How to get started: visa exception to Education Visa ?

[cubism001]

In SFO, 5 minutes before boarding Qatar said the Thai govt demanded I get an onward ticket when my visa exception of 30 days was up.  They got me a flight to Cambodia on Feb. 10.  So I feel I'd better get moving on the visa I'd planned on: an education (student?) visa to study Thai  language.  I'm in quarantine in BKK; got here today. What should  I do next?  Thank you.

[DrJack54]

Keep on eye on what extensions are being issued post jan 29. Hopefully the 60day "covid extensions" will still be available. 

How long do you hope to stay in Thailand?

Don't understand your concern about ticket to Cambodia. That's a throw away ticket.

 

[jackdd]

You should think about where in Thailand you want to stay. Not all immigration offices would issue you a non-immigrant visa for studying at a language school, so your choices are limited. After you decided where you want to stay you should look for a school there.

[moontang]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

You should think about where in Thailand you want to stay. Not all immigration offices would issue you a non-immigrant visa for studying at a language school, so your choices are limited. After you decided where you want to stay you should look for a school there.

and aren't here restrictions on the type of schools?  As in university programs only?  however, I know of one province, where the Russians are getting them and not even going to class..but ad a flight to ASQ and 40k for visa and insurance..your out over 100k before you have flirted with your first LB.

[onebir]

Where would the OP find a reasonable choice of language schools: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket?

(Pretty sure about the first two, but not the latter two.)

[cubism001]

7 minutes ago, onebir said:

Where would the OP find a reasonable choice of language schools: Chiang Mai,

Is where I lived before & will again.  OK, I'll call American L school in Ch Mai tomorow. Already paid those huge sums for flights, insurance, asq & now I'll get the visa. 1st find a school,  then.... submit applcation (?).  & 29 Jan. extend. I think there are restrictions on the schools. Am L should know. Thank you.

[moontang]

19 minutes ago, onebir said:

Where would the OP find a reasonable choice of language schools: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket?

(Pretty sure about the first two, but not the latter two.)

I heard it was rife in Hua Hin. 

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, cubism001 said:

Is where I lived before & will again.  OK, I'll call American L school in Ch Mai tomorow. Already paid those huge sums for flights, insurance, asq & now I'll get the visa. 1st find a school,  then.... submit applcation (?).  & 29 Jan. extend. I think there are restrictions on the schools. Am L should know. Thank you.

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your visa exempt entry. I assume you got a 45 day entry not 30 days when you entered the country.

You could also apply for the 60 day covid 19 extension but by the time your current entry ends the order for it may of been extended beyond the 29th.

Chiang Mai immigration normally want 21 days remaining on your permit to stay to apply for a non-ed visa.

[Phillip9]

11 hours ago, cubism001 said:

In SFO, 5 minutes before boarding Qatar said the Thai govt demanded I get an onward ticket when my visa exception of 30 days was up.  They got me a flight to Cambodia on Feb. 10.  So I feel I'd better get moving on the visa I'd planned on: an education (student?) visa to study Thai  language.  I'm in quarantine in BKK; got here today. What should  I do next?  Thank you.

 

You need to find a school that can get your ED visa.  Pick a location near where you want to live or somewhere central if you plan to travel, because you will need to go back every 3 months to extend.

 

 Some schools I know were offering this:

pro language pattaya, insight hua hin, genius phuket, Centre for Thai Studies, Chiang Mai University.

 

Don't bother with trying to find a school in BKK, because it is either impossible or very expensive to get an ed visa there.

 

Keep in mind, the whole process takes 5-6 weeks, so you need to start immediately when you get out.  2-3 weeks to apply at your school and get approved by the ministry of education and after that about 2 week to get your visa from immigration.  Chiang Mai takes even a week or 2 longer, so I would avoid there unless that's really where you want to live.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Don't bother with trying to find a school in BKK, because it is either impossible or very expensive to get an ed visa there.

Any rough idea what the ed visa (school assisted) costs in places not including BKK.

[Phillip9]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Any rough idea what the ed visa (school assisted) costs in places not including BKK.

 

In addition to the normal visa fee of 2k, you will be charged an extra fee for the in-country visa conversion.  This will vary a lot between schools and provinces.  I had schools quote between 6-15k baht.

 

You also have tuition and extension fees.  So for one year, it should be roughly 40-50k all in for group online classes a couple of times per week.  More if you want in person classes.

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Phillip9 said:

You also have tuition and extension fees.  So for one year, it should be roughly 40-50k all in for group online classes a couple of times per week.  More if you want in person classes.

I imagined that might be the case. Depending on how long the person wants to stay in Thailand, obtaining a non o (volunteering) with annual extension might be worth considering at similar cost.

[Phillip9]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I imagined that might be the case. Depending on how long the person wants to stay in Thailand, obtaining a non o (volunteering) with annual extension might be worth considering at similar cost.

Yep, if the OP doesn't really want to study Thai, they should consider a volunteer visa.  Also, with the ED visa most provinces only allow you to stay up to one year from your date of original entry, so they will really only get 10 months beyond their normal extension.  There is no such limit with the volunteer visa, so they can get a full extra year.

[cubism001]

7 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

they should consider a volunteer visa.  

I'm convinced. How do I set about this?  Thanks!

[moontang]

I never use agents, but if I was under 50 and wanted to stay I would.. And agree 40-50k for the year, but not having to go to Vientiane or Penang is worth about 10k right there.. and you wouldn't be the first to not get what you needed there. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, cubism001 said:

I'm convinced. How do I set about this?  Thanks!

It's very simple. You use an agent. I would definitely recommend using a well known established agent with a track record. 

It's very easy to set up an 'office' meaning work space. Avoid those..

I helped couple of guys that used a visa agent in Pattaya even though they live in bkk.

At present your far better off using agent where your living. Just make contact and go from there. The well know companies have a web site and some have chat via messenger etc. Good luck

[cubism001]

12 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 30 day extension of your visa exempt entry. I assume you got a 45 day entry not 30 days when you entered the country.

You could also apply for the 60 day covid 19 extension but by the time your current entry ends the order for it may of been extended beyond the 29th.

Chiang Mai immigration normally want 21 days remaining on your permit to stay to apply for a non-ed visa.

 

 

thank you\

 

[cerox]

I am in a similar situation but I got the TR visa, so I have 15 days more than visa-exempt.

So far I have not been able to work out how it can be done, there is just not enough time.

 

Quarantine BKK 15 nights

self-isolation CNX 14 days, so now 1 month of 3 months is over

Application ED visa MOE takes 2 months, goodbye

CNX Immigration needs documents 21 days before to convert the visa, how is that possible?

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, cerox said:

self-isolation CNX 14 days, so now 1 month of 3 months is over

If you go there straight from ASQ they might not require it. And even if they would require it, you can choose between paying for a covid test or doing 14 days quarantine, so just opt to pay for the test.

 

2 hours ago, cerox said:

Application ED visa MOE takes 2 months, goodbye

Usually it takes 2 or 3 weeks.

 

2 hours ago, cerox said:

CNX Immigration needs documents 21 days before to convert the visa, how is that possible?

If you let the school handle this (paying an extra fee, of which immigration gets a share), then this "21 days before" regulation isn't applied.

[Crazedmonk]

9 hours ago, cerox said:

I am in a similar situation but I got the TR visa, so I have 15 days more than visa-exempt.

So far I have not been able to work out how it can be done, there is just not enough time.

 

Quarantine BKK 15 nights

self-isolation CNX 14 days, so now 1 month of 3 months is over

Application ED visa MOE takes 2 months, goodbye

CNX Immigration needs documents 21 days before to convert the visa, how is that possible?

Yall on here really need a throw away facebook account just for useful facebook groups.

Its a FACT that if you do ASQ in bangkok, get to airport fly to CNX you do NOT have to do self isolation... You have the ASQ documents and negative test results.

But if you stay ONE day/night in Bangkok you have to self isolate, so you get out of ASQ take taxi to BKK and fly right to CNX and you are fine.

Its been asked many many times on facebookgroups and posted many times this is fine(currently) same for Phuket. Same for Pattaya etc.

[cerox]

Thats all great guys.

 

But whether they will really accept it after being in the open from ASQ to the airport, lets see. This is Thailand, I cannot rely on not having to do self-isolation. There is no such thing as a "fact" in Thailand.

 

I hope youre right. I have seen that confirmation for Phuket, not for Chiang Mai.

 

Every education visa I applied for in the past, the MOE documents took around 6-7 weeks. 2-3 weeks - good for you, never happened to me so far. It may depend on the school or location.

[Phillip9]

3 hours ago, cerox said:

Every education visa I applied for in the past, the MOE documents took around 6-7 weeks. 2-3 weeks - good for you, never happened to me so far. It may depend on the school or location.

 

Chiang Mai MOE definitely takes longer than others.  I was told about 4 weeks for them.   Your first step is to find a school and ask them about the timing.  Most schools will be able to tell you how long the MOE is currently taking and how long it will take to complete the entire process.

 

[cubism001]

  I flew from Ecuador straight to ASQ.  I have 2 bags & hope to keep them w/out penalties/huge charges but can lighten them a bit. What airline should I book to CNX?  Planning on ED visa/student visa, too.  It's been awhile since I've been in LOS. Many changes, but so glad to be back. Many thanks  

[cubism001]

On 1/15/2021 at 4:55 AM, cubism001 said:

 

 

thank you\

 

BUT sudden reversal from apt. I'd relied on in Ch Mai: Because Bangkok is an area at risk of disease nowadays.
> If you want to stay in one of our apartments, You will also need to be
> quarantined for a period of time set by the government.
> And must also list a person to the staff in Chiang Mai too.

cubism hopes for adviceThanks

[cubism001]

will chiang mai guest houses routinely refuse me an apt./room now?  This is serious.  I finish asq in bkk & have no where to go? Hope for an answer. No sim card to call places.   Just this wacko email from the apt. i'd counted on.

On 1/16/2021 at 11:41 PM, cubism001 said:

Because Bangkok is an area at risk of disease nowadays.
> If you want to stay in one of our apartments, You will also need to be
> quarantined for a period of time set by the government.
> And must also list a person to the staff in Chiang Mai too.

 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, cubism001 said:

will chiang mai guest houses routinely refuse me an apt./room now?  This is serious.  I finish asq in bkk & have no where to go? Hope for an answer. No sim card to call places.   Just this wacko email from the apt. i'd counted on.

You should not have a problem finding a room in Chiang Mai. Try to get a flight to CM the same day you finish quarantine and have proof you did it and have had a test showing you are not infected.

Ask the hotel for help with getting a sim card. For a few extra baht they might be able get one by showing their ID card.

[oMega69]

On 1/15/2021 at 3:16 AM, Phillip9 said:

Yep, if the OP doesn't really want to study Thai, they should consider a volunteer visa.  Also, with the ED visa most provinces only allow you to stay up to one year from your date of original entry, so they will really only get 10 months beyond their normal extension.  There is no such limit with the volunteer visa, so they can get a full extra year.

 Never heard of visa just good for 10 month .... atleast here in Pattaya . , its paying the extension for totalt 12 month , but yes maye becuse u had a TR for 2 month then can max do extenion for 10 month more i havent think about that. .
The thing is what does the Immigration at airports think when they see that the ED visa was issued inside TH insteed of etc, LAO as mostly folks did before.

[cubism001]

On 1/17/2021 at 5:16 PM, ubonjoe said:

You should not have a problem finding a room in Chiang Mai. Try to get a flight to CM the same day you finish quarantine and have proof you did it and have had a test showing you are not infected.

Ask the hotel for help with getting a sim card. For a few extra baht they might be able get one by showing their ID card.

Thanks ; it worked!

[cubism001]

On 1/17/2021 at 5:46 AM, cubism001 said:

  I flew from Ecuador straight to ASQ.  I have 2 bags & hope to keep them w/out penalties/huge charges but can lighten them a bit. What airline should I book to CNX?  Planning on ED visa/student visa, too.  It's been awhile since I've been in LOS. Many changes, but so glad to be back. Many thanks  

I'd forgotten how blessedly cheap Thai airlines are: by slightly scaling down, my bags are going to be fine.

[cubism001]

On 1/15/2021 at 7:55 PM, cubism001 said:

...21 days...

 

 

 

This is extremely hard to fathom...If the Thais are dishing out visas on the 29th, why can't I just get one like everybody else?  BUT: is there a MOE link to registered language schools?  Friends are doing their best to help, but it's slow going.  Any reliable unbroken links are appreciated!  Thanks.