Answereda year ago

What documents do I need for a Non-RS visa after cancelling my student visa in Thailand?

Non-RS Visa Visa Application Process Thailand Immigration Document Requirements Expat Life in Thailand University Work Visa

Billy *****

asked Oct 12, 2025

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Hello everyone, I hope there is someone who has gone through this, i am quite unsure. I will be working as a researcher with a public university in Thailand starting this coming November. I am cancelling my student visa which expires 20 October, and I will return to Thailand by the end of October to apply for the Non-RS visa required by the University. But I am not sure if these are the only documents needed (I found this from the official immigration website). I hope for some insights or advice, thank you.

Answer summary

A user is preparing to transition from a student visa to a Non-RS visa to work as a researcher at a public university in Thailand. They plan to cancel their current student visa and return to Thailand to apply for the Non-RS visa, but are uncertain about the necessary documentation. Comments from the community suggest visiting the local Thai Immigration office for detailed requirements and emphasize that the university may help facilitate the visa process.

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Bennett ********

Agree with others saying you should go to immigration earlier to both find out what you need to do to cancel your current visa and also how to apply for your new visa. Is your new research job paid? My husband had a similar situation recently - different visas, but for a paid university job he had to cancel his OA, leave Thailand & apply online in his home country for the new visa, "hired by a university", get it there & then return to Thailand under the new visa. Once he canceled the old visa he had to leave Thailand. (Sorry, I'm not sure what paperwork you need, which is your question.)

a year ago

Billy *****

@Bennett *******

yes i have already gotten the letters and documents from the university for me to cancep the visa when i am ready. About the research thingy, technically it is not a job per se, because they are offering me a scholarship (looks like i am getting paid in a way) to do it for one year to produce publications and boost their rankings (not as a student, but just a post-master researcher, similar to a postdoctoral researcher). They held the meeting for the contract only recently on Oct 10, and i have since then submitted an application to the university's international affairs department to obtain the related documents for the visa of which they have not yet confirmed what type it will be, they said they will state the visa type on the "visa application letter" they will prepare for me — probably a Non-RS visa, because they said it is not the typical visa for hiring employees — so based on the information photo attached to the post, it seems like i will be leaving the country after my student visa cancellation, then coming back in with a 30 day visa exemption, and applying for the new visa once the documents are ready.

a year ago

Bennett ********

Sounds like you should be OK then. That's what I meant in another comment on this post about universities not being familiar with exactly what Immigration needs: they just started the process Oct. 10 - and are "not sure" what type of visa it will be. I'm sure it'll work out, but it's confusing & you don't actually know the steps you need to take for the new visa. (Obviously, if they give you the new visa paperwork before you cancel your student visa, bring that when you go to Immigration & try to find out what you need to do.)

a year ago

Bart **************

It really is up to your university to arrange this for you. No need to go out and fix it yourself.

a year ago

Bennett ********

@Bart *************

No - for hiring visas (rather than student visas) the universities in Thailand mostly don't know what immigration requires. Overall, they don't have a lot of foreign employees.

a year ago

Bart **************

@Bennett *******

if they hire employees they should do the paperwork so they can work. Difficult or not - that doesn't really change things.

a year ago

Bennett ********

@Bart *************

You are correct. However that is the reality with universities at this time, so if applicants want the job they need to interact with immigration themselves. (And of course a lot of people need the job, it’s not like there are dozens of other offers in their field they can choose.)

a year ago

James ********

I strongly suggest that you visit the Thai Immigration office NOW where you will be living and ask them for their list of requirements for the Thai Visa you are needing.

a year ago

Billy *****

@James *******

yes, I will do that the day when I go to cancel my visa.

a year ago

Tod *********

@Billy ****

and why would you wait until the day you cancel your current visa/extension to go find out what's required to do what you want to? I think you're setting yourself up for failure waiting until the last second like that 😕

a year ago