Need informations about ED Visa

[1ricardsvp]

Hello there 

 

Sorry to pollute the forum with a new topic, but I really need informations and I find so much conflicting informations here and there ... 

 

I plan to come in Thailand in October and learn thai there, but about two weeks ago, I noticed some changes for the obtaining of the ED visa through the Embassy of Thailand in Paris.

It says that we must be present during 5 days per week and at least 5 hours per day, so 25 hours per week, plus a bank deposit of 20,000 euros (http://www.thaiembassy.fr / fr/visa/visa-non-immigrant-% C2% AB-ed-% C2% BB-education /).

Which is really too restrictive... 

 

 

Schools that I have inquired all told me that 180 hours are enough. 

But do I trust them ? 

One of these schools told me that I could try with a French consulates in other cities or in other countries embassies. 

The conditions for obtaining a visa are differents if I ask in Paris or in Malaysia, for example ? 

 

The legislation could change soon ? I think I saw the date of August 29 somewhere on this forum ... 

 

And the immigration offices never answer my emails ... 

 

 

 

[AsienExpat]

Wow, what a great chaos. Now their is really the first embassy stating that the 5H/5D / Week rumour is true. I can't speak one word french but googletranslator proofed it: Their really stands it:

 

2. Apprendre le Thaï

 

La personne souhaitant prétendre à ce visa doit être inscrite dans un établissement scolaire reconnu par le Ministère de l’Education Thaïlandais. Le cours doit avoir lieu tous les jours de la semaine (5 jours/ semaine) et au moins 5 heures par jour

[paz]

Thai embassy in France is getting a reputation to be making abusive rules of their own. Asking to show 20,000 Euro in bank is the same as saying we don't want to issue you a visa.

Your best approach is to come to Thailand on visa exempt, choose your school, pay, get the papers then get the visa in a nearby country. Edited August 5, 2014 by paz

[craigp]

Thai embassy in France is getting a reputation to be making rules of their own. Asking to show 20,000 Euro in a bank the same as saying we don't want to issue this visa.

Your best approach is to come to Thailand on visa exempt, choose your school, pay, get the papers and go get the visa in a nearby country.

Or a tourist visa to give yourself more time and less worries about having to show a flight out the country etc

[paz]

Thai embassy in France is getting a reputation to be making rules of their own. Asking to show 20,000 Euro in a bank the same as saying we don't want to issue this visa.

Your best approach is to come to Thailand on visa exempt, choose your school, pay, get the papers and go get the visa in a nearby country.

Or a tourist visa to give yourself more time and less worries about having to show a flight out the country etc

Or one can be sure to have the time while on visa exempt by choosing school and pre-paying with a bank transfer, then fly in around at the time papers are ready for the ED visa.

The point of that would be refusing to deal with an embassy that practically denies to provide a service that another embassy does without a problem.

[craigp]

 

 

Thai embassy in France is getting a reputation to be making rules of their own. Asking to show 20,000 Euro in a bank the same as saying we don't want to issue this visa.

Your best approach is to come to Thailand on visa exempt, choose your school, pay, get the papers and go get the visa in a nearby country.

Or a tourist visa to give yourself more time and less worries about having to show a flight out the country etc

 

Or one can be sure to have the time while on visa exempt by choosing school and pre-paying with a bank transfer, then fly in around at the time papers are ready for the ED visa.

The point of that would be refusing to deal with an embassy that practically denies to provide a service that another embassy does without a problem.

 

I agree with what your saying about the embassies, but my point is he might be refused entry on a visa exempt without a flight ticket out the county. Then the pre-paid school would have been a waste of money. 

[ritoyenne]

I sent you a private message, in french.

 

I agree with other people, the french rules are abusive. 

First I thought you misunderstood the 20k€ rule, and I thought it was 20,000B. But I checked it, it's true : they want 20,000e on a bank account ! This is realy abusive, it's almost ONE MILLION BAHTS ! I can not believe it. Maybe they made a mistake in their own document, you should ask them. Or maybe it's some kind of joke. Even so as to stay in thailand permanently upon marriage you need only 400,000 bahts.

 

 

You should come to Thailand with a double entry tourist visa, provided you don't have a previous history of back-to-back visa/exemptions on your passport I guess you will not have any problem.

 

And then you will find a school here.

 

Overall it will take 1 months to :

- find a serious school, pay for 180 hours

- wait for them to make the paper work

- get the papers, go to Laos (or orther) to get your visa

- come back to Thailand and start learning.

 

I would say you should look at walen school, they are very serious, and they have good teachers.

[paz]

I agree with what your saying about the embassies, but my point is he might be refused entry on a visa exempt without a flight ticket out the county. Then the pre-paid school would have been a waste of money.

Nobody is ever asked for outgoing ticket by Thai immigration, but there can trouble boarding the plane.
Anyway OP can get a ticket to e.g. Vientane to get his ED visa. Edited August 5, 2014 by paz

[Bellacissa]

The proof of funds has to be a typo, right?  This is the current requirement for US Citizens:

 

"A copy of recent bank statements or evidence of adequate finance ($700 per person and $1,500 per family)"

 

The site also doesn't say anything about a particular number of hours of study.  Just that you have to have a letter of acceptance from the school and "School license or business registration, list of shareholders and school profile."  I assume the school will give me all of that when I get my paperwork.

 

http://www.thaiembdc.org/dcdp/?q=Non_Immigrant_Visa

 

I'm coming over in January on an ED, so I'm watching threads like these very carefully.  

 

[beano2274]

they want to see a certain amount of money in your account as you cannot work on an ED Visa, which some people try and do.

[paz]

The proof of funds has to be a typo, right?  This is the current requirement for US Citizens:

Not a typo, every embassy or consulate make their own rules, France does not want to issue ED visa and that is their way to do it. There are other examples for other cases on different embassies and consulates.

[Bellacissa]

 

The proof of funds has to be a typo, right?  This is the current requirement for US Citizens:

Not a typo, every embassy or consulate make their own rules, France does not want to issue ED visa and that is their way to do it. There are other examples for other cases on different embassies and consulates.

 

 

Thanks.  Silly me, I thought that the rules for a visa would be set by the country that you're trying to enter - not the one you're leaving. 

[ITGabs]

 

I agree with what your saying about the embassies, but my point is he might be refused entry on a visa exempt without a flight ticket out the county. Then the pre-paid school would have been a waste of money.

Nobody is ever asked for outgoing ticket by Thai immigration, but there can trouble boarding the plane.
Anyway OP can get a ticket to e.g. Vientane to get his ED visa.

 

 

The schools have a guaranty back policy if he not get the visa (probably complicate to get back from farangland) another thing the schools are collapsed, I checked two schools in Krabi with no vacancy so pay in advance can be a good idea.

 

And I read in the forum that someone was asked for a outgoing ticket and cash, maybe not in thaivisa

 

[larsjohnsson]

They have changed it in Sweden also. The Thai embassy in Stockholm now demand that you show bank statements of 7k sek per month to cover the study period in Thailand. Thats about 34 k baht a month. So if you like to study one year in Thailand you must show 400k baht Edited August 5, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[larsjohnsson]

The Thai consulate in Gothenburg have also changed it like the one in Stockholm

[paz]

We (as foreigners) don't have any right to expect anything from Thailand.  I know that the rules seem to be changing, but that's their right.  This is their country, not ours.  We need to adapt to what they want if we want to integrate and live inside their borders.

When a embassy/consulate/office/border post acts arbitrarily, and applies unreasonable rules, it is not a matter of respect or integration but simply misuse of power. Anyone that is affected has the right to criticize, that is not a matter of respect or adaptation. The peculiarity of the Thai system is that for one door that closes other remains open, and now more than ever Thailand is unable to keep a consistent, clear and fair policy to foreigners and immigrants. Evidently it's a system where any local administration is left free to make and enforce their own policies, in an almost feudal manner. The result is that who is persistent, informed and agile or simply has better means (Thai elite card) is able to play the system consistently.
 

I have no problem showing proof of funds for the ED.  I just wish there was a clear cut answer as to how much I need to show and how long it needs to be in that account prior to applying for the visa.  Maybe we'll get more clarity after the infamous date of August 29th.

Personally I don't think that any clarity will come on that or any other date in the future. Rather that a series of restrictive measures, largely already announced or expected will be codified, in the usually chaotic and confusing manner.

[Bellacissa]

 

 

I have no problem showing proof of funds for the ED.  I just wish there was a clear cut answer as to how much I need to show and how long it needs to be in that account prior to applying for the visa.  Maybe we'll get more clarity after the infamous date of August 29th.

Personally I don't think that any clarity will come on that or any other date in the future. Rather that a series of restrictive measures, largely already announced or expected will be codified, in the usually chaotic and confusing manner.

 

 

Oh, I know.  That's why I said maybe.  I'm certainly not holding my breath, though. 

[nicolas18]

Thai embassies in Europe have always been extremely tough to deal with. Oddly enough, consulates are much easier to deal with. For example, while the Thai embassy in the Hague is a nightmare, the consulate in Amsterdam is a breeze.

 

Does the Thai consulate in Marseille issue visas?

[ubonjoe]

Just the Paris embassy making their own rules.

I suggest you get a single entry tourist visa to give you plenty of time to check out some schools after you get here.  It can take 2 or 3 weeks to get the paperwork from the school for the ED visa.

Then a trip to Vientiane Laos or Penang Malaysia to get the visa.