If your GIS student is not a Thai citizen, he or she must have a non-immigrant visa. This visa is only valid for three months from the arrival date. It is of utmost importance that one month prior to the expiration of your child’s/children’s visa, you start the process to extend the visa with the Chiang Mai immigration department in order to obtain a one-year student visa.
The school will provide all the documentation necessary to obtain this type of visa. To begin the process, download and complete the student visa request form at right, and submit the completed form into the main office for processing. Thai law states that school tuition must be paid in full for the entire school year in order to obtain this type of visa.
We cannot enroll or allow a student to attend Grace International School if they do not have a non-immigrant visa.
If you come to Thailand for business or education, you need to apply for a non-immigrant student visa for your child/children. This can be done at any Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate. You will then be granted a 3-month stamp on your passport when you arrive in Thailand. Some countries, allow you to apply for a 3-month, 6-month, or 1-year Thai visa at the Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate. However, they will only authorize a 3-month visa; please check your passport to verify. They do this in order for you to begin the process of converting your first visa to a more appropriate visa type through your company, organization, school, or college upon your arrival in Thailand.
Another option is to apply for a non-immigrant, multiple entry visa. However, with this type of visa you will have to leave the country every 90 days in order to receive another extension, extensions being granted at 90-day intervals throughout the year. However, if you convert the non-immigrant visa to a student visa with the Chiang Mai immigration department, you will not be required to leave the country but will only need to inform the immigration officer every 90 days in order to keep your residency approval. When they you leave Thailand, the 90 days will restart upon your re-arrival date, which is stamped in your passport.
Each time before you leave Thailand, you must apply for a re-entry permit. This is very important. If you fail to do this, you will have to begin the visa process all over again.
For more information, please contact Khun Namphueng at the school office by phone at 052-088-777 ext.140, or by email at visas@gisthailand.org