Changes to Student Visa Rules May 2019

[ubonjoe]

36 minutes ago, SuperTed said:

Course length is 120 hours for beginner, 150 hours for intermediate and 190 hours for advanced. That means you need to be in class 8-10 hours a week to be on an Ed visa, and schools will charge for that time. My school off-the-cuff estimated 20,000 baht per unit, for a total 60,000 baht for the year.

Over what period of time are those hours for?

At other locations they want to see a enrollment for a course of study of 400 hours to get the paperwork for the non-ed visa application at a embassy or consulate and then 90 day extensions of stay totaling one year (visa entry 90 day plus 3 extensions). Immigration want to see attendance of 2 hours a day 4 days a week for beginners have seen quotes of 30k to 35k baht for that course of study.

For advanced studies they will only do an additional 6 months of total stay with an enrollment for 200 hours after getting a new non-ed visa.

Since August of 2014 the requirements for 90 day extensions is a total stay of one year when attending language schools or other informal schools. Then a new non-ed visa entry in need to start a new year or 6 months.

49 minutes ago, SuperTed said:

Again, is the law enforced this way in BKK and CM?

Not the same at other places as I mentioned above.

 

 

[merijn]

At Phuket we heard nothing about any change !!

[Lovethailandelite]

55 minutes ago, miltos said:

Yup, this is happening and it is so typically Thai! I enrolled at Pro Language in Pattaya 3 weeks ago, B17000 for 90 hours. I was given a leaflet with the usual info that said I can report to immigration after 90 days and pay B1900 for 3 month extension. After I returned from Penang with my visa and paid off the remaining balance, I was asked to remember to come back 7 days before the 3 months are over with B5000. I couldn't for the life of me understand why the price had increasd x2.5. I was eventually told that this was because I signed up for the usual 2hoursx2days a week and that this was no longer acceptable and therefore I had to pay extra otherwise I'd have to come in 4 days a week to study. Wot?? So, I am paying extra money for classes I will not attend and this money will essentially find its way into immigrations pocket?

 

Had they told me from the start I wouldn't have enrolled.

And now you know why Pro Language have since, from last week, been added to the black list of not being able to obtain visas any longer.
Good luck when you go to immigration in order to get your next extension. It may not be the outcome you was expecting

[Caldera]

16 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Good luck when you go to immigration in order to get your next extension. It may not be the outcome you was expecting

Your "luck", and I use that term loosely, seems to depend mostly on whether or not you pay them 5,000 baht instead of the official 1,900 baht extension fee.