Vantage TEFL Course &
Thai Visa Requirements
To enroll in Vantage's TEFL, you need to:
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Be at least 18 years of age.
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Be fluent in all aspects of English.*
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Have basic computer skills for presenting and/or creating classroom materials.
* Non-native speakers should be at least a C1 on the CEFR level proficiency scale.
For a quick determination of your English proficiency level, you can take our free General English Test
College Degree Not Always Required
While the Ministry of Education (MoE) requires a bachelor’s degree for teaching positions in formal schools under its jurisdiction, there are many non-formal teaching opportunities that do not fall under MoE regulations. These include:
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Private language schools
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Tutoring centers
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Online teaching platforms
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Corporate training programs
Our guide, Teaching English Without a Degree, outlines these options in more detail. If you don’t hold a degree, your TEFL certification becomes even more valuable.
It shows prospective employers that you have the professional training and practical skills needed to teach English as a second language successfully.
Thai Visa Options for Vantage TEFL Trainees
When you visit Thailand for the purpose of leisure, sight-seeing, and personal enlightenment, you are a tourist.
Visa Information for Those Coming from Outside Thailand
If you’re planning to join us from outside Thailand, it’s important to consider your visa options.
The choices below are the easiest ways to enter and stay in Thailand for up to 90 days (with extension), which is more than enough time to complete your TEFL certification and begin your job search.
Before you apply, please ensure that your passport:
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Has at least 6 months of validity remaining.
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Contains at least 2 blank pages.
Vantage strongly recommends that if your passport is expiring within the next 12 months, you obtain a new passport before traveling.
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Easy Option 1: The Visa-Exemption (VE)
Recent Devilopment: Thailand has amended the VE to 60-days (from the previous 30-day stay), effective 15 July 2024.
Technically, the VISA Exemption is NOT a visa--it's an exemption from getting a formal visa.
The VE allows tourists from 93 countries to enter Thailand without a visa. They are granted to stay for 60 days if they are entering Thailand via an international airport.
VE's are your easiest option...no paperwork is required...they're free.
A VE can be extended one time for a further 30 days—for a 90-day total stay—at any Thai Immigration office. The fee is THB 1,900.
If you enter Thailand on a VE, you may be required to have proof of onward passage. More on that below.
Note: You can get up to six VEs in one year. The trick is you have to fly into a major Thai airport--not cross into Thailand overland.
The Visa on Arrival is Different from a VE
Some people confuse the Visa Exemption with the Visa on Arrival—primarily because both are issued at the airport on arrival to Thailand.
The Visa on Arrival is an actual visa—you get the convenience of getting it at the airport instead of a more lengthy process at a Thai Embassy overseas. For the Visa on Arrival, you’ll fill out a form, pay a fee, and wait at the airport until it’s processed.
Also, the Visa on Arrival is for a different list of countries than the VE. More details are here.
With a VE, you are automatically stamped in through Immigration. Just present your passport with a big smile.
Easy Option 2: The Thai Tourist Visa--Single Entry
The Single Entry Tourist Visa, which is obtained outside Thailand, is valid for 60 days.
This visa can be extended one time for a further 30 days at any Thai immigration office, thus giving you a 90-day stay option.
Single Entry Tourist Visas are relatively easy to obtain. You will have to show flight confirmation status and a recent bank statement showing a balance of at least US$700.
Don't apply for this visa super early! It's only valid for three months, which means you can only use it to enter Thailand within 90 days of issuance.
Note: Now that Thailand has increased the permitted VE stay to 60 days--from the previous 30 days--this option looks less attractive than entering Thailand on a VE.
Extending Your VE or Visa
The VE or Tourist Visa can be extended one time. You can get a 30-day extension giving you a 90-day total stay. The extension fee is THB 1,900.
You do this at the Immigration Division 1 building.
You can find it here on Google Maps. It is very easy to get there from Vantage TEFL. You can take the red BTS line to Wat Phra Sri Mahathat. Here, you will change trains to the pink monorail line and go west until the Goverment Complex station.
Walk back about 250 meters and you will reach the boulevard for the government buildings. There are usually some motorcycle taxis that can ferry you to the right building--just waive your passport--for some 20 baht
Do you want something easier...more online? VFS offers a 500 bhat service (on top of the extension fee). Some of our trainees have used this and have been satisfied.
Proof of Onward Passage
Thailand may require proof that you’ll leave the country within the allowed stay period. This isn’t always enforced, but technically, it's required—especially for VE travelers.
According to The Royal Thai Embassy London: "Foreigners entering Thailand by any means under the Tourist Visa Exemption scheme are required to have proof of planned travel (confirmed air, train, bus or boat tickets) to leave Thailand within 60 days of the arrival date. Otherwise, a tourist visa must be obtained before entering Thailand."
Options for proof:
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Buy a bus or plane ticket to a nearby country (e.g., Cambodia, Malaysia)
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Use services like onewayfly.com or 12GO.com to purchase verifiable temporary tickets
Other Thai Visa Options
Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa (METV)
The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) is also valid for an initial 60 days and it can be extended for 30 more days to reach a 90-day total.
However, unlike the Single Entry Tourist Visa, the METV has 3 entries, so after your 90 days are up, you can start over by leaving Thailand and re-entering the country—each time for 90 days.. You could do this three times for a total of 270 days.
The METV is a good visa for travelers who wish to extensively explore Thailand. However, for those planning to teach here upon completion of their TEFL training, you will need to trade your tourist visa for a non-Immigrant B visa under which you are allowed to work. This whole process of getting trained and finding a job typically takes 30 to 60 days.
The METV also has a more rigorous application process. You have to:
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Apply for this visa in your home country (the country where one is a resident)
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Show a letter from an employer (to verify employment) or a business license (if self-employed),
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Provide evidence of funds in a bank account for the previous six months (no less than 200,000 THB)
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Flight ticket (and possibly onwards/return) for at least the first entry
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Lodging reservation (perhaps proof of payment) for at least the first entry.
Non-Immirgrant-ED Visa (not recommended for most nationalities)
This visa is called a non-immigrant Ed where "Ed" refers to education. This visa was primarily designed for foreign students who wish to study in a formal Thai educational institution—typically a Thai university.
It’s also been used for Thai-language students, and foreigners attending a cultural study or religious course. This visa can be given for one year or as short as 3 months.
This visa requires extensive documentation and can take 5 to 8 weeks to receive. And given that it's good for only 90 days—and you can't work on this visa—it has no advantages over the VE or Tourist Visa options.
The Thai embassy authorities note on their websites that a Non-Ed visa is usually not required for short courses (less than three months) and they cite programs such as Thai cooking, or boxing or meditation as examples.
Once You Start Teaching
Working Legally in Thailand
You cannot work legally on a:
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Visa Exemption (VE)
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Tourist Visa
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Non-Immigrant ED Visa
To work, you must switch to a Non-Immigrant B Visa (business visa). This is typically arranged after getting hired:
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Your hiring school provides an official Job Offer Letter and the required documents
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You apply for the visa at a Thai Embassy (commonly in Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia)
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Once your Non-Immigrant B visa is approved, you can apply for a Work Permit through the Ministry of Labor
💼 Work Permits and Visas are handled by different ministries—immigration handles visas, labor handles work permits.
Summary of Visa Options for TEFL Candidates Coming to Thailand
If you’re planning to join our TEFL course from abroad, here are two straightforward visa options that will give you up to 90 days in Thailand—enough time to complete your training, interview, and secure a teaching position.
1. Visa Exemption (on arrival at a Thai airport)
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Stay up to 90 days (including extension)
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No paperwork required before travel
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Free for most nationalities
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Ideal for short-term stays and flexible travel plans
2. Single Entry Tourist Visa
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Obtained in advance at a Thai embassy or consulate (in your home country or a third country)
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Allows a stay of up to 90 days (including extension)
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Recommended if you prefer to have your visa sorted before arriving
Both options provide ample time to:
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Complete your TEFL certification
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Attend interviews
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Secure a teaching position in Thailand
Let us know if you'd like help determining the best option based on your nationality and travel plans.
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1873/15-16 Sena Center, Phaholyothin Rd,
Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
Tel: 02-511-3516
Fax: 02-511-3515