Ed Visa Only 14250 Thb, Is It Legal ?

[Honolulu]

Isn't it a condition of the Ed visa that you maintain your studies on some regular basis? And if , for any unforeseen reason, (sickness, injury beyond your control) the education authority can cancel the sponsorship of your visa? Which gives the education authority a great deal of power over your ability to maintain the visa. And what if you decide you don't like that school and want to switch?

It seems to me you would be better off with a NON-B (business) multi-entry visa. It costs 15,000 bht, is available online, with 90 day reporting, all the same as the ED visa. The benefit is that your visa sponsor is a legal/law company , and not a school. If you choose to study while on your business stay, fine, up to you.

Even if you want to study during your stay, Isn't the NON-B visa a better way to go?

15000baht is still expensive, but being sponsored by a legal firm sounds a bit dodgy to me. If the legal firm sponsor you then do they sponsor your WP even though, and do they follow the rules of 4 to 1 (thai to farang) workers. What happens when the Immigration officer starts asking about your business and WP and other matters.

One is not required to hold a WP while on B visa. For the sake of this argument, WP is a non issue. And 15,000 is not expensive. The OP just said he is being offered a Ed visa for 14,250 bht. on sale. In my book, this is the same price as the B-visa. Also, yes, you should use a 'reputable' legal firm.

However, is it true that the ED visa allows 90 day reporting BY MAIL. and NOT by border run? The B-visa does NOT allow 90 day report by mail, as I understand it.

[IslandMuayThai]

We had here several discussions of the OLA ED-Visa. I have personal experience using them as a job placement agency and their interpretation of Thai laws and regulations concerning legal teaching are not in accordance with the normal requirements for a working permit and B-Visa.

Here is the owner of the website:

Registrant:

Domains by Proxy, Inc.

DomainsByProxy.com

15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)

Domain Name: VISAANDTEFL.COM

Created on: 21-Aug-11

Expires on: 21-Aug-12

Last Updated on: 21-Aug-11

Administrative Contact:

Private, Registration [email protected]

Domains by Proxy, Inc.

DomainsByProxy.com

15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

United States

(480) 624-2599 Fax -- (480) 624-2598

Why they hide behind this company ? Would be interesting to hear from people getting extensions based on this online Language course. Please share

Kind of irralvent that they use a domain proxy, desn't really speak to the reliability of the course...

Has anyone had spefic experience with this school?

[lopburi3]

However, is it true that the ED visa allows 90 day reporting BY MAIL. and NOT by border run? The B-visa does NOT allow 90 day report by mail, as I understand it.

90 day address reporting is not required for any visa entry of 90 days as you never stay longer than that time and is never done by a border run - that would be for a new entry using a multi entry visa. Only extensions of stay require 90 day address reports and that would be true of any extension if you remain more than one 90 day extension period. As for mail reporting that has nothing to do with extension type - if office allows mail reporting it is for all.

Believe you are thinking of the requirement for new 90 day extensions of stay using ED visa for language study which requires visit to immigration and payment of 1,900 baht every 3 months. Most people on B visa (work) extensions of stay would only have to extend once each year.

[poanoi]

I know of a guy that is on this kind of visa,

but if he don't pass the exam a few times a year he have to pay extra.

He attend a real teacher for actually learning thai in a real school, i don't know a lot of details but will get more info if anyone is interested.

Edited December 18, 2011 by poanoi

[Nakonama]

If i compare with walen, i only see in this one there is a 10.000 bath price difference, nothing else than that really ?

Walen classes and visa fee 24960 + 4 x 1900 extentions = 32560

OLEA classes and visa fee 14250 + 4 x 1900 extentions = 21850

By the way OLEA have speel error in there Logo.....Academy (Acedemey)............quite some teachers.

So they make "speel" errors, do they?

With your lowercase i, in stead of the capital letter when referring to yourself, I think you should brush up your own English first. You also missed another capital letter. Can you see it? Quite some critic you are.

Im not a school offering language education to others dude, and i am not native english, so....whats your point ?

Keep focus on the subject instead.

[mojaco]

@Tech...if you were good at English as you think others should be why didn't you notice the "there"?

[keithlarge]

Hi I had a Penang Ed visa all ok until had to return to UK for family funeral.

Bye bye visa, only got 30 day stamp. No help or rebate/discount at school

[RealRyguy]

I Study at a real University in Bangkok in a real Major to get my Bachelor degree.

I came here on a Visa which I bought at a Thai consulate in the US for 30 dollars and then applied for the Uni after arriving When I got accepted they provided all the paperwork for me at no charge.

My first ED-Visa was 6 months.

I have been here over 3 years now. My extensions are now 1 year as I have a lot of credits and attend classes seriously with an actual intention of pursuing my degree.

90 days check does not cost anything. They are free.

Visa EXTENSIONS are 1900 baht.

I have also got a single entry to visit Vietnam and it was also 1900 baht.

Hope that helps.

BTW, I do not support cheating the system just to get a visa. If you're honest and have good intentions in Thailand then Visas are quick,easy, and painless.

[Mario2008]

Hi I had a Penang Ed visa all ok until had to return to UK for family funeral.

Bye bye visa, only got 30 day stamp. No help or rebate/discount at school

You should have gotten a re-entry permit before you left. That would have kept your permission to stay alive.

[Mario2008]

I Study at a real University in Bangkok in a real Major to get my Bachelor degree.

I came here on a Visa which I bought at a Thai consulate in the US for 30 dollars and then applied for the Uni after arriving When I got accepted they provided all the paperwork for me at no charge.

My first ED-Visa was 6 months.

I have been here over 3 years now. My extensions are now 1 year as I have a lot of credits and attend classes seriously with an actual intention of pursuing my degree.

90 days check does not cost anything. They are free.

Visa EXTENSIONS are 1900 baht.

I have also got a single entry to visit Vietnam and it was also 1900 baht.

Hope that helps.

BTW, I do not support cheating the system just to get a visa. If you're honest and have good intentions in Thailand then Visas are quick,easy, and painless.

Most peopel studying at a university get 1 year extensions of stay, while most people doing a course, like a language course, only get 90 day extesions of stay.

[ydraw]

TW, I do not support cheating the system just to get a visa. If you're honest and have good intentions in Thailand then Visas are quick,easy, and painless.

My intention is to come here for an extended holiday of about 1 year, to live by the beach and relax.

Please point me to the quick, easy and painless 1-year visa that covers this. Thanks.

[hanuman2543]

We had here several discussions of the OLA ED-Visa. I have personal experience using them as a job placement agency and their interpretation of Thai laws and regulations concerning legal teaching are not in accordance with the normal requirements for a working permit and B-Visa.

Here is the owner of the website:

Registrant:

Domains by Proxy, Inc.

DomainsByProxy.com

15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)

Domain Name: VISAANDTEFL.COM

Created on: 21-Aug-11

Expires on: 21-Aug-12

Last Updated on: 21-Aug-11

Administrative Contact:

Private, Registration [email protected]

Domains by Proxy, Inc.

DomainsByProxy.com

15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260

United States

(480) 624-2599 Fax -- (480) 624-2598

Why they hide behind this company ? Would be interesting to hear from people getting extensions based on this online Language course. Please share

Kind of irralvent that they use a domain proxy, desn't really speak to the reliability of the course...

Has anyone had spefic experience with this school?

Read my post again. I used them to get a job as a teacher and they told us that teaching on an ED-Visa issued by them is fine. No working permit required. That should tell you something about their honesty. Why , if you are a reliable and honest company, should you use a domain proxy? Any ideas? Want to know more, pm me

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/496489-working-as-an-english-teacher-with-an-ed-visa/

Here is my post about it

Edited December 18, 2011 by hanuman2543

[TCA]

It seems to me you would be better off with a NON-B (business) multi-entry visa. It costs 15,000 bht, is available online, with 90 day reporting, all the same as the ED visa. The benefit is that your visa sponsor is a legal/law company , and not a school. If you choose to study while on your business stay, fine, up to you.

I'm presuming you mean you can pay the legal company online, as opposed to making any sort of online visa application? Do you a have link? I'd be interested to read the requirements for issue and any other information available.

[Honolulu]

It seems to me you would be better off with a NON-B (business) multi-entry visa. It costs 15,000 bht, is available online, with 90 day reporting, all the same as the ED visa. The benefit is that your visa sponsor is a legal/law company , and not a school. If you choose to study while on your business stay, fine, up to you.

I'm presuming you mean you can pay the legal company online, as opposed to making any sort of online visa application? Do you a have link? I'd be interested to read the requirements for issue and any other information available.

I have used Siam Legal. Very professional, never a problem. Try also Sunbelt Asia, advertisers on this forum. Sorry, I don't have a link. They will send you the visa application and legal documents, which you fill out and sign. Then you deliver the whole package with passport to your home country Thai Embassy. The Embassy stamps your passport with visa and returns to you.

As I said before, I was always uncomfortable being on ED visa. The school can deny your visa for any and various reasons at any time and you may find difficult recourse. Better to contract a legal firm to supply your 1 yr. multi visa and then choose your school of study independently.

[TCA]

I have used Siam Legal. Very professional, never a problem. Try also Sunbelt Asia, advertisers on this forum. Sorry, I don't have a link. They will send you the visa application and legal documents, which you fill out and sign. Then you deliver the whole package with passport to your home country Thai Embassy. The Embassy stamps your passport with visa and returns to you.

A Non Immigrant B visa can be issued for someone taking up employment in Thailand with a company located in Thailand, or someone conducting business in Thailand as an employee of a non Thai company (i.e. a business based outside Thailand).

I'm assuming you applied as the latter and therefore also had to supply a supporting letter from the company by which you are employed (or which you are representing)?

Also, you mentioned 90 day reporting, same as for the ED visa. I'm slightly confused as normally if you had a multiple entry visa, which you said you had, you'd have to leave the country before 90 days was up, so there would be no reporting requirement. Or have you received a 1 year extension to a multiple entry visa?

Edited December 18, 2011 by TCA

[Darrel]

There's a big ad for ED visa courses outside the cafe next door to Jomtien immigration. I think it said 7500B but I only glanced at it in passing one evening.

I don't know what that price includes.

[RealRyguy]

EDITED, Removed some risky stuff I might get into defamation trouble for...

So I just went to get another E.D. visa extension today. I was successful however this was the first time in 3 years it was actually a pain in the arse!

There was the usual long waiting, the pause for the lunch break and coming back to wait more.

My number was called and I went to submit my documents, passport, and the 2000 baht and told to wait to get my passport back with my extension granted(the usual).

However this time I watched as my passport was handed to the other immigration officer like they normally do, only to watch her put mine at the bottom of a stack of other people's passports which were given AFTER mine.

I noticed a few other things but wont go that far...

Also it's worth mentioning that as I watched them work, several times they completely stopped working, turned around in their office chairs and starting talking and laughing while ignoring the other passports piling up on their desk as if they had no care in the world that people were waiting HALF A DAY for just an extension.

I have been here for 3 years and have done this process a few times and this time was by far the worst, and longest.

I left at around 8 a.m. and just got home now. It's almost 5 pm. This was complete bullshit and a waste of my day. I seriously have a lot of work to do for my classes as its finals week this week.

I think it's also worth mentioning in case anyone has to do a 90 day, that the queue was over 200. VERY crowded today...

Edited December 19, 2011 by RealRyguy

[Mario2008]

1 post deletd as off-topic.

[Maestro]

...So I just went to get another E.D. visa extension today. I was successful however this was the first time in 3 years it was actually a pain in the arse!...

At what immigration office was this?

[RealRyguy]

...So I just went to get another E.D. visa extension today. I was successful however this was the first time in 3 years it was actually a pain in the arse!...

At what immigration office was this?

Bangkok, off Sathorn Tai

Edited December 20, 2011 by RealRyguy

[Penkoprod]

Hope the ED visas will not be affected by more and more schools offering super cheap visas as their main product. Ok guys, keep pretending that this is not the abuse of the system. Save money and destroy the system. Later you can move to Cambodia, some say it is a good alternative to Thailand so if you do not like Thailand enough get ready.

Walen School - not the cheapest but most reliable.

Surely, what they're offering is, more or less, the same product as you...no?

As your own site says:

1-10 years Thai student (ED) visa

Plus a Flash graphic stating "Free ED Visa! Unlimited stay in Thailand"

Pardon me if this comes across as critisising a sponsor, but i see very little difference in what you offer, as opposed to what the school in the OP is offering, apart from a price difference

I think all the OP was asking (in a roundabout way) is whether or not studying Thai ONLINE would be acceptable to the authorities, with regards to the legality of issuance of an ED visa.

Penkoprod

[MacWalen]

We actually provide quality Thai courses and have established reputation, if you think this is more or less the same then sure, go ahead. Walen is not the cheapest but most reliable and you have classes in proper classrooms that can be inspected by the Ministry of Education with lost of students around. Our prices are reasonable for what you get versus just buying an ED visa. I'm sure immigration and MOE will have a closer look at it.

Walen School - reasonable prices

[MacWalen]

There's a big ad for ED visa courses outside the cafe next door to Jomtien immigration. I think it said 7500B but I only glanced at it in passing one evening.

I don't know what that price includes.

Saw it too, you pay 2,000 every month plus 7500B ( about 31,500 per year) with doing some TEFL course. so that is well over 24,960 Baht Walen charges for learning Thai plus 13-14 months visa support. There will be more and more of those. Selling ED visas is becoming a big business. The newest schools will usually be the cheapest so here is the pointer.

Walen School - learn Thai with us

[ydraw]

Personally I would never take a Walen course after I have seen the way that MacWalen contiunually and relentlessly tries to denigrate every other Thai school in Thailand on these forums. Try and be a little less aggressive, mr Walen.

[MacWalen]

Personally I would never take a Walen course after I have seen the way that MacWalen contiunually and relentlessly tries to denigrate every other Thai school in Thailand on these forums. Try and be a little less aggressive, mr Walen.

I am afraid your post is not accurate, please read my posts and see that this is absolutely not the case. I am however concerned about schools that seem to operate with a soul purpose of selling ED visas, this is definitely not fair competition and it may cause big problems for other schools and potentially to Walen also as we all might be thrown into the same bucket with those schools that abuse the system. If you do not see that then it is fine but I see selling ED visas not doing any good to genuine students and other schools in the future. Immigration and the ministry of education are not stupid as some might like to think. It will not be a happy end sooner or later. Saving a few thousand baht on a school that is not having proper lessons and students attending classes and is obviously selling ED visas can be checked by authorities, it might sound like a good idea to use such a service but in the end it may be just a lot of trouble for all.

I really think it is a stupid and shortsighted way of doing business. Of course they will get some business being so cheap but the question is what happens when those students potentially get in trouble. This is my main concern ydraw. We have several thousand students in our 5 schools so I am rightly concerned about this issue as an ED visa assistance for students is of real help. I absolutely do not mind fair and honest competition from schools that actually teach and charge realistic prices.

Walen School - knowledge is power, share it.

Edited December 22, 2011 by MacWalen

[netcyberg]

Hello,

Has anyone yet got the extension from local authorities of that non-ED visa taken from that online courses??...

This will be really interesting to know. Thanks.

[ydraw]

I am however concerned about schools that seem to operate with a soul purpose of selling ED visas, this is definitely not fair competition

What a load of rubbish. The topic of this thread is "Ed Visa". Obviously the people reading this have little to no interest in actually learning Thai. They just want the visa. Your concern stems primarily from the fact that these businesses are your competitors.

[kropotkin]

Hope the ED visas will not be affected by more and more schools offering super cheap visas as their main product. Ok guys, keep pretending that this is not the abuse of the system. Save money and destroy the system. Later you can move to Cambodia, some say it is a good alternative to Thailand so if you do not like Thailand enough get ready.

Walen School - not the cheapest but most reliable.

But but but .....YOU offer FREE ed visas in your ad, and unlimited stay too?????

[Nakonama]

so we got 50+ replys

none of which say anything negative about the school, except, they might not offer premium service as other such as Walen and who else may be considering them selfs as the best in the country.

as customer i think is fair to have both choices, the budget, where we do some things our self, but save cash, and the we do all for you style, for those with enough cash.

i will consider this school for my extention, my thai is good enough to pass any simple test, so i guess i will not get in trouble if there onlince courses are not 100% up to speed.

thanks everyone for input

[netcyberg]

Guys, did anyone get an extension upon that online education visa?...