Where should my son apply for a student visa while in Thailand if he can't go to Malaysia?

@Lisa **************

&

@Jeanette *******

Savannakhet won't allow S/A passport holders to apply for visas there.

@Tod ********

yea for sure Vientiane is basically the only option now for SA passports. Really frustrating as a few years ago there were way more options. Just such an unlucky passport in general for any visa process in Thailand.

@Lisa **************

I honestly don't know why they lumped S/A into those "special processing time" countries 😕 and believe right now the only nearby thai consulates are Savannakhet Lao, Phnom Penh Cambodia or maybe Yangon Burma,

That's why (at least up here in Bangkok) private schools and uniz are getting the initial 90 day Non-ED issued at Chaengwattana in country.

he needs to go to Bangkok from Hatyai and then get into a reputable visa run company van set up - that is my honest opinion and go from there. Meesuk or one of the visa run companies can help with the travel but he needs to have all documentation in place before he goes.

@Lisa **************

and I think IF your son had told them WHERE he was going to go, they'd address the paperwork to that consulate.

People do it all the time at real uniz

The Uni can't dictate where you go, the student TELLS the uni where they're going and the uni writes the paperwork to that consulate

But that's neither here nor there as a South African can't go to ANY of the consulates in Malaysia without a 4 week processing.

They can walk in to Vientiane with an appt and get the visa back 2 working days after the day they apply for it

@Tod ********

do you really think we didn't tell them that ? Come on man ! We have lived here 7 years on visas ! We told them we were in Hatyai - they basically said NO - BUI uses KL and that is where he needs to go! You cannot assume every University will bow down to the student demanding where to go ! I mean this is Thailand

and FYI BUI is a proper University ! Bangkok University International in Rangsit before you comment that he isn't at a real uni ! LOL

@Lisa **************

easy now, dial back the rancor a notch or three.

I'm just stating what I have seen happen time and again with possibly hundreds of foreign students who go out of the country to get ED visas, both from private schools and from "real" unis.

Students tell the school where they're going and the paperwork is addressed to that consulate. Years ago it used to be just "ATTN Thai Embassy" headered but now most consulates require it be addressed to that specific consulate.

They're holding a S/A passport and if they want to get an ED visa in Lao they go to Vientiane. Or as you mentioned the thai consulate in Phnom Penh which has a 5 working day processing time not including the day you apply for the visa (so you're in Cambodia a minimum of a week)