Education Visa in Chiang Mai

[Chesterpot]

Can anyone advise me on a what good options there are for taking an education visa in Chiang Mai? I have a Tourist Visa for now which I can extend for another 30 days but the ED Visa is very interesting for me. I have been with my Thai girlfriend for quite a long time now but have learned very little of the language and it would be very nice to speak in her native tongue.

I am staying in Suthep so would ideally like to study somewhere here or close to the moat.

[sunnyjim5]

You need to sign up with a school and pay their fees. In return the school will provide you with the documentation needed to support an application for an ED visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in a nearby country.

Be aware that you will only be given a single entry visa which allows a 90 day stay.

Extensions to that initial stay can be obtained , with paperwork provided by the school, from immigration. Each 90 day extension costs 1900 Bht.

You can (if the visa conditions are adhered to) remain in Thailand for a Max of one year.

[Chesterpot]

You need to sign up with a school and pay their fees. In return the school will provide you with the documentation needed to support an application for an ED visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in a nearby country.

Be aware that you will only be given a single entry visa which allows a 90 day stay.

Extensions to that initial stay can be obtained , with paperwork provided by the school, from immigration. Each 90 day extension costs 1900 Bht.

You can (if the visa conditions are adhered to) remain in Thailand for a Max of one year.

Thanks for the information sunnyjim5.

Are you sure it is just one year? Someone told me 3 year ED visas are possible, though this may not be true.

If anyone can recommend a specific school that would be a big help.

[puukao]

All the schools I talked to won't do 1 year because of new laws, and will wait to see what happens.

the new 6-month visa makes the most sense, if you can show the money, and then just take the classes on your own.

and i remember with my last ED Visa (6-months i think a few years ago)...it cost about $400 to go to Laos and come back....so just be prepared for some added expenses

without cash, it's much harder to stay long term....

[Chesterpot]

All the schools I talked to won't do 1 year because of new laws, and will wait to see what happens.

the new 6-month visa makes the most sense, if you can show the money, and then just take the classes on your own.

and i remember with my last ED Visa (6-months i think a few years ago)...it cost about $400 to go to Laos and come back....so just be prepared for some added expenses

without cash, it's much harder to stay long term....

Sorry for the late response puukao, not checked back on this topic in too long...

I don't think I can meet the requirements of the new 6 month visa unfortunately. Also I do not wish to return home for a couple of years or so.

The schools won't even do 1 year now? That's a bit of a blow is so. How long can one get an ED visa for in that case?

Adding some more info to what I am looking for - not wanting to do more than about 4 hours a week or so ideally.

[ubonjoe]

Schools don't do any visas. The only provide the course of study required to get visas and extensions of stay.

At this time a course of study of 200 hours will allow 6 months and 400 a year of total stay. First you get a single entry non-ed visa that allows a 90 day entry and then you apply for 90 day extensions at immigration. After one year you have to go out for a new non-ed visa.

The minimum number of hours is 8 hours a week in order to get extension at immigration.

You might be able to get a multiple entry non-ed visa that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. You would have to leave the country every 90 days to get a new entry. Whether you could get one would depend upon where your apply for it. It would require paperwork from a school proving you have enrolled for a one year course of study but it would not have meet the 8 hours a week requirement.

[jspill]

There are 1 year hand to hand combat schools http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/889253-1-year-ed-visa-studying-hand-to-hand-combat/

And 1 year volunteering programs if you Google around.

I'd do that and just study Thai in your spare time, plenty of free audio courses online like FSI Thai (Foreign Services Institute), DuoLingo, L-Lingo, etc. and of course chat with your girlfriend. Or buy a dozen hours of private tuition to give you a boost. Group classes in a school aren't that effective in Thailand, just my opinion.

[luke000]

The rules and regulations seem to change constantly .

You are better off going to a school or visa company to get the latest info .

The last time that i renewed my education visa , immigration were testing peoples Thai language ability .

Two hours per day and four days a week now seem to be the requirements .

Some schools and agencies seem to be, shall we say "affiliated " with the immigration

Some places still offer the 1 year visa, after you have paid for the course .

But they could always revert back to the six month one, after you have paid .

Its a risk .

[sunnyjim5]

The rules and regulations seem to change constantly .

You are better off going to a school or visa company to get the latest info .

The last time that i renewed my education visa , immigration were testing peoples Thai language ability .

Two hours per day and four days a week now seem to be the requirements .

Some schools and agencies seem to be, shall we say "affiliated " with the immigration

Some places still offer the 1 year visa, after you have paid for the course .

But they could always revert back to the six month one, after you have paid .

Its a risk .

Schools cannot and do not offer to supply Visas !

Schools sell courses and offer the paperwork required to support an application, made in person, outside Thailand for a VISA which can only be obtained from a Thai Embassy/Consulate.

Within the region only a single entry 90 day visa is obtainable. Extending that stay, at immigration, is dependent on paperwork supplied by the school and the applicant meeting, in particular, attendance at class requirements.

[Chesterpot]

Schools don't do any visas. The only provide the course of study required to get visas and extensions of stay.

At this time a course of study of 200 hours will allow 6 months and 400 a year of total stay. First you get a single entry non-ed visa that allows a 90 day entry and then you apply for 90 day extensions at immigration. After one year you have to go out for a new non-ed visa.

The minimum number of hours is 8 hours a week in order to get extension at immigration.

You might be able to get a multiple entry non-ed visa that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. You would have to leave the country every 90 days to get a new entry. Whether you could get one would depend upon where your apply for it. It would require paperwork from a school proving you have enrolled for a one year course of study but it would not have meet the 8 hours a week requirement.

Thanks for the information ubonjoe.

[Chesterpot]

There are 1 year hand to hand combat schools http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/889253-1-year-ed-visa-studying-hand-to-hand-combat/

And 1 year volunteering programs if you Google around.

I'd do that and just study Thai in your spare time, plenty of free audio courses online like FSI Thai (Foreign Services Institute), DuoLingo, L-Lingo, etc. and of course chat with your girlfriend. Or buy a dozen hours of private tuition to give you a boost. Group classes in a school aren't that effective in Thailand, just my opinion.

That sounds like an interesting alternative jspill. That would still enable me to stay in Chiang Mai for 1 year and learn something useful. Can you tell me about other courses in CM that one can take? Or volunteering programs here you mentioned? I did some Googling but didn't find anything suitable or feasible unlike that combat school you linked me to.

As you said, many ways to learn Thai. Just seemed a logical to combine it with a visa but I am very open to alternatives.

[Chesterpot]

The rules and regulations seem to change constantly .

You are better off going to a school or visa company to get the latest info .

The last time that i renewed my education visa , immigration were testing peoples Thai language ability .

Two hours per day and four days a week now seem to be the requirements .

Some schools and agencies seem to be, shall we say "affiliated " with the immigration

Some places still offer the 1 year visa, after you have paid for the course .

But they could always revert back to the six month one, after you have paid .

Its a risk .

Thanks for the info luke000. I will certainly talk with schools once I have an idea about where I would like to study.

Shame about the 4 days per week necessity, I would much rather do 1 full day or 2 half days, but if that's the only way...

[jspill]

That sounds like an interesting alternative jspill. That would still enable me to stay in Chiang Mai for 1 year and learn something useful. Can you tell me about other courses in CM that one can take? Or volunteering programs here you mentioned? I did some Googling but didn't find anything suitable or feasible unlike that combat school you linked me to.

Check out cmlocals.com, chiangmaibuddy.com, and a Facebook group of 8000 people called chiang mai digital nomads. Between those you can find any info you need.

[jspill]

Schools cannot and do not offer to supply Visas !

Schools sell courses and offer the paperwork required to support an application, made in person, outside Thailand for a VISA which can only be obtained from a Thai Embassy/Consulate.

Within the region only a single entry 90 day visa is obtainable. Extending that stay, at immigration, is dependent on paperwork supplied by the school and the applicant meeting, in particular, attendance at class requirements.

It is true however that some schools have more of an 'in' with immigration, so while they don't supply visas directly, an application through certain schools has more weight, and may lead to a longer overall stay on Ed visas. It would be naive to think all applications are equal.

[Chesterpot]

That sounds like an interesting alternative jspill. That would still enable me to stay in Chiang Mai for 1 year and learn something useful. Can you tell me about other courses in CM that one can take? Or volunteering programs here you mentioned? I did some Googling but didn't find anything suitable or feasible unlike that combat school you linked me to.

Check out cmlocals.com, chiangmaibuddy.com, and a Facebook group of 8000 people called chiang mai digital nomads. Between those you can find any info you need.

Cheers pal, will check those out.