METV Visa - Vientiane, Laos. It's official.

[alocacoc]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

[Kitsune]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

[Kitsune]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

[JackThompson]

If a Thai Consulate in the USA wanted proof that someone was indeed in the USA and not just their passport when applying for a visa, ...

If they explicity state such a rule at all US consulates, I will not be using this method, even if there is a way to "lie and get away with it." I think it makes sense that the Thai authorities simply want the documents supplied to be properly vetted.

Well maybe I'm one of the haters -- but when a Thai Honorary Consulate General, which has for years been regarded as one of the most 'friendly' in the US, says that ALL visa applicants must be physically in the US when applying by mail to their office, and the Thai Visa rank & file discusses how can we not be physically in the USA when applying but somehow convince those in the Portland, OR or some other Consulate that they are, I consider that to be material worth my consideration.

BTW the Portland Honorary Consulate specifically lists $200.00 One year Multiple Entry Visa option on their Visa application form

Agreed on Portland. Note that I stated I would not try to skirt an openly stated rule (even if it is pointless). For this reason, I have already scratched that consulate off my list for consideration under the "mail-in" scenario.

I would, however, take steps to avoid raising red-flags, if/when doing this at consulates with no such rule. Such measures are no different than not showing up at the consulate in a torn t-shirt and flip-flops, and staying below the 'red-flag' threshold, for visa-exempt entries.

[darrendsd]

Yes i did darren. Happy to drop em say at thaivisa bar in sukhumvit. Will you drop yours if consulates do backflip on the only available in ones own country.

mind you cant see that happening.

i was completely blindsided. The stupidity of the new metv has floored me

No I won't because unlike yourself I made no claim, repeated claims actually that it would be available in Laos, and neither did I say it would not be,

My point is that like all of us you had no idea if it would be available or not yet numerous times you stated it would be even going as far as stating what financial requirements would needed to be met to get it, this again despite having no proof of this

My point is you had no idea yet continually posted that you had, giving false hope to other posters

[rkidlad]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Thai visa service has said on its website that after the 13th there will be no more double entries available. Also, you have to go to your home country to apply for a METV visa.

I think we can safely assume this is a done deal everywhere.

[alocacoc]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Paris, Basel and many many more. And even no updates of requirements from MFA.

[BritTim]

Thai visa service has said on its website that after the 13th there will be no more double entries available. Also, you have to go to your home country to apply for a METV visa.

I think we can safely assume this is a done deal everywhere.

I am pretty sure that this is MFA mandated. It is possible that an individual consulate or two will quietly defy the rules (until someone blabs about it on this forum) but searching for consulates openly issuing METVs to non residents will be a pointless exercise.

[Kitsune]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Paris, Basel and many many more. And even no updates of requirements from MFA.

Sorry not wanting to burst any bubble,but a lady posted last week that she called Paris and their requirements are notarized bank statements + notarized letter of employment, residency+plane tickets+hotels bookings... That on top of the "usual" ie you have to be 3 months outside THL to be able to re-apply and you cannot do it by post.

Paris are the worst.

And Switzerland is also residents only.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post (not about METV)

[alocacoc]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Paris, Basel and many many more. And even no updates of requirements from MFA.

Sorry not wanting to burst any bubble,but a lady posted last week that she called Paris and their requirements are notarized bank statements + notarized letter of employment, residency+plane tickets+hotels bookings... That on top of the "usual" ie you have to be 3 months outside THL to be able to re-apply and you cannot do it by post.

Paris are the worst.

And Switzerland is also residents only.

So far only Zurich.

[JLCrab]

To the above on the Portland OR, Honorary Consulate I just picked that one at random because it has historically been one of the most 'friendly' in issuing visas. I just looked at the Miami Honorary Consulate which I once used but their website info is only as of 2011. What other Consulates honorary or not may do I don't know -- someone else can figure that out.

[Pattaya46]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

Paris, Basel and many many more. And even no updates of requirements from MFA.

Paris is one of worse embassies !

You can't have a triple or even double-entry tourist visa in Paris now, before this METV story, only single ones !

I am sure requirement for METV will be at least as strong as other European embassies, and probably worse...

[alocacoc]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

Paris, Basel and many many more. And even no updates of requirements from MFA.

Paris is one of worse embassies !

You can't have a triple or even double-entry tourist visa in Paris now, before this METV story, only single ones !

I am sure requirement for METV will be at least as strong as other European embassies, and probably worse...

I didn't know that. May be they hate foreigners. I can't see other reasons that some consulates ask for that many paperwork. But then, they look for another job.

[leighd7]

yes du it replaces them but you have to obtain them in the country of your residence. who want to keep flying wasting money when you can be spending it here.

I think that is the realy issue not the money the convenience and ease to obtain.

[MobileContent]

Paris is one of worse embassies !

You can't have a triple or even double-entry tourist visa in Paris now, before this METV story, only single ones !

I am sure requirement for METV will be at least as strong as other European embassies, and probably worse...

A friend of mine from France that stays in Sakon Nakhon got DETV and he showed a return flight back for 4 months later and got the visa.

He stays every year from Oct to end of January in Thailand and then returns, as he runs a restaurant at the French Reveria but takes 4 months of each year. He applied the visa in September in Paris.

[anotheruser]

Time to buy more land in Laos before the wave hits over here. Cambodia is tightening up their visas as well. I can't believe they finally actually pulled the trigger on this.

[jacksam]

Which visas is cambodia "tightening up on"

Also thailand did not tighten up. They removed two visa types and intriduced a non related useless metv. Suitable for exactly who. Will be interesting to see how many are issued over next 12 months.

[Pattaya46]

A friend of mine from France that stays in Sakon Nakhon got DETV and he showed a return flight back for 4 months later and got the visa. He stays every year from Oct to end of January in Thailand and then returns, as he runs a restaurant at the French Reveria but takes 4 months of each year. He applied the visa in September in Paris.

Just look at Paris Thai Embassy there : http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa/informations-generales/reglement-du-service-des-visas/

They explicitly write they don't do Double Entry TV any more (point #3, underlined!), but there are also 3 Thai consulates in France and Double Entry (and maybe Triple Entry ?) are still available from them.

[Kitsune]

A friend of mine from France that stays in Sakon Nakhon got DETV and he showed a return flight back for 4 months later and got the visa. He stays every year from Oct to end of January in Thailand and then returns, as he runs a restaurant at the French Reveria but takes 4 months of each year. He applied the visa in September in Paris.

Just look at Paris Thai Embassy there : http://www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa/informations-generales/reglement-du-service-des-visas/

They explicitly write they don't do Double Entry TV any more (point #3, underlined!), but there are also 3 Thai consulates in France and Double Entry (and maybe Triple Entry ?) are still available from them.

Lyon still does doubles AFAIK, but you have to be in the situation like your friend that spend a good chunk of the year outside THL

Its The Riviera,aka Bottox Land.

[Kitsune]

Which visas is cambodia "tightening up on"

Also thailand did not tighten up. They removed two visa types and intriduced a non related useless metv. Suitable for exactly who. Will be interesting to see how many are issued over next 12 months.

its not meant to suit anyone, its meant to get rid of the poorest.

[jacksam]

I for one truely feel sorry for the under 50,s that came to los and followed the rules. Visa exempt,tourist visas etc. During that time here have made friends also maybe in a relatiinship etc. Now its al changed. Easy for me to not care as currently can stay here basically forever.. i wonder how people like myself on non imm o based on retirement might feel if rules changed. I seriously am sadbout folk that this has effected. Please dont talk anout genuine tourists . If thailand was so stupid or desperate to allow past legal methods of living here....then do a backflip. I love thailand but they do the most stupid things.

[Asiantravel]

Which visas is cambodia "tightening up on"

Also thailand did not tighten up. They removed two visa types and intriduced a non related useless metv. Suitable for exactly who. Will be interesting to see how many are issued over next 12 months.

when I was in Cambodia 3 weeks ago rumour of this was floating about everywhere. They are talking about the one year Visa that used to be referred to as a business Visa. Anyway their line of thinking at immigration is that no more such annual visas will be granted unless you also need for a work permit. In other words if you don't need a work permit because you don't have a business then they will argue you don't need a one year extension and you should only need a tourist Visa. This hasn't been implemented yet but when I was in Koh Kong I happened to be introduced to a retired immigration officer and he confirmed that there are going to be some big changes in the Cambodian Visa system.

[oncearugge]

I for one truely feel sorry for the under 50,s that came to los and followed the rules. Visa exempt,tourist visas etc. During that time here have made friends also maybe in a relatiinship etc. Now its al changed. Easy for me to not care as currently can stay here basically forever.. i wonder how people like myself on non imm o based on retirement might feel if rules changed. I seriously am sadbout folk that this has effected. Please dont talk anout genuine tourists . If thailand was so stupid or desperate to allow past legal methods of living here....then do a backflip. I love thailand but they do the most stupid things.

Your friends may have been "legal" to the letter of the law but not to the spirit of the law which provided tourist visas

not cheap residency visas !

Tourists come, see, enjoy and then go home as many of your friends may now have to do.

[Kitsune]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Thai visa service has said on its website that after the 13th there will be no more double entries available. Also, you have to go to your home country to apply for a METV visa.

I think we can safely assume this is a done deal everywhere.

Thai visa service is talking about Laos.

And even Laos never stuck to any of its own announcement (20k for one)

[rkidlad]

Still plenty of consulates hasn't updated their webpage yet. Well, it's plenty time left.

like which ones?

only 4 days left

Thai visa service has said on its website that after the 13th there will be no more double entries available. Also, you have to go to your home country to apply for a METV visa.

I think we can safely assume this is a done deal everywhere.

Thai visa service is talking about Laos.

And even Laos never stuck to any of its own announcement (20k for one)

Yes, and Laos is where the majority of people go to get their visas. My point is if Laos are playing by these rules, it's safe to assume the other embassies and consulates will too.

[Kitsune]

Thai visa service is talking about Laos.

And even Laos never stuck to any of its own announcement (20k for one)

Yes, and Laos is where the majority of people go to get their visas. My point is if Laos are playing by these rules, it's safe to assume the other embassies and consulates will too.

Yes we are doomed and scared, by this so clever law, and we will leave the country at once, since all consulates are refusing to grant us long term visas nearby.

***Packing as we speak and leaving everything behind***

[jacksam]

You miss my point.......as usual .

Blind freddy could forsee no rule about the limit to back to back tv being just blank cheque to abuse. I am over this. Thai set up these rules and guess what.....they now see that the rules that THEY made are stupid. The solution....introduce another stupid visa. METV.

Most brainless mob you could nit invent

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed as well as other baiting posts and replies.

[Petchabun Man]

This will thin out many very questionable foreigners living and hiding here. It likely in the long term will improve things. Those who have a serious (REAL) relationship with a Thai woman that have not married it could hurt. That is a very small minority. I think its a great idea the only thing i question is the amount in a bank account for six months and the required hotel reservation. That is NUTS!