Moving to Thailand to study thai for a year.

So my question is this. I live in American a I need to put a one month notice in at my apartment. So as soon as I do that I have 30 days to leave... I also need to spend this time to sell my car (hopefully in the last week- so I'm stuck with my car), and put my belogins in storage. If I apply for a language school in Thai I must pay in advance, wait for the paperwork from the school and take it to the US Thai Embassy here before I can leave. With the time of getting accepted to the shcool and the unknown time it will take to get my via back from the Embassy, it seems like it will be difficult to get all the points to align at once and allow me to leave for Bkk right away.

The other option that seems more logical would be to just handle everything I need to now with my car, apartment, and stuff before going to BKK, and fly to BKK on a tourist Visa. Once I get there, visit a few schools and then apply in person, get acceptance letter, and fly to Singapore thai embassy to get multi entry visa. This doesn't require to me juggle so many things at once on a target move date.

1. Which options is better? THe logic option which requires great timing.

2. The more relaxed entry on a tourist via which requires extra travel.

4. Alo, during my stufy for a year I would like to take weekend trips to Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, China. Since I plan on making 4 trips during the year is it better for me to get a Single entry visa a re-entry permit, or get a multiple entry visa? This is a diffuclt concept to understand. Are there any benefits or disadvantages to either?

5. Last thing is if I apply in thailand where is the visa/letter from the ministry mailed? Do they mail it back to school or do I have to give them an address in thai?

Sorry I read a bit about these topics but didn't get a firm answers.

THanks!

Seems you have some good ideas !

Is your first Language English ?

Just wondering

If you get every thing set up for the school they send the required documents directly to you. You then can mail in or do your application in person. You will have 90 days to use the visa from date of issue.

I suggest you get a single entry visa and get extensions of stay. Then get re-entry permits when you want to travel.

Getting a tourist is a good idea. That would give you 60 days that can be extended for 30 days at immigration. This would give you plenty of time to check a few schools and even start classes before needing to go out for visa. You can get visa in Vientian Laos which would probably be the lowest cost trip. School will give you the documents needed.

List of consulates here: http://www.visetkaew.com/wp/directories/

Embassy and the official consulates accept mail in applications.

Honorary consulates are easiest places to get visas but can longer accept mail in applications.

jrtmedic- Yes, my first language is English. Sorry that my first post in this thread was full of errors. I wrote it when I was totally exhausted last night and didn't double check what I wrote. Re-reading it today I think it was confusing! Haha

ubonjoe- Thanks for the tips!

Do you think I would be able to lease and apartment for a year on my tourist visa while I'm waiting for my education visa stuff to go through. The main reason I wonder if the Thia Ministry sends the information to the school rather than directly to me is that I will be staying in a hotel when I first arrive in BKK while looking for Apartments. I'm not sure having important documents mailed to a hotel is the best idea? Trying to align the renting of an apartment up with the ED visa sounds like it might be tricky if they want to mail the documents to me.

Anyone had their ED visa stuff mailed to them before? Also, what are the chances I would be denied a ED visa for some unknown reason? I would hate to sign a lease on a tourist visa then get decline and lose my Tuition fees.

Your idea of flying to Thailand on a tourist visa is sound. That way you can visit some schools and audit classes to find one that best suits your needs rather than get "locked" into a substandard school or a "visa mill" before you come.

Once you sign up and pay your bill the school will arrange the paperwork, it will take 4-6 weeks to get the letter from the MOE. You will then have to travel to a neighboring country to get the visa. Most likely you will only get a 90 day single entry visa and will have to extended it every 90 days at the immigration office responsible for the area where you live. It will require paperwork from the school showing that you are still enrolled and attending classes plus 1900 baht every 90 days.

Singapore is not a good choice as they don't seem to be very friendly to non residents. You could go to Lao, Vientiane or Savanakhet, which are both easily accessable via land from Northern Thailand. You would have to spends at least 1 night as you submit your paperwork the morning of the first day and pick it up on the second.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Here's some info on courses available and costs, however, this school does not have classes in the Chaing Rai area so it's just a reference point:http://www.tlslanguageschool.com/

jrtmedic- Yes, my first language is English. Sorry that my first post in this thread was full of errors. I wrote it when I was totally exhausted last night and didn't double check what I wrote. Re-reading it today I think it was confusing! Haha

 

ubonjoe- Thanks for the tips!

 

Do you think I would be able to lease and apartment for a year on my tourist visa while I'm waiting for my education visa stuff to go through. The main reason I wonder if the Thia Ministry sends the information to the school rather than directly to me is that I will be staying in a hotel when I first arrive in BKK while looking for Apartments. I'm not sure having important documents mailed to a hotel is the best idea? Trying to align the renting of an apartment up with the ED visa sounds like it might be tricky if they want to mail the documents to me.

 

Anyone had their ED visa stuff mailed to them before? Also, what are the chances I would be denied a ED visa for some unknown reason? I would hate to sign a lease on a tourist visa then get decline and lose my Tuition fees.

You can rent a place to stay on a tourist visa. You will not need to sign a years lease most are done on monthly basis.

School will take paperwork to ministry pick it up and hand it to to you. Nothing is done by mail.

As long as school does its part right you will have no problem getting visa and then extensions. So don't worry about that.

jrtmedic- Yes, my first language is English. Sorry that my first post in this thread was full of errors. I wrote it when I was totally exhausted last night and didn't double check what I wrote. Re-reading it today I think it was confusing! Haha

ubonjoe- Thanks for the tips!

Do you think I would be able to lease and apartment for a year on my tourist visa while I'm waiting for my education visa stuff to go through. The main reason I wonder if the Thia Ministry sends the information to the school rather than directly to me is that I will be staying in a hotel when I first arrive in BKK while looking for Apartments. I'm not sure having important documents mailed to a hotel is the best idea? Trying to align the renting of an apartment up with the ED visa sounds like it might be tricky if they want to mail the documents to me.

Anyone had their ED visa stuff mailed to them before? Also, what are the chances I would be denied a ED visa for some unknown reason? I would hate to sign a lease on a tourist visa then get decline and lose my Tuition fees.

You can rent a place to stay on a tourist visa. You will not need to sign a years lease most are done on monthly basis.

School will take paperwork to ministry pick it up and hand it to to you. Nothing is done by mail.

As long as school does its part right you will have no problem getting visa and then extensions. So don't worry about that.

Thanks ubonjoe,

Quick question. You say that most apartments have a monthly agreement rather than yearly leases? Can someone englighten me on to where I can view these type of apartments online? I have browsed atleast 10-20 sites, and almost all of the apartment rentals in BKK I've seen say in the terms 1yr+ lease.

Is there a secret online resource of Apartments that I don't know about, or do I need to track down a real estate agent when I am there to see these?

What you are probably seeing online are actually condos for rent.

You might try rooms to rent. Most of these would be a single room but would be the lowest cost place to stay you will find.

What you see on internet are most often targeted to specific audience (sucker group) and not a good representation of actual prices/conditions on the ground - and ground travel is what it should be rather than agents for most cheaper accommodations - just walk around and look for rent signs - if uncomfortable doing yourself have a taxi driver you like take you around and you will both likely make out well (you finding cheaper/better place and him getting your business and perhaps a tip).

Good value accommodation is not to be found on line !

Some personal effort needs to be expended!

This involves searching out those private "for rent" signs or seeking personal recommendations.

Good luck !

http://www.ddproperty.com/en is one website but there are others. Many Thai's buy, rent and sell property this way nowadays.

If you find a website where the default language is English it won't be the right place to find budget accommodation.

Just so you know, you can apply in US for tourist multiple entry, this gives 3-6 months valid visa,

so you got plenty of time finding a school here on spot,

or simply get a new tourist visa when you go to thai embassy at any of the countries you name.

How it works is that you get to stay 60 days, then go to immigration and get another 30 days.

After that, you take a mini-van tour to the border, and start on the next tourist visa, 60+30

Edited September 2, 201312 yr by poanoi

Just so you know, you can apply in US for tourist multiple entry, this gives 3-6 months valid visa,

so you got plenty of time finding a school here on spot,

or simply get a new tourist visa when you go to thai embassy at any of the countries you name.

How it works is that you get to stay 60 days, then go to immigration and get another 30 days.

After that, you take a mini-van tour to the border, and start on the next tourist visa, 60+30

Holy S***

Poanoi! I want to thank you, because as much as I have read about Visas this for some reason just blanked out of my mind. This actually sounds like a great idea as I plan to travel a bit while I am living in Thailand (weekend visits to Japan, Hong Kong to take pictures and such), and from what I read on an ED Visa I will need to apply at immigration for re-etry permits and such which sounds like a pain. This saves me at least 1 trip back to immigration to apply for a permit, saves me a little stress of finding a school I like within the first few days of arriving, and will get me a bit more time to enjoy Thai living if I apply for my ED visa before my multiple entry tourist visa expires. This is what my plan now looks like.

1. Go to Thai Embassy in Los Angeles and apply for multiple-entry tourist Visa.

2. Stay for 60 days

3. Apply at immigration for 30 day extension.

4. Before 30 days expire Fly to Japan or HK for a weekend to take pictures and do touristy things.

5. Re-enter Thailand to get the second 60 days on my multi-entry visa.

6. Apply at Immigration for a 30 day extension.

7. Sometime within the previous 30-90 days get accepted into Thai School and get ministry approval for ED Visa.

8. Leave for Laos, Malaysia, Singapore or another Visa Friendly Country to obtain the ED visa and do touristy things.

9. Return to Thailand, begin school, and visit immigration every 90 days to keep my 1 year ED Visa running.

10. Apply for re-entry permit any time I want to travel after this.

This seems like the most stress free way for me to get my ED visa for school, do some weekend traveling, and also extend my possible time in Thailand to up to 1 year and 6 months. Correct me if I've messed up somewhere.

I do have a couple fears with this method though.

a.) I'm worried that I will not be able to get a bank account on a tourist visa vis when I first arrive. There seems to be conflicting views on whether this is still possible in BKK.

b.) I'm worried I will not be able to rent an apartment/lease a condo for a year with a tourist Visa. Again conflicting info some say they have in the past, others say no... :|

This thread has really helped me a lot!

On the bank account, go to several, as they have different policy.

IIRC siam bank wouldnt let me open account lest i get a special paper from immigration (i hate immigration)

but bangkok bank let me, and i think kasikorn also easier.

The condo i'm about to move into rent out on per month basis, another would give a discount for 3+ months,

others yet demand 6 month or 1 year

Edited September 4, 201312 yr by poanoi

Kaiskorn bank (1st) & bangkok bank (2nd) are the best banks to open an account. Just be polite with the thai staff and try a few different branches if you don't first succeed. Obviously don't mention about having a tourist visa alot of banks just turn a blind eye. An awful lot of people successfully open thai bank account's on tourist visas.

There is absolutely no problem getting a room for rent anywhere in Thailand. I have never even came across it before it must be just for condos and higher market accommodation as other posters have mentioned. You will typically get a room from 4k-10k per month depending on taste were you pay monthly. The only thing the ask for is a reasonably priced deposit that you lose if you move out before 2/3 months of moving in but get back when your leaving anytime after this period.

As far as immigration goes for re-entry permit you will probably be going there every 90 days for extensions and get a single entry (1000 baht) then.

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