# Study visa application not from origin country



## opahopa (Nov 23, 2017)

Greetings!

I'm from Russia, living in Bangkok, Thailand for past 4 years. Kind of a tech entrepreneur. Currently here on a yearly business visa (no work permit).

Planned to move to Cape town for a year or two, study for a pilot licence, contribute to local IT scene. My skills (tech) are not proven by any certificates. Have a bachelor in computer science & MBA. (most likely can't apply for critical skills visa).

Already chose a flight school and planned to apply for a visa (my Thai visa expire in February), but in past few days once i get into the visa stuff, figured out that going through a required process is probably don't worth the effort. Need to mention that my gf (from Mynmar) need to get a life partner visa (living together for around 20 months, can prove that). She work online as a freelancer and getting a full-time job in Cape Town isn't reasonable for her cause salary is gonna be significantly lower. 

Quite pessimistic about the situation at the moment, so will appreciate any good advise. Still really want to stay in Cape Town for a few years, if there is a reasonable way to do so for us.

Wanted to apply for study visa based on enrollment in flight school.
The *key problem* i'm facing - SA embassy in Bangkok require me to have a work permit to apply for a visa from here, which i simply can't get at the moment. i've been here for 3 years with a student visa (from university) and past year with a business visa. 
Other way - apply for visa from my country of origin. This option is costly and time-consuming (i'll have to leave all the current work here and stay in Russia for 1-3 months. BTW same visa processing time through SA embassy in Thailand is 10 working days). I'll also have additional problems with moving itself this way + as i understood my gf can apply for a life partner visa only after i get my visa => after all this efforts if she is not granted a visa for some reason, the effort was pointless + i lost my deposit in flight school.

*Question:* I asked this at SA embassy in Thailand, but not sure if the staff there is 100% competent about it. Maybe i can appeal about my situation somehow? Write some letter / have an interview, so my application can be accepted at Bangkok?


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## opahopa (Nov 23, 2017)

If any officials are reading this forum - in such case we decided to move to other country. 

Finally, i've gone through the SA immigration Act & interpretation Notes. According to info from there - i can be considered an "ordinary resident" in Thailand (by physical presence test) and found out that even by Thai law i'm eligible to apply to a residency here (but that`s too long process).
Final response from SA embassy in Bangkok - they consider me as "ordinary resident" only if i lived 10 years here. 

As it is often happens, bureaucracy isn't very logical.


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