The required number of months outside Thaiand between tourists visas?

[Henderson]

Hi,

I got a multiple entry tourist visa in my home country, spent 9 months in Thailand (visa run every 3 months), then received a single entry tourist visa in Laos (60 days+30 extended) which will expire soon.

I have passive income from abroad which is sent from abroad to my Thai bank account every month, I can show proof of income when needed, I don't work in Thailand, I simply like staying here, spend my money here, same as every other tourist, just for longer periods :)

My goal was to have a short visit in my country and then apply for a new multiple entry visa but I understand that back to back visas are problematic.

My question is how many months do I need to spend outside Thailand in order to make sure that I will receive the new multiple entry visa?

Surely if I am outside of Thailand for 4 months its enough proof that I am not working here isn't it? is there a set time anywhere? I couldn't find it.

Also, is there a limit on the number of Multiple entry tourists visas you can have in your passport?  let's say I do the METV then the single entry visa, go out for 4 months and do the same all over again for years, is that possible?

I am aware of all the other visas options, please kindly focus on the Tourist visa.

 

Thank you all for your assistance!

 

 

[Maestro]

There is no such official requirement. Generally speaking, the issuance of any type of visa is at the discretion of the Thai consulate where the application is submitted.

[Artful Dodger]

I was thinking along the same lines, not for right now but for next year and the year after. If you search for a thread called "Am I Taking a Risk Getting Another METV", there is some useful info there, and in the METV thread someone was saying they got a grilling from an IO entering on their third back to back METV - but got in and was going for a fourth.

 

I don't think you will find a hard and fast answer - that's just not the way it seems to work. It depends who you get on the day and what mood they're in. Four months sounds like a good long time though.

 

It may also depend where your home country is. From what I have read on here, it's the consulates in neighbouring countries that tend to keep the red stamps at the ready. The website of the embassy in London (or maybe it was one of the consulates elsewhere in the UK) said pretty much the same thing, which implies that if your home country is outside the region you are OK.

 

Once you're back in Thailand, brandishing your visa, can they / will they still refuse you entry? I suspect the answer is yes they can, but it doesn't happen.

 

The other question is whether you are better off with a few METVs or a lot of SETVs, for the same total time.

 

I'm just feeling my way I think I'm basically going to do whatever is most convenient, but get at least one proper visa for every two visa exempt entries, avoid extending every single time, avoid leaving on the last possible day every single time, maybe avoid entering at the same airport every single time, and obviously avoid overstaying. Maybe someone with experience can say whether those rules are any good or not, but right now I'm thinking I'll follow them, and if and when the grillings get really bad, stump up for an Elite visa. Trying to plan more than that seems like guessing really.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Suck it and see. That's what most visitors do. <removed>

[aussienam]

I am in the same boat as a self funded retiree a year off from retirement visa age.  Not worth it IMO to get the overpriced Elite visas therefore for me (some wealthy expats here will aggressively defend this and claim therefore you should go back home, etc, but horse for courses) and Ed visas are way too restrictive IMO and require a full commitment to class attendance over a long period of time. 

 

I was given a grilling in Cambodia Thai Embassy once and had to go away and print out bank statements and told to wait several days for a decision which was not fun. Liked to make me sweat and suffer a bit!  I even attached a letter explaining my situation to try to add some additional credibility to my cause and that I was definitely not an illegal worker and could well and truly sustain myself and spend money in Thailand. 

 

Even the 'Lucky' Visa guy well known there said they could not help before I went to the embassy.  Embassy staff said as I had been on a string of back to back SETV after a METV I had stayed too long already in Thailand (over 200 odd days in Thailand in a year).  

 

But I try to get METVs with the extensions in between - but as other posted comment stated, not every time.  I head back to Oz to get another METV but come back via another SEA country is a good idea IMO to have another country visa stamp to show you move about at times.  Also try to stay away for a couple of months in between.  Is a complete pain especially when you have a rented/bought condo and living a life here but options here for Thailand are limited.  Living in Vietnam BTW was an absolute breeze with nearly zero hassles with visas.  

[Essaybloke]

Thanks to all responders here (well most of them anyway). I did not ask the initial question but the information provided here is quite useful.   

[aussienam]

2 minutes ago, Essaybloke said:

Thanks to all responders here (well most of them anyway). I did not ask the initial question but the information provided here is quite useful.   

There is no set time in the immigration act unfortunately.  This has been covered in many postings before as I have read them as well.  It is more of a general policy that is at the whim of the Embassies and as well as the immigration officers at the border.  Legally you have done nothing wrong.  But it seems any suspicion albeit unfounded can still result in a decline to re-enter.  Proof you are not working isn't just defined as keeping away for several months but is mostly on the whole good enough from my experience.  Make sure you also dress well when going to the Embassies, not like a backpacker or 'Cheap Charlie', have bank documents at the ready and a letter all typed out with letterhead to look professional.  Keep calm and polite and smile!

[BuckBee]

I s no set time out of country or limit of back to back tourists but it an area that under more scrutiny at airports than was few years ago.

Once you built up a lot of setv/metv entries you will end up getting pulled for questioning, as long as you honest and have money (20K cash and proof of other funds) you should still get entry . A lot comes down to how you handle the situation and immigration officer involved, super polite and due diligence and all should be fine for quite some time .

I would expect some changes may come on back to back setv/metv in terms of how many can issue or limit on days as it used a lot by bottom of barrel illegal working farang, things change quickly so keep yourself informed prior to travelling .

[NorthernRyland]

2 hours ago, aussienam said:

Even the 'Lucky' Visa guy well known there said they could not help before I went to the embassy.  Embassy staff said as I had been on a string of back to back SETV after a METV I had stayed too long already in Thailand (over 200 odd days in Thailand in a year).  

 

That's the second time I've heard of a person getting a talking to after 6 months in the country on tourist visas. When I was getting a visa extension in Chiang Mai they pulled me out of line to talk to me (first time ever) and asked why I was here for so long and why I didn't get a better visa. I told them I have an online business, I don't qualify for anything else and I spend most of the year in Thailand, and that was enough for them (until next time!).

 

My best advice is plan for the worst always and expect to get banned or at the very least hassled and intimated. I was always really worried about that in the past but now that's it's happened it to me I feel pretty confident explaining to them that Thailand is cheap and we have money to live here, nuff' said. 

[alex8912]

I’m on my fourth METV with approximately 5 months in my home country between each one. I also have a  triple entry and double entry visa before these. The last couple years I had one visa exempt after the METV and entered through Swampy each time. No questions yet. I’ll be doing the same this weekend because I will go to Taiwan before my April 10 stamped in date and returning with no visa just looking for visa exempt entry  but I do have a ticket leaving April  17  and I will carry the cash equivalent of 20K on me just in case. I know I could extend the METV for 30 days before April 10 for 1900 baht but I want to visit a friend in Taipei.  I think that IMO makes me a tourist as well in the eyes of immigration which is what I am. I believe this is exactly what a 6 month METV  was created for and would have no problem explaining this nicely if ever questioned. I mean there is still snow on the ground in my back yard wouldn’t any Thai understand why I need to stay until mid April lol!! 

[JackThompson]

On 3/26/2018 at 4:16 AM, Artful Dodger said:

in the METV thread someone was saying they got a grilling from an IO entering on their third back to back METV ... Once you're back in Thailand, brandishing your visa, can they / will they still refuse you entry? I suspect the answer is yes they can, but it doesn't happen.

It can happen - rarely.  Harsh questioning is more likely.  But that risk can be avoided entirely by not entering by air or at the Poipet/Aranya land-border; all other land-borders you need only a valid Tourist Visa plus (maybe) showing 20K Baht worth of cash.  

 

If you absolutely must enter by air, I would enter at Chang Mai, where the only report of questioning of someone with a TR Visa I have seen (referenced above) seems to have been mild, by comparison to what is reported at the Bangkok airports.

 

On 3/26/2018 at 4:16 AM, Artful Dodger said:

The other question is whether you are better off with a few METVs or a lot of SETVs, for the same total time.

Some might say the METV is safer, because there are more strict and higher financials to get it.  But this question is moot unless entering an the unfriendly locations, above, where it might or might not matter.  No other border-checkpoint cares, because you are 100% in compliance with the laws/regulations which apply, which do not differentiate between these visa-types, or stipulate any "time out of country" requirement before re-entering.  The good entry-points simply follow the laws/rules which are published, and do not try to invent new ones which they seem to think should exist.