METV

[Highlander61]

I intend to come to Thailand from November  2023 to March 2024 and enter on at METV, when applying for METV e~visa do I need to show onward ticket within 60 days or with return flight ticket for March 2024 be sufficient. Travelling from UK

[Red Phoenix]

When entering Thailand on a Visa, there is no need for an onward ticket.  An onward-ticket is only needed when entering Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa) - as it can be asked for by the airline to let you board, or but less likely even by Thai border-immigration on entry.

As you would be applying for a Visa (METV) an onward ticket will not be asked for.  And it would be strange if the Embassy where you apply for the METV would require a return-ticket, as you can get almost 9 months out of an METV when you use it to the full. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[balkmup]

I'm in Thailand on my second METV issued from the London Thai Embassy

 

On both applications they wanted to see the full itinerary for the first part of the trip (first flight in and flight out within 60 days).

 

My flights are always on single tickets and I would upload only the first flight ticket into the website application. Both times they sent an email asking for extra documents - full itinerary 2 tickets. ( I also sent a note saying I did not know the itinerary after the first flights as I would be travelling around, This explanation was accepted)

 

And heres the actual email  they sent, copy and pasted.

 

     Dear Applicant,

     Visa application on hold. Please email the following document(s) to [email protected], quoting your passport number on the email subject title.

     Travel booking confirmation - Flight booking confirmation shows your all itineraries from the UK/Ireland to Thailand and the onward flight also shows your 

     name as a passenger (E-ticket).

    *Please note this is an auto generated e-mail. Please do NOT reply to this email.

    Best wishes,
    E-Visa Team

 

[Red Phoenix]

16 minutes ago, balkmup said:

I'm in Thailand on my second METV issued from the London Thai Embassy

 

On both applications they wanted to see the full itinerary for the first part of the trip (first flight in and flight out within 60 days).

 

My flights are always on single tickets and I would upload only the first flight ticket into the website application. Both times they sent an email asking for extra documents - full itinerary 2 tickets. ( I also sent a note saying I did not know the itinerary after the first flights as I would be travelling around, This explanation was accepted)

 

And heres the actual email  they sent, copy and pasted.

 

     Dear Applicant,

     Visa application on hold. Please email the following document(s) to [email protected], quoting your passport number on the email subject title.

     Travel booking confirmation - Flight booking confirmation shows your all itineraries from the UK/Ireland to Thailand and the onward flight also shows your 

     name as a passenger (E-ticket).

    *Please note this is an auto generated e-mail. Please do NOT reply to this email.

    Best wishes,
    E-Visa Team

 

Thanks for reporting your experience!

The important thing being that the E-Visa Team accepted your explanation that you 'did not know the itinerary after the first flights as you would be travelling around'.

And that's exactly the reason that the METV was created in the first place, for people wanting to explore South-East Asia while using Thailand as 'home-base'.  So it is bureaucratic nonsense to require an onward-flight prior to the end of the 60-days your entry on an METV would provide you. 

But if your sensible explanation would not have been accepted you could have provided them with one of the following 3 options:

#1 - Buy an on-line onward-flight booking reservation which can be bought for as little as 12-15 US $, 

#2 - Book the cheapest possible one-way flight out of Thailand to an international destination (e.g. you can buy a Bangkok - Ho Chi Minh city one-way flight for as little as 1.200 THB)

#3 - Book a fully or partially refundable flight-ticket for a nearby international destination from Thailand, and cancel it once the METV has been provided.

[DrJack54]

4 hours ago, Highlander61 said:

when applying for METV e~visa do I need to show onward ticket within 60 days

Yes.

 

[sabaiguy]

On 4/30/2023 at 10:48 AM, DrJack54 said:

Yes.

No.  I got my e- visa in March from LA consulate showing my return ticket 4 months after arrival.