Experience relating to ED - visa in Vientiane Laos and extensions

Things are changing and as we are guests in Thailand, not all new implementations will suit everyone but hats off to the Thai's for attempting to clean their own house and strengthen their immigration laws.

I have just returned from Laos after applying for and successfully being granted my second ed-visa in less than 12 months. I left Thailand in May whilst holding my first but did not do a re-entry visa thinking I would need more time than the extension I held. I arrived back in Thailand earlier than expected and was given the usual 30 day visa exemption stamp. My school assisted me with my appropriate paperwork and with the help of a great team of ,Thailand - Laos visa run guys, I have now been granted yet another ed-visa.

As the new laws are now becoming in to force regarding back to back day visa exemption runs and as stated in another post, ed-visa's are now for 12 months only and require reapplication on there expiry, other details may need to be considered. 

For those considering the ed-visa option please be aware that whilst my trip to Laos saw 550 people (we were handed numbered tickets) attending the Thai embassy in one day alone for visa's of various types but predominately ed-visa's, gaining an ed-visa will not guarantee you a resolve to no longer doing back to back One day visa runs. For most of us, an ed-visa is only good for 90 days on each extension even though it reads on paper a 12 month visa with tuition fees. The thing to become aware of is that if you are legitimately attending school and studying a language applicable to an ed-visa then your chances of maintaining your extensions throughout the 12 months are increased. For those who have really no intention of applying themselves and are now attempting to use the ed-visa as a loop hole might find that they may not survive the full 12 months.

The reason I suggest this is because of the following current process that needs to be followed at my local immigration office of Jomtien for each 90 day extension. Other office areas may differ.

One each extension application you are asked to submit your schools paperwork and passport to two people. The first processes your paperwork and accepts your extension payment of 1900 Baht and stamps your passport. The second however is a high ranking immigration official with whom you sit with that signs your extension and makes it official. It will not take too much for this official to work out if you are being legitimate in your attempts to learn. Whilst commonly you could accept Thai immigration appreciate that the Thai language to a foreigner is a difficult tonal language, it would not take too much for them to scrutinize your attendance records or ask a simple question such as what is your name or what days do you go to school or even do you like Thai food when you have supposedly been studying for just your initial 3 months or an even worse case scenario of 9 months or 1-2 years. To simply shake your head or suggest you don't understand may be a direct indication of a lack of effort and a valid reason for the official to deny you your extension. Whilst I am not aware of any particular instances where this has occurred as yet, in the coming months some who believe they can continue to cheat the system may start to be singled and weeded out.  

Time will only tell. Food for thought.

Edited August 6, 201411 yr by aussiejon1604