We are a family on a DTV visa, currently in Thailand. Can our son enroll to elementary international school without changing his DTV visa to EDV ( educational ) visa?
Answer summary
A child on a DTV visa can legally attend school in Thailand without needing to switch to an ED visa. However, enrollment depends on the school's policies, as many institutions prefer or require the student to have an ED visa to ensure continued tuition payments. Individual experiences vary, with some families successfully enrolling their children in schools that do not inquire about visa status, while others encounter policies that link enrollment to obtaining specific visas.
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Going to school does not require any specific visa. So yes, your son can legally attend school while on a DTV.
The problem comes from the schools. They want your money. They want you to continue paying tuition every year. So many of them don't want students unless the ability for that student to remain in Thailand is dependant on you paying their tuition. So many will require you to get the ED visa through them or they will not enroll the student. It's basically blackmail.
Same thing happens to many people that are married to a Thai and have a marriage visa. Someone on a marriage visa can get a work permit, but many employers will not allow them to work on a marriage visa and instead requires them to switch to work visa, that way they are dependant on the job to be able to stay in Thailand. It gives the company leverage over the employee.