No. Your child and the guardian parent need a valid visa before the first day of school. We cannot accept a receipt or any document showing that an application is still being processed, so please apply early.
Visa information
Every international student and parent at SBS Bangkok needs a valid Thai visa. Find the right visa for your family and see each step from your offer to your child’s first day.
Which visa does my family need?
Start at the top and stop at the first line that fits your family.
Find your situation
- Your child holds Thai nationalityNo visa neededEnrol with your child’s Thai documents. A child with two nationalities can use the Thai one.
- A parent works in Thailand with a work permitDependant visaA Non-Immigrant O visa linked to the working parent, usually arranged with the employer. SBS Bangkok confirms your child’s place.
- A parent holds a Long-Term Resident visaLTR dependant visaChildren of an LTR visa holder can usually be added as dependants. Check with the Board of Investment.
- None of these appliesStudent visa and guardian visaA Non-Immigrant ED visa for your child, and a Non-Immigrant O visa for one parent who lives with them.
Visas we accept
Every international student and parent must hold one of these before the first day of school. Please send copies to Admissions as soon as you have them.
Accepted for enrolment
- Non-Immigrant EDStudent visa for your child
- Non-Immigrant OGuardian or dependant visa
- Non-Immigrant BWork visa; family members hold a Non-Immigrant O
- Long-Term Resident (LTR)Holder and dependants
- Diplomatic or official visaFor families posted to Thailand
Not accepted
- Tourist visaIncluding tourist e-Visas
- Visa-free entryThe entry stamp most passports receive on arrival
- Visa on arrival or transit visaShort stays only
- A visa application receiptProof that a visa is still being processed
Holding another visa, such as a Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), a Thailand Privilege visa or a retirement visa? Speak to Admissions before you apply, as your child may still need a student visa.
The student visa, step by step
For families applying from outside Thailand, which is the most reliable route. SBS Bangkok prepares the school documents; your family submits the application and attends any Immigration appointments. Start at least a month before you plan to travel.
- Accept your offerConfirm your child’s place with Admissions.
- Pay the first term’s feesSBS Bangkok issues visa letters once the first term’s fees are paid.
- Receive your visa lettersAdmissions sends the letters for your child’s student visa and for the guardian parent. The school document fee is THB 800 per person for each visa application, for a student (Non-ED) or a parent (Non-O).
- Apply onlineApply at thaievisa.go.th through the Thai embassy for the country where you live. Processing times vary by embassy, so apply early. Tell Admissions which Thai embassy, and in which country, you will apply to, so we can address your cover letter to it. If you plan to apply outside your country of residence, check with that embassy first.
- Travel to BangkokPrint your e-Visa approval, and complete the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) for each family member before you land.
- Send us your visasEmail copies of your child’s and the parent’s visas to Admissions before the first day of school.
Once you live in Bangkok
A student visa first allows a 90-day stay. Keep track of your own dates: these steps keep your family’s visas valid while your child studies with us.
- Register your addressYour landlord or hotel reports where you live to Immigration (form TM30) when you arrive.
- Extend to one yearBefore your 90-day stay ends, extend at Immigration with a letter from SBS Bangkok. Ask Admissions for the letter in good time.
- Report every 90 daysReport your address to Immigration every 90 days. The count restarts each time you re-enter Thailand.
- Before you travel abroadGet a re-entry permit before you leave Thailand, or the visa ends when you leave.
- Renew every yearExtend again each year with a new letter from SBS Bangkok.
Already in Thailand?
A tourist visa or a visa-free stay does not allow your child to start school. Changing to a student visa inside Thailand is a last resort: SBS Bangkok can provide supporting documents, but approval depends on your nationality, the chance of success is low and it is not guaranteed.
- Talk to Admissions firstBefore you make any plans, so we can check the timing with you.
- Immigration decidesA change needs enough days left on your stay, and Immigration does not approve every request.
- Be ready to apply from homeIf a change is refused, your family will need to apply from outside Thailand.
Arriving with a student visa is always the safer route.
Visa checklist
What each side prepares for a student visa and a guardian visa. Each embassy can ask for more, so check its page on thaievisa.go.th.
SBS Bangkok provides
- A school cover letter addressed to the Thai embassy or Immigration
- A student status certificate
- A set of tuition fee receipts
- The school’s establishment documents and a power of attorney
- THB 800 per person, per application, for a student (Non-ED) or a parent (Non-O)
Your family prepares
- Your child’s passport, valid for at least six more months, with at least two blank pages
- A photo of your child taken in the last six months
- Your child’s birth certificate in English, certified, showing both parents
- Both parents’ passports, and your marriage certificate or custody order
- Proof of where you live now, and bank statements for the last three to six months
- A notarised consent letter from the other parent, if only one parent travels with your child
- A police clearance certificate, if the embassy asks for one
- English translations of any documents in another language
Thai citizens
Thai students and parents do not need a visa. Upload one of these instead with your application.
- Thai national ID cardFor the student and each Thai parent
- House registrationThe first page and the page with your child’s details
- Thai birth certificateFor children without an ID card yet
The whole page on one sheet
Download the A4 visa guide to print, save or forward to a relocation agent. It shows which visa you need, each stage of the journey and the full checklist.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my child start school while the visa is being processed?
- We arrived on a tourist visa or visa-free. Can my child start school?
- Does a young child need a student visa?
- Can both parents hold a guardian visa?
- Can the guardian parent work in Thailand?
- How much money does the guardian parent need?
- How much does a student visa cost?
- What happens if a visa runs out?
- My child has Thai and another nationality. Which passport should we use?
- Who can help if Immigration asks for something else?
Can my child start school while the visa is being processed?
We arrived on a tourist visa or visa-free. Can my child start school?
Not on that visa. Changing to a student visa inside Thailand is a last resort. SBS Bangkok can provide supporting documents, but approval depends on your nationality and the chance of success is low, so we recommend applying from outside Thailand. Please talk to Admissions before you travel.
Does a young child need a student visa?
Yes. Every child without Thai nationality needs a valid visa to attend school, whatever their age. If your child is joining Toddlers or Nursery, tell Admissions early so we can prepare the right letters for your embassy.
Can both parents hold a guardian visa?
Immigration grants one guardian visa for each child on a student visa. If two or more of your children study with us, each parent may be able to hold one. Otherwise, a second parent who wants to live in Thailand needs their own visa, for example through work. Admissions can explain your options.
Can the guardian parent work in Thailand?
No. A guardian visa allows a parent to live in Thailand with their child, but not to work. Working needs a work visa and a work permit.
How much money does the guardian parent need?
Immigration asks the guardian parent to keep at least THB 500,000 in a Thai bank account in their own name, for a set period before each extension. Some embassies also ask for this amount, or its equivalent, before issuing the visa. Please confirm the current rules with the embassy and Immigration before you apply.
How much does a student visa cost?
SBS Bangkok charges a document fee of THB 800 per person for each visa application, for a student (Non-ED) or a parent (Non-O). This covers a cover letter addressed to the Thai embassy or Immigration, a student status certificate, a set of tuition fee receipts, and the school’s establishment documents with a power of attorney. Visa fees are set by the Thai embassy for the first visa, and by Immigration for extensions and re-entry permits. They can change, so please check the current fees on thaievisa.go.th and immigration.go.th.
What happens if a visa runs out?
Overstaying leads to a daily fine and can lead to a ban on returning to Thailand. Keep a note of your extension and 90-day report dates, and ask Admissions for a new school letter well before you need it.
My child has Thai and another nationality. Which passport should we use?
Use your child’s Thai nationality. A Thai citizen does not need a visa to study, so enrol with the Thai documents and enter Thailand on the Thai passport.
Who can help if Immigration asks for something else?
Our Admissions team. Rules and document lists can change, and each Immigration office can ask for more. Contact us and we will tell you which school letters we can provide.
Questions about visas?
Our Admissions team prepares the school letters you need and can answer your questions about each step. Email [email protected] or call 02-792-7999, 081-577-8222 or 086-329-7497.
This page explains the SBS Bangkok visa process. It is not legal or immigration advice. Visa rules, fees and documents are set by the Thai government and can change, so please confirm them with the Thai embassy or the Immigration Bureau before you apply. Last reviewed: October 2026.
