Change Visa (Tourist To Ed) Without Border Run?

[human88]

Hello, I'm on my final tourist visa extension (day 2 of my 30 extra days) and I want to get the ED visa. Sick out of my mind about the border runs and I'll simply return to my home country before doing another border run!!!!

Can I change my tourist visa to an ED visa without a border run?

Here's what the Thai language school tells me:

The border visit MUST happen. All their students do this, regardless of what visa they are on when they apply for the school. They handle the visa paperwork for me, and once it's approved they give me the appropriate papers to use during the border visit. I go to Myanmar for 1-2 days, and return no issue. But like I said, I'm sick to death of a border run.

Here's what the Government Complex (kings 80th birthday building) workers tell me:

I asked 4 different people in different departments. Each one of them told me a border visit is absolutely not necessary. They said I can change the visa at that building, and they even gave me a paper showing that I can CHANGE my tourist visa to ED visa with no border visit. The paper in so many words says the following: Bring 2 letters from the thai language school, one from the school, one from the principal of the school, and one from the governer (governer of what, i have no idea because it simply says governer), the acceptance letter, a copy of the schools operating license, my diploma and resume.

Now that I think about it, the second option sounds a little extreme. Maybe I'll just present this document to the school and see what they say. Or maybe I can bring the document to some different schools and see if they're familiar with the process of changing the visa rather than getting a new one and doing a border visit.

So these are my two questions....

1. Anyone have experience changing tourist visa to ED visa without leaving the country?

2. If this is just too much of a headache, is it literally impossible to get ANOTHER tourist visa while in the country?

[lopburi3]

Thai language school

That appears to be the key. Conversion can be done for formal full time study but not at most language schools. Not sure where you expect to obtain a visa on a border visit to Myanmar however? You need an ED non immigrant visa issued by a Consulate.

Tourist visas are never issued inside Thailand.

[merijn]

Initial ED visa must be obtained outside Thailand at the Thai Embassy or consul. ( i don't know of any exceptions in Bangkok but TIT )

For this you only need the school application letter stating that you have the intention of learning at that school.

With this you will receive the ED visa and you are entitled to enroll the classes and start learning. ( remember that this has to be a government recognized school )

After the school enrollment you have to get the ED visa extension at your immigration office and for this you need most of the papers as mentioned by you in the second section. ( not your diploma or resume off-course )

[human88]

Conversion can be done for formal full time study but not at most language schools.

Does that mean some of them CAN? I'll just go to the school that CAN. Do you know which ones can?

[Mario2008]

It doesn't depend on the language school, it depends on the immigration office and the contacts the school has with them.

So ask the school if they know if you can convert inside Thailand or not. They will know the situation with the local immigration office.

[human88]

As an update I finally was able to coax the school into calling the immigration office, and the school was advised (to their extreme surprise) that a border visit is not necessary. Tomorrow I will pay the school and start the paperwork, and supposedly hand-deliver the paperwork to the immigration office where the visa change will then take place. Fingers crossed, and I'll update when I have more info...

[human88]

Wow, totally forgot to give an update on what happened. So I went back to the immigration office (after my last post) and they declined it, and i returned home; for now. The changing of visa type from Tourist to Education is only granted if both conditions apply:

1) with full time study (30-40 hours a week)

2) has to be a large university like Bangkok University, etc.

I'll leave my personal views on this stipulation to myself.