Ed Visa

[MattGreenfield]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can offer some advice on my situation.

I have booked a flight to arrive in Thailand for 30th July. I intend to start a TEFL course on 2nd September in Chiang Mai. The school I've been in contact with is Visions TEFL.

After some discussion about the course I explained I do not liking sending money overseas and would be prepared to pay on arrival in full. They asked for some documents which I sent and they sent me a letter adressed to me accepting me on to the course.

I thought this would be acceptable to the Royal Thai consulate, but upon a meeting with them to apply for a visa they said it would not be acceptable and that the school needs to supply more official documents.

I went back to the school and they said they are aware of all documents needed but I need to pay at least 50% of the course fee up front and the rest when i start the course. For this 50% upfront payment they will only issue a single entry ed visa. They said i can have a multiple, but for they need full payment.

I understand their concern that I may not show up for the course but I have full intention on paying for and doing the course so I can go on to get teaching work in Thailand.

Would a single entry ED visa be ok for that purpose? I understand that this would last for 90 days in Thailand then I'd have to leave and re-enter Thailand to get another 15 days would it be?

If all goes to plan, I will have completed the course and be working within the 90 days so I would suspect I'd have to get a different visa and work permit anyway?

Some advice would be much appreciated. I am more than happy to pay the 50% upfront fee if it means I can do as planned and stay in Thailand to work after my course.

Thanks

[TerryLH]

You can, without school documents, get a tourist visa that will be good for 60 days, and can be extended for an additional 30 days at an immigration office.

Yes, you can study on a tourist visa.

If you get a two entry tourist visa, you could leave after the 60+30 days, and return for another 60+30 days.

[Maestro]

A single-entry non-ED visa would give you permission to stay for 90 days. You may not be aware of this, but you are allowed to study in Thailand on the basis of any type of permission to stay you have, it does not have to be based on a non-ED visa and you can for example arrive in Thailand with a tourist visa.

A single-entry tourist visa will give you permission to stay for an initial 60 days and you can extend this stay by 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand for a fee of 1000 Baht. With a double-entry tourist visa you make a border run before your visa or your permission of stay expires, whichever is earlier, and on your second entry into Thailand you get again permission to stay for 60 days, extendable by 30 days.

With a tourist visa, you will not depend on the school for documents for a visa and thus need not remit any money at all before your departure to Thailand. After your arrival you can, if you wish, sit in on a free trial class of several schools and choose the one that suits you best.

Seeing that you plan to teach in Thailand you may already want to have a look at the Teaching in Thailand Forum, perhaps get some advance information about TEFL schools in Chiang Mai.

[MattGreenfield]

A single-entry non-ED visa would give you permission to stay for 90 days. You may not be aware of this, but you are allowed to study in Thailand on the basis of any type of permission to stay you have, it does not have to be based on a non-ED visa and you can for example arrive in Thailand with a tourist visa.

A single-entry tourist visa will give you permission to stay for an initial 60 days and you can extend this stay by 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand for a fee of 1000 Baht. With a double-entry tourist visa you make a border run before your visa or your permission of stay expires, whichever is earlier, and on your second entry into Thailand you get again permission to stay for 60 days, extendable by 30 days.

With a tourist visa, you will not depend on the school for documents for a visa and thus need not remit any money at all before your departure to Thailand. After your arrival you can, if you wish, sit in on a free trial class of several schools and choose the one that suits you best.

Seeing that you plan to teach in Thailand you may already want to have a look at the Teaching in Thailand Forum, perhaps get some advance information about TEFL schools in Chiang Mai.

You can, without school documents, get a tourist visa that will be good for 60 days, and can be extended for an additional 30 days at an immigration office.

Yes, you can study on a tourist visa.

If you get a two entry tourist visa, you could leave after the 60+30 days, and return for another 60+30 days.

Thank you both for that information. I wasn't aware you could study on a tourist visa.

The visa situation is really hard to get my head around and (obviously) i'm still learning new things I didn't know. Thank God for this website, or I'd probably still be utterly confused about what to do.

[MattGreenfield]

A single-entry non-ED visa would give you permission to stay for 90 days. You may not be aware of this, but you are allowed to study in Thailand on the basis of any type of permission to stay you have, it does not have to be based on a non-ED visa and you can for example arrive in Thailand with a tourist visa.

A single-entry tourist visa will give you permission to stay for an initial 60 days and you can extend this stay by 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand for a fee of 1000 Baht. With a double-entry tourist visa you make a border run before your visa or your permission of stay expires, whichever is earlier, and on your second entry into Thailand you get again permission to stay for 60 days, extendable by 30 days.

With a tourist visa, you will not depend on the school for documents for a visa and thus need not remit any money at all before your departure to Thailand. After your arrival you can, if you wish, sit in on a free trial class of several schools and choose the one that suits you best.

Seeing that you plan to teach in Thailand you may already want to have a look at the Teaching in Thailand Forum, perhaps get some advance information about TEFL schools in Chiang Mai.

>You can, without school documents, get a tourist visa that will be good for 60 days, and can be extended for an additional 30 days at an immigration office.

Yes, you can study on a tourist visa.

If you get a two entry tourist visa, you could leave after the 60+30 days, and return for another 60+30 days.

Thank you both for that information. I wasn't aware you could study on a tourist visa.

The visa situation is really hard to get my head around and (obviously) i'm still learning new things I didn't know. Thank God for this website, or I'd probably still be utterly confused about what to do.

Sorry one more thing, I have the option of getting a Three Entry Tourist Visa - would I be able to have three times 60+30 with this type of visa?

[TerryLH]

"...and you can extend this stay by 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand for a fee of 1000 Baht."

The extension fee is 1900 baht.

" I have the option of getting a Three Entry Tourist Visa - would I be able to have three times 60+30 with this type of visa?"

Yes. All three entries would have to be made while the visa is still valid.

You won't be able to work legally on a tourist visa, so if you plan on working you might end up not using one or two entries.

[Maestro]

Thank you for the correction, Terry. The extension fee is indeed 1,900 Baht.

[MattGreenfield]

"...and you can extend this stay by 30 days at your local immigration office in Thailand for a fee of 1000 Baht."

The extension fee is 1900 baht.

" I have the option of getting a Three Entry Tourist Visa - would I be able to have three times 60+30 with this type of visa?"

Yes. All three entries would have to be made while the visa is still valid.

You won't be able to work legally on a tourist visa, so if you plan on working you might end up not using one or two entries.

Thanks for the correction, just so I have everything in perspective.

And Terry, I do not intend to work whilst I have that type of visa, I just want to keep my options open just in case things take a little longer than expected.

Appreciate your comments and advice, thank you.

[MattGreenfield]

So would I have to you each of the three entries on the triple entry tourist visa within the initial 60 days? Or would it be... 60+30, 60+30 and 60+30? I want to do my best to stay within the law and stay on the right side of the authorities so all this help before travel is awesome.

[Maestro]

A triple-entry tourist visa issued in the UK should generally be valid for travel to Thailand within 6 months from its date of issue but to make sure that you get that I suggest that in a covering letter with your application form you indicate that your planned travel itinerary needs a six-month validity.

[recom273]

How long is your TEFL course ? The visa is only intended to run the duration of the course.

You should ask the TEFL company a question along the lines of "Can I convert this 90 day ED visa to a work permit" - (Providing you have a degree). I suspect you can't.

You dont mention dates, but schools are just about to enter the new term ( my kids arrive on the 16th ) so if you think about it, there will be a lot of jobs around until the end of May. So if it suits, you could be looking at walking straight from your course into a job ( although that may interfere with your travel plans )

If its the case that you can't convert an ED to a WP, you would need to leave the country anyway [ Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia would be the closest ] with the necessary paperwork ( you need not worry about this, the work provider will know ) to obtain a B visa (90 days) which you would then convert to a work permit in due course.

[farang b]

Speak to John Qinn at SEE TEFL helped me a lot when I did my course with them, I believe they have a discount happening at the moment also. Good luck.

[BanTamo]

Isn't it perhaps appropriate to at least mention to the OP that the better schools in Thailand look rather more favorably on a TESL certificate earned abroad, in a properly accredited university, than they do those earned in for-profit businesses in Thailand, many of which are more akin to mills than educational institutions?

[Maestro]

I don't think it would be appropriate, because this is not what he is asking about and if he did have a question about it it would belong in the Teaching forum.

[minnie101]

Excellent question MattGreenfield, I needed exactly the same answered. Out of interest is your TEFL course the CELTA certificate with International House? Just so I know what to expect when I apply to them for this October. The above responses have been most helpful!

[MattGreenfield]

I've been researching and I am seriously considering reverting to a university accredited course, as originally I was speaking to CMUTEFL at Chiang Mai University. I think it will hold me in much better stead when looking for work, even without a "job guarantee."