Thailand visa question No. 046/20: ED Visa
Questioner: Floris
At the moment the documents for an ED visa are being sent to my home in the Netherlands. Half way through I fly back to Bangkok with my girlfriend. This morning I called the consulate in Amsterdam and put my questions about the ED visa application there. Only the answers I got didn't really clear things up. So I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
I will be taking 5 courses at Duke Language School in Bangkok for a period of 8 months.
When I asked about 'evidence of adequate funds' she told me that I had to submit 20.000 baht per month. I made the calculation that I then had to submit 8 x 20.000 = 160.000 baht, when they said yes… I cannot say exactly how much it is, much depends on the documents from the Ministry of Education & the school.
I also told that I am going to stay with my girlfriend and whether she had to / could explain that. I could do that, but that was not taken into account, she said.
The thing is… right now I don't have 160.000 Baht in my savings account, rather 100.000 Baht. I am a starting online self-employed person (so will generate income while I am there to pay my expenses) and will be staying at my girlfriend's house (no living expenses). In addition, I just paid 60.000 baht for the language course.
The website of the Thai embassy in The Hague states that 20,000 baht per person must be submitted; that seemed to me quite little for a period of 8 months, so I understood that that is not correct.
Sometimes you read that it is not useful to mention that you have a girlfriend or that you work online as a self-employed person.
In my opinion it strengthens my position as my funds (160.000 baht) are not enough at the moment:
A) I have no housing costs
B) I expect income while I am there
What is your idea about this? How to handle this?
I can borrow money from family and thus prove enough funds, but that seems much too transparent to me; and honesty above all.
Reaction RonnyLatYa
1. Regarding your ED visa. I have recently received / read little information about it, but that you would have to prove 8 x 20 Baht would surprise me. The 000 Baht with the application, as stated on the embassy's website, seems correct to me. Well, maybe the rules have changed. I would also contact the embassy about this and ask if the 20 Baht is correct and per person or per month.
Normally you will only get a Non-immigrant ED Single entry upon approval, I think. No multiple entries. With this you will then receive 90 days of residence upon entry. You can then extend those 90 days at immigration, with the necessary school certificates. You can still ask for financial proof there.
2. If you are going to demand that 160 Baht with the application, you will have to ensure that you meet it. How, is something you will have to solve yourself. Besides, more students borrow money from your family to go to college. There's nothing transparent about that.
On the other hand, I would advise you not to announce everywhere that you will generate income from Thailand. Even if that is as a Digital nomad, because in principle they must also have a work permit. But since you already have to catch them in the act, I don't think this is a priority for Thailand. So they are difficult to detect and I advise you to keep it that way in your case.
3. It is not unusual to be asked to prove where you will be staying. Simply a statement from your girlfriend that you are staying at her address will suffice.
4. So please contact the embassy about the correct financial proof that you must provide.
Perhaps there are readers who have recently applied for an ED and can provide you with additional information about this.
Regards,
RonnyLatYa