An Question About Non Immigrant Ed Visa

[aristo]

Hey there folks! i am a new member of this board, i am currently planing to come and live in thailand my question is, how to get an NON-IMMIGRANT ED VISA in the easiest way? any ideas?

i have found a language course which is said providing one year this ED visa from bkk/thailand, am i supposed to apply to this kind of private companies?

[Colabamumbai]

Yes. You can try the schools that advertise here. I had good success with Thailanguagesolutions.

[lopburi3]

To obtain the visa you would need to be enrolled in some type of course. The school will provide the paperwork required for the visa and later extensions of stay.

[dotx]

There's no really an application process. You sign a contract and pay the one-year fee. The the school gives you the paperwork to make the visa.

[Mario2008]

Normally people come on a tourist visa and find a suitable school, pay the fee and get the paperwork to apply for an ED-visa in a neighbouring country.

[aristo]

thank you guys for ur replies, i am really appreciated. there goes some of different ideas, which one is the easiest to go? should i apply to a reliable course online before i come, or go there again and do it there?, actually i want to learn to speak thai too.

thanks a load.

[dotx]

Actually, we're all suggesting the exact same idea: Come to Thailand, sign up for a course, pay the fee, get the paperwork for the visa.

[aristo]

oh yeah! ok then, i wont apply online then as i thought so?

Colabamumbai which you have suggested to me the language course, i could not find it online, when i googled the name u typed thaisolutions1502.com has appeared on the top of the results, so i had a look and they say applying and getting the visa may consume time more than 1 month, as i am allowed to stay 1 month only without visa!

in this instance, what i am supposed to do? go there and apply the course and wait for the ED visa? if i can not get it within 1 month, will i have to leave the country?

[Mario2008]

If not comming from a neighbouring country/within Asia I would strongly suggest getting a tourist visa. Without a visa, you will need to show the airline a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or they may deny you boarding.

A tourist visa solves this problem. Coswt of a tourist visa is 1,000 baht in local currency.

[aristo]

If not comming from a neighbouring country/within Asia I would strongly suggest getting a tourist visa. Without a visa, you will need to show the airline a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or they may deny you boarding.

A tourist visa solves this problem. Coswt of a tourist visa is 1,000 baht in local currency.

i repeatedly read ur message but can not get it well i think, actually on arrival of thai i am getting 1 month visa for free, do u mean for more do i need to get tourist visa? ( if 1 month not enough to get ED visa )

[Mario2008]

On arrival you will get 30 days for free (if your nationality qualifies). But officially you need to show a ticket out of the country within 30 days to be able to use this option. Without that, immirgation can refuse you.

In practise, they leave it to the airline to check if you have a ticket out within 30 days. Some airlines don't check, some are very strict and will not take you with them. (They can be fined and must take you back).

Since you don't plan to return within 30 days, you might be better of whit a tourist visa. Than no proof of onward travel is required.

[Parvis]

A "Tourist Visa" you can obtain in your country at a Thai Consulate will get you 60 days which you can extend for another 30 days at Thai Immigration in Bangkok.

If you arrive in Thailand without Visa - you will get a "Visa on Arrival" - which depending from which country you come from will get you 15 or 30 days and you will probably need an issued return ticket.

I suggest you google Thai Immigration which will explain the options you have.

To get an educational Visa - I think you should visit the School personally, before applying/paying. Both Thai Language Solutions and Language Express (a forum advertiser) have been mentioned very favorably.

Edited June 5, 2011 by Parvis

[matador007]

On arrival you will get 30 days for free (if your nationality qualifies). But officially you need to show a ticket out of the country within 30 days to be able to use this option. Without that, immirgation can refuse you.

In practise, they leave it to the airline to check if you have a ticket out within 30 days. Some airlines don't check, some are very strict and will not take you with them. (They can be fined and must take you back).

Since you don't plan to return within 30 days, you might be better of whit a tourist visa. Than no proof of onward travel is required.

When I got my Tourist visa from Embassy in Rome, Italy ; they asked for onward/return ticket to apply.

Further, when I checked in at the airport, they also wanted to see the onward/return ticket.

Through some research I have found that Royal Jordanian has fully refundable tickets if you choose their top class -- "Business Luxury". I came here on a Non-Immi ED, but purchased it last week (1-way BKK/Kuala Lumpur) just incase.

Will ask for a refund this week

Good luck to you.

Edited June 5, 2011 by matador007

[gleeglee]

I,m sorry but

If not comming from a neighbouring country/within Asia I would strongly suggest getting a tourist visa. Without a visa, you will need to show the airline a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or they may deny you boarding.

A tourist visa solves this problem. Coswt of a tourist visa is 1,000 baht in local currency.

applying from another country , will save money, one school will send you the documents via fedex , if you apply in your own country you do not have the added cost of leaving Thailand to obtain the ED Visa because you arrive in Thailand with the ED Visa

Edited June 5, 2011 by lopburi3
Advertising line deleted.

[lopburi3]

Visa on arrival is 15 days and very few countries are allowed this method. Visa exempt (no visa required) is 30 or 90 days (most are 30 days). A fight ticket onward is often required by airline within the permitted time to stay period. If you have a visa no ticket is required by airline and if they say otherwise you ask for a supervisor or station chief and issue should be resolved. Consulates can ask for a ticket to issue a visa but this is normally only required from third country nationals or, if asked, those who are unable to explain why they do not have in a logical manner.

http://www.mfa.go.th/internet/document/ChartVisa.pdf

[snake67]

Before i come here and start the school i did everything over the internet with the school. School fixed all my paper's and send them to me and i go to the Thai consulate in my home country and apply for my ED-visa. 2 days later everything was ready. I have'd my ed-visa stamp in my passport ready to travel to Thailand. In my opinion this is the most easy way to do it no problem when you come to Thailand no traveling to another country to get your visa. Only what you need to do is to found the school and start study. I did this with the CTLS Language school in Pattaya; I not recommend the school because of the boss in the Pattaya branch but they also have a school in Bangkok so at least with them you can do everything online and have your ed-visa before you arrive

Edited June 5, 2011 by snake67

[aristo]

woah! useful information has just arrived!, thank you for all, now i know what to do, i think i will go to thai consulate here in my city, and ask for a 60 days visa on arrival! or like snake67 said, i will apply online maybe...

[lopburi3]

There is no such thing as a 60 day visa on arrival (and you do not obtain VOA from a Consulate in any case) - what you would ask for is a tourist visa.

[aristo]

to get a tourist visa, i think this is an another topic of thread well supposedly i'd better if i go to consulate of thai here in my city, and ask for a stay more than 1 month in thailand, if i am required to get a tourist visa, i will apply for...instead of having a hassle of leaving the country when i am there! i think so...

[bluecheesefan]

In my numerous visits to Thailand I have never ever been asked by the airline or by immigration for a return ticket within 30 days. If this is happening it is something that started within the last year. My last ticket to Thailand had a return ticket date for one year from my arrival and I had no issues going through immigration. In any case, it is simple enough to tell the immigration officer that it is your plan to leave Thailand enroute to other Asian countries and you plan to purchase those tickets as needed. If they wanted further proof (which I doubt this would ever happen unless you come from a country that has a bad reputation with Thailand - I am from USA) then tell them you are more than happy to visit the ticket counter for Air-asia and buy a ticket to any other country. Probably run you $100 max. There are many ways around this idea that you will be placed back on a flight home. You can also pre-buy a ticket online from Air-Asia or many other airlines before arriving in Thailand to show as proof. No one says you have to use the ticket.

As for arrival into an airport, you will get 30 days if you are on the list of countries that receive 30 days. Most schools require a month or more to process your paperwork to get the ED Visa. Once the paperwork is complete you must leave Thailand to go to an embassy to get a non-immigrant Visa. There are numerous van services that charge nominal fees (8-10,000 baht or so) to handle this for you and you stay overnite and return the next day with your Visa.

Another option would be for you to come for the 30 day entry stamp, then look around and find a place to live and a school to attend that makes sense. You don't want to find a school that is going to be a long trip from where you live or be forced to live in an area just because you don't want to travel far to get to school 3 times a week.

At the end of your 30 day stay, you have the option of going to the immigration office in Thailand to extend your stay. It runs 1,900 baht. Or simply fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumphur or some other location for a day and fly back. You could probably do that for around 4-5,000 baht and upon return you get a new 30 days. Van services for single or double entry Tourist Visas are also available. At the end of your first stay you can go to Laos or Cambodia for 6-8,000 baht and get a two month (double entry) Tourist visa that allows you to leave and re-enter for another two month stay. Don't get pidgeon-holed into a situation without looking at all the alternatives.

The key to dealing with immigration at the airport upon your first visit is to clearly tell them you are a tourist and you will be moving on to do other things within 30 days. Don't go into a long explanation about wanting an ED Visa etc etc. They just want to know that you will not overstay in the country (stay longer than your Visa date stamp) and that you have enough money to stay. Thousands of foreigners visit Thailand every week. They are used to it. Look presentable like a tourist.... relax... and when you get your first 30 day stamp... find a hotel... a bar.. and enjoy Thailand for a few days and then look for your room and your school. As far as anyone knows - ticket or no ticket for onward travel - is you are a tourist. When the immigration officer asks you, how long do you plan on staying in Thailand. Say, for a couple weeks and leave it at that. They don't know your real plans and don't need to know your real plans. You can elaborate a little more and say you plan on traveling to see many countries while you are in Asia and that explains why you don't have a return ticket within 30 days. They cannot read your mind... trust me.

I'd visit the schools and determine how they teach the language. The styles for teaching vary widely. Some use a more radical approach of having the student out loud rather than traditional grammar approach. Not all schools are the same. Finally, some schools have many locations... so they have a school in Bangkok, Phuket and maybe in Chang Mai. Once you pick a school, you should look at your options. After 6 months you may want to have a change of scenery. Why not find the school which offers you the most options. They all cost roughly the same amount of money anyway. Maybe for 6 months you want to be in one location and then move to Phuket for a sunny locale. If your school is only in Bangkok, then you are basically stuck.

I assume you are coming to Thailand to relax... so why not chill and relax and do what you need to do while you are here. Try not to listen to the alarmists that talk about getting put back on a flight to your home country. As I said above, you can manage through all of that simply enough. My guess is those who get sent back are probably from trouble countries.

Some common sense do's and do not's:

Do's:

- Do have a hotel pre-booked and an address for that hotel that you fill out on the immigration form you receive on the flight to Thailand

- Do completely fill out the immigration form. If you are unsure ask the airline before getting to immigration. The officers can get touchy about incomplete fields.

- Do take off your hat while in line at immigration. You will have your photo taken.

- Do have some cash on hand - several hundred dollars will do. Enough to pay for things you might need to do when arriving.

Do Not's:

- Do not arrive drunk.

- Do not look like you have no money... so take advantage of the wet towels and the toilets in the airplane and airport prior to going through immigration.

- Do not pack 3-4 bags and a carry-on for one person. Why make it look obvious you are staying forever. You can buy what you need in Thailand.

[Mario2008]

Imigration does rarely check if you have a ticket out. They leave it up to the airlines to check. Some airlines hardly check and others check very strictly. Advising peope to take the change could lead to some nasty surpises for the person following your advise, as regurly people find out that the airline will not let them board. In that case they miss their flight, unless they have enough time and money to quickly buy a ticket out of the country within 30 days.

[jak2002003]

Hi.

I think an ED visa is a good idea for you. You will get to learn the Thai language and also the visa will allow you to stay in Thailand for one year. After that you can apply to extend it if you like for up to 3 years quite easily. The best plan is to come over here using a normal tourist visa, and then approach a Thai Language school. I am using a school called Pro Language. They have a school in Bangkok and also Chiang Mai (where I am).

This Thai school has been running ED visas for many years and so they know what they are doing, all the paperwork is done at the school and the staff there will be glad to help you fill in the forms and tell you want you need. I can recommend this school because the teaching and course material are very good and they are also quite flexible in finding you classes to suit your level and the times and days you would like to study. You can find their website and contact details on the internet if you want to ask them yourself about prices etc, and what they advise for you.

I have heard some people have problems with other schools, for various reasons but I have had no problems the Pro Language and I am now taking the 3rd year ED visa.

Hope this helps you. Good Luck

Jason,

[aristo]

Thank you for all your long long replies,

jak2002003

normal tourist visa? is there and abnormal one? just kidding! yes i will do this i think, in my country i will apply for one...then when i am there, i will extend for furthermore stay when needed...

Edited June 9, 2011 by aristo

[lopburi3]

actually on arrival of thai i am getting 1 month visa for free

No you are not (that is visa exempt entry) and that is why there was reference to a normal tourist visa which is obtained from a Consulate.