Changing a non 'O' with WP to an Ed Visa

[danstarr]

Dear all,

Am on a Non - 'O' with a WP for volunteering but the volunteering is nearing its end. I'm also on a degree course here in Thailand and now want to focus on my studies. The college have sent me all the relevant paperwork to get the Ed Visa so do I just take it to my local immigration office or do I have to go to Vientiane or Savannakhet?

[Mario2008]

Depends on the immigration office and school. There is however no harm done in at least trying to get an extension based on your study first. Especially if it is a regular education and not a language course they just give you the extension without the need for getting an ED-visa abroad.

So hope for the best, but be prepared to go on a trip abroad.

[danstarr]

Mario do you know if I have to go to the labour office first?

[Mario2008]

Mario do you know if I have to go to the labour office first?

If you currently have a WP you go to the labour office first, with a letter from the organization stating your volunteering ended on that day. Next you go to immigration to cancel your extension of stay, if on an extension of stay. And at that time you apply for an extension based on your study and see if they accept it. if not, you have to leave Thailand the same day or apply for an extra 7 days to give you some more time (for 1,900 baht).

[danstarr]

OK. am I likely to be seen the same day at Immigration or should I get an online queue ticket?

[lopburi3]

You should not have any problem being seen same day AFAIK. Have not seem much positive reporting on that queue system but if I were planning to get one would give it a try or two before giving up. But as said have not seen any reports of any issues just getting.

[richard10365]

I went from a non-o marriage to an ed visa in Chiang Mai. They stamped my visa and wrote in thai it was an ed visa. Every year after I that I extended my visa. Now I have a bachelor's degree, working on my master's degree and I haven't left Thailand since 2005. I went fom soldier to student and like being a student much more than being a soldier.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[danstarr]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.

[danstarr]

Mario do you know if I have to go to the labour office first?

If you currently have a WP you go to the labour office first, with a letter from the organization stating your volunteering ended on that day. Next you go to immigration to cancel your extension of stay, if on an extension of stay. And at that time you apply for an extension based on your study and see if they accept it. if not, you have to leave Thailand the same day or apply for an extra 7 days to give you some more time (for 1,900 baht).

Does this mean that should I have to leave Thailand for say Laos that day, that I should apply for the Ed Visa there or should I get a tourist visa and then have that converted to my Ed Visa in Bangkok?

[ubonjoe]

You need to be sure the paperwork you have is for an extension of stay not a visa. School should know the difference.

You should not need to go out for a visa. Just be sure you have the correct paperwork to get the extension.

If you did go for a visa you would get a single entry non-ed visa.

[danstarr]

You need to be sure the paperwork you have is for an extension of stay not a visa. School should know the difference. You should not need to go out for a visa. Just be sure you have the correct paperwork to get the extension. If you did go for a visa you would get a single entry non-ed visa.

Thanks for your quick response Joe.

IIRC the paperwork the school is providing is for Ed Visa application not an extension so I have just emailed them to see if they are able to send me extension of stay paperwork.

The organisation I've been volunteering with are allowing me the services of their lawyer to process the Ed Visa but he says that getting an Ed Visa after having been on a WP and 'O' visa is not going to be possible to process without extending the WP as well but I only want the Ed Visa as I'll no longer be doing the volunteering.

I'm already on the degree course and attend face-to-face classes in Bangkok in October. My WP runs out at the end of November so I have time.

[ubonjoe]

Lawyer is not correct. There certainly would be no need to renew the work permit to change the reason for the extension since your new extension does not require one.

[danstarr]

Lawyer is not correct. There certainly would be no need to renew the work permit to change the reason for the extension since your new extension does not require one.

OK thanks. Have passed this info on to the lawyer and he is going to apply for my Ed Visa on the day my WP expires.

[danstarr]

Mario do you know if I have to go to the labour office first?

If you currently have a WP you go to the labour office first, with a letter from the organization stating your volunteering ended on that day. Next you go to immigration to cancel your extension of stay, if on an extension of stay. And at that time you apply for an extension based on your study and see if they accept it. if not, you have to leave Thailand the same day or apply for an extra 7 days to give you some more time (for 1,900 baht).

Just thinking ahead as the time is drawing near for my Ed Visa application to be processed in Chiang Mai. If they don't accept my application for an extension of stay based on study and I have to leave the country, do I have to apply for a 60 day tourist visa at, say, Vientiane or Phnom Penh or do I just go across the border and get the 30 days visa-exempt as a UK citizen?

Once again, thank you in advance for any advice. I'm devizing plans A & B and probably even a plan C if need be!

[ubonjoe]

As long as you have all the documents for extension based upon study you should not have a problem.

If you did have a problem it would be best to get 7 days to leave by applying for extension and paying 1900 baht. Then go out for a ED visa in Vientiane. Phnom Penh takes 4 days to get a visa.

[danstarr]

A quick update.. two weeks ago I was told that the lawyer was confident that he'd be able to process my extension of stay based on my studies but then he returned my application form and supporting documnents saying that he was no longer able to do it.

So, I went to Chiang Mai Immigration and they told me that they cannot do an extension of stay based on my study so tomorrow (Monday) I am going to Laos to apply for a 60 day toursit visa in Vientiane which, I'm told by my college, can then be changed to an Ed Visa at immigration in Bangkok.

However, is it worth trying to apply for the Ed Visa in Vientiane?

[ubonjoe]

If you have the documents shown on this webpage on Vientiane website you be able to get a ED visa. http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/vientiane/en/consular/consular_check/

[danstarr]

Thanks for that Joe. My college professor told me that the documents the college has provided me with are only possible to be used when applying for the Ed Visa from within Thailand so I think my best bet may be to just get a 60 day tourist visa in Vientiane, then head to Bangkok to change to the Ed Visa. Does that sound right to you?

[ubonjoe]

Not sure. I would think that they should be the same. I would try for the ED then if no get a tourist visa. They will tell you yes or no when you turn in the application.

[danstarr]

Not sure. I would think that they should be the same. I would try for the ED then if no get a tourist visa. They will tell you yes or no when you turn in the application.

Thank you Joe. I will give it a try and see what they say. All this is a bit of a headache for me!

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[danstarr]

I went to Vientiane with my documents from college but they said they couldn't issue an Ed Visa as the documents were addressed to Thai Immigration and not the Consulate. So, I got a 60 day Tourist visa and then went overnight to Bangkok where, despite people camping inside the government building, Immigration granted me my Ed Visa. It is valid for 3 months but can extend it for 1 year in Chiang Mai after 60 days (so they tell me).

Again, thanks to everyone who responded to my questions here. As the lawyer didn't know how to proceed, the help here has been invaluable.