A friend of mine (and a student at AUA) recently received a 3 month Non-immigrant type ED visa.

All he did was show them a letter (from AUA) showing that he had enrolled on the Thai course and was planning to study Thai for the next few months.

For anyone interested in studying Thai, we have a course for beginners and semi-intermediate starting on Tuesday 9th January for 6 weeks.

Happy New Year from everyone at AUA

Nick
udorn@auathailand.org

Hi Nick,
Thanks for posting this, it's just the info I'm looking for. I'm planning to come to Thailand in March and would like to get a non-imm ED visa to stay and study Thai for a year. My question is what happens when the initial 3 months is up? Will the school issue another letter to take to the immigration office for an extension? I will be applying for the ED visa at a Thai consulate here in the USA. I'm a newbe here and would appreciate any info or advice from any of the fine folks on this form.

Also, any recomendations for other registered language schools?

Thanks,
Mr Natch

I think you'll find you need more than just a letter from the school. You'll need to submit papers signed by a Director of the school, showing the type of school, the type of company or organisation, and I believe something about it's ownership/financial structure, presumably to prove that it is a bona fide school.

To be honest I can't remember the details, but a school I taught at did something similar for me some years back, because they didn't want to be bothered in getting me a work permit.

We also did something similar for the GF's daughter who isn't Thai, through St Mary's school in Udon and that took 4 months to get - a whole sheaf of paperwork all in Thai, with details of both her mother and myself, and which then had to go to I think it was the Muang - Education Dept - for approval, before submission to Immigration. They don't like to make these things too easy.

Mr Natural, If you continue to study at AUA, then we will supply the letter stating so. And yes, you will have to re-apply after 3 months as they will only issue a 3 month non-imm ED visa to students who are studying at AUA.

Arjay, I have a student here, who's name I cannot say, but he has just been to Vientiane to the Thai Consulate. Before he went I gave him a letter printed on AUA business letterhead stating that he was enrolled on a Thai Language Course at AUA.

He applied for and got a 3 month Non-Imm ED visa.

It really was that simple. Maybe if you want a year or 2 year visa it may require more 'red tape' and paperwork.

AUA is a 'bona fide' school and is probably recognised as such by the Thai consulate.

If anyone is planning to study Thai and get a study Visa please contact me at the above address and I will do my best to assist.

Regards.

Nick

Since I got two different answers I did a little checking and it looks like a letter of acceptance from an accredited school is all I will need to obtain a ED visa. This is from the Royal Thai Consulate in Los Angeles web site:

Required documents

For the purpose of studying (Type

FYI

Mr Natural has just received his Non Immigrant - ED visa from the Thai Embassy in Portland based upon a letter that AUA sent him stating that he is registered as a student at AUA.

This is only possible because AUA is on the list of accredited schools and institutions for study purposes.

If anyone is interested in studying at AUA and getting a study visa then please email or pm me.

Nick

Can you get the first ed.visa for longer than 3 months?Are there any problems extending the ed.visa and how many times can it be extended?

Bringing this old post back to life. I wanted to answer this with first hand info rather than with what I thought was right (that of course turned out to be wrong).
I did receive a multiple entry category ED non-immigrant visa from the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Portland, Oregon based on the letter provided by Nick at AUA. This visa is stamped valid until Feb 2008.
When I arrived in Bangkok my passport was stamped

There is also some interesting info about the student visa on the thaivisa forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php ... pic=119477

thanks for all this valuable info. 'hopefully it's still valid for 2008, as I'm sure it is. I've obtained my letter from AUA and will be going to Laos next Wed. 'will report my experiences back to you. I too love Thailand and have so much respect for the beautiful natives who care enough to learn English in order to communicate with us....it makes my desire to learn Thai that much more intense. This should prove to be a tremendously interesting and invaluable experience. 'grateful to be connected to all ya'll .....obviously I'm a real "southerner" (from N.C.)
Blessings, Jan

Jan - Just to re-ignite this post again (hoping you are reading). Can you report back on your experience on renewing your visa.

I am on same ED visa and I'm due to renew on 11th May.

Thank you.

Nick@AUA wrote:Mr Natural, If you continue to study at AUA, then we will supply the letter stating so. And yes, you will have to re-apply after 3 months as they will only issue a 3 month non-imm ED visa to students who are studying at AUA.

Arjay, I have a student here, who's name I cannot say, but he has just been to Vientiane to the Thai Consulate. Before he went I gave him a letter printed on AUA business letterhead stating that he was enrolled on a Thai Language Course at AUA.

He applied for and got a 3 month Non-Imm ED visa.

It really was that simple. Maybe if you want a year or 2 year visa it may require more 'red tape' and paperwork.

AUA is a 'bona fide' school and is probably recognised as such by the Thai consulate.

If anyone is planning to study Thai and get a study Visa please contact me at the above address and I will do my best to assist.

Regards.

Nick

Nick, did you receive my pm and email? I will need a letter for August after I finish TEFL school in Bangkok.

To Nick AUA.

Just to get to know a little bit more.

If sombody get a letter from you, can that person use that letter
time after time or has one to enroll in your school every time ?

Just like to know.

Bo.

Thanks Allen.

Bo.

Where is Nick? He does not answer Forum PM or email.

I want to enroll in his class and I will need a letter for a Student Visa.