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New Rules and My METV Fail

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I am in my 60’s, from USA, retired and stay in Thailand for 6-8 months (Oct-May) a year. I did the NON-O thing for years but since I am here less than a year, I decided to just do the METV which was perfect for me.  Last season the immigration officer looked at me with my e-visa in hand and said that I don’t need that anymore. This season I decided to forgo the METV (fail). Now my extension ends Dec 23 and it’s my second for 2025.

 

Will I need to leave until after the first of the year? Can I apply for an e-visa in a nearby country and pick up a visa at the Thai embassy or will they email my e-visa like they do in the USA? What are my options? And thank you…

If you are already on an extension then yes you will have to leave.  The question is for how long.  If they follow the "rules" as have been widely mentioned you'll have to wait until next year to come back visa exempt.  But yes, you can apply for an e-visa in a nearby country, Vietnam or Laos being popular.  The e-visa will be sent to your email but in Laos you would have to go to the embassy to pay for it in cash.  Wherever you apply you have to be in the country when doing so, and prove it.

10 minutes ago, TimLMT said:

Now my extension ends Dec 23 and it’s my second for 2025.

 

Will I need to leave until after the first of the year?

Your extension expires Dec 23.

You need to exit Thailand prior to 23.

You could possibly return visa exempt again in 2026 as new calendar year. 

However even then "safe entry service" Would be advisable. 

10 minutes ago, TimLMT said:

Can I apply for an e-visa in a nearby country and pick up a visa at the Thai embassy or will they email my e-visa

Yes you can obtain eg SETV eVisa at nearby country. 

The eVisa will be emailed to you on approval. 

 

Aside: I'm typing this from Saigon and certainly a chill place to obtain the eVisa. 

Note having USA pp you require a eVisa for Vietnam. 

However extremely easy process. 

No flight details, accommodation etc. 30 day single entry $25usd.

Process time 4 days. Payment online. 

  • Author

Either way I travel to Saigon for an e-visa or until after the first of the year.  What will they require as proof? an entry stamp likely? and how long for the e-visa process in Vietnam? anyone have a clue?

 

Also, my first extension of 2025 was on an e-visa entry.  My entry in September 2025 was my first VE ever.  Does this change anything?

34 minutes ago, TimLMT said:

What will they require as proof? an entry stamp likely? and how long for the e-visa process in Vietnam? anyone have a clue?

You need to be in the country you are applying for the eVisa for Thailand. 

Your entry stamp is sufficient. 

 

The process should take approx 5 days.. 

If I was doing that I would not book my return flight until eVisa is approved. 

  • 2 months later...
  • Author

Update: i ended up going to saigon and applying for my evisa there. however, i had to return before it was emailed to me so i entered visa exempt. my evisa doesn't expire until april. any reason i can't use it my next entry? i plan on going to KUL so i will be entering from there...

55 minutes ago, TimLMT said:

i plan on going to KUL so i will be entering from there...

Should be ok. However obviously would have been best to have waited in Vietnam for approval.

Also would have been best to enter from Vietnam rather than KUL

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