Notification of the Ministry of Interior

Subject: Permission for an alien to live in the Kingdom to further their education and to study while working on a special circumstance

Given the outbreak of Covid-19 and its toll on the overall economy of the country, the government has thus determined measures to promote economic growth by persuading an alien who studies at a higher educational institution in Thailand to further their education and to study while working in Thailand on a special circumstance, which will benefit the country’s economic development.

Invoking Section 5, paragraph one, of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 amended by the Notification of the National Council for Peace and Order no. 87/2557 on the amendment to add persons with the charge and control of the execution the police’s authority dated 10 July 2014. And Section 17 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, with approval from the cabinet on 28 May 2024, issue the Notification as follows;

Clause 1 This Notification shall come into force since 15 July 2024 onward.

Clause 2 An alien who is enrolled in an undergraduate education program, not lower than bachelor’s degree, of an educational institution in Thailand shall be eligible to apply for permit to live in the Kingdom to further their education a special circumstance.

Clause 3 An alien who is enrolled in an undergraduate education program, not lower than bachelor’s degree, of an educational institution in Thailand shall be eligible to apply for permit to live in the Kingdom to further their education while working a special circumstance.

Clause 4 An alien under Clause 3 shall be eligible to renew their permit to stay temporarily in the Kingdom once for up to one year. In so doing, they shall file documents including letter of certification from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation according to the criteria, method and condition prescribed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and the Immigration Bureau.

Clause 5 The educational institution to which they are enrolled shall file, on behalf of the alien, an application with the Immigration Bureau to renew their permit to live in the Kingdom on a special circumstance according to this Notification and the criteria, method and condition jointly prescribed in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and Immigration Bureau.

Clause 6 A competent official under the law on immigration shall give a visa stamp to an alien under this Notification to enable them to live in the Kingdom temporarily for up to one year. The multiple-entry visa can be used as many times as possible without having to ask for another permit to reenter the Kingdom.

Clause 7 An alien under Clause 4 who wishes to change their visa type or wish to apply for a visa stamp to live in the Kingdom temporarily for other purposes, can do so, albeit the permit to allow the change of visa type and the permit to live in the Kingdom temporarily for other purposes shall be reviewed according to the criteria, method and condition prescribed by the Immigration Bureau.

Clause 8 An alien under Clause 4 who wishes to work in the Kingdom, upon receiving the permit to live in the Kingdom temporarily, shall file an application to change the type of visa to a Non-Immigrant Visa Category “B” and then apply for a work permit according to the Royal Decree Concerning the Management of Foreign Workers.

Clause 9 An alien under this Notification is required to notify a competent official of the Immigration Act their residence according to Section 37, paragraph one.

Clause 10 The permit for an alien to live in the Kingdom on a special circumstance under this Notification shall cease to be enforceable upon the alien’s having their permit to live in the Kingdom revoked by whatsoever reason. Upon the revocation of the permit to live in the Kingdom of an alien under paragraph one, the permit to live in the Kingdom of the alien’s dependents shall also cease to be enforceable as well.

Clause 11 An alien under this Notification shall be exempted from having to seek permission from a competent official to reenter the Kingdom according to Section 39 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522

Issued on 15 July 2024.

(Mr. Srettha Thavisin) Prime Minister

(Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul) Minister of Interior