ED Visa PROBLEMS in Laos! Any recent experiences / advice?

[CangguSurfer]

So, I am applying for a ED Visa at end of this month, and have been told by my school that there is now a serious problem getting them approved by the Laos Consulates.  In the last few weeks, many students are being rejected according to the school.  They say they will be trying to figure out alternative consulates that are being more receptive, and will be back in touch with me next week.

 

Apparently, the problem is that the Laos consulates are being overwhelmed with ED VIsa requests, and all visa requests in general simply because it is the closest and most popular location for foreigners who are already in Thailand and wish to extend their stay here.  So, my understanding is that it is not anything related specifically to a general crackdown on ED Visas themselves.

 

They did tell me that Hong Kong and Myanmar consulates are no longer viable options.  Even if I were to return to my home country (USA), their experience has been that certain consulates are very difficult (like Washington DC), so I'm really in a quandary on what to do.

 

I'm beginning to think that the ED Visa may not have been the wisest choice for extending my stay here for the next 9 months, and may go back to my original idea of just applying for a 60 day Tourist VIsa (extending it locally to 90 days), and repeating that a few times once my "retirement" visa expires at the end of this month.

 

It would really be helpful if any recent applicants for ED Visas at ANY consulates could share their experience, or if some of the wiser ThaiVisa members (like @ubonjoe) might offer some advice on how to deal with all of this in the most efficient and least problematic way.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who would benefit from this advice.

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by CangguSurfer

[jspill]

If it's your first ever Ed visa and you've been in Thailand less than 6 months in the last 12 you might be ok in Laos. But yes there are lots of threads recently about people denied especially if they don't meet those criteria, you can probably find with a search. Some were even denied with less of a visa history than that and / or told their school has been blacklisted completely. Some people are now applying in Vietnam instead. 

[CangguSurfer]

35 minutes ago, jspill said:

If it's your first ever Ed visa and you've been in Thailand less than 6 months in the last 12 you might be ok in Laos. But yes there are lots of threads recently about people denied especially if they don't meet those criteria, you can probably find with a search. Some were even denied with less of a visa history than that and / or told their school has been blacklisted completely. Some people are now applying in Vietnam instead. 

Yeah, this whole situation is quite frustrating (like most bureaucratic things here in the Kingdom are getting). 

 

My school is highly regarded and has never been denied approval by the Ministry of Education, yet the Consulates seem to have completely arbitrary criteria that changes from one day to the next and is rarely documented on their official websites!  Even worse, if they do grant the Visa, the you have to deal with Airport Immigration who can still throw a "wrench in the works" and deny entry.  This issue isn't even confined to ED Visas but includes the issuance of 2nd Tourist Visas.

 

It's all very hard to understand.  I mean, I can appreciate them denying a visa if they think the applicant might be secretly seeking to work in Thailand, or that they don't have the financial means to live here, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  It's just arbitrary, and there are no unified criteria among the different Consulates.  Each seems to have their own set of rules, and they are constantly changing from one day to the next.

 

This problem is not confined just to getting an ED VIsa or Tourist Visa but seems to permeate every bureaucratic organization in Thailand from the Police Departments to Post Offices to Customs to banks.  They are all the same; no set system wide rules and guidelines.  Rules and guidelines that are constantly changing from one day to the next, bureaucratic screw-ups that take weeks or even months to fix, and an unbelievable amount of open corruption to boot!

 

My patience in dealing with all of this is really starting to grow thin now. It sure wasn't like this when I first came here, but it just keeps getting worse and worse!  

 

Perhaps it's just time to move on to a place like Vietnam where foreigners are valued for what they can contribute, and shown a little bit more respect than Thailand seems willing to offer lately.  I think the Kingdom might be forgetting where most of their gross domestic product really comes from.

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by CangguSurfer

[Greyhat]

God, it's really saddening to hear continuous stories like this. I always wonder what the country would be like if the elections went in another direction.

[mosan]

It seems to me that the foreigners here-and those still arriving-haven't figured out that they are not the "valued" guests that they thought they were...

[Los Luver]

It seems that some people just don't get the message. Thailand just doesn't want people live in the country on TV.  It's simple as that. Get the right visa or leave

[Vacuum]

8 minutes ago, Los Luver said:

It seems that some people just don't get the message. Thailand just doesn't want people live in the country on TV.  It's simple as that. Get the right visa or leave

OP actually admitted his/her intentions about the purpose of stay in the country. 

 

Quote

I'm beginning to think that the ED Visa may not have been the wisest choice for extending my stay here

 

[dcnx]

Hanoi is also out. There was a lot of talk about this a couple of weeks ago.

[Gumballl]

1 hour ago, CangguSurfer said:

... 

 

Perhaps it's just time to move on to a place like Vietnam where foreigners are valued for what they can contribute, and shown a little bit more respect than Thailand seems willing to offer lately.  I think the Kingdom might be forgetting where most of their gross domestic product really comes from.

 

The ED visa is for those that want to study in Thailand, not for those that merely want to live here. Your last paragraph makes it quite clear that you could give one iota about the education.

 

You can rest assured that Thailand's GDP will not suffer a bit if/when you check out of the kingdom. If you really want to live in Thailand and you want to contribute to the GDP, then buy the Elite Visa.

[MaksimMislavsky]

1 hour ago, CangguSurfer said:

It's all very hard to understand.  I mean, I can appreciate them denying a visa if they think the applicant might be secretly seeking to work in Thailand, or that they don't have the financial means to live here, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  It's just arbitrary, and there are no unified criteria among the different Consulates.  Each seems to have their own set of rules, and they are constantly changing from one day to the next.

 

They are apparently seeking to reduce the number of long-staying foreigners by all means without explicitly saying so. This is the general policy at the moment, and it is understandable.

 

[MaksimMislavsky]

2 hours ago, CangguSurfer said:

Perhaps it's just time to move on to a place like Vietnam where foreigners are valued

Won't last too long (if currently the case at all)

[MaksimMislavsky]

33 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

An Elite or Marriage visas are other options. 

I don't see marriage of convenience as a valid option and don't have funds for the Elite. Have been to Vietnam many times and loving it, but I'm sure it will eventually go the same way as Thailand. Won't consider it as a long-term solution.

[MaksimMislavsky]

39 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

I'm sure students at accredited universities will be OK

Does anyone by any chance know if there are any such unis in Bangkok or around? Well, anywhere else but CM?

[Ebumbu]

There is "start your own business" visa, worst case, if not yet 50. It's not cheap, but an alternative to Elite. 

[Hackney35]

1 hour ago, Gumballl said:

The ED visa is for those that want to study in Thailand, not for those that merely want to live here. Your last paragraph makes it quite clear that you could give one iota about the education.

 

You can rest assured that Thailand's GDP will not suffer a bit if/when you check out of the kingdom. If you really want to live in Thailand and you want to contribute to the GDP, then buy the Elite Visa.

Why anyone would want to pay that amount of money to live in Thailand is beyond me!

All these type threads have too many old people with retirement visas getting on the morale high ground cos they are old and can get an easy visa if they have small income (pension) from home every month flowing in.

 We should be trying to help each other against the ridiculous ever changing immigration system not turning against each other. 

[TaoNow]

Hackney35 and your ilk:  Why do you feel you have a right to live in Thailand under terms that you prefer?

[Falconator]

Which school is this? Is it one of the combat schools in Chiang Mai, a Thai language school, or something else?

[CangguSurfer]

1 hour ago, Hackney35 said:

Why anyone would want to pay that amount of money to live in Thailand is beyond me!

All these type threads have too many old people with retirement visas getting on the morale high ground cos they are old and can get an easy visa if they have small income (pension) from home every month flowing in.

 We should be trying to help each other against the ridiculous ever changing immigration system not turning against each other. 

Finally!  A voice of reason.  Thanks for making a positive comment, and not an unfounded snarky remark.

 

To set the record straight, I am applying for an ED Visa for an accredited school.  The school has a stellar record of getting approval letters from the Ministry of Education for all applicants.  If they approve an applicant, that should be reason enough for the Consulate to grant the Visa IMO. 

 

I am NOT applying for the ED Visa simply to stay in the Kingdom but without it, I will need to find another way to stay here.  

 

So again, I’d really appreciate some constructive advice.

[somtumwrong]

2 hours ago, Hackney35 said:

Why anyone would want to pay that amount of money to live in Thailand is beyond me!

All these type threads have too many old people with retirement visas getting on the morale high ground cos they are old and can get an easy visa if they have small income (pension) from home every month flowing in.

 We should be trying to help each other against the ridiculous ever changing immigration system not turning against each other. 

No, we should not be trying to help each other. People going around the immigration laws (or their intent) with EDs and TVs are making the life of 'honest' expats harder, and you can notice that with the tightening of even NON O (+A) approvals. Even though there is little respect for Thai law among us, we should play by the rules. The more we try to outsmart Thai immigration, the more 'ridiculous ever changing' they will be towards us.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

On the visa side I think you need luck, but when you return DO NOT fly back, do a land crossing into Thailand. If you are refused entry you walk back to Laos, if you fly you get deported. The chance of being refused entry with a land crossing is less. 

[Caldera]

7 hours ago, Los Luver said:

It seems that some people just don't get the message. Thailand just doesn't want people live in the country on TV.  It's simple as that. Get the right visa or leave

Let's hope that whatever visa you hold won't be next on their list.

[CangguSurfer]

2 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

You don't make sense. Your not applying simply to get a visa but without it, i'll need to find another way. That's double talk. You are only looking for a way to stay and are running out of options. If you have a college degree you could enroll in a TESL program a CM university then become a English teacher but both would require full time commitments. 

I said that if I am denied an ED Visa by a Consulate (even though the Ministry of Education has approved my application), I will need to find another Visa option since I still plan to attend the school.  That is NOT double-talk. 

 

You are either incredibly obtuse, or (more likely) this is yet another one of your troll-like replies to one of my posts.  Why do you stalk me from one thread to another with this childish behavior?  it's really getting old Bud!

 

[jspill]

The over 50s game the system too by using agents to get their retirement extensions approved, going rate is 14k baht to get it without needing the 800k in a bank or proof of monthly income. 

 

I doubt Thailand wants a bunch of pensioners living on a shoestring for the rest of their days, never touching the 800k in the bank or having an agent fake it for them. Seems clear they want them to actually spend that money, by having them deposit it in a Thai bank and only giving them a year extension at a time then making them prove they have the cash again every time.

[CangguSurfer]

3 hours ago, somtumwrong said:

No, we should not be trying to help each other. People going around the immigration laws (or their intent) with EDs and TVs are making the life of 'honest' expats harder, and you can notice that with the tightening of even NON O (+A) approvals. Even though there is little respect for Thai law among us, we should play by the rules. The more we try to outsmart Thai immigration, the more 'ridiculous ever changing' they will be towards us.

How pompous and sanctimonious of you LOL!  I started this thread because the Laos Thai Consulate has recently started coming down really hard on ED Visas for new yet unfounded (and unspecified) reasons. 

 

It may be true that some people abuse such Visas but I am not one of them, and since none of you know anything about me, your insulting and unfounded insinuations are quite unfair. 

 

My application was approved the other day by the Thai Ministry of Education, and the school itself has an excellent reputation with them as well.  I may be forced to find another visa option to stay and attend this school if my ED VIsa is unfairly denied by a Thai Consulate.  Is it so wrong of me to look for possible solutions to this worst-case-scenario if it comes to be?

 

If anyone should be the judge of an applicant's suitability for being granted an ED Visa, I would say it should be the Ministry of Education, not a Thai Consulate, and certainly not self-appointed arbiters of right vs wrong here on Thai Visa, the self-righteous and pompous fatheads who jump on threads like this with nothing constructive or helpful to add, only hateful, troll-like comments to make.  I realize this is sport for some people with nothing better to do with their time, but it gets real old after a while!  

Edited September 11, 2019 by CangguSurfer

[kanook]

12 hours ago, CangguSurfer said:

repeating that a few times once my "retirement" visa expires at the end of this month

Why don't you go back on a retirement extension?

[CangguSurfer]

1 hour ago, kanook said:

Why don't you go back on a retirement extension?

Fact is, I was going back and forth on whether or not to renew it for the last several months, decided not to, and planned to leave the Kingdom when it expires next month.

 

I had a change of heart a few weeks ago but it's too late to get funds back into my Thai bank account and get them "seasoned" in time. 

 

I was thinking of getting an SETV to allow enough time for this to occur (and still am considering it) but there's a school that interests me greatly that offers an ED Visa and that sounded more appealing.

 

I thought the real challenge was going to be getting an approval from the Thai Ministry of Education (which I got the other day), not realizing the real challenge would be with a Consulate.

 

Even if I end up getting denied the ED visa by a consulate (which would really suck), I still want to attend the school and so I may try for the SETV until I can get the bank account seasoned for a new Non-O extension, or maybe just try and get back to back SETV's.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Hackney35 said:

We should be trying to help each other against the ridiculous ever changing immigration system not turning against each other. 

Or perhaps people should abide by the terms and conditions of the Visa or Entry they utilize. If they come in on an ED Visa, they should be attending school. If they use Visa Exempt or Tourist Visas, they should really be tourists, not residing. 

We do help each other, very much so, in this forum. Pointing people towards various ways to remain in Thailand and answering questions. What is an issue, is people playing/ gaming the system, irritating Thai immigration, and causing them to modify rules and become ever stricter. That is NOT helping each other much at all.

No non Thai has a right to live in Thailand. 

Edited September 11, 2019 by jacko45k

[marin]

20 hours ago, CangguSurfer said:

I'm beginning to think that the ED Visa may not have been the wisest choice for extending my stay here for the next 9 months, and may go back to my original idea of just applying for a 60 day Tourist VIsa (extending it locally to 90 days), and repeating that a few times once my "retirement" visa expires at the end of this month.

Your post mentions nothing about studying Thai. Seems you are just trying to circumvent the system. Which is why these visa's are now hard to get..

[recom273]

17 hours ago, Los Luver said:

It seems that some people just don't get the message. Thailand just doesn't want people live in the country on TV.  It's simple as that. Get the right visa or leave

:slow clap: The guys was asking about an Ed visa.

 

Mind you, I have to agree with you. I had a non-o and I started to study a BA at a college here in Thailand, it was obvious that even this was a visa mill for people working illegally (on their Ed-visas) in Bangkok.

 

It’s a small wonder why immigration are toughening up on these Thai language / Thai boxing / dubious degree loopholes.

 

 

[easydoor]

"'m beginning to think that the ED Visa may not have been the wisest choice for extending my stay here for the next 9 months, and may go back to my original idea of just applying for a 60 day Tourist VIsa (extending it locally to 90 days), and repeating that a few times once my "retirement" visa expires at the end of this month."

Why not extend your "retirement visa" NO FUNDS? So you are just another one who wants advise to escape the rules by ED visa.... thank you, you just make  it better for honest and correct people.