I want facts and experience, not opinions. Thanks.

[elviajero]

No. The MFA have not confirmed details yet. However, so far every embassy/consulate that has announced criteria for applying for the new METV will only issue it to nationals/permanent residents.

Most of the locations that have posted that info were already requiring people to be citizens or residents to apply for a visa or only did single entry tourist visas for non residents.

The Canberra embassy notice does not have that requirement mentioned but does say it is replacing the 2/3 entry tourist visas.

Just a short line about it on the DC embassy website that only says the same thing about 2/3 entry visas.

To clarify I said "announced criteria"

Neither Canberra or DC have updated their websites with full application criteria.

My main point was that it is not correct to imply all counties will require you to be a resident or citizen.based upon what has been posted on the few that have done the full criteria.

I clearly answered his question that it hasn't been confirmed by the MFA yet. The rest was fact that they can interpret how they want.

The only thing I'd be prepared to put money on is that 2 and 3 entry TR's will not be available anywhere offering the METV.

Edited October 27, 2015 by elviajero

[aneliane]

Vientiane will do METV, I saw it on the big billboard inside the Consulate.

I will take a picture of it Thursday.

You mean for ALL nationalities?

[jspill]

Also well done ubonjoe - It seems he got it right when most others really believed that this would not be made available apart from home countries.

+1

[elviajero]

Vientiane will do METV, I saw it on the big billboard inside the Consulate.

I will take a picture of it Thursday.

You mean for ALL nationalities?

Surely if this notice mentioned that it was available to all nationalities we'd have heard by now. The visa run companies have a vested interest in it being available and if they got wind it would be all over the internet.

It could simply be the notice announcing the METV being available from Nov 13th.

[paz]

I'm probably stating the obvious but the chances that any border country will issue METV to all nationalities are near to zero.

Doing that would mean relaxing visa policies (9 months maximum stay Vs current for double), while Thailand in reality wants to tighten it.

[bigt3116]

No FACTS in that just a load of unverifiable Anecdote!

You will never have facts or stats about back doors and corruption in a country that does not allow criticism and you know it, but the fact remains that corruption is endemic here.

If a farang will have to go to farangistan and spend alot of money to get a visa, this being Thailand, there will be always be agents offering, the same service for 20% cheaper and without leaving the country.

It's going to be the same as the "teacher license"- they made legal teaching, so unrealistic (degree in Education for poverty salary)-result = 99% of teachers (even with generic degrees) are illegal here.

Thailand is famous for making rules that they cant enforced, and thats not going to change anytime soon.

Don't confuse not having a teacher's license with being "illegal". I think you will find that the majority of teachers are on license waivers, which is perfectly legal.

[bigt3116]

Cash is king and as people have pointed out money can gain you preferential treatment just about anywhere. If you can not afford the 300 Baht a day for a TE visa you don't have enough money to come here. I am under 50 and don't really want to shell out for it but the reality is that it is dirt cheap. You can not buy your way in to most countries for such a trivial amount. I have decided to leave again as I just simply do not want to pay it. I am not going to cheat my way through. My Japanese ED visa used to cost me $12,000 a year but I enjoyed living there and studying.

It does get annoying to have the over 50 crowd talk down to people that can not afford a TE. For these people there will eventually be a special place in hell when they up the requirements for a retirement visa. I suggest to adjust for inflation they should up the requirements to 3,000,000 in the bank or 150,000 a month for retirement visas. They should also levy a mandatory fee for insurance of at least 10,000 per month payable in advance. It should be around 30,000 Baht every time you do your 90 day report. Though they are right if you can't shell out 500,000 for a TE you have no business being here.

Anyways nobody can provide you with anything other than conjecture about how many back to back visas are allowed. They seem to be in crack down mode and any visa you get could be your last. Nobody knows the answer to this until they get kicked out.

If it is like the last time they upped the ante for "retirement" extensions, those with continuous extensions will be grandfathered, so any increase will not affect them.

[kanook]

Vientiane will do METV, I saw it on the big billboard inside the Consulate.

I will take a picture of it Thursday.

What did the billboard say exactly; METV for all nationalities or only for Laos nationals and residents? I hope you understand that you have posted information that many people are very interested in.

[KonaRain]

TE..triple entry?

Great reading..

Alohz

[KonaRain]

Got it pg.2 Thailand elite..

Thanks

[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.

Edited October 29, 2015 by elviajero

[bigjohn72]

You right.

Mixed up ME O with tourist.

My wrong