mlkik

Ubonjoe do I have to pay in us dollars and if so can you get them in banks in udon ?

I am living in udon and have metv.I will need to go to laos and then come back into thailand but am unsure of where to cross the border and if I need a visa for laos and an address to stay in laos as I will cross the border and come straight back the same day.

On Thursday I applied for an METV at the Hull Consulate in the UK. My application was completed within 40 minutes and I received my visa with no problems at all.

I had a letter from my employer stating I was employed and my start date and that they knew I was to go to Thailand as a tourist.

I had my 6 months Bank statements. Return air ticket with the return being 5 months later. I had a hotel reservation for the first 6 days stay. Along with the fee and 2 photos this was all I needed.

The staff were friendly and helpful and the whole process was straight forward.

Thanks to you both for the helpful advice

Thanks Joe. I did think about not doing the extensions as Udon is quite close to to Laos. when I apply for the non-o visa for being 50 does this have to then be converted in Bangkok?

In 3 weeks time I will be applying for an METV . I will then be moving to Udon to live. I will extend the visa for 30 days in Udon and then will need to leave Thailand and re enter. As I will be living in Udon where is the best place for me to do this ?

I will repeat this process until the visa expires and this will take me up to my 50th birthday. I would like to apply to stay in Thailand as being retired and have a Thai Bank account with 1 million baht already.

When I turn 50 my METV with an extension of 30 days will only have about a week or so left and so I understand this is not enough time remaining to convert it .

So what should I do ? Should I go to Laos to obtain a visa and if so what type of visa would I need?

HCMC can anyone let me know what this stands for please.

Surely as soon as the passport number is scaned it brings up all previous history attached to that unique passport number. I know it is slightly different but when I opened a bank account at Bangkok Bank they just entered my passport number and found me on their data base within seconds and my account with them was closed 20 years ago.

Have been to the Thai consulate in Dubai for the long stay visit visa . They do not issue visas for longer than 6 months - for US citizens. You need to be resident of Dubai with work contract to get it . The hinted, however, it would be better to enter with a visa on arrival and do the border runner every 90 days .

Unfortunately Consuls don't always give correct advice.

Immigration are cracking down on the overuse of visa exempt entry, and especially back to back border runs to get 30/15 day visa exempt entries. It's meant for tourism and not someone to stay here long term. You are best advised to at least use METV's/SETV's if you want to stay here, but you should get a non immigrant visa if your intention is to stay long term.

You will only be able to get the non 'O-A' long stay visa from the US. However, if you can meet the financial requirements and are over 50 you can get a single entry (90 days) non 'O' visa from embassies/consulates neighbouring Thailand. Having entered Thailand with that visa you can, during the last 30 days, extend your stay for 1 year. You can renew that extension of stay every year.

Going the non 'O' route and extention to stay a year based on retirement can a re entry permit be obtained to leave and return on the extention to stay ?

Yes. You can apply for a single re-entry permit for 1,000 baht. When you return the IO will stamp you back in until the expiry date of your extension of stay. Multiple re-entry permits are also available for 3,800 baht.

Do the re entry permit need to be renewed each year when the extention is granted even if not used?

Have been to the Thai consulate in Dubai for the long stay visit visa . They do not issue visas for longer than 6 months - for US citizens. You need to be resident of Dubai with work contract to get it . The hinted, however, it would be better to enter with a visa on arrival and do the border runner every 90 days .

Unfortunately Consuls don't always give correct advice.

Immigration are cracking down on the overuse of visa exempt entry, and especially back to back border runs to get 30/15 day visa exempt entries. It's meant for tourism and not someone to stay here long term. You are best advised to at least use METV's/SETV's if you want to stay here, but you should get a non immigrant visa if your intention is to stay long term.

You will only be able to get the non 'O-A' long stay visa from the US. However, if you can meet the financial requirements and are over 50 you can get a single entry (90 days) non 'O' visa from embassies/consulates neighbouring Thailand. Having entered Thailand with that visa you can, during the last 30 days, extend your stay for 1 year. You can renew that extension of stay every year.

Going the non 'O' route and extention to stay a year based on retirement can a re entry permit be obtained to leave and return on the extention to stay ?

I am going to apply for a METV at the end of June. Did you have to give the Embassy a letter from your employer stating your expected return to work date ?

This is a problem for me as I will be handing in my notice and they are only prepared to write a letter saying I am currently employed but they won't put an expected return.

No, just a letter of employment should be fine.

I hope when I mention Norwich he will also laugh and stamp me in 555

I am going to apply for a METV at the end of June. Did you have to give the Embassy a letter from your employer stating your expected return to work date ?

This is a problem for me as I will be handing in my notice and they are only prepared to write a letter saying I am currently employed but they won't put an expected return.

It is a re-entry permit not a visa.

You have to apply for it at the office were you got your extension. You can also get it at either airport in Bangkok 24 hours a day on departure from the country.

So in an emergency a flight could be booked out of Thailand and at the airport on the day of leaving a re entry permit could be obtained. Does it take long to issue ?

Has anyone applied for a METV from a Thai UK Consulate ? I am interested on how strict they are on what you have to submit regarding a letter from an employer.

The Embassy in London states a letter from the employer confirming employment and stating the expected return to work date. The Hull Consulate asks for a letter from the employer confirming employment and that the employer knows the employee is likely to be in Thailand for up to 6 months. Wheres the Birmingham consulate asks for just a letter confirming employment as does the Cardiff Consulate.

I can get a letter from my employer stating I am employed but not a letter stating an expected return date as they are expecting my notice when I go. It looks like a trip to Cardiff ,Hull or Birmingham.

The Birmingham Consulate asks only for a letter of employment and today my employer agreed to write one for me to submit. I can therefore apply for an METV.

If your still there can't you get them to write, mentioning that you're a contractor and although employed now they cannot guarantee re-employment on your return, economic climate etc.

Failing that, knock up your own and print it on their letter headed stuff before u leave.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect!

I work for a County Council and they are very strict and will not . I don't thing forging a letter will be the way for me as I can not risk my future life in Thailand by doing this.

Thank you for all your replies.

You would only use border runs if you have the METV. If you end up using 3 x SETV you can extend each 60 day stay by 30 days at immigration, but every 90 days you will need to exit and spend one night in a neighbouring country in order to buy a new SETV. As ubonjoe says Vientiane, Laos would be the best option.

So when entering Laos would I need a return flight ticket to be admitted into Laos ? Can I go to Vientiane by coach with my girlfriend and stay the night and re apply a day later?

You would have to go a little further than the border to get a tourist visa.

Your best choice for getting another tourist visa is Vientiane Laos.

Does this have to be a flight or can this be done by land. Is it realistic for me to enter Thailand on July 7th 2016 and reapply for SETV until I am 50 in March 2107 ?

I want to apply for another SETV giving me another 60+30 days extention as I want to retire in Thailand at 50 and am not 50 until March 2017.

If I can not get a METV and get a SETV instead can I go to Jomtien and get a 30 day extention without showing a flight booked to leave ? Also when at the end of the SETV can I do a border run to Cambodia by land or does it have to be a flight out of Thailand?

MULTIPLE ENTRY (METV)

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

- Passport or travel document with not less than 6 months
- Visa application form fully completed
- Two recent passport size photographs of the applicant
- 6 months bank statement with no less than £5,000
- Letter from employer, confirming employment
- Self-Employed a copy of Self-Assessment
- Copies of flight details and Hotel reservation
- Consular officers reserve the rights to request for additional documents as deemed necessary

Thank you for giving me hope again.

You could apply for an METV, some Embassys are not stringent on which forms they require. if not, get an SETV

An SETV gives a maximum of 60 + 30 extension. I am not 50 until March 2017 and wanted to go in July 2016.

I had planned to get a METV and go to Thailand in July and use this visa to get me through until I am 50 in March next year when I was going to get a non 'O' from Vientiane and stay on retirement grounds.

I have spoken with my employer today and they have said they are not prepared to grant me unpaid leave and write a letter to the Thai Embassy stating an expected return to work date.

So I can not get an METV are there any other options. I have only just agreed to rent my house out and was supposed to start my new life in Thailand.