Getting an ED visa during tourist visa amnesty

[cauchy]

Hi all,

 

As many, I am currently in Thailand on the tourist visa "amnesty" and (worryingly) waiting to see what happens at the end of the month, having used all possible extensions in March/ April (regular 30 days extension then embassy letter-sponsored special Covid extension).

 

As a potential way out, would it be possible to change my current tourist visa / amnesty status to an ED visa (say through a Thai language school)? My understanding is that this usually comes with conditions regarding timing (i.e. the request to immigration services must be done x days before the end of your tourist visa) and usually involve a visa-run to visit a Thai consulate abroad and getting a new visa.

 

(Before anyone asks, I am happy to put the hours at school - I have the time and motivation to freshen my Thai skills so not looking for a visa of convenience with no class time involved) 

 

=> Does anyone have first-hand experience of being able to change an expired / amnesty-status tourist visa to an ED visa under current circumstances - e.g. without the need to take a trip outside Thailand? If so, can you share your experience and contacts in Bangkok (if at all possible, I suppose some schools might have better connections than others) ?

 

Thanks a bunch

[Mona2020]

if you want to convert tourist visa to an ED visa without the need to take a trip outside Thailand 
you can contact to the language school. They can run this process for you but u need to pay for the language school 19,000 bath  + convert visa 13,000-15,000 bath  this price is for 1 Year ED Visa.
But you have to leave Thailand again after 1 year. The 1-year period is from your last arrival in Thailand and not the Ed visa issue date from immigration

[jonga80]

The question is, if they need 3-4 weeks to get the ED visa, and the amnesty ends the 31th of july, it's possible? Can it be obtained even if the amnesty period has passed?

[Mona2020]

48 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

The question is, if they need 3-4 weeks to get the ED visa, and the amnesty ends the 31th of july, it's possible? Can it be obtained even if the amnesty period has passed?

i'm not sure about this, but The some language school said that they need to send your application to the Ministry of Education and it takes about 2 weeks to get your application back and then they need to go to the immigration for convert your current visa to your education visa. So it's might be possible. 
i recommended you should contact to the language school asap for they check your passport and tell exactly details to you.
(My boyfriend start this process on 3rd July, Next week he might get ED visa i guess)

Edited July 14, 2020 by Mona2020

[jonga80]

3 minutes ago, Mona2020 said:

i'm not sure about this, but The some language school said that they need to send your application to the Ministry of Education and it takes about 2 weeks to get your application back and then they need to go to the immigration for convert your current visa to your education visa. So it's might be possible. 
i would like to say that you should contact to the language school asap for they check your passport and tell exactly details to you.

Which school do you recommend? Thank u!

[Mona2020]

Their branches in Silom, Lad Prao and the resort town of Hua Hin, But for ED Visa they run process at Hua Hin. 

Edited July 14, 2020 by Mona2020

[JackThompson]

Sounds similar to this report:
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1170345-my-ed-visa-after-31-july/?do=findComment&comment=15563426

[jonga80]

22 minutes ago, Mona2020 said:

This school URL: https://www.insightenglish.com/
Their branches in Silom, Lad Prao and the resort town of Hua Hin, But for ED Visa they run process at Hua Hin. 

I asked by Line and they answer me:

 

"Unfortunately, we have been informed by immigration that we are unable to process any more education visas before the amnesty expires. This means we are very sorry but it won't be possible for you to get an education visa. If the situation changes, we will get back to you. If anything changes with immigration, I will let you know. I hope you get something sorted"

AM 9:13

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by jonga80

[jonga80]

I am very pessimistic, I want to be here for some more months and I don't see any chance to stay in Thailand, only overstay, I don't see any possible extension again, it's late for the student visa, and the overstay it's very risky. I have one more month of renting, and maybe I will have to leave, and if I overstay it's very risky, and I have that document, the TM30, so I am registered and maybe they could catch you because that. <deleted>!

[Mona2020]

7 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

I am very pessimistic, I want to be here for some more months and I don't see any chance to stay in Thailand, only overstay, I don't see any possible extension again, it's late for the student visa, and the overstay it's very risky. I have one more month of renting, and maybe I will have to leave, and if I overstay it's very risky, and I have that document, the TM30, so I am registered and maybe they could catch you because that. <deleted>!

i am sorry for you that they can not run this process anymore on this situation, But i found many language schools  in Pataya on google before, that u can apply for Thai or English course
example: easy-abc Language school , PLC Language school, Maybe you can try to find it.

For about overstay it's risk that u need to pay 500 bath per day and They could bans you 1-5 Years.

[jonga80]

Thank you, but I want to study in Bangkok, Pattaya is not an option for me.

[cauchy]

58 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Sounds similar to this report:
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1170345-my-ed-visa-after-31-july/?do=findComment&comment=15563426

Hi JackThompson, thanks for referencing the thread, I had missed it.

 

Based on the information in there as well as Jonga80's feedback, I guess it is possible in general, but pretty much a situation of contacting the "right" school... with a possible roadblock currently due to the amnesty - an optimistic reading would be that immigration services are as clueless as the rest of us on what can or cannot be done these days...

 

Anyone else?

[Mona2020]

4 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

Thank you, but I want to study in Bangkok, Pattaya is not an option for me.

The Knowledge Language school (Ratchada), Pro Language school, Thai Walen. Another way is you could get ed visa from Thai boxing school also (Example : Chakrit Muaythai School)

[Andrea H]

On 7/14/2020 at 1:33 PM, Mona2020 said:

i'm not sure about this, but The some language school said that they need to send your application to the Ministry of Education and it takes about 2 weeks to get your application back and then they need to go to the immigration for convert your current visa to your education visa. So it's might be possible. 
i recommended you should contact to the language school asap for they check your passport and tell exactly details to you.
(My boyfriend start this process on 3rd July, Next week he might get ED visa i guess)

Hi! has your boyfriend successfully gotten his ED conversion through insight without having to leave the country?