ED Visa - Is it suitable for exiting Thailand multiple times?

[placebo365]

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to the forums and have looked here and on various Embassy websites and not really found a clear answer, I'm hoping some of you may have the right advice.

My partner and I are coming to Thailand for one year to study the Thai language. I'm arriving at the end of August however she can't arrive until October due to work commitments. During our time here, I'll remain in Thailand the entire time, however she will need to return to the UK on average once every 2 months, each time for a period of about one week to ten days to oversee her business.

We are both about to apply for Non immigrant education visa's through the Language school we are going to be studying in. For me I can't see this being a problem, providing I get the ED visa, I'll get my 90 day stamp on arrival, then check in at immigration every 90 days. However I'm concerned that on arrival my partner should get her 90 day stamp, but will have to return to the UK after around 60 days. Does this mean that she will effectively loose the remaining 30 days left on that stamp and on re-entering Thailand from the UK, will the next 90 days of the education visa kick in, or will she have to re-apply at an embassy?

We've both been holidaymakers in Thailand over a number of years, however this year (January-April) I came here and studied various courses under an education visa. This was amongst other things a scoping exercise to see if it was feasible for us to come to Thailand for a year.

We aren't planning ahead too much, but if the year goes well, we are ultimately open to spending more time in Thailand and will then be looking at longer term options.

Any advice anyone could offer on my partners situation with the education visa and entering/exiting the country every couple of months would be welcome.

[ubonjoe]

She can get a re-entry permit for her first 90 days that would keep it valid on entry. She can also get re-entry permits during her extensions.

[placebo365]

Thanks Ubinjoe. Do we just request the re-entry along with the initial ED visa application?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ubonjoe]

A re-entry permit is applied for at an immigration office here.

[placebo365]

A re-entry permit is applied for at an immigration office here.

Fantastic, so effectively she could head to immigration the day before flying out, get the re-entry permit and repeat the process approximately 6 times during the year? That would make life a lot easier. Thanks so much.

[jimn]

Just be careful. I heard of a friend on an education visa who got questioned at immigration at the airport and asked questions in Thai. He could not speak Thai to any sort of Standard. Also he comes in and out of Thailand a lot for work and they questioned how he can do this if he is meant to be studying. He was refused entry and deported. Just make sure that your Education visa is for the right reasons.

By the was my friend is now back in Thailand. He replaced his passport and is now here on a 30 day stamp

[placebo365]

Just be careful. I heard of a friend on an education visa who got questioned at immigration at the airport and asked questions in Thai. He could not speak Thai to any sort of Standard. Also he comes in and out of Thailand a lot for work and they questioned how he can do this if he is meant to be studying. He was refused entry and deported. Just make sure that your Education visa is for the right reasons.

By the was my friend is now back in Thailand. He replaced his passport and is now here on a 30 day stamp

Hi Jimn,

Thanks for the reply. I know a lot of people use the education visa and then don't actually bother to learn Thai but we are both doing a part time course (4 hours per week) so will genuinely be learning the language, well as much as is possible in 4 hours per week! The course has an 80% attendance rate to be able to renew each 90 days at immigration, but we've worked out that even with my partner being in the UK for one week out of every 9, we will still manage the attendance rate. Not sure she'd hold up to an interrogation in Thai but she'll certainly have some of the basics.

cheers :-)

[jimn]

Hi I don't think it will be an interrogation in Thai but they will expect her to speak some basic Thai. Best of luck hope it all works out ok