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Thai Language Schools + 1-Year ED Visa

Study 200+ hours of Thai — get a 1-year Non-Immigrant ED Visa + renewals

AI Quick Answer

MOE-accredited Thai language schools can issue ED visa letters — 4 hr/week × 1 year = 200+ hours. Tuition THB 25,000–45,000/year + visa fee 2,000 + Immigration extension 1,900 each. Recommended schools: AAA Thai Language (Sukhumvit), Walen, Pro Language, Unity Thai, ALC Khao San. Students need ≥ 80% attendance + MOE attendance checks 3×/year. Year-4+ ED renewals require passing A2-B1 Thai proficiency tests.

Cost

Tuition THB 25K–45K/year + visa 2K + Immigration extension 1.9K × 3/year

Timeline

Visa letter 7–14 days · ED visa at embassy 5–10 days

Documents

5 items

+66 92 242 9293 LINE @nyc-notary

Steps (5)

1
Enroll + pay tuition
Choose an MOE-accredited school / pay annual / receive student ID + lesson schedule
2
Request visa letter
School submits to MOE for approval letter — 7–14 days — letter valid 90 days to apply for the visa
3
Apply ED visa at Thai embassy
Exit Thailand (Vientiane, Penang, Singapore, KL) + apply Non-Immigrant ED visa — 5–10 days
4
Enter Thailand + 90-day reports
Get 90-day stamp on entry / extend at Immigration every 90 days for 1 year / each: THB 1,900 + school letter
5
Extend ED visa year 2+
Extend at Immigration; year 4+ requires MOE Thai proficiency test A2–B1 / show progress portfolio

Documents

Application + tuition payment
Passport (6+ months validity)
Tourist visa stamp (latest entry)
Bank statement THB 20,000+
4 photos 4×6 cm

Frequently asked questions

Do I actually have to study?

Yes. The Ministry of Education inspects language schools several times a year, attendance below roughly 80% causes the visa letter to be withdrawn, and Immigration has interviewed ED applicants in Thai since 2023. Treat the course as a real commitment, not a visa product.

How to choose a school?

Check that the school holds current Ministry of Education accreditation, keep class sizes to about eight students, insist on native Thai teachers and regular progress testing, and expect THB 25,000–45,000 per year. Prices far below that are a warning sign of a shell school selling visa letters.

Can I work on an ED visa?

No. All employment, paid or unpaid, is prohibited without a work permit, and enforcement includes fines, deportation and a re-entry ban. To work legally you must switch to a Non-B with an employer-sponsored work permit, or hold an LTR or SMART visa that includes work rights.

How many years can I renew?

There is no fixed statutory cap, but from the fourth year Immigration expects demonstrable Thai proficiency, and from the fifth year officers scrutinise progress closely and often decline. Most long-stay students transition to a Non-B, marriage or retirement extension before reaching that point.

Does ED count toward PR?

No. Permanent Residence requires three consecutive years of extensions on a working Non-Immigrant category with documented Thai income tax. Time spent on an ED visa does not count toward that qualifying period, though it does not harm a later application either.