Muay Thai ED Visa: Step-by-Step Guide for International Students
A Non-Immigrant ED Visa is issued to foreign nationals who wish to study in Ludus Muaythai and MMA School. This visa is generally granted for an initial period of 90 days, with extensions available throughout the duration of the approved course, maximum one year for each curriculum. Ludus Muaythai has 3 main course - Baginer, Intermediate and Advanced Muaythai course.
Guidelines on Details and Timeframes
Approach 1
In-Country Visa Conversion
Approach 2
Pre-Arrival Visa (Applying from Abroad in Advance)
Termination
of Status Procedures
(Student Discharge)
Approach 1
Suitable for students of general nationalities (e.g., European countries, the United Kingdom, the
United States, Australia) who entered the country for tourism purposes and have at least 15-21
days remaining on their current permitted stay:
● Registration and Document Preparation (Takes 1 business day): The student applies for admission, pays the tuition fee (either in full or a deposit according to the school's conditions), signs the application form, and prepares personal documents such as a passport and a residential lease agreement in Phuket.
● Submission for Approval to the Phuket Provincial Education Office (Takes 2 - 4weeks): The school uploads the documents into the Private Education ForeignerManagement System (PFS) to request approval for the student's admission. PhuketProvincial Education Office officials will verify the documents and forward the information to the Special Branch Bureau and the National Intelligence Agency for criminal record back ground checks (the background check process takes approximately 3 business days)before the Provincial Education Officer signs the visa endorsement letter.
● Visa Category Conversion at Phuket Immigration (Takes 6 - 8 weeks): The student submits the endorsement letter from the Phuket Provincial Education Office along with residential address documentation (TM.30/lease agreement) to request a change of visa category to Non-ED (submitting form TM.86 or TM.87). This step involves a relatively lengthy in-depth consideration and approval process.
Caution: The ED Visa service counter at Phuket Immigration limits its service quota to only 30 applicants per day. The school must manage advance queue bookings effectively to prevent students from overstaying their permitted period.
● Visa Stamp and Stay Duration: Students will receive an initial visa stamp permitting a 90-day stay and must report to Immigration every 90 days, as well as pay visa extension fees according to each stay permit cycle.
Approach 2
Mandatory for students from specific nationalities under special surveillance (e.g., China, India,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Middle Eastern countries):
● Online Application (Takes 1 business day): The student submits the application documents, passport copy, and proof of deposit payment through the school's online system.
● Requesting the Endorsement Letter from Phuket Provincial Education Office and Delivery (Takes 3 - 5 weeks in total): The school applies for the letter via the PFS system and submits the original documents to the Phuket Provincial Education Office (takes 2-4 weeks for consideration). Once the school receives the original endorsement letter, it must ship all documents via international registered mail to the student's address abroad, which takes approximately 5-7 business days for transit.
● Visa Application at the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate Abroad (Takes 1 - 10 business days): The student submits a Non-Immigrant ED visa application through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' e-Visa system or submits the physical documents in person at the Royal Thai Embassy in that respective country.
● Arrival in the Kingdom of Thailand: The student arrives in Thailand and receives an initial 90-day entry stamp at the immigration checkpoint. The student is required to bring their passport to contact the school within 14 days of arrival so that the school can copy the documents and report their status to the Provincial Education Officer.
⚠️ Student Attendance Inspection and Termination of
Status Procedures (Student Discharge)
The school's responsibilities continue uninterrupted throughout the entire duration of the course:
● Daily Attendance Checking: Students must attend classes regularly according to the designated class schedule.
● Case of Consecutive Absence Exceeding 15 Business Days: If a student is absent for more than 15 consecutive business days without a valid medical certificate from a properly licensed medical institution, the school has a legal obligation to immediately discharge that foreign student's name from the institution.
● Discharge Notification Process (Takes approximately 4 - 5 business days): The school must submit a discharge request through the Office of the Private Education Commission's PFS system and deliver the resignation submission letter, student roster, and the original student admission approval letter to the Phuket Provincial Education Office.
● Upon approval of the discharge, the data will be linked to the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office to immediately revoke the ED visa, requiring the student to leave Thailand within the specified deadline.