiple" entries on the form but she scratched that off, saying the Embassy doesn't give multiple entries, that Thai immigration will do that when I request an extension. This bothered me a little and I showed her the back of the form indicating multiple entries. That didn't help, so I backed off. Regardless of her vibes, she accepted the application and sent me on to pay the fee.

Documents submitted.

-the correct Non-immigrant visa application form, with two photos.

-Documents from Thai language school and Ministry of Education.

-Copy of passport

(I had my financial informationwith me, but she did NOT ask for it.)

I proceeded to the building next door and paid the 2,000 baht fee and got my collection receipt for the following day. Total time at the embassy was approximately 1.5 hours

On the following day, I arrived about twenty minutes before the 1:00 pm opening and there was already a substantial line. It was quite hot and fortunately I had my umbrella for shade. The gate opened on time and the queue moved quickly inside, with everyone getting a queue number.

Inside the passport collection room, staff was efficient and friendly, handing out the passports in a very orderly fashion. I was a little apprehensive because of the vibes I got the previous day and when my number came up, it was the same woman from the previous day. However, she gave me a friendly smile, took my receipt, found my passport, and handed it to me, without any drama and with the ED visa. I was out of the embassy this time in less than 30 minutes.

The visa was issued for a single entry and gave me 90 days to enter Thailand. Thereafter, and upon entry to Thailand, the immigration official at the border hand-wrote "USED" across the visa. I'll need to extend the visa every 90 days for 1,900 baht but don't need to leave the country to do it. All is well.

[bigt116]

" An education visa allows a person to work part time, less than 20 hours a week. " This is NOT true, for any form of work of any duration, paid or unpaid, you must have a work permit

[Mario2008]

Correct, only a work permit will allow you to work. A work permit is not issued on an ED-visa.

Some people are allowed an internship as part of their education and don't require a work permit. But this is part of their education.

[Jawnie]

Duly noted, and thanks for the correction. As opposed to a tourist visa with its outright prohibition on employment, employment is possible with a ED visa, but a work permit is still required. The ED visa alone does not entitle one to work in Thailand.

Correct, only a work permit will allow you to work. A work permit is not issued on an ED-visa.

Some people are allowed an internship as part of their education and don't require a work permit. But this is part of their education.

[Mario2008]

Duly noted, and thanks for the correction. As opposed to a tourist visa with its outright prohibition on employment, employment is possible with a ED visa, but a work permit is still required. The ED visa alone does not entitle one to work in Thailand.

Correct, only a work permit will allow you to work. A work permit is not issued on an ED-visa.

Some people are allowed an internship as part of their education and don't require a work permit. But this is part of their education.

As I said, with an Ed-visa you are unlikely to get a work permit.

[Tod Daniels]

Good report;

Vientiane (and really about ANY Thai Embassy/Consulate in S/E Asia) isn't all that tough on issuing ED visas. It was where I got mine 3+ years ago, before I ‘retired’, lol. As long as you have the documents from your school and the MOE stuff the school gets on your behalf they seem to fly thru pretty smoothly.

They do only issue single entry ED visas for attending a private Thai language school; so the lady at the counter in Vientiane was correct. You can't get a multi-entry based on the study you're undertaking.

I've only known a handful of foreigners able to get a work permit while on an ED visa and NONE of them were attending a private Thai language school! Those people were attending a real university here in Thailand for a degreed program. They ONLY got work permits issued as part of their internship dealy in their field of study.

Although I highly doubt you'll be successful in attempting to secure a W/P on an ED visa for attending a private Thai language school; IF some way you can, do post back and let us know. ..

[welovesundaysatspace]

As I said, with an Ed-visa you are unlikely to get a work permit.

Most of the foreign students working as an intern/trainee here hold an ED visa and get a work permit for their internship/traineeship.

[Mario2008]

As I said, with an Ed-visa you are unlikely to get a work permit.

Most of the foreign students working as an intern/trainee here hold an ED visa and get a work permit for their internship/traineeship.

That is a special case, where the employment is part of their education as I mentioned before.

But I didn't know that they got a work permit as well for that. My uderstanding is that they are exempt, but that might only apply to people studying in Thailand itself. If a person studies abroad and follows an internship in Thailand I don't know how they go about it. They might get indeed a WP on an ED-visa.

[khunup]

Thanks for the detailed writeup Jawnie. I'm currently in Vientiane now and just got back from my first trip to the Thai consulate to get my ED visa. So far my experience and timeline at the consulate was on par with what you described. I paid 2000 Baht and will return tomorrow to pick up my passport.

I was surprised and disappointed though to learn that I could not get a multiple entry ED visa. I had read and talked to the staff at my school who said this was possible. The employee at the consulate said they could give me only single entry, but told me I could go to Thai immigration in Thailand to get a reentry permit.

While studying Thai and making Thailand my homebase I want to be able to travel abroad freely, around SE Asia during breaks and long weekends. At this point, I have some concrete travel plans to go outside of Thailand, but haven't booked any tickets yet (ie: no proof of a trip). I also live in Chiang Mai.

Can anyone describe the process for getting a *multiple* reentry permit? What forms are needed? Do I need proof of travel? What are the costs for the permit? Can I get unlimited reentry or is it on a 'per-trip' basis?

Thanks in advance!

[lopburi3]

A re-entry does does not add any time to your current 90 day stay so would only be valid for that 90 day period. With paperwork from school you should be able to obtain new 90 day extensions of stay but a new re-entry period would be required for any travel during that period of time.

[Mario2008]

A re-entry permit can be single or multiple, a single is good for 1 trip and costs 1,000 baht and a multipe is good for unlimited trips and costs 3,800 baht.

A re-entry eprmit is only valid for the period that your current permisison to stay is valid. You must return to Thailand before that day or you will need a new visa. A new extension of stay, which you will need every 90 days, means a new re-entry permit if you want to travel.

A re-entry permit requires 1 form from immigration and a pass photo.

[khunup]

A re-entry does does not add any time to your current 90 day stay so would only be valid for that 90 day period. With paperwork from school you should be able to obtain new 90 day extensions of stay but a new re-entry period would be required for any travel during that period of time.

Thanks, for the info. I'm not worried about extending my time. I'm pretty sure I know how that works with a 1 year ED-visa. Extend 1 time before 90 days for another 90 days. Then extend again for another 180 days with a 90 day checkin required. I think that's right.

I just want to be able to leave the country.

[khunup]

A re-entry permit can be single or multiple, a single is good for 1 trip and costs 1,000 baht and a multipe is good for unlimited trips and costs 3,800 baht.

A re-entry eprmit is only valid for the period that your current permisison to stay is valid. You must return to Thailand before that day or you will need a new visa. A new extension of stay, which you will need every 90 days, means a new re-entry permit if you want to travel.

A re-entry permit requires 1 form from immigration and a pass photo.

Thanks for the quick response Mario. That's just the info I was looking for. It definitely feels like the Thai government will be getting rich off of me these days. :-)

[lopburi3]

A re-entry does does not add any time to your current 90 day stay so would only be valid for that 90 day period. With paperwork from school you should be able to obtain new 90 day extensions of stay but a new re-entry period would be required for any travel during that period of time.

Thanks, for the info. I'm not worried about extending my time. I'm pretty sure I know how that works with a 1 year ED-visa. Extend 1 time before 90 days for another 90 days. Then extend again for another 180 days with a 90 day checkin required. I think that's right.

I just want to be able to leave the country.

You have a single entry ED visa that only provides one stay of 90 days. If you are allowed extension by attending school for language it will normally be a new 90 day period each time (and a new TM.7/1,900 baht). A re-entry permit would then have to be obtained for each 90 day period if you want to travel. 90 day address reports are required for any continuous 90 day period you remain in Thailand.