Arriving on 30 day tourist visa, then either extending it another 30 days or go down the education visa road

[ceiling]

Hi all,

So I plan on arriving (32 year old from UK) with the typical 30 day tourist visa, I'll then be looking to get a condo and arrange for a 6 month or 1 year education visa to allow me to stay in the country.  Couple questions,  If I'm not able to sort everything out in the first 30 days (unlikely but covering all bases) as I understand it I can simply head over to jomtien immigration and extend it for another 30 days correct?  

 

With regards to the education visa, there seems to be a lot of offers out there, some even claim you don't need to attend classes.  I'm a bit wary of this, what if I get challenged at some point about what I've learned and can't provide any proof or knowledge. Besides, increasing my thai language skills will only benefit me if I want to spend long periods of time in the country. Does anyone have any recommendations of schools / agents I could use?  I will be doing a lot of work from home so ideally looking for as few hours per week as possible for classes.  All I need, once I've found a school to use is passport copies, filled in paperwork and proof of address is that right?    Bank statement with proof of funds is also not a problem if needed.  

 

Also, with regards to renting a condo, will a visa need to be shown for this? Say I want to commit to 6 months or a year would I have to wait till i have the education visa first or are condo rentals fairly straightforward and don't need the visa.  Ideally what I'm hoping to do is stay in a hotel or condo for say 2 weeks which gives me time to look around and find a long term option as well as apply for the education visa.    

 

I've also just remembered, education visa can take a couple weeks right? So I need to make sure it's sorted well before my 60 days are up, If I allow 4 weeks is that ample

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sltdehyeres]

You can go to jomtien to extend another 30 days, no problem for 1900 baths.

As for the ED visa, u register in the best school you can find. Around 25.000 baths a year with lessons. No school care if you attend or not! Once your visa request has been validated by the ED ministry of bkk, you'll have to go to the thai embassy in ventianne (lao) to obtain your visa.

Currently the imm bureau of jomtien doesn't test your knowledge of thai. 

As for rentals, they don't really care about your visa validity, you just need to explain your situation.

All this is fresh information.

Good luck.

[ceiling]

6 minutes ago, sltdehyeres said:

You can go to Jomtien to extend another 30 days, no problem for 1900 baths.

As for the ED Visa, u register in the best school you can find. Around 25.000 baths a year with lessons. No school care if you attend or not! Once your Visa request has been validated by the ED ministry of bkk, you'll have to go to the thai embassy in ventianne (lao) to obtain your Visa.

Currently the imm bureau of Jomtien doesn't test your knowledge of thai. 

As for rentals, they don't really care about your Visa validity, you just need to explain your situation.

All this is fresh information.

Good luck.

brilliant, thanks.  Let's say I've found a school, from the moment I apply with them to the moment I actually get the visa,  so taking into account paperwork, going to laos etc how much time should I allow? I've effectively got 60 days to do it give or take a few

[Mick Pattaya]

The 30 day period is a visa exemption available to passport holders of certain countries, tourist visa actually allows you to stay in Thailand for 60 days, with the option of adding 30 more days from Jomtien immigration, thereby giving you a total of 90 days. Should be more than enough to complete your Ed visa formalities.

[sltdehyeres]

With 60 days, you will have plenty time.

The school will know your situation and will do everything on time. The longest part is the bkk agreement (takes about 2 weeks if no thai holidays). But you need a proof of adress, that means contract, owners papers and photos of yourself in front and inside your condo.

Time will all depends of how long it takes you to rent your condo. But there is plenty available. You know what you want, the agency knows it too, it shouldn't take long. And no worries, the agency is paid by owner by a month rent for one year contract.

[ceiling]

Smashing, thanks all.  So excited, can't wait to be living there 

[OmarB]

Not wanting to piss on anyones parade but you succeed with an education visa to deliberatly cheat the system dont be surprised that if caught (and plenty have been) then persona non grata is quite likely as the next entry on your passport.  Plenty of threads over on TV over it going back years.

[ceiling]

8 hours ago, OmarB said:

Not wanting to piss on anyones parade but you succeed with an education Visa to deliberatly cheat the system dont be surprised that if caught (and plenty have been) then persona non grata is quite likely as the next entry on your passport.  Plenty of threads over on TV over it going back years.

Which is why I said I want to attend the classes and do it legit:) Learning to speak thai will be beneficial for a multitude of reasons

[GorGuy RIP]

4 minutes ago, ceiling said:

Which is why I said I want to attend the classes and do it legit:) Learning to speak thai will be beneficial for a multitude of reasons

They are tightening up on the Education visa.

This might be because many people were abusing the system.

In my experience:

I had to go outside of the country to get the student visa. I went to Singapore. 

According to the school, you can get a student visa before you land in Thailand (via the school you are going to attend). Pick up from your local Thai embassy.

I went to Walen School next to Big C Pattaya klang (central Pattaya road). They do all the paperwork for you.

They do 2 sessions a week of 2 hours - not a big overhead.

It is best to attend lessons, after the first year, at immigration (report every 90 days with the paperwork the school gives you and your passport)  the lady there might well ask you questions in Thai. She is checking if you actually do attend classes.

If I did not understand what she was saying I would use my standard phrase - see picture below:

 

After I said that to her once, every time she just smiled and gave me another 90 day stamp.

Going to immigration dressed well and a big smile gets you far.

 

 

 

 

[ceiling]

7 minutes ago, GorGuy said:

They are tightening up on the Education visa.

This might be because many people were abusing the system.

In my experience:

I had to go outside of the country to get the student Visa. I went to Singapore. 

According to the school, you can get a student Visa before you land in Thailand (via the school you are going to attend). Pick up from your local Thai embassy.

I went to Walen School next to Big C Pattaya klang (central Pattaya road). They do all the paperwork for you.

They do 2 sessions a week of 2 hours - not a big overhead.

It is best to attend lessons, after the first year, at immigration (report every 90 days with the paperwork the school gives you and your passport)  the lady there might well ask you questions in Thai. She is checking if you actually do attend classes.

If I did not understand what she was saying I would use my standard phrase - see picture below:

 

After I said that to her once, every time she just smiled and gave me another 90 day stamp.

Going to immigration dressed well and a big smile gets you far.

 

 

 

 

Interesting, I was actually looking at the Walen school yesterday.  They have a referral program as well which i might take advantage of.  2 sessions of 2 hours a week sounds perfect for me, is the schedule quite flexible?  How would you rate their methods, on the website they advertise a 'different than the norm' concept just wondering if it works well.   

[GorGuy RIP]

7 minutes ago, ceiling said:

Interesting, I was actually looking at the Walen school yesterday.  They have a referral program as well which i might take advantage of.  2 sessions of 2 hours a week sounds perfect for me, is the schedule quite flexible?  How would you rate their methods, on the website they advertise a 'different than the norm' concept just wondering if it works well.   

It is flexible as in days and times.

Each school has it's own methods.

I cannot compare to other schools as I spent 3 years just with Walen.

They do make you read Thai as well as speak it and they correct you on the "tones", as Thai is a tonal language.

In the third year I supplemented it with a private tutor who came to my place 6 days a week for a few hours each day to get me to a higher level.

I cannot fault Walen with their paperwork for a visa.

 

[ceiling]

thanks man, think I'll probably go with them.  Price is higher than most others I've seen but they seem decent

[andrew19]

If you only plan to stay for 6 months it's better if you get a multiple entry visa (6 months, up to 60 days at a time but you can get an extension for 30 more days) or a single entry visa for 2 months which can also be extended for another month, then do a border run and get another 2+1 month visa.

Getting an education visa is a waste of time and money if you're only staying for 6 months. If you're looking into getting actual education then by all means go for it.

[ceiling]

12 minutes ago, andrew19 said:

If you only plan to stay for 6 months it's better if you get a multiple entry Visa (6 months, up to 60 days at a time but you can get an extension for 30 more days) or a single entry Visa for 2 months which can also be extended for another month, then do a border run and get another 2+1 month Visa.

Getting an education Visa is a waste of time and money if you're only staying for 6 months. If you're looking into getting actual education then by all means go for it.

I would much prefer a 6 month visa but there are certain criteria I wouldn't qualify for.  Don't you not need some form of proof from employer, like a written letter etc My situation is a bit different as my business is predominantly based online, I wouldn't be able to satisfy the self employed route either as I keep all my  stuff offshore.  I've heard stories of 'agents' able to offer the visa without having to jump through all these hoops but I just chalked them down to scams, unless anyone has any experience/recommendations

Single entry 2 months is doable though, as I understand it it's fairly straightforward to get, just need to show proof of funds,extend it to 90 days as you mentioned and then repeat with a border run.  I do wanna stay for year though ideally so it seems education route is the best way.

[andrew19]

12 hours ago, ceiling said:

I would much prefer a 6 month Visa but there are certain criteria I wouldn't qualify for.  Don't you not need some form of proof from employer, like a written letter etc My situation is a bit different as my business is predominantly based online, I wouldn't be able to satisfy the self employed route either as I keep all my  stuff offshore.  I've heard stories of 'agents' able to offer the Visa without having to jump through all these hoops but I just chalked them down to scams, unless anyone has any experience/recommendations

Single entry 2 months is doable though, as I understand it it's fairly straightforward to get, just need to show proof of funds,extend it to 90 days as you mentioned and then repeat with a border run.  I do wanna stay for year though ideally so it seems education route is the best way.

Well the only thing they ask for in Australia is proof of funds for a 6 month visa, but every consulate seems to operate under their own set of rules. No need to get agents involved in a simple tourist visa. For a single entry visa, all you need to do is submit the form with 2 photos and pay the fee. In another consulate where I got a visa on a visa run they also asked for a bank statement, like I said earlier every consulate seems to operate under their own set of rules.

If you want to stay for a year you can get an education visa later. You might get bored of Pattaya after 6 months and might decide to head elsewhere. If you take the 2 single entries visa route it would be cheaper and you'd be able to change your mind later on.

[ceiling]

6 hours ago, andrew19 said:

Well the only thing they ask for in Australia is proof of funds for a 6 month Visa, but every consulate seems to operate under their own set of rules.

Ahh you guys are lucky, sadly for the UK we have an extra set of hoops to jump through.  If only point nr 5. wasn't there I'd be all over the multiple entry option.  You do have a good point though, might be best to go for the single entry first and renew it via border run, gives me a chance to see how I like living there long term.  It also gives me more time overall 

[chameleonologist]

Hi,
I’m now living back in England after 30 years in South-east Asia, 20 years in The Philippines and 10 years in Thailand.
I have worked in both countries and speak both languages reasonably fluently.
It sounds like bragging but it isn’t it basically means that I have the skills to be on the same level a a local, to be able get a job that is.
This isn’t so important in The Philippines but it is in Thailand.
If I may make a suggestion to you that you may or may not like.
Go to the Embassy/consulate in your home country and apply for the longest visa that they will give you(it varies with different embassies) hopefully you may get 6 months, if not, don’t worry, you can always do a visa run. Expect to attend the Immigration department in Jomtien at least every 30 days when you are there.
Forget about working, just enjoy yourself, relax and take advantage of all that Thailand offers which translates into the Women.
Money,Money,Money is the most important thing.
You must have a good amount to survive there, everybody will want a bit of what you have, especially the women.
Pattaya is where Thais go to get money from visiting foreigners.
allow at least B500,000 for a 6month stay and leave it in your account in your home country, just use your debit card.
Please be careful, just remember what I said, regarding what everybody wants(your money) and don’t trust Foreigners, they are the worst.
I also read that you were considering a View Talay condo!
They are pretty grim, with about 40+ apartments on each floor!!
Basically all you get is a long box with a view.
There are more suicides from there than any other building in Thailand, usually money and/or women related.
These condos were originally funded through a time share scam, you would originally be shown a luxury apartment with is own pool etc,etc and end up with a tiny box! Beware.
There are countless good apartments to be had in Pattaya, Best place to find them is either in the local paper of on one of the many noticeboards outside the supermarkets.
Soi Bhukao and it’s side streets are full of cheap apartments for rent, Best time is after Songkran (end of April) prior to Xmas is going to be hard with higher prices too.
Anyway, whether you decide to heed me or not I’m sure that you will enjoy yourself.
Many good regards
Kel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[shadowcat]

22 hours ago, GorGuy said:

It is flexible as in days and times.

Each school has it's own methods.

I cannot compare to other schools as I spent 3 years just with Walen.

They do make you read Thai as well as speak it and they correct you on the "tones", as Thai is a tonal language.

In the third year I supplemented it with a private tutor who came to my place 6 days a week for a few hours each day to get me to a higher level.

I cannot fault Walen with their paperwork for a Visa.

 

Wow. Serious student you are.

 

[ceiling]

1 hour ago, chameleonologist said:

Hi,
I’m now living back in England after 30 years in South-east Asia, 20 years in The Philippines and 10 years in Thailand.
I have worked in both countries and speak both languages reasonably fluently.
It sounds like bragging but it isn’t it basically means that I have the skills to be on the same level a a local, to be able get a job that is.
This isn’t so important in The Philippines but it is in Thailand.
If I may make a suggestion to you that you may or may not like.
Go to the Embassy/consulate in your home country and apply for the longest Visa that they will give you(it varies with different embassies) hopefully you may get 6 months, if not, don’t worry, you can always do a Visa run. Expect to attend the Immigration department in Jomtien at least every 30 days when you are there.
Forget about working, just enjoy yourself, relax and take advantage of all that Thailand offers which translates into the Women.
Money,Money,Money is the most important thing.
You must have a good amount to survive there, everybody will want a bit of what you have, especially the women.
Pattaya is where Thais go to get money from visiting foreigners.
allow at least B500,000 for a 6month stay and leave it in your account in your home country, just use your debit card.
Please be careful, just remember what I said, regarding what everybody wants(your money) and don’t trust Foreigners, they are the worst.
I also read that you were considering a View Talay condo!
They are pretty grim, with about 40+ apartments on each floor!!
Basically all you get is a long box with a view.
There are more suicides from there than any other building in Thailand, usually money and/or women related.
These condos were originally funded through a time share scam, you would originally be shown a luxury apartment with is own pool etc,etc and end up with a tiny box! Beware.
There are countless good apartments to be had in Pattaya, Best place to find them is either in the local paper of on one of the many noticeboards outside the supermarkets.
Soi Bhukao and it’s side streets are full of cheap apartments for rent, Best time is after Songkran (end of April) prior to Xmas is going to be hard with higher prices too.
Anyway, whether you decide to heed me or not I’m sure that you will enjoy yourself.
Many good regards
Kel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

A lot of wise words there.  My situation is slightly different as my business is predominantly online based; I'm lucky enough to be able to run it from anywhere in the world so my thinking was, why stay in the shitty UK!  There are a few challenges, main one being the time difference.  Our busiest periods tend to be wekeends when the 3pm football games are on or in the evenings/late mornings when pay per view events are on, in Thai time this will mean some late nights but I can always sleep in.

I'm also fortunate enough to have more than enough funds stashed back home to fund this venture, if after 6 months I feel this isnt for me I can quite happily move back with no regrets (highly unlikely but not impossible I guess)

I've spent a loong time looking at condo after condo online and eventually settled on this beauty that Dancewatchers offered.  It's by no means cheap, but very high quality and pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.  Had it been a private seller or other organisation I wouldn't of committed to anything before physically being there.  I'm still a bit wary having done it but didn't want to risk loosing out on this great condo, here are some pics.  Dancewatchers are also very legit, countless members on here can attest to that.  I realise there is a huge number of other options and more closer to the city centre but I plan on running my business from home so need as large a space as possible (this one is 140sqm) and what I like about it is it's all spread over 1 main space, not lots of different rooms that are smaller in size.