I'm a US citizen and I applied for an METV evisa on August 9th and was planning to fly out on August 27th. Does anyone know the average or recent processing time? Just getting a bit anxious if it's not approved (or if I messed up on the documents) and wouldn't have time for a single entry.

 

I also didn't notice a place to justify why I need an METV vs a single entry tourist, is that still needed or am I going to be bumped down to a single entry?

 

thanks!

The consulate website states this.

Source: https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/page/visa-information

Info for the METV is here: https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-metv-multiple-entries

If you can meet the requirements for the METV it will be issued.

54 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The consulate website states this.

Source: https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/page/visa-information

Info for the METV is here: https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-metv-multiple-entries

If you can meet the requirements for the METV it will be issued.

Thanks for the info, I missed the embassy's site and was just looking at the evisa site. 

 

Do you know if I would be able to enter on visa exempt and then re-enter later on my METV? Worst case, I could do 30 day exempt + extension and then a visa bounce, right?

33 minutes ago, yoshiv said:

Do you know if I would be able to enter on visa exempt and then re-enter later on my METV? Worst case, I could do 30 day exempt + extension and then a visa bounce, right?

If you have a valid visa in your passport immigration will not stamp in visa exempt.

The METV's 6 month validity starts from the day it is issued.

If you were allowed a visa exempt entry that would reduce your total stay you can get from the METV (about 270 days)

Well, this is timely. I posted a few weeks ago a similar post. I just received my METV yesterday, the 16th. I submitted the application to the LA consulate August 6th. I filled in all the blanks as required, received my visa no problems. They didn't come back at me with any further requests. There is no need to justify why you would want one visa over another. You either qualify for the visa you applied for, or you did not. I showed my bank info, with required funds for the past 6 months. Said I'm retired, and stated income. Showed my plane tickets (the return ticket refundable as I don't know yet what my departure plans are, though I will meet my required deadlines). Showed proof of a hotel stay of 5 days as I plan to get an apartment lease. My guess? If you filled in all the blanks properly you should get your visa by the end of this week.

4 hours ago, JamesLA said:

Well, this is timely. I posted a few weeks ago a similar post. I just received my METV yesterday, the 16th. I submitted the application to the LA consulate August 6th. I filled in all the blanks as required, received my visa no problems. They didn't come back at me with any further requests. There is no need to justify why you would want one visa over another. You either qualify for the visa you applied for, or you did not. I showed my bank info, with required funds for the past 6 months. Said I'm retired, and stated income. Showed my plane tickets (the return ticket refundable as I don't know yet what my departure plans are, though I will meet my required deadlines). Showed proof of a hotel stay of 5 days as I plan to get an apartment lease. My guess? If you filled in all the blanks properly you should get your visa by the end of this week.

Was the plane ticket showed just the return ticket back to your own country or did you also include the flight ticket out to a neighbouring country within 60 days? - I have this same question still awaiting a response from the London Embassy.

 

I was also concerned that a single night hotel booking was not going to be enough, before also getting an apartment lease - However I guess that five nights should not be seen as any different to one night - so it was good to see your experience posted here.

 

53 minutes ago, spambot said:

Was the plane ticket showed just the return ticket back to your own country or did you also include the flight ticket out to a neighbouring country within 60 days? - I have this same question still awaiting a response from the London Embassy.

 

I was also concerned that a single night hotel booking was not going to be enough, before also getting an apartment lease - However I guess that five nights should not be seen as any different to one night - so it was good to see your experience posted here.

 

I believe all you need is a flight out, not a flight back to your country. The national Laos airline used to sell refundable tickets for $100 USD to Vientiane that I have used in the past to satisfy the "out of Thailand' requirement. Good luck.

13 hours ago, spambot said:

Was the plane ticket showed just the return ticket back to your own country or did you also include the flight ticket out to a neighbouring country within 60 days? - I have this same question still awaiting a response from the London Embassy.

 

I was also concerned that a single night hotel booking was not going to be enough, before also getting an apartment lease - However I guess that five nights should not be seen as any different to one night - so it was good to see your experience posted here.

 

I booked it back to my own country so I could use a carrier that I don't have to worry about getting a bunch of grief from when trying to get a refund. COVID taught us to be careful what airlines you're doing business with if you hope to get a refund. I did book it within 60 days, however and I will be refunding it. I don't know what my travel plans will be over the at least 8 months I plan to stay in Thailand, though I will be doing the required border hops.