A student visa is one of those options that provide the opportunity to live in Thailand for a year, but despite numerous reviews about the availability of this visa, obtaining it is not so easy, especially in the current conditions, when Thailand has moved to total control of all types of long-term visas. visa Previously, such visas were issued to everyone and in unlimited quantities, but now the situation is different and in case of the slightest violations or inconsistencies, a person is refused.

Usually tourists go to Thailand with a stamp or a tourist visa, find a suitable educational institution (school) there, agree on all the nuances and start the process. When looking for such a school, it is advisable to speak English at a level of at least intermediate, otherwise it will be problematic to agree and come to a common denominator. I don’t recommend contacting agencies, since their prices are simply extortionate and they work on an advance payment basis (in case of any problems or a refusal of a visa, no one will return your money). Also, you should not contact Thai boxing schools, as among them there are often scammers who take money but do nothing or violate all agreed terms.

Before choosing a particular school, you need to go online, read reviews about it, and if possible, then talk to its students on the spot (not Thai, but European).

In order to become a student at a particular school, you need to collect a certain package of documents, but for almost every school it will be identical and includes an international passport, photographs (each school has its own requirements in this regard) and a rental agreement. The choice of housing will depend on the place of study you choose, but the cheapest option is to stay in condominiums, especially since hotels and hostels are not suitable for enrolling in school. Taking into account the fact that you have been to Thailand more than once, finding accommodation will not be a big problem for you.

Next, you need to pay for training, and do it in advance and in full. I don’t know if you can bargain in this regard, but if the fee seems too high to you, you can try to reduce the price. After agreeing on all the documentary details and making payment, within one to two weeks (sometimes this period extends to a month), the school provides the necessary documents with which you need to go to the Thai embassy in one of the following countries: Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia. Often schools themselves organize such tours for their students, and if there is such an opportunity, it is better to take advantage of such a tour. After obtaining a visa, you can return to Thailand and start studying and relaxing, and do not forget to renew your student visa every three months, otherwise there will be problems with local legislation. To extend your visa, you do not need to travel outside the country; this can be done at any immigration center in Thailand.

Until some time, a student visa was a common formality. Students simply paid money and in return received all the necessary documents, but never showed up at the school itself for the entire period of study. Now the situation is such that every student is checked, so if you decide to undertake this venture, then be prepared for the fact that you will have to go to classes or you may be deported from the country.

Some come here for the winter, while others live for years... This is understandable, it’s warm here all year round, inexpensive fruits are sold on store shelves, and there’s the sea. Thailand is washed by the seas of two oceans. The South China Sea from the east and the Andaman Sea to the southwest. All young people who have chosen this country for long-term residence sooner or later face the question of a visa.

Found a cool photo of a student visa on the Internet

If you do not plan to work in Thailand or are doing it remotely, a student visa in Thailand is the ideal solution.

Personal experience

I want to tell you with my example. The Walen school helped me in this matter. This school has existed for more than 15-3 years and has branches (as many as 11) throughout Thailand. The scheme is very simple: you purchase one or another course of study at the school and receive a visa as a gift. The Walen school teaches English, French, Thai and even Russian. You can study Japanese and Chinese individually.

Every year, the Thai government is increasingly tightening the law on student visas.

For example, you want to get a student visa for 1 year and want to study Thai. This visa is issued upon completion of a 400-hour course. It is worth noting that with the unique teaching methodology using the Walen method, and given that the language is taught only by native speakers, the cost of classes remains quite low. Only from 99 baht per hour of lessons.

school lessons

A student visa in Thailand allows you to stay in the country from 3 months and almost indefinitely.

It all depends on the number of hours of classes you purchased. Immigration laws have their own rules. For example, a Thai language course consisting of 200 hours of lessons should be designed for 6 months, and accordingly a visa will be issued for 6 months. Which language to choose is up to you. If you have good knowledge of the English language, then you can choose anything you want (since all languages ​​are taught by native speakers through English). If you are not doing well with the English language, then, of course, you should learn English. At Valen School you will be taught English by Englishmen, Americans and Australians.

Example

Let's assume you decide to apply for a 1-year visa and purchase a 400-hour course. Next, the school will make a copy of your passport and house rental agreement and begin preparing your documents. Also, to obtain a six-month visa, you must bring 12 of your photographs measuring 3x4; for an annual visa, 24 photographs. You can start learning right away. The class schedule is quite flexible, so anyone can choose the days and hours of classes that are convenient for themselves. We chose Tuesday and Thursday, 3 hours each.

There is a lot of information on this topic on the Internet, and schools in general, where the price of a visa with and without tuition is different, that is, you buy a visa, which in itself is not entirely legal, and you can choose to buy or not buy class hours ( !be careful when choosing a school because... There are many unlicensed schools that can only bring you problems later!) At the Walen school you buy classes, and you get a student visa absolutely free.

This is what a student visa looks like. Non-immigrant, ED

Documents are prepared in approximately 2-3 weeks. Having received the documents, you need to leave Thailand and a visa will be issued to you at the Thai embassy in another country. Citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine can obtain a visa in any country, without restrictions. But citizens of China, India and Middle Eastern countries must obtain a visa only in their own country.

Usually the trip is carried out in such comfortable minibuses

So, the documents are in hand

Now the next question arises - where to go and what to do with these documents? It is not for nothing that a huge number of people choose this country to live. Everything is simple here. It's simple. In Thailand there is such service like "VisaRun". From the name it is clear that this is a “visa trip”.

Where?

This largely depends on which part of Thailand you choose to live in. If you live in the central part, for example, in Bangkok or Pattaya, then the closest thing to you will be to go to Laos, the city of Vientiane or to Cambodia, the city of Phnom Penh.

A trip to get a visa to Vientiane is much faster and more pleasant than to Cambodia. If you are in the south of Thailand, on the island of Phuket or in the province of Krabi, for example, then the easiest way to go from there is to visit the neighboring country of Malaysia. The Thai embassy closest to the border is on Penang Island.

On the border between Thailand and Cambodia

So, you’ve decided on your trip, found the company you’ll be traveling with, booked it, took your documents with you, and off you go! We go by minivan to a neighboring country. The trip is usually overnight, so that you can be there in the morning when the embassy opens. We hand over the documents, sometimes ourselves, but mostly this is done by your drivers and their “helpers”. After the documents have been submitted, you are taken to a hotel for rest and overnight, since the visa will only be ready the next day.

You can spend the rest of the day and night at your discretion 🙂 the next day your minivan picks you up and takes you to the embassy to receive your passports with the coveted visa. Be sure to check both your passport and visa on site.

So, with your student visa in your passport, you can go back to Thailand. As a rule, “students” reach home after visaran around 10:00-11:00 p.m.

You received a visa for 3 months and not for a year. But why, you ask? Do not worry. Everything is fine. After three months, your stay in Thailand will be extended without leaving. You just need to come to the immigration office with the documents prepared in advance by the school.

Having a student visa in your hands, be careful when traveling to another country, so that your visa does not “burn out” you need to re-enrty.

Ask your questions and we will be happy to answer them in the comments. We will supplement the article with the most interesting questions.

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My first month in Thailand was coming to an end, the expiration date of the 30-day stamp was approaching, and it was time to get my Thai visa. I decided on the type of visa in advance, thank God - I decided to become a student!

A study visa to Thailand, like a tourist visa, a work visa, or any other visa, is not issued in the kingdom; you need to leave the country to any neighboring state where there is a Thai consulate. Earlier I wrote, .

The most popular destination for traveling for a visa from Pattaya is Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I did not discover new galaxies and took the path of least resistance, since the wisdom of the Thai bureaucracy is still under a veil of secrecy for me.

Applying for a study visa to Thailand step by step

I’ll tell you everything step by step now so you don’t get confused. If you get confused, don’t be shy, write in the comments or via the feedback form. I'll give you a hint. So, if you are aiming to obtain a Thai student visa, firstly, you need:

1. Get a stamp in your passport upon arrival.

   Upon arrival in the kingdom at customs, Russian tourists are given a 30-day stamp, according to which you can legally stay in Thailand during its validity period.

2. Decide on a school of study.

   Choose a school with visa support, and in it, the language you will study (or a subject, if it is, for example, Thai massage or boxing. Yes, these are also grounds for obtaining a Thai visa).

3. Apply to this school.

   Without delay, submit your documents to the school, where you will also need to sign a bunch of incomprehensible papers in Thai. Better - no later than 14 days before the stamp expires. This time is needed so that the school has time to formalize everything, make a request to the Thai Ministry of Education, and they, in turn, have time to give an answer. You may get lucky and the school will process the documents faster, but why take the risk?

4. Pay for tuition and wait for news from the school that the documents are ready.

   When the school calls you (or you will call if you are uneasy) and informs you that they are ready, you need to pick up your documents and leave the country before the stamp expires. Sometimes schools ask when submitting documents where you will be traveling (country), but they didn’t ask me. But it’s better to decide in advance.

Documents for obtaining a Thai study visa

The documents that you need to prepare yourself before going to submit them are approximately identical for all schools, but it is better to check their list in a specific institution. Usually this:

1. Passport and copy of passport. A copy can be made at school.
2. 12 (or 8) photographs, size 3x4, color. If you don't have one, you may be asked to take a photo at the school.
3. A copy of the rental contract.
4. Payment for training. Some schools offer an installment payment option. Which is very convenient for some. But not for me! The money lying around burns my soul :)

Obtaining a Thai Study Visa in Laos

Once you pick up your documents from school, see how much time you have left before your 30-day stamp expires and select a travel date. Next, at least a day before this date, buy a ticket and go for a visa. I wrote in detail about how to get from Pattaya to Laos on your own, what to look for when buying a ticket and how much it costs in the article. This is my experience, lived through personally, while I was worried, biting my lips and nails, so the article is very useful.

The Thai Consulate in Vientiane is open from Monday to Friday. They accept visa documents from 8.30 to 11.30; you can pick up your passport with a completed visa the next day from 13.30 to 15.00. Therefore, if you arrive on a weekday, you should immediately go to the consulate. There are always a lot of people there. Sometimes, of course, documents are accepted after 11.30, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Due to the fact that visa restrictions have now been cancelled, the queue for visa applications may be even longer than usual.

Royal Thai Embassy on the map

Please note that Google shows several places, but the visa is issued here. The landmark is across the street The Pizza Company, not cheap due to European food, but quite good, by the way.

If you arrived, for example, on Sunday, like me, then you have a day to take a quiet walk, find accommodation near the consulate, and the next day, in the morning, after a good night’s sleep, stand in line, to the envy of those who have just arrived)

IMPORTANT!

By the way, if you are in Laos - from a ship to a ball, that is, without an extra day, you go straight to the embassy, ​​then keep in mind that in most hotels, when registering, you will be asked for a passport, which you just gave for a visa. So take care in advance of a photocopy of your passport, which you present at the hotel.

Where to stay in Vientiane when you come to get a visa

Accommodation for a day will cost approximately 500-600 baht per room. You can find it cheaper, but you either have to look hard, or bargain well, or the conditions will be worse (for example, there will be no air conditioning, or there will be a musty smell, or there will be no windows in the room at all). I looked at rooms not only near the consulate; for 500 baht there are a lot of options. But it’s better, of course, to stay within walking distance of the consulate so as not to spend money on tuk-tuks.

You heard right (read correctly?), baht are accepted there on a par with Laotian kips.

For example, Viengvang Hotel, where I stayed, having rented a room for 600 baht, had rooms for 500, but I really wanted a balcony, and I was still rich then, so I decided to indulge myself! It is very conveniently located. If you leave the gates of the consulate, you need to turn right, go to the intersection, at the intersection also turn right, cross the road, walk just a little bit and there will be it (I marked it on the map above). There is also a Laotian food stall near the road; by the way, the food is good and cheap. Photo card from Google Maps.

Submitting documents for a visa to the Thai consulate in Laos

On the day of submitting documents, I had the opportunity to get up, slowly, get ready and in 5 minutes come and stand in line, or rather, at the end of it. I don’t know how long people have been on duty there, but at 8.20 there was an impressive line.

While you are standing in line, of course, “helpers” will offer their services to you, who will fill out a visa application form for 50-100 baht. If you want, use this help. But we are not that kind of stuff! So we ignore them and enjoy the awakening of Laos. Well, or rather, we stand and wait for the gates to open. When the line begins to move, we try not to be run over by frantic running people who are rushing to be the first to submit documents, we maintain composure, take a number at the entrance and calmly wait for our turn.

When you have the number with you, and it is most likely three-digit, look for a counter with application forms and choose the one that matches your visa type. The study visa to Thailand is called Non-Immigrant Visa ED. And sit down and slowly fill it out. Don’t forget to paste 2 pre-prepared photographs there. If they are missing, take photos on the spot. It’s easy to fill out the form, there are samples there. And even if you suddenly make a mistake somewhere, they will most likely turn a blind eye to it. You can view the application form in advance on the embassy website. If you print it yourself, you need to do it on both sides of one sheet. Please note that the Duration of Proposed Stay column indicates 90 days, despite the fact that the study visa to Thailand is issued for a year.

Every few minutes numbers are announced, the holders of which can get in line to apply for a visa. As soon as you hear your number, you stand in line at the window and hand over the documents prepared by the school, your passport and the application you just filled out. This is done and you go to the next building to pay for the visa. The consular fee for a student visa is 2 thousand baht. You pay and receive a receipt, according to which you will pick up your passport with a completed visa the next day. By the way, your visa number will already be indicated on it, you can look forward to it))

It took me about 2 hours to submit the documents. Some people manage to go first in line, others sit until the bitter end.

When the documents have been submitted, you can breathe out and go to bed in your room or go for a walk around Vientiane. I’ll say right away that there’s not much to see there, but it’s still better than spending the day in a room) I wrote about what you can do in the capital of Laos in.

Obtaining the long-awaited student visa in Laos

The next day you get enough sleep, do exercises, take a contrast shower, have breakfast with cereals and go get your passport with a visa. Because in most hotels, check-out is at 12.00, and passports begin to be issued from 13.00; the queue begins to form around noon. I arrived at 12 with kopecks, and ended up somewhere around 15th. Numbers are issued according to the same principle as on the first day.

The process of obtaining a completed visa is very simple. You go to the building where you paid for the visa, hear your number, stand in line, show the receipt you received yesterday, pick up your passport, open it and admire the visa!

I didn’t spend a long time admiring it and hurried home, because there was a bored little furball sitting at home by the window, which I hadn’t seen for 3 days!

How to get home, I wrote in the same article about the route from Pattaya to Vientiane, the link to which I gave at the beginning of the article.

And if you don't want to leave Thailand to apply for a visa, you can.

Which visa to Thailand is more profitable and convenient?

If you intend to spend not 1-2-3 months in the Land of Smiles, but a year or two, you need to decide what visa to thailand most convenient for you. Most often, the choice is between tourist and student visas, and it is worth comparing their pros and cons in order to choose the most suitable, profitable and convenient option. That's what we'll do today.

Why at least a tourist visa and not a border run?

Let’s dot all the “e”s. Of course, the cheapest and easiest way to legalize your stay in Thailand is the so-called. At least this is one hundred percent true when it comes to living in Pattaya and traveling to the Cambodian border in Aranyaprathet/Poipet.

Don’t think that border runs and visarans are extremely enjoyable and exciting activities. It happens like this...

However border run- this is at the same time unpleasant and not very convenient. Every 30 days you are forced to get up early in the morning, shake for 5 hours in a mini-bus with a bunch of the same unfortunate farangs of all nationalities, breathe in the “aroma” of dried fish for an hour, from which you can’t hide anywhere in the border Poipet, then another 5 hours back. The day is lost for work or any other activities, and you are also pretty exhausted.

In addition, an entry stamp is not a visa, and it does not give you the right, for example, to receive debit cards from most Thai banks, or to receive a new passport through the Russian consulate in Thailand if you lose or run out of pages in the old one. By the way, Border Run “devours” passport pages very actively: one month – one and a half pages minus. Calculate for yourself how quickly the space in your document will run out...

And one more possible, although not guaranteed, catch: in selected cases, when entering Thailand, Thai border guards for some reason believe that you have already lived long enough in their country, and they issue a so-called “red stamp”. It means that you are given 2 more weeks to stay in the Land of Smiles, then you must leave the country. To return to Siam, upon arrival in Russia you will need to change your passport. Such cases are described in the online community, although I personally and my friends have not encountered this.

Cost of independent border run from Pattaya to Cambodia is 1200-1300 baht/person, i.e. 14,400 – 15,600 thousand baht per year, 12 trips. Plus a headache from these very trips and some moral discomfort: they will let you in or they won’t let you into the country, or they will put a “wolf” stamp on you.

For me personally, the border run became unacceptable after just 6 such trips, and I applied for a tourist visa.

I take as an example our still sinful Pattaya and local prices.

Usually, for a tourist visa, we go to Laos, where the loyal Thai consulate often issues double-entry tourist visas.

Tourist or student visa - it doesn’t matter. From Pattaya/Bangkok they usually go to Laos for both.

Let me explain. One visa entitles you to a two-month permanent stay in Thailand. After 60 days we go to Immigration, pay 1900 baht and can stay in the country for another 30 days.

A double entry tourist visa means the following. 2 months without travel, +1900 baht for an additional month, border run to any country (usually Cambodia), after which the cycle repeats: 2 months + 1900 baht in Immigration and another month. Total – visa for six months. However, you will have to leave twice: the first time to obtain such a visa, the second time so that the “second half” of the tourist visa begins to operate.

I’ll tell you the total cost for now – 2,500 – 3,500 baht per person. This includes travel by bus and tuk-tuks, a 1-night hotel in Vientiane and food on the road. Of course, you can pay more money for all this, but those who do not particularly care about prices are unlikely to be interested in articles of this kind in principle.

Add to this the visa fees: 40 dollars for a single entry visa, 80 dollars for a double entry visa.

But we remember that in 2 months we will pay another 1,900 baht to Immigration, and to start the second tourist visa, we will need to travel to at least Cambodian Poipet - this is another 1,300 baht and again another 1,900 baht in two months for the Thai “passport officers”. Approximate result: double tourist visa to thailand traveling to Laos from Pattaya costs 10-12 thousand baht for six months, or 20-24 thousand baht per year.

Visaran without embellishment: I want to sleep, it’s cold in the mini-bass...

It turns out that the monthly cost of such a Thai visa is 1,700 – 2,000 baht. And you will have to leave the country 4 times: 2 times to Laos, 2 times to Cambodia. 4 trips a year is less than 12, still inconvenient, in my opinion. Because you want to live and know that there is simply no need to look at your passport and check with a shudder whether you missed the next visa deadline.

In addition, with a tourist visa it is still not possible to resolve many documentary issues with the Russian consulate, and there are difficulties with service in some banks in Thailand - for example, Bangkok Bank may not issue a basic debit card.

Therefore, I still make a choice in favor of a “senior” student visa to Thailand.

Study visa to Thailand with visa to Laos

There are a number of reasons for this.

1. The cost of a student visa per month is equal to a tourist visa - 2,000 baht.
2. I don't have to leave the country for 15 months. And if I continue to renew my visa at the same school where I opened it, I will no longer have to leave the country. Theoretically, I can study this way for up to 10 years and not leave Thailand at all. However, this does not mean that I have to sit in Thailand for 15 months: I can safely leave the country, maintaining the validity of my study visa, having received.
3. I don’t just pay for a visa: “in addition” I am entitled to 120 hours with a native teacher of this language.
4. With my visa, I can be serviced in many Thai banks without any problems, I can change my passport through the Russian consulate at the usual Russian rates, draw up notarized documents and send them, if necessary, to my homeland.

For me, these 4 reasons were enough to choose a study visa to Thailand.

The process of obtaining a student visa is simple. You just choose a school to study in, bring a simple package of necessary documents, pay and wait for the school staff, through the Ministry of Education of Thailand, to prepare the package of documents required to obtain a visa. With it, you go to Vientiane (Laos) for a visa and upon return, your study visa comes into effect.

Every 3 months you must renew your student visa at Immigration and pay an additional 1,900 baht per person.

Thai Embassy in Laos, Vientiane. All roads for visas lead here.

The cost of my Thai visa consists of the price of school tuition (18,000), visa to Laos (3,000), visa fee and quarterly visa extension at Immigration (1,900 * 5 = 9,500). Total = about 31,000 baht for 15 months.

My humble opinion. If you decide to establish your permanent residence in Thailand or at least spend a year and a half or two here, you will not have a special work, medical or retirement visa, business visa, etc., it makes sense to get a study visa. Get it, avoid tedious short trips along the same route and feel relatively confident, living completely legally in this Asian country.

Update from 09.16.2014

Visa legislation has changed since the publication of this article. From now on, student visas can be extended not up to 15 months, as before, but up to 12. Regardless of which school the student is going to continue his studies, having “spent” one such conditional annual visa (conditionally - because it is renewed without leaving the country every three months visa) visa, he is required to leave the country and obtain a new student visa.
The Thai Embassy in Malaysia, Cambodia, as well as the Consulates in Vladivostok and St. Petersburg do not currently issue student visas to Thailand.

As for, despite all the troubles of the summer of 2014, a huge number of Russians still freely legalize their stay in Thailand in this simple way, which personally makes me feel nauseous.

November 2015.

With sincere wishes for self-confidence and an invariably legal position, sincerely yours, Marta

Study visa to Thailand - application instructions

Have you decided to settle in Thailand, a country that was recently named one of the top ten best places to live in the world? Then on the agenda is the issuance of a long-term visa, because after the military coup in 2014, a ban on “visa-wounds” was introduced in the country. Now it will not be possible to leave Thailand for a neighboring country and immediately return after receiving a month of visa-free life. If you are not officially employed, your student document remains. Where, how and for how long did the journalists of the portal “Zagranitsa” figure it out?

Non immigration (ED, also known as educational) visa is available to schoolchildren, university students, and language school students. If you do not plan to spend eight hours a day at your desk, then you will probably choose the last option. A couple of hours of study a day, and a new line in the “language knowledge” column will appear on your resume.

Learning Thai is a popular reason for visiting the Land of Smiles. At the same time, most expats do not actually intend to study: having received the coveted stamp in their passport, they simply enjoy their vacation.

An educational visa allows you to stay in Thailand for up to one year without having to leave the country to renew, but every three months you will have to visit the immigration office, taking documents from the school, and pay a fee of 1,900 baht. If you are interested in more than just the sticker in your passport, our guide to language courses in Pattaya will certainly come in handy. We do not recommend searching at random: due to the constant “sabaya”, the quality of education in many schools is not impressive.

Easy ABC

One of the best schools in Pattaya. A Russian-speaking translator will meet you at the reception, and all the staff speak excellent English. Large and bright classrooms, pleasant teaching staff and a well-thought-out program make the courses not only useful, but also exciting. There are both group and individual classes. For 180 hours of Thai or English plus an annual educational visa you will have to pay 25,900 baht. The school also offers courses in German and computer literacy. Textbooks are paid, but you don’t need to go to get a visa yourself: the school will provide transportation and support.

Walen Language School

It has many branches throughout the country, including in Pattaya. The school is located on Central Street (Pattaya Klang) next to the supermarket. At the reception, guests are greeted by friendly Russian-speaking employees who will tell and show you everything. The school building is four stories high. Thai language classes are held on the first floor, on the second there are rooms for individual lessons, on the third there are rooms for group training in English, and the fourth is occupied by conference rooms with projectors for seminars, presentations, etc. The cost of training is 25,000 baht for 180 hours of Thai or 34,200 baht for the same amount of English. Teaching is conducted exclusively by native speakers. The textbooks are paid, but they come with a CD with workshops.

Excel Language Center

Located on Sukhumvit next to the shopping center. The responsive school director almost always communicates with applicants in excellent English. They teach here in two directions - Thai and English. Native speakers teach. Groups are small: from three to six people. There are also individual lessons. The level of teaching is high: after two months of Thai you can communicate with the local population, and after a year you can communicate freely. Documents for a visa are prepared exactly two weeks from the date of payment. You can affix a visa without traveling to a neighboring country, but the service is quite expensive. Tuition prices here are among the lowest in the city. 180 hours of Thai and an annual visa will cost you 17,000 baht, as will 120 hours of English with the same visa. Individual lessons are almost twice as expensive. Textbooks are provided free of charge. Please note that no one speaks Russian at school; all instruction is conducted in English.

THE Language School

This school is very similar to the previous one. It is cozy, has good teaching staff and a convenient location on Thappraya Street (turn to Jomtien). Training is inexpensive - 18,000 baht for 180 hours of Thai with an educational visa included. Here, as in all other schools, there are group and individual classes. Textbooks are provided free of charge. There are no Russian-speaking staff, so a minimum of English or Thai is still required. The programs are designed for both beginners and advanced students. There is a separate direction for teaching children under 12 years of age.

The difference in the educational programs of schools is insignificant, so we advise you to choose your alma mater based on location and price. If you are only interested in a visa, focus on the cheapest one. However, keep in mind that one day the border guards may ask you to speak the language you are learning. Don't be fooled!

Visa regime

Since August 29, 2014, a tourist can, after a 30-day period of stay, come to the immigration office and extend the permit for another 30 days free of charge (and also legally), but citizens of Russia and Ukraine, unfortunately, are not included in this list. For them, everything remains as before, namely, after the expiration of the 30-day period at the immigration department, you can extend your stay for another week.

Immigration office in Pattaya

Address: 75/265, Moo 12, Jomtien Beach road Soi 5, Pattaya, Chonburi, 20150, Thailand

Phone: 038-252-751-4

Let's hit the road!

All of the schools described prepare documents for a visa immediately after paying for tuition online. Papers are sent by DHL courier service. The next step is to submit documents for a visa to the Thai Embassy. Any one around the world suits you. If you are in Russia, Ukraine or Belarus, feel free to go to the capital: the embassy is located there.

If you decide to get a visa in Thailand, everything is somewhat more complicated. First you have to leave the country. The easiest way is to travel to Laos and visit the local Thai embassy. After the school prepares your documents, puts them in beautiful envelopes and hands them to you, take your passport with you and go to Laos in any convenient way. For example, take bus number 407, which departs from the station at the intersection of Central Street and Sukhumvit Road. The ticket will cost 700 baht one way. The trip will take 12 hours, but the bus is quite comfortable. However, the promised 12 hours can easily turn into 14-15, so it is better to take a flight that leaves at 18:00, because you need to get to the embassy in the morning. A nice bonus: dinner is included in the fare. Buses from Pattaya come to a town bordering Laos, from where you cross the border and the Mekong River to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Immediately after you cross the border, rent a minivan for a company (100-150 baht per person) and go to Thai Embassy in Laos. If you don’t have your own company, you can gather one along the way: half of the tourists are traveling for the same purpose as you. The Thai Embassy in Laos accepts documents every weekday from 8:30 to 12:00.

Having arrived at your destination, do not refuse help in filling out the form: it costs only 100 baht. With the completed application form, photographs (they will be given to you at the school) and documents, go through the embassy gates and receive a number. When it’s your turn, hand in your documents, pay the 2,000 baht consular fee in the next building and go look for a hotel closer to the embassy. There are a great many of them here and they are all the same: no pool, Wi-Fi is free, breakfast is included. So choose the closest one. Oh yes - be sure to try the very tasty pizza or pasta in cafe across the road: perhaps this will be your most vivid impression of all grueling three days!

The next day after 13:00 go to collect your passport. But keep in mind that there will be exactly the same number of people wanting to pick up an ID card as there were to hand over documents yesterday, and by 1 p.m. there will be at least a hundred people in line. So we advise you to arrive by 12:00. Before getting in line, stock up on water and a hat, otherwise you will get sunstroke instead of a visa.

Once the passport with the coveted sticker is in your hands, you will have to travel back. In Laos, before the border, check out the duty-free shop: there is a large selection of goods and good coffee.

Alternative

If long trips and the prospect of studying do not appeal to you, there is another option - to get a tourist visa for six months, the so-called “double”. In fact, these are two visas for three months, which are activated at the border upon entry. After the first two months of such a visa, you need to visit the immigration office and extend your stay for another month for 1,900 baht. When it passes, you need to leave the country and enter again to activate the next two months. After the fifth month you will have to pay an additional 1,900 baht again. As a result, a six-month stay in Thailand (excluding a trip to Laos to open a visa and a visit to Cambodia for re-activation) will cost you 5,800 baht ($193). With all trips, the amount will be 12-15,000 baht ($400-500). Please note that you may be denied a “double” visa, especially if your passport already has several “visa runs”.

"Abroad" wishes you a pleasant stay in Thailand and easy obtaining of a visa. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments.