What are the recent changes to the Education (ED) visa process in Thailand?

Education Visa ED Visa Thailand Immigration Visa Extension Ministry of Education Visa Testing Process

Sep 20, 2017

7 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

News about my education (ED) visa

Today at my school I got informed, that I will not get tested by the Ministry of Education. The MoE stopped doing that. Instead there will only be a test at the school.

They also informed me, that I will have to leave the country and apply for a new visa after the 3rd or 4th extension of stay. The new visa would allow me to stay up to 6 months (I guess with extensions).

I got my Non-Immigrant ED (single-entry) visa on April 26th this year in Vientiane. I've extended my stay once and will do it tomorrow again. At school they said, that I would have to do the test in December and then around 3 weeks later I would have to go and apply for a new visa.

Just wanted to know, if anybody else heard of that or got that information.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

Recent information indicates that the Ministry of Education in Thailand will no longer conduct testing for Education (ED) visa holders. Instead, testing will be done at individual schools. After the 3rd or 4th extension of stay, individuals will need to leave the country and apply for a new visa, which typically allows for a 6-month stay (with the possibility of extensions). This change seems to be part of a broader trend where educational institutions are modifying compliance with MOE testing to facilitate visa renewals for their students.

Tod *********

Some schools started circumventing the MOE testing program at the 6 month period (which is really in your 8th month of stay) and instead sent people out of the country to get a new visa.

The way they sell the program is you get a 90 day single entry ED visa and you can get a total of 8 months out of it. That covers the beginner and intermediate levels according to the MOE.

Then you go out of the country and get a new 90 day ED visa which you can use for total of 6 months (or so). Taking you to the 15 month limit that you are allowed to study thai now.

7 years ago

Patrik ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you, Tod. 👍🏼 Not that I was afraid of the test but if it can be avoided I don‘t mind 😊

7 years ago

Reply to

Patrik ********

Terary **********

How much is the school tuition? I suppose also you are studying Thai?

7 years ago

Patrik ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I paid 43‘000 Baht at Duke Language School to learn Thai.

7 years ago

Reply to

Patrik ********

Raymond *****

r u gonna spend lots of money on visa?

7 years ago

Raymond *****

@Robert ******

noted with thanks

7 years ago

Robert *******

Single re entry is 1000 Thb, multiple re entry 3.800 Thb both are valid to last date of your admitted to stay date. 90 days extension is 1900 Thb plus re entry 3800 Thb is 5700 Thb every 90 days and you can travel in and out as much as you like.

7 years ago

Raymond *****

@Patrik *******

I faced a similar situation where a single re entry costs same bcos i travel to Laos and back in. But again i have to apply re entry when I go cambodia and so on. Baht 1900 / 24 = $79. for a sporean its expensive

7 years ago

Patrik ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

What do you mean with that? The visa itself costs 2'000 Baht. An extension is 1'900 Baht.

7 years ago

Reply to

Patrik ********

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