Thai Language School ED Visa in Phuket: Rules and Checks
The ED visa is issued to applicants who wish to enter the Kingdom to study. It is single entry only, and the holder may be permitted to stay up to 90 days on arrival. Embassy checklists ask for the school's letter with a copy of its licence and, for Thai-language courses, a minimum weekly timetable.
On this page
What the ED visa gives you
The ED visa is for study, and a Thai-language course in Phuket is one route to it. Terms below come from embassy pages, so check yours.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Entries | Single entry only |
| Validity | One embassy: valid for three months. Another: 3 months or 1 year |
| Stay on arrival | Up to 90 days |
| Fee | Set per embassy; USD 80 at one embassy for a single entry |
| Where to apply | Some nationalities only at the embassy in their home or residence country |
Check the school before you pay
The private education commission runs a licensed-school check page (ตรวจสอบโรงเรียนที่ได้รับอนุญาต). You can search by school name or code and filter by province, district and school type. Its hotline is 1693.
Embassies want a copy of the school’s licence with the school’s letter. Match the name on that copy to the OPEC result, and skip a school that will not hand over the copy.
Thai-language and cultural courses also face a timetable test at the embassy:
| Course length | Minimum timetable |
|---|---|
| Up to 5 months | 4 days a week, 2 hours a day |
| Longer than 5 months | 5 days a week, 5 hours a day |
Ask the school for a written timetable that meets the line for your course length before you pay.
Documents the embassy asks for
- The school’s letter of acceptance, with a copy of the ID card or passport of the person who signs it.
- An official note from the school certifying the purpose of travel.
- The letter typed on the school’s letterhead, signed by an authorised person, with a copy of the school licence.
- Evidence of adequate finance: the equivalent of THB 20,000 per person.
Consular officers reserve the right to request additional documents.
Extend your stay at Phuket Immigration
Extensions are filed at Phuket Immigration Office, 482 Phuket Rd., Talad Yai, Mueang, Phuket 83000. The extension of stay is solely at the discretion of the immigration officer.
The fee schedule (as of August 2024) lists THB 1,900 for an extension of visa. The office’s form page offers TM.7, the application for extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom. The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Hours and queue rules are on the Phuket Immigration Office page.
Switching to an ED visa from inside Thailand
Some people arrive on a tourist or visa-exempt stamp and decide to study once they are here. The route is a request to Immigration. Anyone who wants to stay longer or change visa type files an application for permission with the Immigration Bureau.
A change of visa type is solely at the immigration officer’s discretion. The official text is silent on a tourist or visa-exempt stamp becoming an ED at Phuket. A refusal would leave you with tuition paid and no visa, so we recommend you ask both the office and the school in writing before you pay.
Reporting every 90 days on an ED stay
An ED stay is permission to stay temporarily, so the general reporting rule applies. A foreigner in that position notifies an immigration officer of residence every ninety days. If you extend, the first application for extension of stay is equivalent to that notification.
The 90-day report guide has the filing window and the online option. The TM30 guide covers the address notice your landlord files.
482 Phuket Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Next in this journey: Thailand visa types, then extending a stay in Phuket, the long-stay address report and the landlord address notification.
Step by step
- Check the school is licensedSearch the private education commission's licensed-school page by school name or code and by province.
- Get the school's letter and licence copyThe letter is typed on the school's letterhead and signed by an authorised person, with a copy of the school licence.
- Check the timetableA Thai-language course of up to 5 months runs at least 4 days a week, 2 hours a day. A longer course runs at least 5 days a week, 5 hours a day.
- Collect the embassy documentsAdd the signer's ID copy, the school's official note on the purpose of travel and proof of funds.
- Apply at your embassyApply where your nationality allows: home or residence country, or a designated embassy.
- Extend in Phuket if you need longerFile the extension at Phuket Immigration, 482 Phuket Rd., Talad Yai, Mueang, Phuket 83000. The officer decides.
Not confirmed: Whether your school needs a Ministry of Education approval letter for the embassy. The attendance rule after you arrive. Phuket Immigration's own checklist for an ED extension. Ask the school and the office before you pay tuition.
Common questions
Can any language school sponsor an ED visa?
The embassy asks for a copy of the school's licence. The private education commission runs a page for checking licensed schools.
Is the ED visa multiple entry?
No. Only a single entry is granted.
Is the ED visa fee the same at every embassy?
Each embassy posts its own fee. One embassy charges USD 80 for a single entry.
Can I apply at any Thai embassy?
Nationals of certain countries are required to apply for a visa only at the embassy in their home or residence country or at a designated one.
How much does an extension cost at Phuket Immigration?
The fee schedule (as of August 2024) lists THB 1,900 for an extension of visa. The officer decides whether to grant it.
Can I switch to an ED visa while already in Thailand?
A change of visa type is filed with the Immigration Bureau and is solely at the officer's discretion.
Do I report to immigration every 90 days on an ED visa?
A foreigner permitted to stay temporarily notifies an immigration officer every ninety days, and the first extension application counts as that notification.
Is Phuket Immigration open on weekends?
No. The main office is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Read next
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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