ED visa options in Chiang Mai

What an ED visa is

An education (ED) visa lets you stay in Thailand while you study with an approved school or training provider. The visa is granted in stages: an initial period, then extensions as long as you keep up with your studies.

You are expected to study. Schools report attendance to Immigration, and poor attendance can affect your next extension. Choose an option that fits the time you can genuinely commit.

The four options we handle

Chiang Mai Muay Thai (3+3+3+3)

• Up to 12 months in total: an initial 3 months, then three 3-month extensions
• Training is expected. Keep a record of your sessions, such as photos or a log, in case you are asked
• Can be applied for at a Thai embassy abroad, or as a change of visa inside Thailand if you have enough time left on your current stay
• Can be renewed for further years
• Applicants who are not Chinese nationals need a police clearance certificate

Chiang Mai language school (3+6+6)

• Thai or English course, with Thai as the default
• A weekly online class, with 80% attendance required. Too many absences can affect later extensions
• The first application takes two days at Chiang Mai Immigration in person: documents on day one, photo and stamp on day two
• About three weeks later your passport is stamped for 3 months; then two 6-month extensions, each in person in Chiang Mai

Bangkok language school (3+3+3+3)

• A Bangkok-based language school
• A change of visa, then three extensions; each extension is done in person in Bangkok
• Follow the school’s study requirements throughout
• A Bangkok TM30 is needed; we can help if you do not have one

Sakon Nakhon (3+12)

• Run with a school in Sakon Nakhon province
• Two trips to Sakon Nakhon: one for the change of visa, then about two months later for the 12-month extension. Each trip is a day trip
• Your passport is mailed to our office in between so we can collect the 3-month stamp
• Classes start after the visa is granted and depend on your intake

How to choose

Ask yourself three questions:

1. Where will you live? If you are based in Chiang Mai, the two Chiang Mai options avoid repeated travel.
2. What do you want to study? Training and classes have different schedules. Pick the one you will actually attend.
3. How much time is left on your current stay? Most in-country options need a minimum amount of time remaining. We check this before anything else.

Who may not qualify

Eligibility depends on your nationality, passport history and current status. Past overstays or certain travel patterns can make a change of visa harder or add requirements from Immigration. Send us photos of every used passport page and we will tell you which options are open to you.

What we do

We review your passport, recommend an option, coordinate with the school, prepare your documents, book appointments and tell you exactly when you need to appear in person.

Get help

See our education visa service. If you are on a short visa-free stay right now, read extending a visa-exempt stay in Chiang Mai to buy time while you decide, and remember the 90-day report once you settle in. Message us for a quote.