1 year ED Visa? Nope, it's not true anymore!

[bbi1]

I've just saw the manager of my language school in BKK, a reputable school not one of these crappy visa mill schools. He was just in a meeting today with the immigration about the new rules but I met him afterwards. I was asking about my situation as I only have 200hrs bought on the old system a few months ago (just entered Thailand this week) & wanted to find out about upgrading my package to their unlimited so I can stay the full year. He said 1 year ED visas aren't around anymore. It doesn't matter if you have an unlimited or 400hrs of study, after 6 months you need to leave the country & apply for a new 6 month ED visa. The way things are going, there won't be anyone studying here anymore as they're making it very difficult & increasing the costs dramatically. Any school that tells you or advertises that you can have a 1 year ED visa is full of it.

[Maestro]

The current rules allow immigration to to give repeated 90-day extensions to allow a student an uninterrupted stay in Thailand of maximum one year. From clause 2.9 of Police Order 327/2557:

In case of non-formal school, each permission shall be granted for a period certified by the educational institution, for no more than 90 days, total length of stay shall not exceed one year from the date of entering the Kingdom.

[bbi1]

The current rules allow immigration to to give repeated 90-day extensions to allow a student an uninterrupted stay in Thailand of maximum one year. From clause 2.9 of Police Order 327/2557:

In case of non-formal school, each permission shall be granted for a period certified by the educational institution, for no more than 90 days, total length of stay shall not exceed one year from the date of entering the Kingdom.

I hope that this would be still true, but what I've been told by one of the top language schools in BKK also seems to be the case with what others who are in Phuket are also saying too. Maybe that site isn't updated with the latest info?

[Maestro]

An earlier topic on the same subject already running here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781533-new-rules-for-ed-visa/