I have just received all the necessary documents for my daughters ED visa application. Anyone know how long these are valid for?

because the school says it would be better to wait till nearer the new school term starts in May to go to Vientiane to get the visa,

so we maximise the  time  available on the visa to match the new school year. Are there any time limits on the validity of the paper

work???  The school is new and they don't know.

They should be good for at least a month.

Since the single entry non-ed visa allows a 90 day entry I can see no reason to wait since she would not be able to apply for an extension at immigration until the last 30 days of the 90 days.

Required document for Vientiane is here: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/Visa/Non- ED & O.pdf

Thanks Joe. I  was thinking  maybe its a month. I know you have to  get an extension every 90 days, for 9 months to get the full 12 months out of it. But the school director said leave it as long as you can, so you don't fall short next year at the crucial end of term tests, as term dates keep changing. (The schools don't seem to know the actual dates. They seem to make it up as they go along). But I don't want to leave the trip to Lao too late and be turned away as it's an expensive trip. Thanks again.

13 minutes ago, Freespirit said:

Thanks Joe. I  was thinking  maybe its a month. I know you have to  get an extension every 90 days, for 9 months to get the full 12 months out of it. But the school director said leave it as long as you can, so you don't fall short next year at the crucial end of term tests, as term dates keep changing. (The schools don't seem to know the actual dates. They seem to make it up as they go along). But I don't want to leave the trip to Lao too late and be turned away as it's an expensive trip. Thanks again.

What type of school is she attending?

The 90 day extensions only apply for an informal school such as a language school. For formal schools it is still a one year extension.

26 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What type of school is she attending?

The 90 day extensions only apply for an informal school such as a language school. For formal schools it is still a one year extension.

 

I am surprised you say it is 90 days for language schools. Here at CW the "rule" at the moment seems to be 60 days extensions only. And this makes it really awkward if you don´t leave the country and have to do you 90 days reports as well. I mean, you arrive on your 90 days Non-Im ED, then you do the first extension plus the 90 days report at the same time (though at different desks at CW), 60 days later you do your 2nd extension, 30 days later you are again at CW for your 90 days report and so forth. Horrible! That´s the reason why I didn´t go for the ED visa although I am studying at a language school and would be in a position to get the ED visa. Too much hassle, I think.

Edited April 1, 20179 yr by DUS

22 minutes ago, DUS said:

I am surprised you say it is 90 days for language schools.

That is what the rules state.

Quote

(2) 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.

 

54 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is what the rules state.

 

Thanks!

 

So it is that CW in most cases then decides to grant only 60 days whilst the rule allows them to grant up to 90. Interesting!

Edited April 1, 20179 yr by DUS

5 hours ago, DUS said:

Thanks!

So it is that CW in most cases then decides to grant only 60 days whilst the rule allows them to grant up to 90. Interesting!

Is Immigration 'testing' applicants, too?  That policy would generate 1900 Baht every 60-days instead of 90-days, but I assume with-receipt.  Getting you staggered on 90-days and extensions also creates the potential for missing a date = more fee-money.  

Combined, this enhances the incentive for the 'extra fee' special - the 'no-hassle' extension option, at the most crowded / long-wait office in Thailand. 

18 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Is Immigration 'testing' applicants, too?  That policy would generate 1900 Baht every 60-days instead of 90-days, but I assume with-receipt.  Getting you staggered on 90-days and extensions also creates the potential for missing a date = more fee-money.  

Combined, this enhances the incentive for the 'extra fee' special - the 'no-hassle' extension option, at the most crowded / long-wait office in Thailand. 

I had the experience where I was given 30 days for 1900 baht and told to return and for another 1900 baht got an additional 60 after 30 days. This was at Chaengwattana. My classmate who decided to pay the school the $5000 baht 'extra services' fee they recommended, was accompanied by a school secretary the very next day and got the full 90 days, after as he said, the secretary and the IO officer disappeared behind the curtain for a bit of a chat.

23 hours ago, DUS said:

 

I am surprised you say it is 90 days for language schools. Here at CW the "rule" at the moment seems to be 60 days extensions only. And this makes it really awkward if you don´t leave the country and have to do you 90 days reports as well. I mean, you arrive on your 90 days Non-Im ED, then you do the first extension plus the 90 days report at the same time (though at different desks at CW), 60 days later you do your 2nd extension, 30 days later you are again at CW for your 90 days report and so forth. Horrible! That´s the reason why I didn´t go for the ED visa although I am studying at a language school and would be in a position to get the ED visa. Too much hassle, I think.

It's a Bangkok thing. Chiang Mai 90 days without a problem. Hear you on the 90days, got to the stage last year (was at a thai language school) where I'd have to go to do a 90 day report then 7-14 days later turn up for my next extension. 

It's a private but government approved  school for kids. The information I had was that it's a one year visa, (that will cover the whole school year) but you have to get extensions every 90 days at local immigration. I'm not in Bangkok.