Hello, I came to Thailand on a tourist visa in January 2021. I have stayed in Bangkok ever since. I switched to a Non-Immigrant ED visa for studying at a Thai language school in country in April 2021. A few weeks ago I got married to a Thai national. When my ED visa ran out I canceled it and CW gave me a 60 day extension for visiting family, which I am currently on. When I wanted to get my 365 day extension on the basis of being married to a Thai national I was denied because my ED visa was "short-term", for "non-formal education". The head of L1 at CW told my wife that since Covid the regulations have changed, in the past it would have been easy to get an extension, but now they can not do it. She said they could have given me an extension if I had studied for a bachelor or master degree, if I had studied for more than 2 years, but I studied at a Ministry of Education approved language school for 11 months without getting a formal degree, probably that's why they called it "short-term" and "informal education". CW said that all the documents I handed in are in perfect order, the only reason they can not give me an extension is that I got a "short-term" Non-Immigrant ED visa and that I came here on a tourist visa, not a Non-Immigrant O visa. They said that I have to leave the country, get a Non-Immigrant O visa at an embassy or consulate abroad and then I can return. Has anyone had a similar experience, and is there anything I can do in this situation?
TLDR : Answer Summary
A foreign national in Thailand on a Non-Immigrant ED visa who recently married a Thai citizen faced denial for a marriage visa extension due to the classification of their previous visa as 'short-term' for non-formal education. Despite having all documents in order, the immigration office explained that new regulations post-COVID have tightened the extension process. Respondents shared similar experiences and suggested applying for a Non-Immigrant O visa from abroad, or potentially filing a written appeal to the immigration office for reconsideration.