Trying to understand ED Visa's

[colourcode]

Hello,

I have been studying Thai for about 14 months. I am going to lessons to learn spoken Thai and also to read and write. I applied for an extension when my first year visa was up which the school took care of for me but when my visa came back it had only been extended for 6 months. I don't really know what this means as I thought the Ed visa's lasted a year. I asked my school and they said they didn't know why I had only 6 months (this was back in July). So what I need to know is:

Do I need to apply for another visa? Has the year Ed visa changed to 6 months now? Or will I just need to renew at Immigration (Like in my first visa when you had to extend for 1 month, then 3 months, then 5 months)

If my Ed visa does run out it will be on 27th December 2013, I can't leave the country then as it's Christmas and I have family visiting not to mention it's a very expensive and booked out time of year. I am going back home to the UK in April 2013. So I thought I might extend for 7 days and get a 3 month tourist visa and then travel around SE Asia before returning home. Can I apply for a 7 day extension on an Ed visa so I can do a visa run after Christmas and New Year?

Unfortunately I can't ask my school anything about the Ed visas, they seem to be experiencing a high number of problems with the ED visa over these last few weeks stating rule changes and they don't really know what is happening. I am not sure whether this is just the schools relationship with immigration or whether this is happening across the board, but even so I'd rather be prepared so I can book my travel tickets in advance if necessary.

If anyone can fill me in on the current Ed visa situation, please let me know, or if anyone else seems to be having these problems I'd also like to know.

Thanks for helping

[thaiexpat21]

Sounds as if you have an extension of stay not a "visa" .

If the school supply the required paperwork (as previously) another extension should be available.

As a point of interest whereabouts in Thailand are you based ?

[colourcode]

Hi thaiexpat21,

You are right, it is an extension of stay. So I can just get another extension from the school? What would happen if the school went bankrupt - I'm asking this because I think they may be in trouble, or seem to be having lots of problems anyway, nothing that I can categorically state but I get a strong feeling they are on the brink

I'm in Phuket.

[thaiexpat21]

Phuket !

I Thought so !

As you will be aware Immigration has been looking very closely at the activity of "schools" in Phuket !

If your school is not able to supply the necessary paperwork you will not be able to secure another extension.of stay.

The extension itself is not provided by the school.

It is the immigration authorities who provide extensions of stay providing their requirements are met.

Your best plan would be to have a frank discussion with the school about your need for a new extension.

If the school is unable/unwilling to support you then you may need to arrange to obtain a double entry tourist visa from Laos .

You may be able to secure a seven day extension from immigration if that helps.

[Cloggie]

I remember the story of a young guy who also had a ED-Visa and went to immigration for an extension, officer asked his name and age in Thai and he had no idea what the officer was asking, extension denied!

In my opinion this whole ED visa is just one big scam - people only use it to stay in Thailand, that's it (yes there will be some exceptions....)

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well, you want to learn Thai anyway correct?

Second year, paperwork in Thai as well, prove that you are here to learn Thai, just test them.

Just my few satang.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Cloggie

[roiethome]

I remember the story of a young guy who also had a ED-Visa and went to immigration for an extension, officer asked his name and age in Thai and he had no idea what the officer was asking, extension denied!

In my opinion this whole ED visa is just one big scam - people only use it to stay in Thailand, that's it (yes there will be some exceptions....)

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well, you want to learn Thai anyway correct?

Second year, paperwork in Thai as well, prove that you are here to learn Thai, just test them.

Just my few satang.

Fully agree with the comments above. The ED visa and extension is abused by many of the holders as a cheap way to stay on in Thailand. Very much irks those of us who have come to stay here by the "legitamate" meanss.

The interview in Thai, and filling in the form in Thai infront of the officer would cut out the abusers for sure.

[colourcode]

It irks me too... I and my other half have legitimately been learning Thai, in fact we started without an Education Visa when we first came because we believed you get more out of a country, it's culture etc if you study their language.

However the points of view above are fundamentally flawed because they assume that the courses/schools are good, well organised and that you will learn lots from them. My experience is different from this.

Within my year and a half learning I have had 3 different teachers, moved around into 14 different classes and I have lost count of last minute schedule changes and absenteeism from the teachers. The primary reasons for this is that staff haven't been paid, and so hang out and cancel classes and eventually leave unpaid. One disgruntled teacher mentioned that the school doesn't print books higher than up to book 2. Books 1 and 2 are rudimentary Thai (think body parts and bus garages and you'll understand the level). It's only through sheer dogged persistence and a couple of good teachers (who weren't paid) that I have got this far with my learning... even now I am nowhere near the level I should be at or want to be at. Now my last teacher (who taught me reading and writing) has left (after lots of absenteeism - who can blame her?) and today was the first day with a new teacher... and guess what? Back to learning my greetings, the first lesson in book 1. I hope you can understand my frustration.

There's a lot more to this than some people cheating the system, a whole lot more.

[OMGImInPattaya]

It irks me too... I and my other half have legitimately been learning Thai, in fact we started without an Education Visa when we first came because we believed you get more out of a country, it's culture etc if you study their language.

However the points of view above are fundamentally flawed because they assume that the courses/schools are good, well organised and that you will learn lots from them. My experience is different from this.

Within my year and a half learning I have had 3 different teachers, moved around into 14 different classes and I have lost count of last minute schedule changes and absenteeism from the teachers. The primary reasons for this is that staff haven't been paid, and so hang out and cancel classes and eventually leave unpaid. One disgruntled teacher mentioned that the school doesn't print books higher than up to book 2. Books 1 and 2 are rudimentary Thai (think body parts and bus garages and you'll understand the level). It's only through sheer dogged persistence and a couple of good teachers (who weren't paid) that I have got this far with my learning... even now I am nowhere near the level I should be at or want to be at. Now my last teacher (who taught me reading and writing) has left (after lots of absenteeism - who can blame her?) and today was the first day with a new teacher... and guess what? Back to learning my greetings, the first lesson in book 1. I hope you can understand my frustration.

There's a lot more to this than some people cheating the system, a whole lot more.

So find a decent school to attend! I've got no problem with people staying in Thailand on education visas, whether its to study the language, Muay Thai, cooking, massage, whatever? However, as the language learners route is often abused, rudimentary testing as mentioned above seems to be in order.

[thaiexpat21]

Wonder if tickets will be sold for the " Muay Thai" student testing events ?

[Cloggie]

For those interested, I have a private teacher, 30 hours = TB 10.000 | 2 hours per week, lessons at my house.

Thai language is all about the way you pronounce it, it's all about tones and - that is my personal opinion - you can't learn that at school with 10, 20 students.

[simon43]

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well...

I'm fine with that, but I'm actually learning Chinese. Should I demand a chat in Mandarin for my next ED extension? Perhaps the Muay Thai students can throw a few drop kicks in the immigration office. Not sure what the cooking students will do, but somtam boobala always goes down well with the immigration officers.

Serious though, I fully agree that some students (and language schools) are abusing the system.

Simon

[JLCrab]

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well...

I'm fine with that, but I'm actually learning Chinese. Should I demand a chat in Mandarin for my next ED extension? Perhaps the Muay Thai students can throw a few drop kicks in the immigration office. Not sure what the cooking students will do, but somtam boobala always goes down well with the immigration officers.

Serious though, I fully agree that some students (and language schools) are abusing the system.

Simon

Extension of Visa denied: The officer only understands Cantonese.

Edited October 16, 2013 by JLCrab

[Cloggie]

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well...

I'm fine with that, but I'm actually learning Chinese. Should I demand a chat in Mandarin for my next ED extension? Perhaps the Muay Thai students can throw a few drop kicks in the immigration office. Not sure what the cooking students will do, but somtam boobala always goes down well with the immigration officers.

Serious though, I fully agree that some students (and language schools) are abusing the system.

Simon

Extension of Visa denied: The officer only understands Cantonese.

I think this is more related to "wrong counter"

[colourcode]

It irks me too... I and my other half have legitimately been learning Thai, in fact we started without an Education Visa when we first came because we believed you get more out of a country, it's culture etc if you study their language.

However the points of view above are fundamentally flawed because they assume that the courses/schools are good, well organised and that you will learn lots from them. My experience is different from this.

Within my year and a half learning I have had 3 different teachers, moved around into 14 different classes and I have lost count of last minute schedule changes and absenteeism from the teachers. The primary reasons for this is that staff haven't been paid, and so hang out and cancel classes and eventually leave unpaid. One disgruntled teacher mentioned that the school doesn't print books higher than up to book 2. Books 1 and 2 are rudimentary Thai (think body parts and bus garages and you'll understand the level). It's only through sheer dogged persistence and a couple of good teachers (who weren't paid) that I have got this far with my learning... even now I am nowhere near the level I should be at or want to be at. Now my last teacher (who taught me reading and writing) has left (after lots of absenteeism - who can blame her?) and today was the first day with a new teacher... and guess what? Back to learning my greetings, the first lesson in book 1. I hope you can understand my frustration.

There's a lot more to this than some people cheating the system, a whole lot more.

So find a decent school to attend! I've got no problem with people staying in Thailand on education visas, whether its to study the language, Muay Thai, cooking, massage, whatever? However, as the language learners route is often abused, rudimentary testing as mentioned above seems to be in order.

If you leave schools you need to provide the new school with this information:

**If students come from another school please prepare documents as follows;

1. Reference letter from last school.

2. Resignation letter from last school

3. If your visa expired before Thai course finished, you have to ask the documents from last school to extension at immigration.

Not only do you lose your money for the classes - that you paid for upfront, you have to rely on your existing school to provide you with the right paperwork for you to be able to attend the new school and if both of those schools don't get the right paperwork in at the right time (the same day) you run the risk of invalidating your Ed Visa, forcing you to leave the country on the first day of 'not studying' i.e. if there is a cock up at one of the schools getting their paperwork done.

If it was a simple matter of just swapping schools I would have done it long ago.

[transam]

Tuk Tuk dealing with school soon visa.

[Kitsune]

Would make sense to do the whole conversation in Thai at Immigration Office as well...

I'm fine with that, but I'm actually learning Chinese. Should I demand a chat in Mandarin for my next ED extension? Perhaps the Muay Thai students can throw a few drop kicks in the immigration office. Not sure what the cooking students will do, but somtam boobala always goes down well with the immigration officers.

Serious though, I fully agree that some students (and language schools) are abusing the system.

Simon

And I've been learning Japanese for 2 years and I can't wait really to have my ALL interview in Japanese in Chaeng Wattana ! Really please interview me in Japanese!

[JLCrab]

The folks at IMM CW could not care less in what language you choose to speak unless it is to somehow demonstrate that you have indeed been regularly attending to your classes at a Ministry of Education (MOE) approved school that makes one eligible for extension of stay.

Edited October 16, 2013 by JLCrab