Answered3 years ago

What are the limitations on travel outside of Thailand for ED visa holders?

ED Visa Thailand Immigration Visa Rules Non-ED Visa Travel Regulations Expat Help

Sofia *********

asked May 29, 2023

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Hi - i am looking at ED visa options. I saw that for most ED visas the max number of days spent away from Thailand is 30 - is this 30 throughout the duration of the visa or is it 30 days max every time you leave the country? Thanks!

Answer summary

The ED visa allows for travel outside of Thailand, but there are no strict rules on the maximum number of days you can be away. However, you may face questioning by immigration upon re-entry, especially if you have been outside the country for an extended period without sufficient educational justification. Each school may have its own policies regarding attendance and absences, which can impact your visa status. It’s recommended to communicate with your school for specific guidelines.

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Tod *********

@Sofia ********

you'll definitely get questioned comin' back into the country on an ED visa/extension at passport control when you stamp in,

You'll most likely be questioned even IF you have a letter from your school saying they know you're going to be out of the country xxx days and it's okay. 😮

People on valid ED visas going to REAL thai language schools have been denied entry and shipped back out with the letter from the school. 😕

Immigrations looks at it as IF you're on an ED visa you need to be IN thailand IN school and you need to be aware of the risks traveling on an ed visa/extension

3 years ago

Álvaro **********

@Tod ********

agree with this from my recent personal experience. A few months ago, under ED visa, I went for a trip to Vietnam and I was strongly questioned at the back. I had the letter from school, the whole questioning was in Thai (I was studying Thai language) and they let me in after 15 minutes of questioning.

Please, note: I went for a quick trip to Vietnam over the Christmas. THREE days over a weekend, while all the schools in the country were closed for holidays. I mean, it was crystal clear that I wasn't missing any class because it was national holidays period... and still got questioned.

My advice: do NOT travel out of Thailand under an ED, not even for one day.

3 years ago

Ellie *******

There is no such rule that you can stay out of Thailand for a specific number of days. You will be studying full-time to be able to get a Non-ED visa.

It depends on the school how long they allow you to be absent from classes and travel out of Thailand while you keep studying enough time on a Non-ED visa/extension (each extension would be

*****

days up to the total course duration). Each school has different criteria for you to pass to prepare paperwork for your next extension. Talk to your school for detail.

3 years ago