During Your ED Visa

Education Visa Duration, Renewals and Attendance

Understand course length, visa renewals, travel, attendance and compliance requirements. Course and visa duration How does the 14-month package work if each visa stamp is shorter? Only the Thai course currently offers a 14-month package, priced at 47,500 THB. The course lasts 14 months, but the ED Visa stamp is renewed at immigration every 2 to 3 months. Chinese and English packages run for up to 12 months. What happens after my course ends? The ED Visa cannot be extended after the purchased course ends. You must leave Thailand. You may return on a tourist visa or tourist stamp and apply for a different language, provided you are eligible and are not a native speaker of that language. What if I finish the 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 you must continue meeting attendance requirements. Do I have to attend immigration myself? Yes. You must attend immigration yourself for each ED Visa extension, normally every 90 days or as stated on your current stamp. There is no passport drop-off service or shortcut. A 90-day address report is a separate requirement and does not extend your visa. What if I want to travel outside Thailand? Before leaving Thailand, check whether you need a re-entry permit to preserve your current permission to stay. 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, and you must continue meeting the 80% attendance requirement. Can I work, freelance or work remotely on an ED Visa? No. An ED Visa does not permit employment, freelancing or remote work. Working without the correct authorization can lead to visa cancellation, removal from Thailand and other immigration consequences. Can my partner or children get a visa through my enrollment? No. A partner or child does not receive a visa through your enrollment. Each family member must qualify for and apply for their own appropriate visa. Is any fee refunded if I withdraw partway through? 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? 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 checks Can I enroll for the visa without attending classes? No. The ED Visa is for genuine study. Students must attend at least 80% of classes. Immigration may conduct school spot checks, and absence without a valid reason during a required check may lead to visa cancellation. Are there tests, interviews or spot checks? Yes. Immigration or the Ministry of Education may conduct interviews, language tests or school spot checks. Students must genuinely attend, participate and be prepared to show that they are studying. What if I get sick? Students must attend at least 80% of classes. Sick days are included within the remaining 20% absence allowance and are not added as extra excused days. Can I take a 2-week break? Yes, as long as your attendance remains at least 80%. The 20% absence allowance includes all missed classes. A break does not pause the course, extend its end date or create makeup lessons. Can I attend Thai classes online? Online Thai lessons are available only for beginners. Intermediate and advanced Thai lessons are held in the classroom. ED Visa students must attend in person when required for an official attendance check or school visit. Can I attend English or Chinese classes online? No. English and Chinese classes are not available online. What if I cannot attend a summoned spot check because I am 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.

What to Do After Your ED Visa Is Approved

Follow these steps after receiving your Non-Immigrant ED Visa. Always follow the expiry date and conditions printed in your passport. Contact Bangkok Language School if your passport dates differ from the schedule below. Contact the school within 7 days of arrival If you received your ED Visa through a Thai embassy outside Thailand, contact Bangkok Language School and bring your passport to the school within 7 days of arriving in Thailand. We use your updated passport information to prepare the next Ministry of Education letter. A delay may affect the preparation of your next visa extension. The school does not keep your passport. We copy the required pages and return it to you. How the 14-month Thai program works The 14-month Thai course is not 1 continuous 14-month visa stamp. The initial Non-Immigrant ED Visa normally gives a 90-day stay. Through extensions, the first ED Visa cycle can support up to 8 months of the Thai program. A student continuing for the remaining 6 months must apply for a new ED Visa using the required Ministry of Education completion and approval documents. Language-school ED Visas and university ED Visas follow different processes. Visa extensions and address reporting Contact the school at least 14 days before the expiry date shown in your passport. We need time to prepare your extension and address-reporting documents. The extension sequence described for this program is: - At the end of the initial 90-day stay: apply for an extension of up to 60 days. - At the end of the fifth month: apply for another extension of up to 60 days. - At the end of the seventh month: apply for an extension of up to 30 days. Each extension costs 1,900 THB and is paid directly to immigration. An extension may normally be submitted up to 1 month before the current stay expires. After immigration updates your stay permission and address-reporting slip, contact the school so we can update your records. School staff accompany students on the first extension visit. Students attend later extension appointments and any separate 90-day address reporting themselves. Tests and proof of study Students must genuinely attend and participate in class. Students may need to complete school quizzes as evidence of study. For the Thai program described in this policy, students complete a Ministry of Education test near the end of the seventh month. Students who want to continue into the next Advanced Thai period need the completion letter for their new ED Visa application. Re-entry permits for travel outside Thailand You must obtain a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand if you want to preserve your current permission to stay. You can apply at the immigration office in Chaeng Watthana before travel or at the airport on your departure date. Applying at least 7 days before travel is recommended when using the immigration office. Current fees are: - Single re-entry permit: 1,000 THB. - Multiple re-entry permit: 3,800 THB. If you leave without a required re-entry permit, your current ED Visa permission will be cancelled. Restarting the process requires new Ministry of Education paperwork and an additional 5,000 THB school document fee. Approval of a new application cannot be guaranteed. A re-entry permit does not extend your visa. You must return to Thailand before your current stay expires and attend every required extension.