ED visa extension : 1 month only ?

[zenplay]

Hi.

I have been told that now immigration give only 1 month extension for everyone, for ED visa.

That's mean have to go 12 times per year, and pay 1,900 x 12 = 22,800 THB per year.

Is that right ?

[nowretired]

Who told you and which immigration office does this relate to ?

[jaylaai]

NO!

1 Entry, one extension.. Leave Thailand.

[PlastikbinLina]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediately to complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

It was decided that this visa will be very useful for the short term education students as many of the current ed visa holders rarely attend language schools as required. Therefore the short term ed visa currently provided will cease. Students attending international primary and secondary schools will not be affected. they will be able to apply for one year ed extensions. Expect more changes to immigration laws in November.

[nowretired]

More conjecture , rumour and star gazing ?

[cableguy1974]

I can confirm that students from some schools are only givin 30 day extensions. Other schools are being given 60 days and the higher end language schools are given 90 days. IO on my last visit only gave me 30 days and said it was because of the school I attend. IO was happy to tell me which schools get how many days. Not sure if I'm allowed to list the school names here.

This was at CW Bangkok.

[Suradit69]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediately to complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

It was decided that this visa will be very useful for the short term education students as many of the current ed visa holders rarely attend language schools as required. Therefore the short term ed visa currently provided will cease. Students attending international primary and secondary schools will not be affected. they will be able to apply for one year ed extensions. Expect more changes to immigration laws in November.

"holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand "

Visas are not issued in Thailand in any event. And from your description a 2 entry tourist visa would achieve the same end ... 6 months stay with one border crossing and a couple of extensions. Studying on a tourist visa entry is not a problem.

"However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days"

Visas are not extended by Immigrations. Immigrations extends permission to stay.

[nowretired]

I can confirm that students from some schools are only givin 30 day extensions. Other schools are being given 60 days and the higher end language schools are given 90 days. IO on my last visit only gave me 30 days and said it was because of the school I attend. IO was happy to tell me which schools get how many days. Not sure if I'm allowed to list the school names here.

This was at CW Bangkok.

Are you certain that you have a 30 day extension?

You may have been given an "under consideration" stamp which tells you to report back on a stated date.

Check your passport carefully.

[paz]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediatelyto complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

This visa exist already. it is called triple entry tourist visa and allows almost 9 months in country.

You may want to check again with who is giving you this kind of non-information.

[Kitsune]

I can confirm that students from some schools are only givin 30 day extensions. Other schools are being given 60 days and the higher end language schools are given 90 days. IO on my last visit only gave me 30 days and said it was because of the school I attend. IO was happy to tell me which schools get how many days. Not sure if I'm allowed to list the school names here.

This was at CW Bangkok.

Yes please

If immigration are happy to share the info I don't see why that could not be shared here.

[cableguy1974]

@ nowretired

Yes. It's definately a 30 day extension. Many others the same day were also given 30 days. Other students from my school also confirm the 30 days. My school had been using the agent services at 3900 baht for approx 70 day extensions for awhile, but now no agent and 30 day extension is the norm.

However this is Thailand and things change quickly. Guess I'll find out again soon as I'll be back there in another week and a half.

It doesn't seem to matter if this was your first ED visa or not. Beginner or intermediate. The extension given purely relies on which school you attend.

[swampdonkey]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediately to complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

It was decided that this visa will be very useful for the short term education students as many of the current ed visa holders rarely attend language schools as required. Therefore the short term ed visa currently provided will cease. Students attending international primary and secondary schools will not be affected. they will be able to apply for one year ed extensions. Expect more changes to immigration laws in November.

Not a lot different from a double entry tourist visa.

[ubonjoe]

A defamatory post and a reply to it has been removed.

[Kitsune]

Surely you must be mistaken.

Immigration would never discriminate students based on their school.

That would be unfair and wrong.

[timmyp]

Immigration is granting 1 month extensions only for certain schools. Two different officers at Jaeng Watthana said exactly that to me. I was surprised they were so open about it. Both officers said that they had been instructed to do so by their supervisor. It changes from month to month. This is an issue between the school and immigration (of course it's not supposed to be, but that's what it is).

If your school works its problem out with immigration, then extensions will be for longer.

[aronp1]

Surely you must be mistaken.

Immigration would never discriminate students based on their school.

That would be unfair and wrong.

I think that they do. You have people going to "Language" schools just to be able to stay in Thailand, then you have people going to a University working on a degree. This mak3s a big difference.

[paz]

Surely you must be mistaken.

Immigration would never discriminate students based on their school.

That would be unfair and wrong.

I think that they do. You have people going to "Language" schools just to be able to stay in Thailand, then you have people going to a University working on a degree. This mak3s a big difference.

Kitsune was being sarcastic. Which more often that not doesn't work on the Internet unless stated.

[Kitsune]

Immigration is granting 1 month extensions only for certain schools. Two different officers at Jaeng Watthana said exactly that to me. I was surprised they were so open about it. Both officers said that they had been instructed to do so by their supervisor. It changes from month to month. This is an issue between the school and immigration (of course it's not supposed to be, but that's what it is).

If your school works its problem out with immigration, then extensions will be for longer.

Oh really?

I thought it was all the students' faults because they were all scamers not going to school and abusing the system. What a revelation !

it is very strange, because I was always told that immigration officers were only cracking down on fake students. And if I was saying anything different, it was because I was a scamer myself.

How could Thai immigration make the students pay for what's really a problem between schools and immigration services?

This is truly wrong and unfair and should be reported to higher authorities, which I am sure, it will be, and promptly dealt with.

[timmyp]

Immigration is granting 1 month extensions only for certain schools. Two different officers at Jaeng Watthana said exactly that to me. I was surprised they were so open about it. Both officers said that they had been instructed to do so by their supervisor. It changes from month to month. This is an issue between the school and immigration (of course it's not supposed to be, but that's what it is).

If your school works its problem out with immigration, then extensions will be for longer.

Oh really?

I thought it was all the students' faults because they were all scamers not going to school and abusing the system. What a revelation !

it is very strange, because I was always told that immigration officers were only cracking down on fake students. And if I was saying anything different, it was because I was a scamer myself.

How could Thai immigration make the students pay for what's really a problem between schools and immigration services?

This is truly wrong and unfair and should be reported to higher authorities, which I am sure, it will be, and promptly dealt with.

It is not the fault of the students. The immigration officer will try to test the students, and if the student performs badly (as is generally the case), the officer will accuse the student of not studying, saying that only a 1 month extension can be granted for someone doing so poorly (I have heard this from several people). I, however, study. I took the Grade 6 Exam twice, scoring a 4 the first time, and a 5 the second time. And, incidentally, Kitsune/Fox, I am on a visa to study Japanese right now because I completed the 3 years allowed to study Thai. I am completely fluent in Japanese because I lived in Japan for 15 years and work as a translator/interpreter.

At immigration, I fill out all of the forms in Thai, and I speak in Thai with the immigration officer the entire time. When I ask them why I only get a one month extension, they tell me that it is because of a problem with my school, and that they are doing the same to the students at my school and at one other school. I plead, saying that clearly I study, and that someone who studies shouldn't be penalized. Then they see that I am actually on a visa to study Japanese. So they try to test me in Japanese. Of course I pass, whatever they give me to do. They bring in the supervisor, who allowed an exception in my case a few months back: He gave me a visa for 45 days instead of 30 days (it should have been 90 days). This last time I just got 30 days. The 2000 baht extension charge for the extension each time isn't a big deal, but waiting at least 4 hours each time is a big deal to me.

So it has nothing to do with the language competency of the students, it has everything to do with what their immigration supervisor has dictated about visa extensions to certain schools.

[mcfish]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediately to complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

It was decided that this visa will be very useful for the short term education students as many of the current ed visa holders rarely attend language schools as required. Therefore the short term ed visa currently provided will cease. Students attending international primary and secondary schools will not be affected. they will be able to apply for one year ed extensions. Expect more changes to immigration laws in November.

"It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand"

Surely you mean in another country and not own country? It would lose its appeal If I need to go back to oz to get it

[Brit_Doggie]

You wanna learn thai or just a loophole to stay here as many do of the latter, and applause for immo for trying to stop the blatant abuse of the system.

[Kitsune]

You wanna learn thai or just a loophole to stay here as many do of the latter, and applause for immo for trying to stop the blatant abuse of the system.

Thai is not the only subject of study, yes even in Thailand.

I have a friend coming for French cordon bleu culinary school courses, yes American come to Bangkok to learn French cuisine.

Do you want to kick her out as well?

[Kitsune]

I can tell you that very soon, possibly September, a new tourist 6 month or 180 day multi entry visa will be available. It is currently waiting to be formally announced in the government gazette.

It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand, however they must leave after 60 days and return to stay another 60 days leave and reenter for the final 60 days. However they can extend the visa by 30 days after the first 60 days and then leave Thailand (as for a TR60) but can return immediately to complete the balance of the days outstanding although they cannot stay any longer than 60 days without extending the last 30 days.

It was decided that this visa will be very useful for the short term education students as many of the current ed visa holders rarely attend language schools as required. Therefore the short term ed visa currently provided will cease. Students attending international primary and secondary schools will not be affected. they will be able to apply for one year ed extensions. Expect more changes to immigration laws in November.

"It works like this; Holders of this visa can only get this visa in their own countries, not in Thailand"

Surely you mean in another country and not own country? It would lose its appeal If I need to go back to oz to get it

,

You did not think they got together to make your life easier, did you ?

[timmyp]

You wanna learn thai or just a loophole to stay here as many do of the latter, and applause for immo for trying to stop the blatant abuse of the system.

If immigration were cracking down on people for not studying, then great, I fully agree with you: Applause to them for kicking out those who don't study.

But that's not what's going on. They are busting certain schools, and I am quite sure this is because those schools aren't paying the tea money. It clearly has nothing to do with how much people are studying.

[paz]

At immigration, I fill out all of the forms in Thai, and I speak in Thai with the immigration officer the entire time. When I ask them why I only get a one month extension, they tell me that it is because of a problem with my school, and that they are doing the same to the students at my school and at one other school. I plead, saying that clearly I study, and that someone who studies shouldn't be penalized. Then they see that I am actually on a visa to study Japanese. So they try to test me in Japanese. Of course I pass, whatever they give me to do. They bring in the supervisor, who allowed an exception in my case a few months back: He gave me a visa for 45 days instead of 30 days (it should have been 90 days). This last time I just got 30 days. The 2000 baht extension charge for the extension each time isn't a big deal, but waiting at least 4 hours each time is a big deal to me.

So it has nothing to do with the language competency of the students, it has everything to do with what their immigration supervisor has dictated about visa extensions to certain schools.

I would have declined the 15 extra days, thanked them very much, left a 20 Bt tip with wishes of good luck and much money, then left to go get a tourist visa iin Laos instead.

[Kitsune]

At immigration, I fill out all of the forms in Thai, and I speak in Thai with the immigration officer the entire time. When I ask them why I only get a one month extension, they tell me that it is because of a problem with my school, and that they are doing the same to the students at my school and at one other school. I plead, saying that clearly I study, and that someone who studies shouldn't be penalized. Then they see that I am actually on a visa to study Japanese. So they try to test me in Japanese. Of course I pass, whatever they give me to do. They bring in the supervisor, who allowed an exception in my case a few months back: He gave me a visa for 45 days instead of 30 days (it should have been 90 days). This last time I just got 30 days. The 2000 baht extension charge for the extension each time isn't a big deal, but waiting at least 4 hours each time is a big deal to me.

So it has nothing to do with the language competency of the students, it has everything to do with what their immigration supervisor has dictated about visa extensions to certain schools.

I would have declined the 15 extra days, thanked them very much, left a 20 Bt tip with wishes of good luck and much money, then left to go get a tourist visa iin Laos instead.

This person proved to the officer he/she was a Bone fide student,that paid for a course, went to lessons, studied and yet was denied extension of stay. And all we can say is "Get a tourist visa''?

While everyone keeps encouraging immigration for so-called crackdown on ED visa abuse, the only abuse I see in ED visa is that it does not bring in as much cash as Elite Visa and that's their only motivation to bring it down.

[paz]

This person proved to the officer he/she was a Bone fide student,that paid for a course, went to lessons, studied and yet was denied extension of stay. And all we can say is "Get a tourist visa''?

While everyone keeps encouraging immigration for so-called crackdown on ED visa abuse, the only abuse I see in ED visa is that it does not bring in as much cash as Elite Visa and that's their only motivation to bring it down.

I just said what I would have done if that had happened to me. Against abuse the individual is powerless and if objectives come before principles one must take the path of least resistance.