Thai Education Visa
There are a number of options when wanting to study in Thailand. You do however firstly need a Thai Education Visa once you have been accepted by a school or university in Thailand. Thailand has a number of international schools and colleges and with a lower cost many have decided to study in Thailand. This is mainly the Thai language and Asia Studies at university level. Always ensure that you have the correct Thai visa for your education.
To do this we will help you to register to one of the Thai Universities as listed. In order to register in a Thai University you need to provide the following documents:
- High School Diploma and Official Transcript.
- Transcript. Three 1" x 1" photographs taken not more than 6 months prior to application.
- A copy of passport.
- English proficiency score report, i.e. TOEFL (61 iBT), IELTS (5.0 in all bands), or SAT (1000 Critical Reading and Mathematics sections). Submission of an appropriate English proficiency score replaces the requirement to complete an examination.
When Thailand started expanding it attracted many expats who had children attending international schools in Bangkok. This catered to the education needs of resident expats children but also the more affluent Thais. In order to study in Thailand you need to ensure that the following requirements are met or the visa will not be issued at the Thai embassy or extended when in Thailand.
Applying for the Thai education visa from the Thai embassy or the Thai consulate in your country entails having met the requirements listed below:
- – Letter of Admission from a government accredited school or university – Once you have been accepted you will need to request for the approved school or university a letter of admission which is written on their letterhead. Normally this only occurs after paying the fees and having met their requirements.
- – Passport – Note that your passport should have at least a remaining validity of not less than 6 months when entering Thailand.
- – Passport-sized photos – The photos need to be less than 6 months old.
Should you not have all the requirements as listed above or are still looking for a school or university then you can arrive in Thailand with a marriage visa if you are married to a Thai which gives you 90 days or a tourist visa which is the easiest to obtain and gives you 60 days to find what you need in Thailand. If you are older than 50 and can meet the requirements of a retirement visa then this can also be applied for while looking around in Thailand. This visa will give you 90 days. Speak to an immigration lawyer about the visa options available if you can meet the requirements of a marriage visa or retirement visa.
The Initial visa is normally valid for 90 days. This time should give you enough time to work on the requirements for the student visa in time for the extension 21 days before the initial visa expires. The validity of your student visa usually depends on the duration of your course program that you will be attending.
- A. Letter of Admission – It must contain the following info:
- – Name, Age, Nationality, Passport Number of the student
- – Level of Education
- – Transcript of the applicant
- – Total Academic Years
- – Curriculum and Funding
- B. Evidence of enrollment i.e. receipts of tuition fee payments
- C. Course description and syllabic
- D. School documents i.e. registration and the like
- E. Passport size photos (2 photos, recently taken)
The extension is done at the Thai Immigration Office on or 21 days before the expiration of the initial visa.
There is a Guardian Visa (Non-Immigrant O) available for the student’s parents to be able to come and stay with the student in Thailand. See below for the full details.
Unfortunately, you cannot work in Thailand without a valid work permit.
You will be given 7 days to leave the country upon the expiration of your visa.
*Can I switch my visa into a “B” visa as a company offers employment?
No, you cannot. You can however travel to a neighboring country to apply for a Non Immigrant Visa at the Thai embassy or consulate using the employing company’s documents.
*Can I work in Thailand on a Student Visa?
What happens when my visa expires and I no longer continue my studies?
The Thai education visa is a long term Thai visa which necessitates the holder to report their local address to Thai immigration every 90 days. This is called 90 day reporting and can be done in person or by registered mail in Thailand. If you stop you schooling you can still stay in the country under the Thai visa as long as it remains valid. You will not be able to renew the visa, however. Note that should you leave Thai before the expiration date of the visa the visa will be null and void when you return unless you applied for a re-entry permit before you left.
Re-Entry Permits
If you have a work permit and Non B Visa in Thailand or you have a 12 month extended marriage visa or retirement visa and you wish to leave the country then you need to apply for a re-entry permit at Thai immigration before you leave the country.
Should you leave the country without a re-entry permit in your passport then you will invalidate your Thai visa and you would have to start the visa process again with a 90 day visa and applying to have it extended. This is not only time consuming but also costly.
In order to complete the re-entry permit at Thai immigration you need to show the following:
- Your passport
- Passport Photo
- Copy of passport front page, visa page, extension page and Departure page (TM.6)
If you require any help then email us with your question or speak to us online about your Thai retirement visa, Thai marriage visa or your re-entry permit while in Thailand.
Thai Dependent Visa
If you have family who are dependent on you then you can bring them to Thailand with you. The process can be very complicated and you will need to speak to an immigration lawyer in Thailand about this type of visa. Long term visa holders in Thailand are able to bring their dependents in the country to stay with them through a Non Immigrant O visa also known as Dependent Visa.
In particular, the following long term visa holders are qualified:
- Those who are on a Thai business visa with valid work permits
- Those on a Thai retirement visa.
- If you work for a foundation or non profit holding a Non O visa with a valid work permit.
What is required?
The main requirements are as follows:
- Evidence of relationship to the visa applicant i.e. marriage certificate (for spouse dependent), birth certificate (for children). These certificates have to be legalized by your embassy in Thailand before they will be submitted to the immigration office.
- Valid Visa and Work Permit for the foreigner
Visa Application Process
An initial visa valid for 90 days is usually applied for outside of the country ideally from the Thai embassy or consulate at the applicant’s home country. This visa is then extended into a dependent visa once the applicant is in Thailand. By then the applicant would have satisfied all requirements for the visa. The validity of the visa given is dependent on the validity of the visa it’s dependent on.
90 day Reporting
Maintaining the dependent visa necessitates reporting to the Thai Immigration authorities every 90 days. You are not required to notify the immigration if you are not in the country once your 90 day reporting is due.
