Confirmed: New multiple entry tourist visa for Thailand available from November

[johncat1]

So if you leave Thailand and return with only a few days left on your METV, will you still get another 60 days ?

[Suradit69]

Thanks but that mean every 60 days need to make border run ?

This will probably turn into a 26 page thread, but my best guess is that a 2 month tourist visa means you can stay for 2 months, whereas before, one had to exit the country on the same tourist visa & re-enter after 30 days...on the same visa...but only if you had a re-entry permit, which to this day, 16 years in & out of Thailand I have never bothered to figure out.

I used to do border runs Pattaya to Koh Kong on a big bike or mostly by car 2001 - 2004. It was cool, as it gave me an excuse to spend a weekend on Koh Chang.

Never had more than a 30 day visa-exempt stamp, but flew out a lot for business. Happiest days of my life.

I have been using the marriage Non-O for a long time, but it's expired.

This is cool news indeed for me & lots of folks.

"...my best guess is that a 2 month tourist visa means you can stay for 2 months, whereas before, one had to exit the country on the same tourist visa & re-enter after 30 days...on the same visa...but only if you had a re-entry permit, which to this day, 16 years in & out of Thailand I have never bothered to figure out."

Well you're right about one thing, you never figured it out.

[sometimewoodworker]

Hopefully more details will come out shortly as to the requirements to apply for it.

But I would not expect to be able to apply for one on the 13th of November at an embassy or consulate. I think it will take awhile before that can be done.

Can you please explain me how is this new ( proposed ) type deferent from previous one?

It's in the name! Multi entry vs single, double or triple. So you can enter and leave as many times as you like while the visa is valid.

Good for tourists who want to visit other countries and pop in and out of Thailand during the 6 months.

Not designed for people who want to stay in Thailand as long, and cheaply, as they can.

[Maestro]

So if you leave Thailand and return with only a few days left on your METV, will you still get another 60 days ?

Yes.

[GotSeoul]

I actually think this is pretty good news. Especially for the profile of folks that I know, including me. :-)

I work for a US based company that has an office in BKK (Ratchprasong area) so I've had the Non-B and all the other requisite stuff for being here for the past 5 years or so. For my company I'm usually conducting business in most other countries in Asia except for Thailand. Especially after the coup because business for us has gone cold here after the coup. Few companies are spending infrastructure-sized amounts of dough on projects when there is this uncertainty. I'm here on the weekends and the odd week or two each month that I'm not conducting business somewhere else in Asia.

I'm considering staying in Thailand after I retire in a few years. I could get a retirement visa or get a Thailand Elite visa, or try for permanent resident, but this METV gives me another option when I'm finished working and can't take advantage of the non-B I have through my company. And for 10k baht a year plus travel, not a bad deal if you like to travel the region anyway.

Where I see this working for someone like me at retirement:

- MIght not want to put the money into the Thai Elite Visa. Although this might have been the option for me over the Retirement Visa.

- Might want to keep big money in home country and bring over only what is needed every couple of months. So won't have to bring 800k baht into Thai bank for Retirement Visa.

- Might want to travel in-and-out of the region and not want to worry about reentry permits and such as you would with a retirement visa. Maybe no big deal, but Hey.

- If I do travel around the region then no big deal to get another METV when visiting another country (I hope this would be the case)

- If I don't travel that much, this would be the fire lit under my butt to go do some traveling if only to get another METV when it expires.

While it might not benefit everyone, or other options suit other people, I can see the METV being a positive for many people. I don't need it now but think the key here is that it gives me another viable option after I'm done working.

Edited September 22, 2015 by GotSeoul

[meltingpot2015]

Wonder if this visa will be suitable for backpackers on a shoe-string budget that often stay in hostels dotted in and around the major thai cities. They often visit mayanmar, cambodia etc.

[bamukloy]

So if you leave Thailand and return with only a few days left on your METV, will you still get another 60 days ?

As long as you have 1 valid entry left on any ME visa, you can go out and in before the expiry date and get another 3 months. ( 2 months+ 1 month extension

[stgrhe]

This probably require an amendment to the Immigration Act, and should that be the case, the new form of tourist visa would only take affect once the amendment has duly been advertised in the Government Gazette.

[Maestro]

Wonder if this visa will be suitable for backpackers on a shoe-string budget that often stay in hostels dotted in and around the major thai cities. They often visit mayanmar, cambodia etc.

Yes, it is designed for tourists who plan to enter Thailand more than three times within a six-month period.

[Gringogazzer]

Just a benefit to the year long stayers. Get a triple instead of a double visa for the extra cost that you can get it in the west.

Weren't they unwanted by the government a year or so ago. Only genuine tourist wanted?

The wind must be blowing down from Russia this month.

[jesperdk]

It is too expensive-they are unrealistic in thinking this will boost tourism!

I pay 3750thb for a triple entry tv in Dk, so if i need to pay 1250thb more every 6 or 9 months it wont breake my budget 5555

[meltingpot2015]

Wonder if this visa will be suitable for backpackers on a shoe-string budget that often stay in hostels dotted in and around the major thai cities. They often visit mayanmar, cambodia etc.

Yes, it is designed for tourists who plan to enter Thailand more than three times within a six-month period.

I am talking about the practicalities. 5000 Bhat..For a backpacker tourist, this is a lot of money.

[ukrules]

Lots of people stay in Thailand for only 60 days. They won't go to immigration 'for an extension' and they won't ever do a visa run - they just go home before the 60 days are up. They book their flights and accomodation well in advance based on the 60 days which are allowed.

Immigration should wake up to this fact and allow people to enter for 90 to 120 days at a time, I'm sure they would see an increase in the number of tourists staying longer instead of just going home at the end of their 60 days.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who are doing visa runs and living here, I'm talking about people who come for part of the winter.

I know people who will never go to immigration to get extensions and do visa runs, they just go home before the stamp runs out. It's all booked up before they come, they read about the maximum 60 day stay and they stay for 60 days or less. If they read 90 or 120 days then I'm pretty sure a percentage of them would stay for longer. Of course I don't know what this percentage is but it could be significant. Even a few percent of longer winter stayers could have a trickle down affect across the entire tourist industry.

It's no coincidence that my mother who's coming again this winter is staying for about 58 days this time. She's booked the flight and accomodation already and is sticking to the published limit.

[Gringogazzer]

Lots of people stay in Thailand for only 60 days. They won't go to immigration 'for an extension' and they won't ever do a visa run - they just go home before the 60 days are up. They book their flights and accomodation well in advance based on the 60 days which are allowed.

Immigration should wake up to this fact and allow people to enter for 90 to 120 days at a time, I'm sure they would see an increase in the number of tourists staying longer instead of just going home at the end of their 60 days.

Obviously I'm not talking about people who are doing visa runs and living here, I'm talking about people who come for part of the winter.

I know people who will never go to immigration to get extensions and do visa runs, they just go home before the stamp runs out. It's all booked up before they come, they read about the maximum 60 day stay and they stay for 60 days or less. If they read 90 or 120 days then I'm pretty sure a percentage of them would stay for longer. Of course I don't know what this percentage is but it could be significant. Even a few percent of longer winter stayers could have a trickle down affect across the entire tourist industry.

It's no coincidence that my mother who's coming again this winter is staying for about 58 days this time. She's booked the flight and accomodation already and is sticking to the published limit.

Totally agree.

But visa runs are a business in themself. A bird in the hand springs to mind.

[PoorSucker]

Guess it is good news for some, like Africans that can not apply for visa other than their home country.

[Pattaya46]

Obviously I'm not talking about people who are doing visa runs and living here,

I'm talking about people who come for part of the winter.

Winter being only 3 months long*, these people have no problem to stay with existing visa

* "Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter

[SunsetT]

This sounds to me very similar to the current triple-entry tourist visa, except it costs 2000 Baht more and has multiple entries not 3 entries.

Yes......I hope they dont stop the triple entry.......It suits me fine for a 6 months stay.

[lee b]

i will keep my non O 2000 b 60 day extension 1900 b and one border run to mae sai 1500 b , that mean 5400 6 month

1500 THB to Mae Sai? What is this for? The stamp in Burma only costs 500 THB..If you are invluding bus trips with this then i understand.

[BKKSnowBird]

If you are really a tourist and not working then leaving every 60 days is reasonable IMO.

[ukrules]

Obviously I'm not talking about people who are doing visa runs and living here,

I'm talking about people who come for part of the winter.

Winter being only 3 months long*, these people have no problem to stay with existing visa

* "Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter

The standard 60 days doesn't quite cover it and I'm really referring to people who come to Thailand when it's cold at home be it Autumn, Winter or Spring - in some places it's cold in all three of those.

Here in Hua Hin I've noticed people have already started arriving for the 'winter' from some Scandinavian countries.

[Nice Boyd]

This sounds to me very similar to the current triple-entry tourist visa, except it costs 2000 Baht more and has multiple entries not 3 entries.

The 3-entry tourist visa disappeared from many countries long ago. You're lucky ti still be able to get one.

I think this visa is for those who frequently travel between Thailand and other country(ies) and used to use the visa exemption way. They can now get a proper visa and no need of a re-entry-permit.

And no, it's not a solution for those who want live here as a "permanent tourist". For them, see post above

Exactly...

[BKKSnowBird]

Maybe if you do a visa run just before it expires you can get 8 months out of it?

[stoneyboy]

I feel this is a pretty good option for actual tourists,not people living here on the QT of course that's not its purpose.

[geisha]

In which countries will this visa be available, or is it too early to ask ? Thanks.

[Kasset Tak]

I like this news! This means that if I stop working I can go to Mae Sot every 2 months and just re-enter instead of trying to get an extension at the immigration checkpoint!

Those who work at the border are nice but the ladies in the office are just nasty and makes their own rules:

No extension of tourist visa unless you live in Tak or Sukhothai province. Last time I went there having a tourist visa they refused to extend it as I lived in Kamphaeng Phet at that time, I had to go to a funeral in Mera Mat so I was passing Mae Sot on my way.

No flexibility. They refused to extend my non-b visa based on that my TOEIC exam was 25 month old. So I went to Phitsanulok which is even wrong immigration checkpoint (live in Sukhothai) and they gave me the extension with no problem!

[devaram]

Thanks but that mean every 60 days need to make border run ?

I would expect that you could go to Immigration and get a 30 day extension on each 60 day entry.

I can't imagine they'd want to lose out on the 1900 THB fees for extensions.

But like all other Multi Entry Visas, you will need to leave every 90 days in that case.

No it will not be like that.

They want you out of the country every 60 buts possible they will add another 30 onto the total visa for 1900

[sehervomstein]

What is all that fuse here? I find that multiple entry option great so if let say I am here ust for 15 days and then have to get out for a Consulting Job to Japan or Sri Lanka, or Uganda etc. I return and get stamped another Entry for 60 days again. If no Job I stay if an Job I leave and return again. Makes a lot of sense better than the normal Tourist Visa because when done it is done. With all that Visa crap I was even thinking to locate myself to the Filipinnes where you just arive and actually never have to get out there. But as the technology is made here in Thailand it would be more complicate things. Now let see how it will work out after that I decide what to do.

[djayz]

Amazing all the comments, and mainly they are coming NOT from genuine tourists, but from long stay individuals

Immigration needs to define tourist, and exclude long stays from using it

There are retirement and marriage visa extensions

There are working visa for school teachers etc

There is the Investment visa

There is the elite card

You can choose from quite a generous list but long stay should not be using tourist

+1 Best comment sofar. I couldn't agree more.

[Namplik]

Great news!

I come and go all year round, so this new visa would be great for me. Normally I stay about 3 weeks, back to my home country for work 3 weeks and so on....

[phrodan]

It suits guys like me that spend six months of the year in Thailand - now I can nip in and out of the country whenever it suits me, and not feel imprisoned by the current limitations of the tourist visa/doubts about re-entry due to multiple entries. It's a genuine option for genuine travelers and tourists.