What do I need to know about applying for an ED visa at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane?

I was in Vientiane last week renewing my visa, dropping off the application Thursday with a group. Because of the number of people they actually opened early, 7:30 a.m. As I was not there for a B visa rather than a tourist visa (nobody I spoke to was getting an ED visa) I was put in a separate queue and got through more quickly. I was also lucky to have a fairly low queue number, 53, as opposed to others in the same group who took a little longer clearing Immigration at the border and had queue numbers around 350. So get there early.

On a side note: visa run services are no longer allowed to pick up the passports in bulk and distribute them, you must pick up your own passport, following your queue number. Because we had to wait for everyone, we didn't get back to Bangkok until 1:30 a.m.

Okay, what happened to the ED visa program was; some unscrupulous schools were selling ED visas as a means to stay in thailand but not making students study thai. In fact one school had more students enrolled than all the other private schools in the entire country. They had to rent extra room space to meet the per student square meter requirements of the MOE.

Then the MOE re-vamped the requirements for ED visas, and at the same time the immigration office changed their policy on extensions of stays.

Now (at least in bangkok) students turn in a time card, the lesson plan booklet which outlines their last lesson. Granted bad schools can still provide fake stuff, but it's a start..

I remember one student who was out at Chaengwattana with his time card showing he'd been in school the last 3 months BUT his passport showed he was out of the country for 3 weeks!! He was sold a 7 day get outta thailand stamp and told to go to get a new ED visa and start over.

Another school (which shall remain un-named) was telling people either pay 4900baht for the extension and get 90 days, OR pay the 1900baht, get a 15 day extension, the immigration officer will come to the school to make sure you're studying, then you went back and got the remaining 45 days of the 60 day extension.

Its far from perfect, but it IS weeding out schools and students who are gaming the system.

Try booking at this hotel. It's just across the Thai Embassy in Vientiane.

Avoid going to the embassy in Vientian Monday or Thursday morning to drop off your visa. That's the day the visa run companies take people there. So very busy. When I went before I flew into Vientian on monday and went to the consulate Tuesday morning and picked my visa up Wednesday afternoon.

The reason she said 15 months is that the MOE limited that as the amount of time you can now study the thai language. You go out, get a 90 day single entry ED visa. Then you get extensions of stays (in bangkok usually 60 days at a time). At the 8th month mark you go to the MOE to get tested, then you can continue your extensions to the one year mark BUT after that you need to go back out and get another 90 day single entry ED visa to finish off the last 3 months of the 15 month total.

Bring morning have next day afternoon

I did it by plane and no problem at all. A great place to stay is Lanis House by the pond. About a 10 minute tuk tuk ride to the embassy and 15-20 from the airport. It's right in the center of the cafe and food area one block from the river.

I wonder what school give 15 month visa? First point to clarify. Second point is, if she plan to fly to Vientiane direct than she has to spend an extra night there.

If you talk about language school, I did it two months ago. Go on day 1, be there around 8am (opens at 8:30am). Check for holidays:

Get the application form in the building on the left. You can take pictures there if you don't have already (2 are needed). Wait in line, fill in the form and drop it off with your passport and the documents from school. Collect your passport the next afternoon at 1pm.

Language school or university ?

15 months ?

It is a 2 day turnaround, in one day, collect the next