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Stricter requirements, new application forms for ED visa extensions

george
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Timwin Silver Member

Timwin

Posted
Posted

No business is perfect but Walen School is trying hard to please our customers and there are great many happy ones. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So if I apply via your school today, what you want as proof of income/savings? Some fixed sum in a Thai or foreign bank savings account or what exactly?

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soomak Advanced Member

soomak

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Posted

This will effectively kill the ED business. If for example a book author, receiving money from abroad. What is his status?

He or she cannot get a work permit because the business has nothing to do with Thailand. The same with thousands of different freelancers out there, not working locally.

What if you have your own savings but the form asks for "the person who is supporting you financially". Then if you have a person, for example your wealthy uncle in Italy, who does not speak English. They are going to call him and speak Italian?

It will kill the business of procuring ED Visas when in reality that is not the reason the person has for living in Thailand.

You have to realise Thailand has no obligation to provide a means for everyone in the world to come and live here as they choose.

They are quite accommodating really.

You make it sound like anybody has a right to live wherever they choose and the country should not deny them.

Of course they don't have to allow anyone to live here; however the common notion is that foreigners living here pour their money into the Thai economy, so everybody wins.

The only westerners I know that work in Thailand illegally are English teachers. You can say they are taking jobs from Thais, but you and I both know that they actually teach English much better than 99% of Thai teachers, so the truth is that Thailand is benefiting from those (illegal) teachers as well.

The ED visa for studying Thai is indeed just a cover up for staying in Thailand for a few years, and I (ab)used it as well. But then again I've spent 2 million baht here, so I think the Thai economy surely benefited from my stay. And I never have any intention of working in Thailand, unless you count working online for my own (non-Thai) business as working in Thailand.

And finally, the number of people using ED visa for staying long periods can't be that high. In my school there are very few students, maybe a total of 30-40 at any given time. Even if there are dozens such schools in bkk, it would be maybe a total of 1,000 people in bkk, hardly a large scale problem.

mataleo Gold Member

mataleo

Posted
Posted

so to get started you have to show proof of income?

or only on later stage when you get extension

and when u suppose to get extension is it after 3 months ?

Kitsune Platinum Member

Kitsune

Posted
Posted

So proof of income...from how long into the past, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 10 years?

I think the idea is to show how you will support yourself during your study, not how you support yoursef in the past.

So you must provide your current (foreign or Thai with foreign input) bank statement showing the withdrawals from ATM ? Just the current month is OK?

Amras Advanced Member

Amras

Posted
Posted

how long you can manage to stay in thailand on turist visas ? doing extensions and new visas in near by countries?

Mataleo, this is actually the most important point here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those who have a lot of tourist visas will find it harder to get an ED visa. Most have missed this most important point. If you have a long history of tourist visas it will be harder to convince the MOE that you all of a sudden want to learn Thai and are a genuine student. So if you want to learn and get an ED visa do it, if you get a few more tourist visas you might be in trouble.

In any case Walen School will do our best to help all those who are interested in learning Thai or English and obtain an ED visa. Being a genuine school makes it easier for us.

We had a case of student recently who was refused an ED visa in Vietnam because he had too many tourist visas, these new forms confirm that that is the new thinking. Serial tourist visa runners do not seem to be good candidates for genuine students. Makes sense, doesn't it?

This is the biggest issue I think and one many people are missing. As an example, you're on a double tourist visa and go back home (to your home country) for a few months and then come back here on tourist visa's again and so on. So someone could be an extended (legit) tourist who returns home in between for a few months.

Now what if after doing this a few times you think, hmm really I should get my act together and study Thai, apply for an ED visa etc. How will they view your tourist visas, will they examine the exact time in and out of Thailand or only look at how many visas you have (passports are valid for 10 years). It becomes quite complicated if they just take a 'glance'.

People might be on tourist visas and then after time decide to invest the time into studying Thai (because they plan to get a job/open a business/ get married etc). How many people are going to genuinely come here after one-two tourist visas and say, sure I'll invest the years into learning Thai because I'm 100% sure I should do that.

You really need a good reason to learn Thai (wife, job etc) which would imply you want to stay here for an extended period of time. No one is going to casually learn Thai, it's not a universal language. I see this as a bit of either, we don't want people studying Thai and living here, or investing in learning Thai to stay here long term (which it implies you want to do).

No idea why they make this so complicated. It's simple. They have simple/basic reading/speaking tests based on how long you have been studying Thai when you go for your extension. If someone has been studying for a year they should be able to converse at least basic conversation (even if they are a slow language learner). 2 years, more and so on.

These are just complicated hurdles to make it harder for people to be here, invest the time into something that connects them to Thailand. The abuse thing is so much easier to see with simple testing.

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mataleo Gold Member

mataleo

Posted
Posted

Im still learning myself how to prepare new applications. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

or only on later stage when you get extension

and when u suppose to get extension is it after 3 months ?

JLCrab Ruby Member

JLCrab

Posted
Posted

One way an applicant might be able to convince a Thai Embassy/consulate that one is a bona fide student and to issue an ED Visa, when one has a succession of prior tourist visa entries, is to enroll in a Thai language school for 3 or 6 months while still on a further tourist visa BEFORE applying for an ED Visa. Someone like Mr. Walen could then submit an affidavit that such applicant has been diligently attending classes for that period of time.

phosphorescent Advanced Member

phosphorescent

Posted
Posted

One way an applicant might be able to convince a Thai Embassy/consulate that one is a bona fide student and to issue an ED Visa, when one has a succession of prior tourist visa entries, is to enroll in a Thai language school for 3 or 6 months while still on a further tourist visa BEFORE applying for an ED Visa. Someone like Mr. Walen could then submit an affidavit that such applicant has been diligently attending classes for that period of time.

Isn't it illegal to study on a tourist visa?

Ebenweb Senior Member

Ebenweb

Posted
Posted

Just got this from Pro Language School in Chiang Mai:

Dear Eben,

Thank you very much for giving us this information.

This new visa application form is for people who would like to study in Bangkok.

There is no change for Chiang Mai Immigration and Ministry of Education in CM yet, please don't worry about this :)

If you would like to register with us, please bring the following requirements.

- You and your wife passport to be coppied

- 12 photos each (with white or blue background, same size with the passport)

- 10,000 Baht deposit for each person.

Our school open Monday - Friday at 9.00 am. - 8.00 pm.

Saturday at 9.00 am. - 6.00 pm. (Close on Sunday)

By the way, our school will close for holiday from 29th December, - 1st January 2014.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Best Regards,

Ben

Pro Language School Chiang Mai

+66 53 400 980

Sceptict11 Gold Member

Sceptict11

Posted
Posted

Can you read the OP? It relates to Bkk. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It will spread -------------- rapidly !

The ED visa scams have been exposed and as you know Phuket have had them sussed for some timesmile.png

Asiantravel Platinum Member

Asiantravel

Posted
Posted

Things start from Bkk, don't they? Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not necessarily?

As far as I understand for example nearly 2 years ago Chiang Mai seemed to be the first location in Thailand to impose an upper limit on applicants . I was told, language schools had sent e-mails to older applicants (above 50) that they were no longer able to obtain an education visa in Chiang Mai.

And yet places like Bangkok and Pattaya didn't seem to have that restriction?

davejones Gold Member

davejones

Posted
Posted

Proof of income? Aren't they studying, and not working?

When you study,you still need to support yourself. You need to pay for rent, food, etc.This is the same in any country. How can you come and study if you don't have any money. This is just common sense.

MacWalen Gold Member

MacWalen

Posted
Posted

Agakure, we have not tested it yet but it seems people with a lot of tourist visas may find it difficult to obtain an ED visa.

Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Loaded Platinum Member

Loaded

Posted
Posted

Things start from Bkk, don't they? Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Not necessarily?

As far as I understand for example nearly 2 years ago Chiang Mai seemed to be the first location in Thailand to impose an upper limit on applicants . I was told, language schools had sent e-mails to older applicants (above 50) that they were no longer able to obtain an education visa in Chiang Mai.

And yet places like Bangkok and Pattaya didn't seem to have that restriction?

I think that was another unfounded rumour. I know lots of people over 50 in CM with ED visas.

DA3NDORPHIN3 Explorer Member

DA3NDORPHIN3

Posted
Posted

Agakure, we have not tested it yet but it seems people with a lot of tourist visas may find it difficult to obtain an ED visa. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

And the ones who have lot of tourist visas BUT already have ED visa(and currently using it),will there be problem with extension every 3 month?

Sceptict11 Gold Member

Sceptict11

Posted
Posted

I don't think so. You will be fine. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

IF the school certify attendance (which may be checked) and provide the paperwork !

DA3NDORPHIN3 Explorer Member

DA3NDORPHIN3

Posted
Posted

I don't think so. You will be fine. Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'm studying at walen pattaya (and i'm regular at thai classes) and i have a lot of tourist visas . So at ed visa extension in jomtien i would have to get some proof of income/bank balance or it won't be needed?

MacWalen Gold Member

MacWalen

Posted
Posted

No, it applies to MOE when students apply for an ED visa paperwork, as far as I know at present time immigration does not require it.

Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

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