Understand course length, visa renewals, travel, attendance and compliance requirements.
Visa duration, travel and family
The website mentions "up to 14 months." How does that work if my visa stamp is only valid for 2 to 3 months at a time?
Only the Thai course offers a 14-month package, priced at 47,500 THB. Chinese and English packages run for up to 12 months. It is 1 ED Visa for the whole course, given in 2 periods. Your first ED Visa period covers up to 8 months, and you extend it at Immigration every 60 to 90 days. When those 8 months are complete, you leave Thailand for a few days, and no re-entry permit is needed for this exit. When you come back, you can enter on a Tourist Visa (TR-60), which we highly recommend, or visa-exempt. Use a staffed immigration counter so you get a stamp in your passport. Then go to Immigration as soon as you can with the documents the school prepares for you, and pay the 2,000 THB Immigration fee. You do not need a new Ministry of Education approval, so there is no 5 to 6 week wait like the first time. Immigration takes about 2 weeks, or 10 working days, to give you the ED Visa stamp for the 2nd period. The 2nd period covers the rest of your course, 4 more months on a 12-month course and 6 more months on the 14-month Thai course, and you still extend the stamp at Immigration every 60 to 90 days, as in the first period. While you wait, you stay in Thailand on the permission to stay shown by your entry stamp. This is not a new visa application, and you do not pay the school again. This is an Immigration rule for every ED Visa student at any language school, not a rule of our school. The 2,000 THB and 1,900 THB are government fees, the same for ED Visa students at any school. Contact the school before you travel so we can prepare your documents and confirm your dates.
What happens after my course ends? Can I extend or change status without leaving Thailand?
The ED Visa cannot be extended after the purchased course ends. You must leave Thailand. You may return on a Tourist Visa (TR-60), which we highly recommend, or visa-exempt, and apply inside Thailand for a different language, provided you are eligible. On a visa-exempt entry, enroll and pay within 2 working days of arriving. You cannot study your own native language or the main language of your nationality. For example, applicants from China, Taiwan or Singapore cannot use a Chinese course, because Mandarin is spoken there.
Can you extend an ED Visa that was issued through another school?
No. We can only support ED Visas for students enrolled with us, and we cannot extend an ED Visa issued through another school. To study with us, you would enroll in one of our courses and apply for a new ED Visa connected to our school.
Can I start with a shorter package and add more months later?
No. The ED Visa is based on the package you choose at enrollment and cannot be extended after the course ends. Please choose the full length you need before you apply.
Can I change my 4-month course to 8 months after I start?
No. Please choose the full course length you need before you apply.
What if I finish my course levels early?
Finishing the learning material early does not end the course or cancel the visa. Your enrollment and ED Visa support continue for the duration you purchased, and we recommend that you keep attending at least 80% of your classes.
Do I have to report to Immigration myself, and is that the same as a visa extension?
You must attend Immigration yourself for each ED Visa extension, normally every 60 to 90 days depending on the date on your current stamp. There is no passport drop-off service or shortcut. A 90-day address report is a separate immigration requirement and does not extend your visa.
How often do I need to extend my visa for each course?
Your first ED Visa stay is 90 days. After that, you extend at Immigration Division 1 every 60 to 90 days, depending on the date on your current stamp, until your course ends. This is the same for every ED Visa student at any school. The school prepares the documents for each extension, and each extension costs 1,900 THB, a government fee that is the same for ED Visa students at any school.
How many extensions you need depends on your package and on the dates Immigration stamps. These are estimates.
- Chinese 4 months, 1 extension.
- English 7.5 months, Thai 8 months or Chinese 8 months, 2 to 3 extensions.
- English 12 months or Chinese 12 months, 3 to 4 extensions.
- Thai 14 months, 3 to 5 extensions.
What is a TM30, and who files it?
A TM30 is the address notification for foreigners staying in Thailand. It is filed by your accommodation provider, such as your Airbnb host, condo landlord or hotel staff. It is not handled by the school. Immigration may check it when you apply for your visa or an extension, so you must have a copy ready every time.
Do I always need a TM30?
Yes. Your accommodation provider must file a TM30 when you stay in Thailand. Immigration might not check it every time, but you must have a copy ready when you apply for your visa and for each extension, so please ask your host for it early.
Can I rent my own apartment?
Yes. You can rent any apartment or condo you like. Your landlord files the TM30 address notification for you.
What if I want to travel outside Thailand during my course?
During the first 8 months of your ED Visa, you need a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand to preserve your current permission to stay. The planned exit when those first 8 months are complete does not need one. A single re-entry permit costs 1,000 THB and a multiple re-entry permit costs 3,800 THB. The permit does not extend the visa expiry date. Continue genuine study and plan travel around the school's 80% attendance target. An ED Visa is for studying, so keep trips occasional. If you make 2 or 3 trips close together, the immigration officer at the airport may ask why you travel so often and may suspect the visa is not being used for study. In the worst case, the officer can cancel your visa or ban you from coming back to Thailand. As a guide, 1 trip about every 4 months should be fine, for example to see your family. The decision belongs to the immigration officer, so the school cannot guarantee it.
Can I work, freelance or work remotely while studying on an ED visa?
No. An ED Visa does not permit employment, freelancing or remote work. Working without the correct authorization can lead to cancellation of the visa, removal from Thailand and other immigration consequences.
Can my partner or children get a visa through my enrollment?
No. Bangkok Language School supports ED Visa applications connected to enrollment at our school. We do not issue dependent visas, add family members to a student's ED Visa application, arrange other visa types, or refer families to an outside visa agent for dependent or family visas. Each family member must arrange their own appropriate visa independently.
Can family members join different class schedules?
We do not offer family or dependent visas, so each family member enrolls as their own student. Each person attends the class schedule they sign up for.
If I withdraw from my course partway through, is any of my fee refunded?
No. If you choose to withdraw after enrolling, the course fee is not refunded.
Can I transfer my visa to a school in another city if I move?
No. We do not transfer an ED Visa to another school or city. If you move, tell us before you stop attending. The school will cancel the visa, and the course fee is not refunded.
Attendance and compliance
Can I enroll for the visa without attending classes?
No. Our courses and ED Visa support are for students who genuinely study. We recommend attending at least 80% of your classes so that your studies are not questioned. The 80% figure is our recommendation, not a legal minimum, and there is no minimum number of hours per week. Your hours follow the class schedule. We record attendance, and we will not change or fake an attendance record for any reason. If a student does not genuinely attend, their ED Visa extension or permission to stay may be at risk, including possible cancellation by Immigration.
Is 80% attendance required, and how many hours a week must I study?
80% is not a legal requirement. We recommend attending at least 80% of your classes so that your studies are not questioned. There is no minimum number of hours per week. Your hours follow the class schedule of your course. We record attendance, and we will not change or fake an attendance record for any reason.
Are there tests, interviews, or spot checks by Immigration or the Ministry of Education?
Immigration or the Ministry of Education may occasionally check that students are genuinely studying, for example with a school visit or a short interview. If you attend your classes regularly, you will be well prepared.
What if I get sick? How will an absence affect attendance?
We recommend attending at least 80% of your classes. If you will miss a class, tell the school before the class. If you are ill, tell the school so we can explain how the missed classes will be recorded. Illness does not automatically guarantee that an absence will be accepted for an ED Visa extension. Immigration makes that decision.
Can I take a break, for example to go home for 2 weeks?
You can travel during your course, but your enrollment continues, missed classes are not made up, and the course end date does not change. We advise students to attend at least 80% of scheduled classes, so plan travel around the fixed timetable. Low attendance may put an ED Visa extension or permission to stay at risk. Check your re-entry requirements before leaving Thailand. An ED Visa is for studying, so keep trips occasional. If you make 2 or 3 trips close together, the immigration officer at the airport may ask why you travel so often and may suspect the visa is not being used for study. In the worst case, the officer can cancel your visa or ban you from coming back to Thailand. As a guide, 1 trip about every 4 months should be fine, for example to see your family. The decision belongs to the immigration officer, so the school cannot guarantee it.
Can I attend Thai classes online instead of in person?
Online Thai lessons are available only for beginners. An ED Visa student can study online most of the time, but not all of the time, because Immigration does spot checks to make sure you are studying. Intermediate and advanced Thai lessons are held in the classroom. You must be able to come to the school in person when asked.
Can I attend English or Chinese classes online too?
No. English and Chinese classes are not available online.
What happens if I can't attend a summoned spot-check because I'm traveling?
Contact the school immediately. We will explain your absence to immigration. If immigration does not accept the explanation, you may have to attend Immigration Division 1 and explain the situation yourself. We cannot guarantee that the absence will be accepted.