New rules for ED visa

[spartanmatt]

The immigration order limits extensions to one year not 6 months. If you can get the documents from the MOE you can keep getting the extension for the full year. The only entity mentioned in this topic has been the MOE and they do not do extensions.

Hello

Can u provide more information hw i can get extensions for 1 year?

I payed full year for school, now schol told me need leave after 6 months to get new visa becouse of MOE s how i can get documents frm MOE to extend for a year?

Plus they told us they will be test every 6 months from thai script. Reading writing (script) and speaking.

No idea how tests will look like. School asked in MOE they dont know either....

Thank for info and help.

[bbi1]

Continuing from my post here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781616-1-year-ed-visa-nope-its-not-true-anymore/

Seems BKK & Phuket don't have 1 year ED Visas anymore. Would be good to hear from Walen the forum sponsor what he has to say. According to his site 1 year ED visas are still on:

Students who enroll at our school in a one year course are eligible to apply for a one year non-immigrant ED visa. With this visa you do not have to leave Thailand every now and then but can stay here continually for one year.

[spartanmatt]

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I can also confirm this, Phuket now you need to study 2 hours a day minimum monday-friday and maximum length of study was 6 months then you finished can't get any more extensions! source (was down at one of the bigger language school yesterday)

That is quite retarded to believe someone will be fluent in 6 months, Am guessing a lot of languages schools will close now in Phuket..

That's exactly right and that means the 46 schools going and closes. it's better and travel to Laos (Savanakhet) and get double touristic visa (cheaper) And there are many Thais and Farangs who lose their jobs it`s very sad what happen now in Phuket.

Hey...what you mean by double tourist visa?
My school told me that will be tests too before i leave to get new ED. Im thinking going get turist visa. I study for 2 months and they expect i speak fluent? Or write script? Little missunderstanding here.

[stevenl]

Sorry, but a school advertising 5 year ED visa on page 1 of their website does not deserve anyone's business.

With your 1-5 year ED visa

* You will not have to leave Thailand to make visa runs for the duration of the visa's validity.

* You will enjoy studying the Thai language and culture in an easy-going class setting at Phuket Language School.

I going year nr 5 now on this school 3 year Thai and 2 year Japanes, but i be 50 Year next February

Nasa, looking at your spelling/grammar, I'd suggest studying English next.

Why would he/she do that? Nasa could be Chinese for all we know, and is writing perfectly understandable English.

[Maestro]

My school are in Phuket, and today they put a paper from MOE on the wall in Thai and english, you can call to the school and ask them. You think i writhing this for fun..

http://www.phuket-language-school.com

As you are going to classes every day Monday to Friday I would be grateful if you photographed that paper tomorrow and posted it in this topic.

[BKKSnowBird]

It is clear as mud that ED visas are next to be cracked down on. Many are working on ED visas.

I said just the other day, they will start asking for proof you have enough money to support yourself.

Edited December 4, 2014 by BKKSnowBird

[jspill]

Hey...what you mean by double tourist visa?

double entry tourist visa, 2k baht from laos consulate, each entry worth 60 days stay extendable to 90, google it for more details

[Maestro]

Agree, Krey.

We have an official letter from Ministry of Education dated yesterday to the contrary.

That's even better than a photo of the letter. Would you be so kind as to scan the letter you have and post it here?

[kevindorian]

to answer a poster before, i was a person that still went to school not on an ED Visa, so it does happen, some people are actually interested in learning the language, I see the ED visa as a bonus for me. I am going to go to school anyway so might as well be on it.

What is frustrating is the constant changes these days and how more often then not they are applied to individuals that already got their visa under certain rules, like if I was in Phuket and I was under the assumption I was staying for a year then a new rule comes out talking 6 months and it is applied to me... it be nice if these rules were applied to individuals after the rule is published, so if new rule came out Dec 4 2014 anyone after getting a new visa after that date would be effected, not people before it

that is what I have found frustrating lately about this visa plus the idea if you decide to leave the country for even something as small as a week and you have a bad day understanding Thai on your way back or get an officer that is more strict one might not even be able to get in.

As for skill levels of Thai, so often i see posters saying oh you should be fluent or can write perfect thai within 6 months etc..... well that is crap for many people, some of us find new languages difficult and it is not so easy, sure the more effort you put in the better results but some people just have the ability to pick up languages easier while others do not.

[shaggy851]

I think a large majority of schools and the more successful ones are the type that offer ed visa escpecially in touristy very attractive places to live, like phuket. Although i study thai im not on any visa i just casually go and learn off my own back and i think most others there also if not paid to go by their company. But this is Bkk and its one of the cheaper schools very small and dont offer or promote ed visas. But i tend to agree it will take away jobs from thais and foriegners alike if they close or restrict this loophole.

[paz]

if they close or restrict this loophole.

There is no loophole.

[Rumblecat]

Here's some clarity from a Bangkok school email sent out today-

The Ministry of Education and Immigration require every school to follow the new legislation. The new requirements mean that all ED visas issues from this day forward will hold a validity of 6 months. It also requires students to study 8 hrs/week (200 lessons/6 months) from now on.

If your package is a 1 year ED visa with 200 lessons, this unfortunately means that you fall outside of the new regulations and your next 90 day extension could result in a cut to your visa from 1 year to 6 months, as announced by Immigration.

[jonnyramone]

Wow...If what the user nasa123 is true , it seems that ED visa is not convenient anymore.....You pay a lot of money for let them kick you out of the country every 6 months ....Very good. Who said that Tourist visa was a trap ?

[bbi1]

Wow...If what the user nasa123 is true , it seems that ED visa is not convenient anymore.....You pay a lot of money for let them kick you out of the country every 6 months ....Very good. Who said that Tourist visa was a trap ?

It seems to be true. Doesn't matter if you have an unlimited lesson package, the manager of my school in BKK said ED Visas are 6 months only now & you need to leave the country & apply for another 6 month ED visa. Doesn't make it financially worthwhile to be on it anymore.

[JohnnyBKK]

Elite card is 500K for 5 yrs and you are a VIP...

[ubonjoe]

Off topic and troll posts are being removed without notice from now on.

[inbangkok]

It is my understanding that everyone who obtained visas on the prior regulation (1 year, 4 hours a week) will be grandfathered into the new regulations for the remainder of their 1 year of study. I am in BKK and this is what my school told me. I went for my first extension of stay about 3 weeks ago and nothing was said about this being my only extension. They told me to come back in 90 days and apply for another (which will be my 2nd extension placing me on track to a 9 month stay).

Edited December 4, 2014 by inbangkok

[Rumblecat]

Yeah, the feeling I got (and to be honest the staff at the school prefaced it with "we don't really know") is that the six month applies to new visas from this point- but the eight hours a week applies to everyone from now on.

Although the school hasn't updated it's lesson plans, so at the moment it means repeating the same four classes twice in a week in order to meet the quota. That'll be fun then.

[pittsdaulga]

My friends and received notice from our school of the change for Phuket, ED VISA users. In my case, they told me I'd need to start the reading and writing classes as of January 19th. The reading and writing classes would be on Monday & Wednesday for 2 hours. I can also continue, if I wish, with the 'speaking' class I currently attend on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

I have applied for a 1 year ED VISA well before this change and I do not now if I or others similar to me would be grandfathered. If anyone has more information, please share it.

Thanks all,

--Pitts

[technologybytes]

Sadly the ED visa has been widely abused for many years, now it's getting harder and harder for genuine students who want to study in Thailand.

[ColdSingha]

8 hours not 10 in phuket then?

[pittsdaulga]

Sadly the ED visa has been widely abused for many years, now it's getting harder and harder for genuine students who want to study in Thailand.

That is my understanding.

--Pitts

[spartanmatt]

My friends and received notice from our school of the change for Phuket, ED VISA users. In my case, they told me I'd need to start the reading and writing classes as of January 19th. The reading and writing classes would be on Monday & Wednesday for 2 hours. I can also continue, if I wish, with the 'speaking' class I currently attend on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

I have applied for a 1 year ED VISA well before this change and I do not now if I or others similar to me would be grandfathered. If anyone has more information, please share it.

Thanks all,

--Pitts

maybe your friends can ask at school about grandfathered?

im in same situation got visa before change. I will try get info from school about it.

thx

SM

[bkkcanuck8]

My friends and received notice from our school of the change for Phuket, ED VISA users. In my case, they told me I'd need to start the reading and writing classes as of January 19th. The reading and writing classes would be on Monday & Wednesday for 2 hours. I can also continue, if I wish, with the 'speaking' class I currently attend on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

I have applied for a 1 year ED VISA well before this change and I do not now if I or others similar to me would be grandfathered. If anyone has more information, please share it.

Thanks all,

--Pitts

maybe your friends can ask at school about grandfathered?

im in same situation got visa before change. I will try get info from school about it.

thx

SM

Grandfathered how?

The requirements, and whether they are grandfathered are a ministry and immigration decision - not the schools....

That leaves either:

1. The school gives you more hours to let you meet the new requirements free (I believe that would be at least double the number of lessons free - that sounds like a burden the school would never do - and would not be legally required to do).

2. Lie to immigration and commit fraud by saying you are attending more classes than you are.... which is part of the cause of all the problems...

My guess is the contract was subject to changes by the Ministry of Education and the school would not be responsible in that case - they only agreed to do the paperwork for the visa -- you are paying the government for the actual visa. I believe most schools state the cost and the number of hours you were to get for that fee.

Edited December 5, 2014 by bkkcanuck8

[bbi1]

It is my understanding that everyone who obtained visas on the prior regulation (1 year, 4 hours a week) will be grandfathered into the new regulations for the remainder of their 1 year of study. I am in BKK and this is what my school told me. I went for my first extension of stay about 3 weeks ago and nothing was said about this being my only extension. They told me to come back in 90 days and apply for another (which will be my 2nd extension placing me on track to a 9 month stay).

Which school is that? Are you studying 4hrs or 8hrs a week?

[horsewell]

I know of the school the OP mentioned and they actively try and help their students and participate in the debate with the immigration and other powers that be. I heard that it is true about the required amount of time to be in class and the length of the course before getting a new visa. However, these things are changing daily and who really knows what it's going to be like in a few months!? The powers that be have changed their minds a number of times already. The truth is, they need to find those that are not meeting their obligations and have them take another visa or leave for somewhere else. All the uncertainty is not good for anyone and really immigration should not be "making things up as they go along." It's not worth my wading into the quagmire of what should happen more than that. I'm sure eventually it will all work itself out. ;-)

[Robert24]

As an alternative, you may want to consider signing up for a course at a university and get an ED visa that way. I'm looking into this. My understanding is that this is more accepted by Immigration than the private language schools. And if I'm not wrong, the new rules about having to extend your stay every 3 months and having to leave the country and re-apply for a new ED visa do not apply to universities.

[MacWalen]

Continuing from my post here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781616-1-year-ed-visa-nope-its-not-true-anymore/

Seems BKK & Phuket don't have 1 year ED Visas anymore. Would be good to hear from Walen the forum sponsor what he has to say. According to his site 1 year ED visas are still on:

Students who enroll at our school in a one year course are eligible to apply for a one year non-immigrant ED visa. With this visa you do not have to leave Thailand every now and then but can stay here continually for one year.

It is possible that students do two courses of 6 months in duration one after another. According to the present law they are not required to leave the country after 6 months if they continue their studies so they can stay here one year straight on an ED visa if they continue learning. After one year they will need to leave Thailand and apply for a new ED visa.

Walen School

Edited December 5, 2014 by MacWalen

[MacWalen]

It could be selective punishments towards certain schools or/and local interpretation of the rules.

Yes, it could be so. Many schools just sell visas. It is easy to see as you just have to look at the price, the lower the price the more likely it is that it is a visa school. There is a price war going on among visa schools, the last change to make some money. Many will be closing down for sure.

[Peter Strand]

I luckily got out of this system as I was taking a job in Vietnam but my family still stucks on Phuket as my wife is on a one year ED-Visa, so there is a lot trouble now. We actually planned to stay in Thailand and maybe retire here, but as a result of this we will leave the country in June next year and move the family to KL. I think many foreigners will do - means leaving the country / even if not because of the ED-Visa - and if this is the Thai government policy, up to them. There are much nicer and cheaper places in SEA to spend time and money.