Second Ed Visa Application In Phnom Penh

[OxfordWill]

I have had 3 years on an ED visa and am about to apply for a second one. I am planning to do this in Phnom Penh as I have heard it is much less crowded than Vientiane, and it strikes me that it may be better not to go back to Vientiane although am open to disagreement on that!

So, my question is does anyone know if it's a problem to do this in this location, and secondly, in a general sense, the last information I have from Phnom Penh experiences is that everything was OK for (first time) ED visa applications about 6 months ago, but I have not been able to hear anything (good or bad) from it since. Is it still operating as expected there?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

[ignis]

Problem with Phnom Penh, understand you pick up Passport on afternoon day 4 !!!!!

get the Bus to Mukdahan, then bus to Savannakhet [or Tuk Tuk cost about 50 baht....... or stay at the Casino and they pick you up at Mukdahan and go to the Thai Consulate for you everything is all in the VIP treatment.. it is a sleepy small place, no long lines of people everywhere.............

Vientiane did once never again, form boarder opening to Embassy took almost 3 hours... Savannakhet walk up to Thai side Immigration and Laos Immigration to Thai Consulate takes all of 15 mins... not hours of waiting in line..

Edit: Notice that Nokair also fly and bus you to this boarder, I saw the bus there myself dropping off people, book well in advance = cheap

Edited December 14, 2012 by ignis

[Phronesis]

Hey Will

I am currently on an Ed visa also and understand that extensions can only be granted back to back for up to three years.

My question is on what basis are you applying for a new Ed visa. Is the subject of your study the same as the first visa? Or did you have to change the field of your study to ensure a new student visa would be granted?

Edited December 14, 2012 by Phronesis

[Mario2008]

The duration of your ED-visa extensions of stay depend on the course you follow. The school has its course scrutinized by the education ministry, which on that basis allows the course for x number of years. Some schools have more advanced studies and there you can study for longer than 3 years.

You can always start a new study, one is not limited to studying Thai language.

[ubonjoe]

What type of ED visa are you going to apply for? Single or multiple entry? I ask this because if you have been on extensions of stay from a single entry you would not need another visa unless you let your extension run out.

You will not get a multiple entry if that is what you want.

Edited December 15, 2012 by ubonjoe

[OxfordWill]

Hi Phronesis, Mario answered your question. All I would add is, check with your school. I was the first foreign student at mine, so a bit of a guinea pig, but told they have had their assurances I will be OK. Famous last words!

ubonjoe - single is what I have been on, and I only need single (Category of "S"). Everyone has told me it expires automatically, and will not be extended further, at 3 years (which for me, is Christmas day).

Actually, I just checked and my "used" stamp (i.e. when I activate it first I believe) was 26 Nov 2009. So that would mean I already have been extending it for over 3 years... now utterly confused! I have had perhaps 3 "examinations" at the ministry for education (once per year).

Edited December 18, 2012 by OxfordWill

[ubonjoe]

Your visa expired almost 3 years ago. You have been on extensions of stay since then.

If your current extension is still valid it will not expire automatically just because you have reached the 3 year mark.

If the 3 year rule really applies and immigration saw your previous extensions they would not give you another extension even with a new visa entry.

Edited December 18, 2012 by ubonjoe

[OxfordWill]

Thanks, ubonjoe. So, the information the school is getting when the telephone immigration, is that they would give me a new ED visa, that would last a further 3 years. Even though, they said my original one, would only last 3 years, and yet they have given me several 90 day extentions already beyond that.

[ubonjoe]

As I said your visa is already dead. If you can continue getting extensions of stay you do not need to go out an get new visa.

[OxfordWill]

Yes, I understand that the visa is dead, but this is pure definitions, the visa is designed to be extended. The question is, to what duration? If you have any definitive input on that it would be greatly appreciated! Obviously, I have been extended now to almost 4 years, and yet it is a fact that immigration are telling my school they will only extend to 3, and also a fact that they are telling them (I was listening to the conversation on the phone when the member of staff and immigration were discussing it) I will get a new ED visa, again for the magical "3 years" if I want to ED for any longer.

As usual, everything a clear as mud when it comes to official rules!

[OxfordWill]

Turns out, they go on the letter from MOE, which is annual "approval" so most recent being 2011-2012, and they wont give a further approval letter, but immigration have confirmed that a second ED visa would be approved, and then the first year would be counted as Year 1, even if you already had a previous ED visa for "3 years". Hope this info helps someone else in future.. ill come back to let the thread know what happens.. (probably get deported!!)

[ignis]

Turns out, they go on the letter from MOE, which is annual "approval" so most recent being 2011-2012, and they wont give a further approval letter, but immigration have confirmed that a second ED visa would be approved, and then the first year would be counted as Year 1, even if you already had a previous ED visa for "3 years". Hope this info helps someone else in future.. ill come back to let the thread know what happens.. (probably get deported!!)

Looking into the ED Visa a couple of years ago, just looked at the saved website, appears now most say the same....."You can study Thai for 3 years using the same ED visa"

Looking before many said 1 -5 years even 1-10 years, using 90 day extensions from Immigration with school paperwork ....... so looks like a change on ED Visa's ? or maybe schools had to make it clear ?

So looking at a couple of schools websites, you can study many things for a ED Visa, each Visa can be extended for 3 more years at Immigration every 90 days @ 1,900 baht a time.