Everything You Need to Know About the ED Visa in Thailand
The sights, the food, and the culture—these are just some of the reasons a lot of foreigners visit Thailand and choose to stay. The moment you step foot in this vibrant Asian country, you already know that you’re in for a treat. So, it’s not really surprising if you choose to learn more about the country’s culture, especially its language.
Good thing, there’s a special language visa in Thailand called the ED Visa. Explore everything you need to know in this blog:
What is the ED visa?
The ED visa is a special non-immigrant education visa that allows foreigners to stay in Thailand for a specific period of time solely for the purpose of getting an education. This means studying at an educational institution in the country, learning the Thai language, participating in training programs, completing internships, or attending seminars that help to enrich your knowledge.
How long can you stay in Thailand with the ED visa?
The ED visa is a single-entry visa that’s valid for up to 90 days from its date of issuance. In the instance that you need to stay for more than 90 days, you need to apply for an extension with proof that your studies require you to stay longer in the country. If approved, you will be granted an additional 30 days on your first extension and an additional 60 days for every subsequent extension until you finish your school.
You can also only extend your stay for a maximum of twelve months at a time if you’re taking a language course. But if the duration of your stay minus the time you spent at the beginner and intermediate levels doesn’t cover the advanced level, you will need to exit Thailand and re-enter to continue your studies.
On the other hand, if you need to leave Thailand within the duration of the 90-day education visa, you will be required to apply for a re-entry permit to be allowed to go back to the country. This re-entry permit would cost 1,000 baht for a single entry or 3,800 for a multiple entry. It’s also very important to go back to Thailand on the said date to keep your visa from being revoked.
How long does a Thai language course take in Thailand?
When you’re on an ED visa to learn the Thai language, you can expect to spend a total of 14 months to complete your course. The beginner level takes 3.5 months, the intermediate level takes 4.5 months, and the advanced level takes 6 months to complete.
Following the rules for ED visa holders, you will need to leave Thailand after completing the first 8 months of your course and return to continue the remaining 6 months at an advanced level.
Who is qualified for an ED visa?
To qualify for an ED visa in Thailand, you should be 15-50 years old and of any nationality. It should also be your first time to obtain a student visa or ED visa in Thailand for a Thai language course. The government doesn’t allow anyone to keep obtaining an ED visa for the same language course.
However, if you were an ED visa holder for an international English program from a university in Thailand, you will be allowed entry for a 14-month Thai language course only if you held that visa for less than three months. But if you were on the same visa for a Thai program, you will only be allowed a 6-month advanced Thai language course.
Furthermore, if you had any other type of visa in Thailand, you will be required to leave the country and re-enter using a tourist visa before you can apply for an ED visa.
Some nationalities are also required to produce a criminal record certificate from the Royal Thai Police Headquarters. If you have any criminal records in your country, this should be translated into the Thai language and notarised as an attachment for your ED visa application.
