Visa & Immigration

Visa and Immigration

Visa and Immigration

International students require a Non-Immigrant Education Visa (Category “ED”) to study in Thailand. Whenever possible, applicants should apply for their student visa well in advance of departing for Thailand. Applications should be made in person at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General in their home country.

To apply for this type of visa, students must submit the following documents to the Visa Section at a Royal Thai Embassy:

  • Letter of Acceptance /Admission from the host university
  • A completed visa application form
  • A passport or travel documents valid for not less than six months
  • Two 4 x 6 cm full-face photographs, taken within the past six months
  • Evidence of adequate finance (as determined by the Royal Thai Embassy)
  • Visa application fee.

Visa fees

An application for a single entry visa (valid for three months upon activation) costs 2,000 Thai baht (around US$ 67).

An application for a multiple entry visa costs 5,000 Thai baht (around US$ 167). Please contact your nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General for more information.

Duration of visa

International students will first be granted a 90-day visa. An additional 1-year stay permit (from the date of entry) can be obtained by following the Office of Immigration Bureau’s regulations concerning extension of stay.

90-day Reporting

International students must report to their local immigration office every 90-day (up to 7 days before or after the 90-day period expires). Failure to report within the specified timeframe will result in a fine of 2000 Thai baht (US$ 67). Students can report at their local immigration office in person by proxy, or via registered mail.

If you would like to notify immigration via registered mail, you will need to send the following documents to your local immigration office, making sure they arrive 7 days before the 90 day period expires.

  • Photocopies of all passport pages (up to the latest arrival stamp in the Kingdom or latest visa stamp)
  • Photocopies of the arrival/departure card TM.6 (front and back)
  • Previous notifications of staying over 90 days (if any)
  • A completed notification form (TM.47) (available at International Relations Division)
  • An envelope with a 5 Thai baht stamp addressed to the student’s Thai address. The officer in charge will then send back the lower part of the TM. 47 form after having received the notification. This part must be kept for reference and for future notifications of staying over 90 days.
  • The above documents must be sent by registered mail. Please note that the receipt must be kept by the sender. 

Send the mail 7 days before the renewal date to the local immigration office.

Visa extension

International students must extend their visa no later than 3 months after their arrival. The visa should also be extended at least 15 days in advance of its expiration date. Ignoring the extension deadline will result in fines of 500 Thai baht (US$ 17) per day [up to a maximum of 20,000 Thai baht (US$ 667)]. International students can contact the International Relations Division to request an official letter for their visa extension, by submitting a copy of their passport. Following this, they should submit the following documents in person at their local Immigration Office:

  • A letter of certification from the Thai host institution
  • A photocopy of their passport
  • One recent 4 x 6 cm photograph
  • Tuition fee receipt
  • Grade report
  • A 1,900 Thai baht (around US$ 63) extension fee.

For more information on the Thai Education Visa application process, applicants should contact their nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General or visit Immigration Bureau website

All fees and regulations are subject to change without prior notice.

* Please note that the International Relations Division can provide the letter of certification. However, a minimum of 15 days advance notice is required.

Re-entry Permit

If you have a single entry visa and would like to travel outside of Thailand for a short period during your studies, then you will need to apply for a single or multiple re-entry permits before departure. Please contact the Immigration Bureau to apply for a Re-entry Permit.

When applying, you will need to submit the following items:

  • A completed TM-8 form (available at International Relations Division)
  • A recent 2 x 2 inch photograph
  • A copy of your passport (main page, visa page and entry stamp)
  • A 1,000 Thai baht (around US$ 33) application fee for a single entry and a 3,800 Thai baht (around US$ 127) one for multiple entries.