No more Double Entry tourist visas?

[elviajero]

I don't see a problem here. Reasonable financials, really. Visa cost is not a bank-breaker. Air and Hotel bookings that can be cancelled / refunded are not a problem. Flight-cost to home-country is the only harsh element, IMO.

If the METV isn't available locally then the frequency of home flights will come down to the number of TR's you can get before they say no more. If it proves possible to get a METV from home followed by 2 TR's that means only needing to fly home every 15 months or so.

[Anthony Bozzola]

The METV coming in and the rules that go with it, although a little OTT in my personal opinion, are not an issue. The only thing that bothers me is the word that you can now only apply for it from your own country from the 13th Nov. Are we any closer to confirmation on this because I'm leaving UK Nov 16th and the embassy in London doesn't know how to answer the phone and the one in Cardiff can neither confirm nor deny.

[oncearugge]

The METV coming in and the rules that go with it, although a little OTT in my personal opinion, are not an issue. The only thing that bothers me is the word that you can now only apply for it from your own country from the 13th Nov. Are we any closer to confirmation on this because I'm leaving UK Nov 16th and the embassy in London doesn't know how to answer the phone and the one in Cardiff can neither confirm nor deny.

If there were any confirmation it would have been posted here!

Guess there is , to date, no confirmation!

Keep tuned for further news .........................

NB

Cardiff is not an Embassy !

Edited October 26, 2015 by oncearugge

[paz]

Really? They sometimes don't apply the requirements? For which things? When ? Where?

When you say "in that case", are you talking about the money or residency?

It is true that it seems alot to ask suddenly, but as you also said,could it not just be their plan to just kill 2&3 TR visa?

Yes we have to wait but mostly for Laos

I think that having an exit ticket for any coyuntry will be fine. No need to returne to home country.

But I don;t they will make exceptions to residency and bank account unless the person id know personally by a consular office.

Also I think that Laos will stop issuing double entry tourist via and the multiple entry is made to cause repeated visa exempt user to pay up.

[Anthony Bozzola]

Finally got through to the Royal Thai Embassy in London. Nothing 'Royal' about it but the pain in the arse; rudest lady I've ever spoken to, not too much surprise there though!

Said they know about the METV but have no info to pass on about it when I asked about applying abroad. I did speak to Wellington last night though who said its fine for Brits to apply at there place but not sure what to believe.

Serious question; I'm leaving on the 16th for Fiji and was planning on getting the visa originally in NZ but now I don't know because if this rule comes in I'm up the creek! Would you personally advise just biting the bullet and getting the triple here in Cardiff before leaving and maxing it out until August, because I can always just go elsewhere and head back to Thailand for my flight home next November or just chancing it and sticking to the plan? Why can't they just be clear about these things I refuse to believe it needs to be this difficult.

[VBF]

Finally got through to the Royal Thai Embassy in London. Nothing 'Royal' about it but the pain in the arse; rudest lady I've ever spoken to, not too much surprise there though!

Said they know about the METV but have no info to pass on about it when I asked about applying abroad. I did speak to Wellington last night though who said its fine for Brits to apply at there place but not sure what to believe.

Serious question; I'm leaving on the 16th for Fiji and was planning on getting the visa originally in NZ but now I don't know because if this rule comes in I'm up the creek! Would you personally advise just biting the bullet and getting the triple here in Cardiff before leaving and maxing it out until August, because I can always just go elsewhere and head back to Thailand for my flight home next November or just chancing it and sticking to the plan? Why can't they just be clear about these things I refuse to believe it needs to be this difficult.

Well, as you asked.....

If I was in your place I would get the triple-entry TV now because that's the MAXIMUM you can get until and IF the METV is made officially available.

Let's say you visited the Cardiff Consulate and got it issued on 1st November.

It's good for 6 months so your "Entry before" date, by which you must do your FINAL entry, would be 1st May. That final entry would give you 60 days + extension = 90 days which is about 1st August 2016. (Give or take a few days of course)

After that you could possibly get a single-entry TV from a nearby country giving you another 60 days taking you to 1st October 2016

After that, you could possibly do 1 visa-exempt entry giving you another 30 days to about November 2016

But, this assumes that when your triple-entry TV expires, you don't want to travel elsewhere than Thailand. If you do, the dates move out by the relevant time period(s) So if you spent a month in NZ and get a single TV there you'd possibly return to Thailand in September instead of August.

Hope I've explained it clearly!

Depends a lot on where you wish to be and when and for how long

I agree it's a PITA because the visas are driving your itinerary but IF (!) I was in your situation, that's what I think I'd do....as you asked!

Edited October 27, 2015 by VBF

[bigjohn72]

Here is the picture I promised

[elviajero]

Here is the picture I promised

That has nothing to do with the METV.

Those are the fees for the existing visas.

[ubonjoe]

I have been informed by Thai visa service that they have heard nothing about what Vientiane will be doing.

Also the consul in Bali has informed me that the embassy in Jakarta will make an announcement next month. He knows nothing at the moment bud did say they will be doing 2 or 3 entry visas until informed otherwise.

[DanceAllNight]

well, i hope i can still get the DE visa before Nov 13

[DanceAllNight]

I have been informed by Thai visa service that they have heard nothing about what Vientiane will be doing.

Also the consul in Bali has informed me that the embassy in Jakarta will make an announcement next month. He knows nothing at the moment bud did say they will be doing 2 or 3 entry visas until informed otherwise.

Thanks for the lastest info.

[paz]

Personally I think that the consulates in certain countries (Laos, US, UK, Australia, Indonesia/Bali, Vietnam/Hanoi and perhaps others) do not have any interest, intention or regard for the public in publishing the tourist visa policies that they will adopt Nov. 13th. Possibly one will know what exactly will happen on the same day,

I also think that whatever they will do in regard to nationality, residence funds etc will not change the fact that by order of their supervising authority - Minister of Foreign Affairs, they will not issue anymore double and triple entry.

I would suggest to anyone that needs a double or triple entry tourist visa in one of these countrie to go get it before the 13th and do not rely on changes.

[jacksam]

The METV Will be attainable and many consulates. Just take a chill pill and wait till November 13. What's the fuss

[JackThompson]

The METV Will be attainable and many consulates. Just take a chill pill and wait till November 13. What's the fuss

I wish I could buy insurance on that - enough to cover a few flights to Hawaii.

I suspect the consulates who currently offer DE and TE TVs are not releasing information, because they want to prevent a stampede. I hope I am wrong.

[Lampang2]

The METV Will be attainable and many consulates. Just take a chill pill and wait till November 13. What's the fuss

I wish I could buy insurance on that - enough to cover a few flights to Hawaii.

I suspect the consulates who currently offer DE and TE TVs are not releasing information, because they want to prevent a stampede. I hope I am wrong.

Most likely they are just not very interested in their own homepage.

[jacksam]

The METV Will be attainable and many consulates. Just take a chill pill and wait till November 13. What's the fuss

I wish I could buy insurance on that - enough to cover a few flights to Hawaii.

I suspect the consulates who currently offer DE and TE TVs are not releasing information, because they want to prevent a stampede. I hope I am wrong.

Most likely they are just not very interested in their own homepage.

Good point. Web page in Melbourne was incorrect for 12 months re non imm o based on retirement. I pointed it out. Their reply. Web site not our business.

[Anthony Bozzola]

Finally got through to the Royal Thai Embassy in London. Nothing 'Royal' about it but the pain in the arse; rudest lady I've ever spoken to, not too much surprise there though!

Said they know about the METV but have no info to pass on about it when I asked about applying abroad. I did speak to Wellington last night though who said its fine for Brits to apply at there place but not sure what to believe.

Serious question; I'm leaving on the 16th for Fiji and was planning on getting the visa originally in NZ but now I don't know because if this rule comes in I'm up the creek! Would you personally advise just biting the bullet and getting the triple here in Cardiff before leaving and maxing it out until August, because I can always just go elsewhere and head back to Thailand for my flight home next November or just chancing it and sticking to the plan? Why can't they just be clear about these things I refuse to believe it needs to be this difficult.

Well, as you asked.....

If I was in your place I would get the triple-entry TV now because that's the MAXIMUM you can get until and IF the METV is made officially available.

Let's say you visited the Cardiff Consulate and got it issued on 1st November.

It's good for 6 months so your "Entry before" date, by which you must do your FINAL entry, would be 1st May. That final entry would give you 60 days + extension = 90 days which is about 1st August 2016. (Give or take a few days of course)

After that you could possibly get a single-entry TV from a nearby country giving you another 60 days taking you to 1st October 2016

After that, you could possibly do 1 visa-exempt entry giving you another 30 days to about November 2016

But, this assumes that when your triple-entry TV expires, you don't want to travel elsewhere than Thailand. If you do, the dates move out by the relevant time period(s) So if you spent a month in NZ and get a single TV there you'd possibly return to Thailand in September instead of August.

Hope I've explained it clearly!

Depends a lot on where you wish to be and when and for how long

I agree it's a PITA because the visas are driving your itinerary but IF (!) I was in your situation, that's what I think I'd do....as you asked!

Hey mate thanks very much for taking the time to respond, I appreciate it a lot.

To be honest though I think I'm just going to see how this pans out and play it based on that. I'm in NZ until Jan and will see what the embassy have to say for themselves when I'm in Wellington. If they can get me METV I'll continue on as planned. If not....Well I've always fancied a working holiday in NZ for a while . Thanks again though mate for your time.

[jacksam]

Good plan Anthony. Once it's 100% that you can obtain METV at consulates nearby los , you can enter either on tv or visa exempt then just obtain a METV outside of Thailand where best suits you.

[Anthony Bozzola]

Good plan Anthony. Once it's 100% that you can obtain METV at consulates nearby los , you can enter either on tv or visa exempt then just obtain a METV outside of Thailand where best suits you.

Yeah exactly mate. To be honest calling up all these embassies and sending emails and worrying about is a stress and I don't need this hassle. Their all as clueless as each other, I originally wanted to teach in Thailand with my CELTA and still may but if it can't happen that way I have a backup plan.

I will definitely see Thailand on my travels, just how long and for what purpose is TBC .

[VBF]

Finally got through to the Royal Thai Embassy in London. Nothing 'Royal' about it but the pain in the arse; rudest lady I've ever spoken to, not too much surprise there though!

Said they know about the METV but have no info to pass on about it when I asked about applying abroad. I did speak to Wellington last night though who said its fine for Brits to apply at there place but not sure what to believe.

Serious question; I'm leaving on the 16th for Fiji and was planning on getting the visa originally in NZ but now I don't know because if this rule comes in I'm up the creek! Would you personally advise just biting the bullet and getting the triple here in Cardiff before leaving and maxing it out until August, because I can always just go elsewhere and head back to Thailand for my flight home next November or just chancing it and sticking to the plan? Why can't they just be clear about these things I refuse to believe it needs to be this difficult.

Well, as you asked.....

If I was in your place I would get the triple-entry TV now because that's the MAXIMUM you can get until and IF the METV is made officially available.

Let's say you visited the Cardiff Consulate and got it issued on 1st November.

It's good for 6 months so your "Entry before" date, by which you must do your FINAL entry, would be 1st May. That final entry would give you 60 days + extension = 90 days which is about 1st August 2016. (Give or take a few days of course)

After that you could possibly get a single-entry TV from a nearby country giving you another 60 days taking you to 1st October 2016

After that, you could possibly do 1 visa-exempt entry giving you another 30 days to about November 2016

But, this assumes that when your triple-entry TV expires, you don't want to travel elsewhere than Thailand. If you do, the dates move out by the relevant time period(s) So if you spent a month in NZ and get a single TV there you'd possibly return to Thailand in September instead of August.

Hope I've explained it clearly!

Depends a lot on where you wish to be and when and for how long

I agree it's a PITA because the visas are driving your itinerary but IF (!) I was in your situation, that's what I think I'd do....as you asked!

Hey mate thanks very much for taking the time to respond, I appreciate it a lot.

To be honest though I think I'm just going to see how this pans out and play it based on that. I'm in NZ until Jan and will see what the embassy have to say for themselves when I'm in Wellington. If they can get me METV I'll continue on as planned. If not....Well I've always fancied a working holiday in NZ for a while . Thanks again though mate for your time.

You're welcome - happy travels

[VBF]

If the METV is announced as predicted, and if I want to spend 6 months in Thailand it doesn’t look that onerous. I’m working on the premise that I am a long-term tourist, not someone living in Thailand. If I were, being over 50 I’d have the Retirement option – another subject altogether!

I’m using 50 Baht to £1 throughout – makes for easier calculation and close enough for this purpose.

Present situation

Double entry TV is £50 from London. (Call that roughly 2500 Baht)

So you enter, stay 60 days, pay 1900 for an extension and stay another 30 days. Total so far 4400 Baht for 90 days in Thailand

Do a border run (I’ll assume that costs about 2000) and stay 60 days

Total so far 6400 Baht for 150 days in Thailand

Pay 1900 for an extension and stay another 30 days

Total therefore 8300 Baht for 180 days in Thailand

IF the METV is introduced at 5000 Baht for 6 months validity– several assumptions in here based on current knowledge!

As we don’t know, I’m going to assume that extensions will not be allowed so one will need to exit and re-enter Thailand every 60 days. As a border run is presently and probably still will be more expensive than an extension, this is “worst case.”

METV from London 5000 Baht (assumption)

So you enter, stay 60 days – so far 5000 Baht for 60 days in Thailand

Do a border run (I’ll assume that costs about 2000) and stay 60 days – total so far 7000 Baht for 120days in Thailand

Again do a border run (I’ll assume that costs about 2000) and stay 60 days

Total therefore 9000 Baht for 180 days in Thailand

So the visa fees for 180 days in Thailand will have cost (9000-8300) =700 Baht more over about a 6 month period than getting a double-entry TV. That’s less than 4 Baht per day extra!

Yes, it may be slightly more expensive, but you’d have done 2 border runs instead of 2 extensions and 1 border run and if you want to travel around the region (as I do) you can leave and re-enter Thailand as often as you wish within the 6 months...just like any other tourist! And of course, if you do that, the border run costs will be offset by your other travel costs, which if you want to travel, you’d incur anyway.

For me it will actually be ever so slightly (!) more expensive than double-entry TV because I used to get a multi-entry O visa which, although they were good for a year, I only ever got 6 months usage out of them – they used to cost £125 (roughly 6250 Baht) from a friendly Consulate but I still had to do a border run albeit after 90 days. That worked out at (6250+2000)= 8250 for 180 days in Thailand. With of course, the convenience of the “multi-entry” facility for travelling. NB: Those days are of course, gone but I mention it merely in passing.

Edited October 30, 2015 by VBF

[oncearugge]

In the UK multi entry "O" visas are only available to those married to a Thai or who are in receipt of a UK State Pension.

[VBF]

In the UK multi entry "O" visas are only available to those married to a Thai or who are in receipt of a UK State Pension.

Irrelevant reply! They USED to be easily available from a friendly consulate to those over 50 - Over the years, between ages 50 and 56 I've had 6 of them.

if you're going to comment on my post, please be so kind as to read it first!

Esp the sentence "Those days are of course, gone but I mention it in passing." I've altered the text format to make it even clearer for any one else who misses the fact that it's mentioned "merely in passing"

Edited October 30, 2015 by VBF

[ukrules]

It's going to be an interesting winter season this year.

A lot of people who've booked their winter holidays are going to be disappointed. The flights will have been booked months before these new visa changes were announced.

Anyone who's planning on coming for more than 90 days is going to be in for a surprise when they pop along to the nearest consulate to get their visa and find it's no longer available.

[oncearugge]

In the UK multi entry "O" visas are only available to those married to a Thai or who are in receipt of a UK State Pension.

Irrelevant reply! They USED to be easily available from a friendly consulate to those over 50 - Over the years, between ages 50 and 56 I've had 6 of them.

if you're going to comment on my post, please be so kind as to read it first!

Esp the sentence "Those days are of course, gone but I mention it in passing." I've altered the text format to make it even clearer for any one else who misses the fact that it's mentioned "merely in passing"

Hull, of course, was known to be "friendly" to visa scammers.

I was merely pointing to the current situation and made no comment about your post.

[VBF]

It's going to be an interesting winter season this year.

A lot of people who've booked their winter holidays are going to be disappointed. The flights will have been booked months before these new visa changes were announced.

Anyone who's planning on coming for more than 90 days is going to be in for a surprise when they pop along to the nearest consulate to get their visa and find it's no longer available.

It won't really matter will it? Assuming they're starting their winter holiday from their home country, they'll just get the METV. If you read my post above (#141), the cost difference is minimal...assuming that what we've heard so far turns out to actually materialise.

Whatever happens, I really don't think the Thais will completely prevent people who wish to travel from Europe, N America, UK etc from staying for a winter sojourn. They're surely not that stupid.....are they?

Edited October 30, 2015 by VBF

[jspill]

Hull, of course, was known to be "friendly" to visa scammers.

Someone applying for back to back tourist visas and being approved, is 'scamming' a consulate?

[VBF]

Hull, of course, was known to be "friendly" to visa scammers.

Someone applying for back to back tourist visas and being approved, is 'scamming' a consulate?

You beat me to it - it was allowable at the time by an official Consulate and one never needed to be anything but truthful on the application.

That's no longer the case but when it was, it was legal because the Consulate is the official representative of the Thai government in that location - simples!

To be pedantic mine weren't back to back - I live and work in UK in summer and relax in Thailand in winter, so my trips were 6 months apart - as was evidenced when I truthfully answered the question on the form "date of your last trip to Thailand" - which of course was evident from the stamps in my passport anyway.

Edited October 30, 2015 by VBF

[ukrules]

It's going to be an interesting winter season this year.

A lot of people who've booked their winter holidays are going to be disappointed. The flights will have been booked months before these new visa changes were announced.

Anyone who's planning on coming for more than 90 days is going to be in for a surprise when they pop along to the nearest consulate to get their visa and find it's no longer available.

It won't really matter will it? Assuming they're starting their winter holiday from their home country, they'll just get the METV. If you read my post above (#141), the cost difference is minimal

I think you will find that lots of people won't hand over their financial records to a foreign government just to go on holiday.

I know I wouldn't.

[VBF]

i'm thinking you can still get the double entry visa in places like hanoi, laos, and triple in bali..... however, instead of 1000 baht per entry, the visa will now be 5000b

If that's the case, one suspects that it will be multiple rather than double entry - VERY different indeed! But there are lots of posts on here saying that only nationals of the countries will qualify - we should find out in about 2 weeks.....