Ed Visa, One Year Mulitple Entry Procedure Details

[diseq]

I just signed up for a 1 year (180 hrs) Thai course at Pro Language in Chiang Mai.

I chose them over other similar schools due to their method and good teachers.

Before attending the demo class, I told them a few times that I need a multiple entry visa, not a single. They seemed to understand and said "no problem".

However, after I paid and we went through all the papers and forms, it seems that they had no idea what a multiple entry Ed visa is!

There were only aware of the procedure for single entry which is useless to me as I travel often and I don't want the hassles of re-entry permits.

I went back to my condo and brought them a photo example of a multiple entry Ed visa ( with M instead of S; they usually give S for people who want to stay in Thailand without leaving the country during their studies ).

They promised to check with immigration tomorrow about the procedures, but as they seem so clueless I'm not sure that will help much.

1) Is there any mention in the letters that the school sends about the type of visa requested? Or it's the same regardless and it's my responsibility to ask at the embassy for a multiple not single.

I plan to get the visa in Belgium.

2) Another less severe issue is the validity period. They said that the documents they give me with which I apply at the embassy have a validity of only one month. That means I need to apply in Europe within one month and then enter Thailand within the next 3 months after applying!

The alternative they offered was for them to send me the documents to Belgium through DHL in September. In this way I'll pay 1500 baht extra but gain 3-4 months on the validity period of the visa( which is one year after applying at the embassy, as far as understood).

Any experiences or informed advice is appreciated

[Mario2008]

Immigration has nothing to do with the issuance of a visa, that is the business of the Thai embassies and consulates.

In the region you normally will not get a multiple ED-visa. if you really want a multiple ED-visa, you might want to fly to Australia. The consulate in Antwerp has a good reputation and I suspect they will issue a multiple without a problem if you tell them you have to travel a lot.

A multiple Ed-visa is valid for 1 year, starting from the day it was issued. Apply as late as you can.

[lopburi3]

A multi entry visa will be valid for one year so you can enter at any time after issue. But as it seems you will not enter until late in the year that is when you should apply for the visa to not lose a few months of validity.

[diseq]

Immigration has nothing to do with the issuance of a visa, that is the business of the Thai embassies and consulates.

In the region you normally will not get a multiple ED-visa. if you really want a multiple ED-visa, you might want to fly to Australia. The consulate in Antwerp has a good reputation and I suspect they will issue a multiple without a problem if you tell them you have to travel a lot.

A multiple Ed-visa is valid for 1 year, starting from the day it was issued. Apply as late as you can.

Thank you for your reply.

I am aware that the embassies in SE Asia don't issue multiple ED-visa. I will be in Europe from July 14th to October 15th and I plan to get the multiple ED-visa in Belgium. In fact I was planning to apply in Brussels not Antwerp.

There has been a thread recently which I can't seem to find about a guy who applied for a multiple ED-visa but got turned down, because apparently in the application letters from the school only a single entry was mentioned.

That is my question: Is it the school's responsibility to specify the type of visa requested or the documents are the same, regardless of the type of visa I apply for?

Thank you.

[Mario2008]

It is not the school's responsibility. You apply for the visa, not the school. But you could and should ask the school to specifically ask for a multiple entry visa for you or to simply ask for a visa for you. If they specifically ask for a single, then it is more likely you will only get a single.

Edit: Brussels is an embassy, Antwerp a consulate. Generally speaking Embassies are stricter than consulates. Especially honorary consulates are more friendly.

[david555]

It is not the school's responsibility. You apply for the visa, not the school. But you could and should ask the school to specifically ask for a multiple entry visa for you or to simply ask for a visa for you. If they specifically ask for a single, then it is more likely you will only get a single.

Edit: Brussels is an embassy, Antwerp a consulate. Generally speaking Embassies are stricter than consulates. Especially honorary consulates are more friendly.

I received my 1 year multiple ED visa in my home town Belgium from Antwerp consulate before just with the documents from the school, must be a recognized school from ministry of education Thailand (MOE) , now seems that also the period for the lessons must be noticed , funny thing that time happened that i aply for the 3 months with them ( i did noyt know better that time, .... newbie for ed visa ), they answered me that they ONLY issue 1 year multiple .....,friendly but correct acting staff...!!

Advantige is if you do still your visa runs , you do not meet an immigration exam... , and price is almost same as for the extension route 1900 bath against 2000 bath visa run with a free meal...