Visa Requirements
Let us guide you through the process.
Visa requirements for non-Thai students
Students enrolling at Masters International School must hold a valid Non-Immigrant Visa. Two categories qualify:
- Non-Immigrant "ED" (Educational Visa) — for students pursuing full-time education.
- Non-Immigrant "O" (Other Visa) — as a dependent of a Non-Immigrant visa holder. The parent or guardian must hold a valid Non-Immigrant visa.
Please note: the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is not eligible for student enrolment at MIS. The DTV category is designed for digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent, freelancers, and people studying Thai soft-power activities such as culinary courses and wellness training.
Find your route
Almost every family arrives by one of three routes. Open the one that matches you — each lists its steps and the documents to prepare.
Talk to our visa team
Wherever you are in the process, our Thai Admin department can help. Email visas [at] mastersinternationalschool [dot] org and a staff member will get back to you within 48 hours.
They prepare every visa package and walk families through each immigration appointment.
Route 1 — Moving to Thailand from abroad
The embassy issues a 3-month visa before you travel; you extend it to a full year at Chiang Mai Immigration after you arrive. A guardian visa also needs 500,000 baht held in a Thai bank account.
Step 1 · Apply at a Thai embassy
Apply for a Non-ED visa for your child, and a Non-O visa for the guardian, before you travel to Thailand. Processing time depends on the embassy. Contact us for a visa package and send us the documents listed below. We email you a soft copy; if the embassy requires hard copies, MIS charges 1,500 baht for shipping. Before you leave, have any required documents endorsed (birth certificate, marriage licence) and request an affidavit from the embassy.
Step 2 · Open a Thai bank account
Guardian visa only. Deposit 500,000 baht into a Thai bank account. Contact us for a student verification letter so the bank will open the account. Skip this step if you do not need a guardian visa.
Step 3 · Prepare your visa package
Contact us for the Google Form link and complete it carefully — your answers determine the visa package we prepare for you. For a guardian visa, the 500,000 baht must stay in the account for at least 30 days.
Step 4 · Extend from 3 months to 1 year
Repeat step 3. For a guardian visa the 500,000 baht must stay in the account for 3 months. Once the 1-year visa is issued, immigration will ask you to file a 90-day report every 90 days. Get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand, and file a TM30 when you return.
Documents to send to MIS
- First page of the student's passport — valid until at least 16 June, with at least 2 blank pages.
- MIS half-year tuition fee receipt.
- First page of the parent's passport — valid until at least 16 June, with at least 2 blank pages (guardian visa only).
- 1,500-baht shipping fee, plus the receiver's name, address and telephone number — only if you need hard copies shipped to your country.
Documents to prepare for Thai visa process
- TM30 — once you have a residence in Thailand, ask your landlord to file your TM30 registration with immigration.
- Student's birth certificate — an endorsed or certified true copy of the original, from the Thai embassy in your home country or your country's embassy in Thailand.
- Affidavit (family relationship certificate) — from the Thai embassy in your home country or your country's embassy in Thailand (guardian visa only).
- Thai bank account holding 500,000 baht — contact us for the verification letter to open it. The deposit must sit in the account for at least 1 month before renewing from 3 months to 1 year, and at least 3 months before renewing for a full year (guardian visa only).
Route 2 — Transferring from another school in Chiang Mai
Your current school cancels the visa tied to it and MIS takes it over — no embassy trip and no need to leave Thailand.
Step 1 · We coordinate with your current school
Send us the contact details of the visa staff at your current school so we can arrange to cancel the visa tied to it. Contact us for a visa package and send us the documents listed below. We email you when the package is ready to collect.
Step 2 · Switch the visa to MIS
Contact us to prepare your visa package. For a guardian visa, keep 500,000 baht in your bank account for at least 3 months. Once the 1-year visa is issued, file the 90-day report every 90 days. Get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand, and file a TM30 when you return.
Step 3 · Renew each year
Repeat step 2 when the visa comes up for renewal.
Documents to send to MIS
- Student's passport (all pages) and TM30 — valid until at least 16 June, with at least 2 blank pages.
- First page of the parent's passport, and the parent's passport (all pages) (guardian visa only).
- Thai telephone number.
- MIS half-year tuition fee receipt.
- Visa cancellation letter from your previous school.
Documents to prepare for Thai visa process
- Student's birth certificate — an endorsed or certified true copy of the original, from the Thai embassy in your home country or your embassy in Thailand.
- Affidavit (family relationship certificate) — from the Thai embassy in your home country or your embassy in Thailand (guardian visa only).
- Thai bank account holding 500,000 baht — contact us for the verification letter to open it. The deposit must sit in the account for at least 1 month before renewing from 3 months to 1 year, and at least 3 months before renewing for a full year (guardian visa only).
Route 3 — Already in Thailand on a tourist visa
Your tourist visa needs at least 25 days left. Immigration issues the Non-ED or Non-O in 21–25 days as a 3-month visa, which you then extend to a full year.
Step 1 · Open a Thai bank account
Guardian visa only. Deposit 500,000 baht into a Thai bank account (Kasikorn Bank is recommended). Request a student verification letter from MIS so the bank will open the account, then request a residence certificate at the immigration office near the airport — that counter is open 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon only. Skip this step if you do not need a guardian visa.
Step 2 · Apply to change your visa
Your current visa must have at least 25 days left. If it does not, extend it for 30 days first. For a guardian visa, your child must already hold a 1-year student visa. Contact us for a visa package and send us the documents listed below. We email you when it is ready to collect. After immigration approves it, the Non-ED or Non-O is issued in 21–25 days. It is a 3-month visa, not a 1-year visa.
Step 3 · Extend from 3 months to 1 year
Contact us to prepare your visa package. For a guardian visa, keep 500,000 baht in the account for at least 30 days. Once the 1-year visa is issued, file the 90-day report every 90 days. Get a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand, and file a TM30 when you return.
Step 4 · Renew each year
Repeat step 3. For a guardian visa, the 500,000 baht must stay in the account for at least 3 months.
Documents to send to MIS
- Student's passport (all pages) and TM30 — valid until at least 30 June, with at least 2 blank pages.
- First page of the parent's passport, and the parent's passport (all pages) with TM30 (guardian visa only).
- Thai telephone number.
- MIS half-year tuition fee receipt.
- A photo taken at MIS — students come to campus for this.
Documents to prepare for Thai visa process
- 2 copies of the house rental contract and title deed, signed by the landlord.
- 2 copies of the landlord's Thai ID card and house register, signed by the landlord.
- 2 copies of the student's birth certificate, with the original — an endorsed or certified true copy from the Thai embassy in your home country or your embassy in Thailand.
- 2 copies of the parents' marriage licence, with the original — endorsed or certified in the same way.
- Affidavit (family relationship certificate) — from the Thai embassy in your home country or your embassy in Thailand (guardian visa only).
- Thai bank account holding 500,000 baht — contact us for the verification letter to open it. The deposit must sit in the account for at least 1 month before renewing from 3 months to 1 year, and at least 3 months before renewing for a full year (guardian visa only).
Frequently asked questions
Can students apply for an Educational Visa?
Yes. Students can apply for an Educational (ED) Visa once they have completed the Admissions process and received their Official Acceptance Letter.
What must be paid before a visa packet is processed?
Enrollment fee and half-year tuition must be paid before a visa packet can be processed.
Where do I get the initial ED visa?
At any Royal Thai Embassy or Thai Consulate General — in your home country, or in a third country. You'll then convert to a 1-year MIS student visa at Chiang Mai Immigration after 45 days in Thailand.
When does the student visa expire?
June 16 of each year. About 45 days before expiration, you renew for the next school year or cancel if your child is not returning to MIS.
Are visa fees reimbursed by the school?
No. All visa fees are the responsibility of the family. MIS does not reimburse families for visa fees.
Can a student handle their own immigration appointments?
Not until age 20. Students are considered children for immigration purposes, so an adult (parent, guardian, or relative) must accompany the student to every appointment. A person can request a visa extension on their own at 20 years old.
What happens if I get a new passport mid-year?
Request the new passport from your consulate, then go to immigration to transfer the visa stamp from the old passport to the new one. Bring the new passport and school fee receipt to the Admissions Office at MIS. The school will prepare a visa packet when you extend your visa. Submit your request to the immigration office with a 1,900 Baht fee at the extension.
When do I renew the visa each year?
45 days before the expiration date.
What happens if a student leaves Thailand without a re-entry permit?
The visa is cancelled on departure. Always obtain a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand temporarily.
Can MIS provide visas for part-time students?
No. MIS only provides student visas for full-time students.
Where is the Chiang Mai Immigration office?
Two locations are commonly used: Central Festival (Teacher visas, Student & Guardian visas, 90-day reports, and Re-Entry Permits — morning only; convenient for waiting due to nearby restaurants and shops) and the office near the airport (all services including re-entry permits, all day).
How do I cancel a visa if leaving Thailand?
A student or guardian holding a visa must cancel their visa before leaving the country. Coordinate with MIS Admin and Chiang Mai Immigration before your departure date.
Is the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) accepted?
No. The DTV is designed for digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent, freelancers, and people taking Thai soft-power courses such as culinary or wellness training. It cannot be used to enrol a student at MIS.
Who do I contact about visas?
Email visas [at] mastersinternationalschool [dot] org and a staff member will get back to you within 48 hours.