Ed' Visa the Easy Option........or not?

[furryman]

It was only a matter of time before they tightened up on them. I'm sure many will cry foul on this but I don't know where people get the idea that somehow they have a right to abuse a country's visa system.

I tend to agree about those who have been abusing the system, but it sucks for any of us who have been playing fair and following the rules who might have extra hassles to deal with.

 

The test reported on FB was in the last week and it was a first for the poster and a complete surprise - that's why I posted it here - it's apparently new.

 

The person concerned is easily accessible and if you'd like to talk to him I'll PM his name to you.

.

Yeah that would be appreciated man, I'll PM you my FB info.

 

Now I think I will go break out my books and study a little.

[losworld]

I believe too many were abusing this visa. Not studying at all. I heard about guys who had these ed visas for a couple years and some Thai official would ask them a couple basic questions in Thai and they didn't have the foggiest idea. So naturally there's been tightening up.

 

Sounds about the same result they would get if they questioned a Grade 12 Thai studying english lol.

[The Sly Fox]

Sounds about the same result they would get if they questioned a Grade 12 Thai studying english lol.

It does indeed, I had experience in testing English in LOS, astonishing how many were really clueless about what was happening during the test. Males were worst by miles, generally the females had put in some work & effort but I'd watch males looking around the classroom in bewilderment, like they didn't even know what fucking page they were on.

[Laem Yai]

I posted about test in Facebook. This was at school, not at immigration. I don't go to school, it does not mean that I don't pick up Thai. They sign me for being at school every week I think 2 or 3 times a week. But they said they needed to prove this due to new regulations, that's why they documentated that I've done the test, I did one mistake, sunglasses, could not remember, so I said eye glass, close enough. But I got suprized by this, first time it happens to me. I pay 15k+ 1900bath every 3 month, all paper goes to bkk, the worst thing is that it fils up half a page every 3 month

[furryman]

I posted about test in Facebook. This was at school, not at immigration. I don't go to school, it does not mean that I don't pick up Thai. They sign me for being at school every week I think 2 or 3 times a week. But they said they needed to prove this due to new regulations, that's why they documentated that I've done the test, I did one mistake, sunglasses, could not remember, so I said eye glass, close enough. But I got suprized by this, first time it happens to me. I pay 15k+ 1900bath every 3 month, all paper goes to bkk, the worst thing is that it fils up half a page every 3 month

thanks man for filling us in. I have a 90 day extension next month and then my annual renewal about 90 days after that. I'll post how they go... 

[furryman]

OK. I am just back from school and I have the latest scoop, at least according to them…

 

First thing they said was not to worry about the changes, the stricter enforcement is very targeted. As an American they don’t care too much, Americans are not the ones working illegally in jobs Thais could be doing. Visas for nationals of targeted countries (IE Russia, Ukraine, African and some Muslim countries) are the ones that are being looked at more closely.

 

I also learned that my understanding of how the ED visa works was a little off. There is no annual renewal with immigration for a language school ED visa. The ED visa you get for language school is a 90 day visa that you get one time, then you get 90 day extensions one after another, up to several years total. How many total is unclear, at least 3-5. I thought there was some sort of annual review/renewal with Immigration. The annual renewal I have coming up is just with the school; a new contract, pay for the new year, etc.

 

Language schools are on a different set of rules from Universities and other major schools like that. Those more 'legit' schools still have some sort of 1 year visa, or a one year extension, but I don’t know enough about it to feel I can say anything more than, ’It’s different’.

 

There is one added bit of documentation which immigration has requested (from my school) for all the 90 day extensions. They want a photo of the student outside their home/building standing where the address number can be seen, and a picture of the student inside their house/room. They already had a copy of my rental agreement as part of the package, so I guess just one more layer of checking your info all fits together.

 

FWIW I’ll also toss in that my School is owned by an American guy, and they seem to discourage folks from signing up, not coming to class and still wanting to keep getting extensions. 

[The Selfie Warrior]

There is one added bit of documentation which immigration has requested (from my school) for all the 90 day extensions. They want a photo of the student outside their home/building standing where the address number can be seen, and a picture of the student inside their house/room. They already had a copy of my rental agreement as part of the package, so I guess just one more layer of checking your info all fits together.

 

 

 

yep.... for my ED visa application i had to provide a picture that showed myself in my living room, kitchen, bedroom, and in front of my door showing the house number.... also had to provide copy of lease agreement and a copy of power bill.

[Edge]

yep.... for my ED visa application i had to provide a picture that showed myself in my living room, kitchen, bedroom, and in front of my door showing the house number.... also had to provide copy of lease agreement and a copy of power bill.

 

So they just need the tape of you taking the Thai only test and your file is complete?  

[The Selfie Warrior]

So they just need the tape of you taking the Thai only test and your file is complete?  

 

lol.... yeah, thatll be the next requirement... take a thai language test BEFORE you've even gotten your ED visa or gone to school 555

[furryman]

So they just need the tape of you taking the Thai only test and your file is complete?  

The tape mentioned previously in this thread was not asked for by immigration. It was a pre-emptive ass covering by the school.

[Edge]

lol.... yeah, thatll be the next requirement... take a thai language test BEFORE you've even gotten your ED visa or gone to school 555

 

  Oh OK then, give it a couple of weeks.

 

The tape mentioned previously in this thread was not asked for by immigration. It was a pre-emptive ass covering by the school.

 

I wasn't sure what it was for i.e. I knew it wasn't Immi' that did it but wonder if Immi' might have warned the school that they might be asked for it.

 

Time will tell.

[furryman]

FWIW my school had a visit from immigration today, and the word from the staff is that immigration is visiting all the schools in Pattaya. 

[Edge]

FWIW my school had a visit from immigration today, and the word from the staff is that immigration is visiting all the schools in Pattaya. 

 

So perhaps I guessed right?

[furryman]

So perhaps I guessed right?

Like you said, time will tell...

[furryman]

Update from my school. According to them, there is no quizzing going on at Jomtien immigration, and according to their contacts there, there are no plans for them to be quizzing anyone at immigration when they come in for an extension.

 

I will be going in for my next extension next week, will report then how it went.

[furryman]

OK folks, I am freshly back from Jomtien Immigration with my new 90 day extension stamp. Everything went very smoothly except for one odd request. I’m good until 25 October.

 

My school gave me the packet of papers today after class, which included the photos Inside and outside my apartment that I previously mentioned. Immigration was still open so I decided to bomb over to Jomtien and just get it done. The number queue signs were back in operation, which was nice, it was kind of hectic keeping track of when it was your turn when the signs were not working.

 

I got there just about 4pm and there was only one number in line ahead of me. Only a couple minutes later they called my number and I sat down at window 5 and handed them my passport and the document packet. Everything was going exactly as normal until the lady picked one page out of my passport and told me to go next door and make a copy of that page as well. I ran out, got a copy for 5 baht, brought it in, she added it to the stack, and re-stapled the whole thing back together. I paid my 1900 baht, got my receipt, she stamped my passport and I moved on to the second lady who double checked everything and then signed my stamp. All done. EZPZ.

 

I do not know why they wanted a stamp of that particular page. It did have two out/in stamps at the Cambodia border on that page, and one of the several full page Cambodia visas. Those out/ins were from I when I was on my first visa here, a 3 entry tourist visa. They were the border runs I did to activate the second and third entry. They did not ask for copies of any other of the several pages with out/in stamps activating other tourist visa entries, nor did they ask for copies of the pages with a couple of back to back overland out/ins granting 15 day visa waivers. Nor did they ask for a copy of the page with my one, and only one, overstay of 2 days.

 

I went back to school for them to make copies of the new stamp and told them about the extra page they asked for. They did not know why they wanted that particular page either. I got an extra copy of the newly stamped page from them and it is already in my wallet with the copy of my passport info page.

 

Immigration did not test me on what I was learning in school or speak to me in Thai. They barely spoke to me at all, which is normal. From all I have read, if there is any official testing that is gonna happen it will be the Education Ministry who does the testing, but I have heard nothing about any actual plans to actually test anyone.

[brewster]

OK folks, I am freshly back from Jomtien Immigration with my new 90 day extension stamp. Everything went very smoothly except for one odd request. I’m good until 25 October.

 

My school gave me the packet of papers today after class, which included the photos Inside and outside my apartment that I previously mentioned. Immigration was still open so I decided to bomb over to Jomtien and just get it done. The number queue signs were back in operation, which was nice, it was kind of hectic keeping track of when it was your turn when the signs were not working.

 

I got there just about 4pm and there was only one number in line ahead of me. Only a couple minutes later they called my number and I sat down at window 5 and handed them my passport and the document packet. Everything was going exactly as normal until the lady picked one page out of my passport and told me to go next door and make a copy of that page as well. I ran out, got a copy for 5 baht, brought it in, she added it to the stack, and re-stapled the whole thing back together. I paid my 1900 baht, got my receipt, she stamped my passport and I moved on to the second lady who double checked everything and then signed my stamp. All done. EZPZ.

 

I do not know why they wanted a stamp of that particular page. It did have two out/in stamps at the Cambodia border on that page, and one of the several full page Cambodia visas. Those out/ins were from I when I was on my first visa here, a 3 entry tourist visa. They were the border runs I did to activate the second and third entry. They did not ask for copies of any other of the several pages with out/in stamps activating other tourist visa entries, nor did they ask for copies of the pages with a couple of back to back overland out/ins granting 15 day visa waivers. Nor did they ask for a copy of the page with my one, and only one, overstay of 2 days.

 

I went back to school for them to make copies of the new stamp and told them about the extra page they asked for. They did not know why they wanted that particular page either. I got an extra copy of the newly stamped page from them and it is already in my wallet with the copy of my passport info page.

 

Immigration did not test me on what I was learning in school or speak to me in Thai. They barely spoke to me at all, which is normal. From all I have read, if there is any official testing that is gonna happen it will be the Education Ministry who does the testing, but I have heard nothing about any actual plans to actually test anyone.

Glad it went well. Thanks for the report. Your school sounds well organised. Which one is it?

[furryman]

Progress Language School. I am pleased with them so far. I was down to Progress or Walen, and I went with Progress because they had a payment plan I liked better. Quality of teachers seemed about equal, at least then.

 

Right now they are super busy with tons of people applying for ED visas and then one of the office girls up and left with no notice, so the Thai teacher got 'promoted' into doing paperwork full time, which she hates, and they picked up a new teacher. New teacher is a bit slow getting up to speed, Hopefully it will all iron out soon, It's only the new teachers second week, trying to cut her some slack. For now.

[el_jefe]

Surprising there's no testing going on. On my 3rd extension they asked me to translate 8am and 2pm and got a bit harder in subsequent extension tests until I started preempting them by just saying something in Thai to them. This was 4 years ago though. I studied for two years at walen and pro.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[furryman]

Surprising there's no testing going on. On my 3rd extension they asked me to translate 8am and 2pm and got a bit harder in subsequent extension tests until I started preempting them by just saying something in Thai to them. This was 4 years ago though. I studied for two years at walen and pro.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That is the only first hand account of being tested at immigration I have seen. Was this in Pattaya?

[el_jefe]

Yes the lady behind did the testing . I started at walen 4.5 years ago and did the ed visa for two years. One time she was in a foul mood and asked me to sing the Thai natl anthem. I countered with the first few letters of the alphabet song.

I guess theyve eased up (for now)

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

[southsidebruce]

yep.... for my ED visa application i had to provide a picture that showed myself in my living room, kitchen, bedroom, and in front of my door showing the house number.... also had to provide copy of lease agreement and a copy of power bill.

In addition to those photos, I had to provide a video of me taking a piss and a dump in my bathroom (2 video clips)... Incredible - the lengths that they will go to prove you worthy of the ED Visa!!  

That is the only first hand account of being tested at immigration I have seen. Was this in Pattaya?

I had to pat my head and rub my tummy, while jumping on one leg, blindfolded... 

[Edge]

Anecdotal {?} from that other forum :-

"Went down to Jomtien for a 90 day extension and all went fine - stamped in till Nov 6th - went to my school for usual lesson and was informed that immigration had told them last night that all students who had their extensions passed after one year would now have to re apply for ED visa (before the rule was you would get automatic extension without renewing visa) I have been here on ED visa since Feb 2013 and am bonafide student."

"I can confirm what the OP said.
The situation is actually kind of crazy.
One of my friends was supposed to receive his final extension on his second ED visa on August 14th. (By final extension, I mean the one from the 12th to the 15th month since, according to the previous rules, an ED visa could allow you to stay up to 15 months in Thailand).
Anyway, today, he got a call from his school saying that:
a) They had a meeting at Jomtien Immigration yesterday and that, from today onwards, 1 ED visa = 12 months.
b ) Since my friend's visa now expires on August 14th and since the Queen's birthday is next week, there is no way the MOE can process the paperwork for a new visa in time.
So, basically, my friend is screwed and he will have to exit the country, apply for a tourist visa, hope he will not get in any trouble at the border, come back into Thailand, apply for a new ED visa, re-exit Thailand and re-enter under the new ED visa.
The fact that there is no grace period is quite ridiculous."

"No changes to the number of hours because that has never been written in any police order. Here is the change. It seems immigration has decided that language schools fall under it."

(2) In case of nonformal school, each permission shall be granted for a period certified by the educational institution, for no more than 90 days, total length of stay shall not exceed one year from the date of entering the Kingdom.
Types of non-formal school are such as religion, arts and sports, vocational, tutoring and skill development school as specified by the Private Education Commission ***
Also: *** Announcement from the Private Education Commission, 
Subject: Types and nature of schools, teaching management and curriculum of non-formal school dated on 12 February 2009
· Religious school: a school established by sole purpose of teaching religion
· Art and Sports school: a school established to provide education of music, art and sports
· Vocational school: a school established to provide vocational skills to be applied to further carrier or as an additional skill for learners
· Tutoring school: a school established to provide additional knowledge parrarel to  the general education curriculum
Skill Development school: established to develop talents, ideas and other skills of learners

Also :-

 

"That is the new procedure. Re-entry visa thing must be their equivalent of out/in. From their guidelines.."
 

The alien must not enter the Kingdom by exploiting 30-day visa exemptions undertaking method “in-out” or called by foreigners as “Visa run”. Aliens use the advantage of Tourist Visa Exemption by leaving Thailand and returning immediately for the purpose of extending their stay, which is considered from the tourism point of view to be longer than necessary and not in line with the purpose permitted while entering country.

 
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/749115-ed-visa-new-rules-apply-as-to-day/?utm_source=newsletter-20140806-0800&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=featured

[ReetDeeDee]

^^ I can confirm the above to be the same as my experience. ED visa is now being restricted to one-year only. Effective immediately.

 

I believe the following to be true, from my experience yesterday:

If you activated your ED-visa less than 1-year ago, then you will still be able to get 90-day extensions up to 1-year. I was told that, if I wish, I can then apply for a further 7-day extension (presumably for 1900 baht). I will then need to leave the country and apply for a NEW 1-year ED visa.

 

If you activated your ED-visa more than 1-year ago then, I believe that you will still be able to stay in the Country until this current extension expires and then will have to leave Thailand and apply for a new visa.

 

I was also contacted yesterday, by my language school, to check on my visa status. My current extension expires next week, and am allowed 1 more extension to complete my 1-year. As mentioned above, August 12th is the Queen's birthday and immigration will be closed. Rather than leave to the last minute, I will go down to immigration tomorrow and apply for my extension. I'll let you know what happens... should be fine.

 

Cheers, ReetDeeDee ô¿ô

 

EDIT: After visiting Immigration in Jomthien...

As expected, turned up with all the usual paperwork (exactly the same as before) and was given another 90-days extension... no different from normal.

 

The place was busy, so had to wait for 40 mins, then only 5 minutes to check through my paperwork and put a new stamp in my passport.

[furryman]

I can also confirm this information. I had been given a heads up from my school last week that this might be happening, but I did not want to spread any rumors before she went to the meeting and got the real scoop. I talked to the 2 reps from my school that went to this meeting and the info above fits with everything they tell me.

 

I'm thanking Buddha right now as I did my final, up to the 15 month total, extension just 2 weeks ago, so I have until the end of October to work out the new paperwork and organize a trip to Vientiane to apply for a new visa. Sort of scary as this seems a pretty obvious way to dump the people here on ED visas that they want to get rid of on their neighbors. Just red flag someone in the computer and deny them a visa, or entry after they get the visa, and then they are Laos, Cambodia or whoever's problem.

 

I'm not too worried for myself, but I will certainly be taking some precautions to make sure that I have someone here who has keys to my place and can help me deal with stuff if I get stuck in Lao.