Will a Thai student visa affect my eligibility for the Thailand Elite visa?

Thai student visa Thailand Elite visa visa eligibility language school visa extension expat immigration Chiang Mai legitimate schools

October 31, 2022

2 years ago

Karim ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

We (at/nz passport) plan to signup to a languageschool to study thai for a year, now ive been reading conflicting statements about student visas making people ineligible for the elite visa programm for years to come.

Ive planned to use the elite visa after a year with the student visa should we decide to live here longterm, can anyone clear up the confusion so i know what i have to look out for?

Thank you in advance.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is seeking clarification on whether obtaining a Thai student visa to study at a language school for a year would prevent them from later applying for the Thailand Elite visa. Responses indicate that as long as the student visa is obtained from a legitimate school and properly maintained, it should not adversely affect eligibility for the Elite visa in the future. Users advised checking for accredited institutions and be prepared for visa extensions every 90 days.

Charles ********

As long as it is a legitimate visa, it's okay. I did the same thing this past year and switched inside Thailand. There is no obec document like elite tells you.. The only thing you need is a letter from your school to cancel your visa.

2 years ago

Ron *******

@Charles *******

what you did before and what TE want NOW is immaterial.

Best you tell TE that what they require is wrong and your now running there dept

2 years ago

Charles ********

@Ron ******

elite gets a lot of things wrong.. People on elite know that. Recent experiences are not immaterial either.

2 years ago

Ron *******

@Charles *******

here's what to do. Call them, tell them they are wrong. I'm sure you can put them straight? If you have no joy, call Henley & partners. They are Thailand Elites lawyers that run the company.

Mention my name.

I'll leave you too it now.

I'm busy and have no time for Facebook games today

2 years ago

Reply to

Ron *******

Read this bulletin from Thailand Elite carefully

2 years ago

Charles ********

@Ron ******

this information, which is provided by elite, is wrong... This also is only about switching inside the country... Even though it's wrong anyways.

2 years ago

Reply to

Charles ********

Shayne **********

Legitimate schools are not a problem for any visas. If you want to know options in Chiang Mai, just ask.

2 years ago

Hamish **********

The volunteer visa makes you permanently unable to attain TE.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

You just need to make sure you are using a legitimate school that is licensed. One key thing is that you will need to go get an extension from immigration every 90 days on your education visa. If someone is offering you a year long visa without ever having to go to immigration and get an extension, then it's not a legitimate language visa as those always have to be extended every 90 days with documentation from the school. The only way to get a year long education visa is from a university. Otherwise if you are going to language school and get a full year visa, then it's basically a bribery visa that will disqualify you from Elite in the future.

2 years ago

Karim ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

ive read that the school has to provide a obec paper, asked the school ive planned to signup with (next to terminal 21, really good reputation) if they can provide this paper but they said no but that they are licensed.

Would like to clear up the confusion if possible with some legal ressource links that clarify the situation around the elite visa bann

2 years ago

Jeffrey ************

@Karim ***

Why not ask Thai Elite?

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Karim ***

you're not going to find those resources

Elite are the only ones who will be able to definitively answer.

You can also try joining one of the elite visa Facebook groups and asking there.

2 years ago

Reply to

Brandon ************

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