"ed" Visa For Studying To Become A Monk: Is My Visa Planning Correct?

[jayjay2001]

Hello,

I'm returning to Thailand (used to live in Thailand for four years), after having gone back to my home country for about 9 months. My plan is to get an ED visa for studying to become a monk. I just wanted to post what my planned process is to see if I will be doing things correctly, i.e., to get feedback from TV members about my planned visa process. I'd appreciate it...

I'll be arriving in Thailand on May 4 (using the 30 day visa exemption option), and will be staying in Pattaya until about June 1st before going off to live at the forest monastery.

Steps I will be taking to get the ED visa are:

(1) During the first week of May, I plan on going to the forest momastery to get a letter from the head monk stating my "acceptance" there for becoming a monk. (He knows me and I've been accepted to stay at the Wat)

(2) Then, the week before my 30 day visa exemption is up (the beginning of the 4th week of May), I plan on heading to Cambodia to visit the Thai embassy in PP. I'll bring:

• the completed visa application form
• photos
• passport photocopy
• and the letter from the Head Monk from the Wat I will be staying at.

Am I missing anything regarding my plan?

(Please note: I do not want to get an "R" non-immigrant visa.)

Thanks for any feedback.

JJ

Edited April 30, 2013 by jayjay2001

[Colabamumbai]

At times I have thought of doing what you are doing, as I work for well known Monk in the North, but I teach at his temple school. I think you may need more that just a letter from him for documentation, from the Wat. Buth then again my visa is Non B, so lots of paperwork is required.

I could be wrong about that, Shortly Im sure you will receive more detailed replies.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Colabamumbai

[Ginkas]

Not sure if that will work, at least not locally.

As far as I am aware Non-Imm ED visas are issued for study at educational institutions registered with the Ministry of Education and for courses approved by said Ministry.

Unless the forest temple is an educational institution so approved you may not get an ED visa.

Non Thais I know who have studied to become monks get a Non-imm R visa, with a mass of paperwork from the temple, become novice monks so as to do the training, and then become 'ordained' (or not, as the case may be) when deemed ready.

[fabianfred]

Best to get ordained as a Novice and get the 'Bai Suttee' done too to take and show.

Why no desire for an 'R' visa?

[lopburi3]

One post of years old information on extensions of stay removed - current police order is 777/2551 for extensions and this question is about visas.

[asiaexpat]

Latest order, but don't see a change in requirement. The point is: to study to become a monk is a totally different process than ed-visa. The OP has selected the wrong visa if he intends to study Buddhism at a temple.

ORDER OF THE ROYAL THAI POLICE BUREAU No. 777/2551

2.13 In the case of studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien: (1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM). (2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the National Office of Buddhism, or Office of the Prime Minister, or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, or Mahamakut Buddhist University. (3) Must have been confirmed by the abbot of the temple where the applicant is studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities.

[Mario2008]

Per above post, you would ask for a visa based on becoming a monk and can get extensions of stay based on that. I believe there are some posts about the process in the Buddhism forum: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/42-buddhism/

[jayjay2001]

Not sure if that will work, at least not locally.

As far as I am aware Non-Imm ED visas are issued for study at educational institutions registered with the Ministry of Education and for courses approved by said Ministry.

Unless the forest temple is an educational institution so approved you may not get an ED visa.

Non Thais I know who have studied to become monks get a Non-imm R visa, with a mass of paperwork from the temple, become novice monks so as to do the training, and then become 'ordained' (or not, as the case may be) when deemed ready.

Thanks for replying.

Well, I do believe an ED visa is an option. I used to have an ED visa for studying Thai, then a work permit, and then a retirement visa. And, I had heard one could also get a visa for being a monk in Thailand with an ED visa. I see this on many web pages, imcluding on the New York Thai embassy web page:

Non immigrant visa-ED: For the purposes of studying, work study tours, observation tours, participating in projects or seminars, attending training courses, or studying to be a foreign Buddhist monk in Thailand.

I also spoke with the Thai embassy in Los Angeles (after I posted my post), and they say both an ED visa or an "R" visa can be used for studying to be monk / being a monk in Thailand. The embassy did say for the "R" visa one needs to get a letter from some religious bureau in Thailand (I forgot the name of it). So there appears to be more paper work with the R visa.

Still, I am just wanting to get confirmation from someone who has done this process, i.e., used an ED visa for being a monk.

[jayjay2001]

Best to get ordained as a Novice and get the 'Bai Suttee' done too to take and show.

Why no desire for an 'R' visa?

Yes, getting ordained as a novice is the first step. Don't want the R visa because, as I understand, there's more paperwork involved. Thus, the preference of the Ed visa. But, I'm hoping to get information / verification from someone who's used an ED visa for being a monk.

[jayjay2001]

Latest order, but don't see a change in requirement. The point is: to study to become a monk is a totally different process than ed-visa. The OP has selected the wrong visa if he intends to study Buddhism at a temple.

ORDER OF THE ROYAL THAI POLICE BUREAU No. 777/2551

2.13 In the case of studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities: Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year.

The alien: (1) Must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM). (2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the National Office of Buddhism, or Office of the Prime Minister, or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, or Mahamakut Buddhist University. (3) Must have been confirmed by the abbot of the temple where the applicant is studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities.

Thanks for replying. The info you have above is regarding an "R" visa I believe. As I have stated in my reply to Ginkas above, I do think an ED visa can be also be used for studying to be a monk.

[jayjay2001]

Per above post, you would ask for a visa based on becoming a monk and can get extensions of stay based on that. I believe there are some posts about the process in the Buddhism forum: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/42-buddhism/

I'll look through that forum as well. Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

The ED visa is the correct one. From MFA website : http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

- to study, to come on a work study tour or observation tour , to participate in projects or seminars , to attend a conference or training course , to study as a foreign Buddhist monk (Category "ED")

The R visa is for missionaries and etc.

[lopburi3]

I believe the non immigrant O visa (other activities) is the proper visa. He is not in study as a foreign monk but becoming a member of a Thai forest monk group.

[ubonjoe]

I would also suggest the he get a tourist visa before traveling which would give him more time to get things organized for whatever non immigrant visa he is able to get.

Also unless he has a ticket out of the country within 30 days he probably would not be able to board his flight if travels without a visa.

[jayjay2001]

The ED visa is the correct one. From MFA website : http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/123/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

- to study, to come on a work study tour or observation tour , to participate in projects or seminars , to attend a conference or training course , to study as a foreign Buddhist monk (Category "ED")

The R visa is for missionaries and etc.

Ubonjoe,

Thanks for your reply. I've had two other replies in another forum, including from a foerign monk living in Thailand, that I should apply for the R visa. So, I'll look into when in Thailand.