The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[uptheos]

So why don't you mail in your a METV application to London Royal Thai Embassy with your 125 GBP and a ticket from Phnom Penh to Bangkok and see what happens?

Don't need it, have retirement extensions.

Just trying to iron out the creases

[elviajero]

I understand what you are saying, but that's speculation, because that's not what they say.

They say you must have a valid ticket to Thailand, from where is not specified.

This could be a chink in their armour, not that these smart arse's would ever admit to having one.

The smart arse's would expect to see the person sitting in front of them when applying, or in the country if applying by post, so they would expect a ticket from the UK to Thailand. If the applicant could show a ticket to Cambodia followed by a ticket to Thailand I'm sure they would accept that.

Doesn't say any of the above, just says a ticket into Thailand.

Maybe I'm flying into Thailand June 1st and have a confirmed ticket booked from Pnom Penh on that date, but I'm still making a Cambodia itinerary and looking for cheapest fares. I don't have to use the visa the day it's issued, it has a sell by date thus allowing me time to complete plans in Cambodia.

Maybe they should re-word their requirements to 'must have a ticket from UK to Thailand, if that's in fact what they mean.

No it doesn't specify a ticket from the UK because it doesn't have to and it's better for everyone that it doesn't.

The point is that everyone is supposed to be in the UK when applying so it would follow that the majority of those applicants would be flying from the UK, therefore, no need to specify anything on the website. I am pretty sure that if someone showed flights traveling to Cambodia or Australia or any other country, and a flight from that country to Thailand it would be accepted. I doubt very much if a flight from Cambodia to Thailand on it's own would be accepted.

Edited December 7, 2015 by elviajero

[BritTim]

Doesn't say any of the above, just says a ticket into Thailand.

Maybe I'm flying into Thailand June 1st and have a confirmed ticket booked from Pnom Penh on that date, but I'm still making a Cambodia itinerary and looking for cheapest fares. I don't have to use the visa the day it's issued, it has a sell by date thus allowing me time to complete plans in Cambodia.

Maybe they should re-word their requirements to 'must have a ticket from UK to Thailand, if that's in fact what they mean.

Maybe they should drop nonsensical requirements like flights into Thailand and hotel reservations from people applying for a tourist visa. If someone mailed the passport from Cambodia, the presence of an entry stamp into Cambodia and no exit stamp might be a more reliable indication of an application from a neighbouring country than lack of a refundable air ticket, whatever that ticket's itinerary.

Edited December 7, 2015 by BritTim

[JLCrab]

Some countries like Hong Kong (?) do not use entry and exit stamps in the passport. The people at the Embassy/consulates handling visa applications are back-office clerks not detectives and forensic accountants.

[alex8912]

From reading another post a few pages back, I think think getting a METV from a small consulate in person has way less restrictions than large ones. It also seems that citizens of the USA for some reason or another have it easier than others. This was also true with triple entry visas. All I showed or gave my small consulate which does not have a web site with any info on it and it also does not accept anything by mail was:

A. An Application

B. One picture

C. A copy of my plane ticket with an in/ out ( mine was in Dec 6 and out April 20 ( they also made a copy of it and let me keep mine)

D. A money order for $200

I arrived at 10:55 am and I left at 11:04am the same day with a hand written visa and a little small talk. That's it.

[JLCrab]

Here's a list from JAN 2015 of US Thai Honorary Consulates for those who wanna play I've-got-a-secret.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=303032

[IMA_FARANG]

You can still get a single entry tourist visa....which will give you q 60 day entry to Thailand and a possible 30 day extension on that visa.

Which will give you a total of 90 days.

You could get that in Laos.

You will not get another double entry in Laos or any SEA country after November 23rd 2015.

You will not get a METV in most countries unless you are citizen or a authorized legal resident of that country.

Edited December 8, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[Maestro]

Removed an incomprehensible post.

[Red13]

8 Miles from Home have just succesfully applied for their METVs. I'm trying to get some information out of them.

[expatbrit]

8 Miles from Home have just succesfully applied for their METVs. I'm trying to get some information out of them.

Where is Home ?

[Red13]

8 Miles from Home have just succesfully applied for their METVs. I'm trying to get some information out of them.

Where is Home ?

Clearly aren't a household name then.

UK. They drove up to Hull.

[uptheos]

From reading another post a few pages back, I think think getting a METV from a small consulate in person has way less restrictions than large ones. It also seems that citizens of the USA for some reason or another have it easier than others. This was also true with triple entry visas. All I showed or gave my small consulate which does not have a web site with any info on it and it also does not accept anything by mail was:

A. An Application

B. One picture

C. A copy of my plane ticket with an in/ out ( mine was in Dec 6 and out April 20 ( they also made a copy of it and let me keep mine)

D. A money order for $200

I arrived at 10:55 am and I left at 11:04am the same day with a hand written visa and a little small talk. That's it.

Where is your small consulate, others might live near there.

[JLCrab]

Boston.

[JohnAndSoph]

HI everyone,

Previously we’d applied by post (family of 2 adults, 3 yr old) for a METV but were just given a SETV and the remaining fee returned. The changes were in effect in the time just before we sent it in so we didn’t have all the new requirements.

We went into the Thai Embassy today, with everything listed on the embassy website. The woman at the desk asked for a return flight which we didn’t have (wasn't listed as a requirement) she wouldn’t take our application. A wasted trip for all of us

We’d like to stay 6 months or more and have the funds required between us but one of us didn’t have the money in bank for 6 months.

We fly on Monday and are running out of time. We will buy the return ticket.

Not sure if its worth the trip back to London (we live in Brighton) to risk being refused. Considering getting an ED visa once in the country now.

What are our options please? What would you do?

Thanks, Sophie

[JLCrab]

If you only want to stay for 6 months, then you can get a one month extension on the 60 days of your in-hand SETV and then go to Vientiane Laos for a second SETV without (I believe) any problem for another 60 + 30 days.

Edited December 9, 2015 by JLCrab

[Bucko]

Just for comparison--the latest N.Z Application Form & Guide

latest Thai visa.pdf

Edited December 9, 2015 by Bucko

[JackThompson]

Just for comparison--the latest N.Z Application Form & Guide

I do not believe that document has been updated for the METV. Note the funds required for "multiple entries" are about USD-$3400 - implying to me this relates to the now-defunct doubles and triples - and no other METV-specific language or conditions.

[Bucko]

Just for comparison--the latest N.Z Application Form & Guide

I do not believe that document has been updated for the METV. Note the funds required for "multiple entries" are about USD-$3400 - implying to me this relates to the now-defunct doubles and triples - and no other METV-specific language or conditions.

December 2014 Application & Guide from Thai Embassy Wellington.--

For some more comparison

Thai Visa DEC.2014.pdf

[JackThompson]

Just for comparison--the latest N.Z Application Form & Guide

I do not believe that document has been updated for the METV. Note the funds required for "multiple entries" are about USD-$3400 - implying to me this relates to the now-defunct doubles and triples - and no other METV-specific language or conditions.

December 2014 Application & Guide from Thai Embassy Wellington.--

For some more comparison

Again, the language does not look like the METV is being considered:

"Tourist Visa: NZ$ 50 per entry per person"

- Only options now - SingleEntry or METV - "per entry" is no longer relevant to TVs.

"Visa must be utilized within 3 months from date of issue"

- The METV is good for 6 months from date of issuance.

[Nayet]

I did not peruse the entire thread, so sorry if I am repeating anyone's question: I am planning to apply for the METV in Phnom Penh, but my money is in a Thai bank account. Will that pose a problem? Does the money need to be in a foreign account?

[expatbrit]

I did not peruse the entire thread, so sorry if I am repeating anyone's question: I am planning to apply for the METV in Phnom Penh, but my money is in a Thai bank account. Will that pose a problem? Does the money need to be in a foreign account?

Unless you are a Cambodian National you will be refused a METV which can only be obtained from an Thai Embassy/Consulate in your own home country.

[SaintLouisBlues]

 

Posting a passport while not in the country your posting it to amounts to fraud imho

 

On what basis would it be fraudulent? My cousin lives in Australia but travels on a New Zealand passport. There are occasions when he posts it to New Zealand - I have no idea why but as he's an ultra respectable person I don't believe it would be for a fraudulent purpose

[Nayet]

I did not peruse the entire thread, so sorry if I am repeating anyone's question: I am planning to apply for the METV in Phnom Penh, but my money is in a Thai bank account. Will that pose a problem? Does the money need to be in a foreign account?

Unless you are a Cambodian National you will be refused a METV which can only be obtained from an Thai Embassy/Consulate in your own home country.

Really? Wow. Looks like I'll have to change my plans. I'd still like to know though if I can use my Thai bank account when applying in my home country.

[JLCrab]

 

Posting a passport while not in the country your posting it to amounts to fraud imho

 

On what basis would it be fraudulent? My cousin lives in Australia but travels on a New Zealand passport. There are occasions when he posts it to New Zealand - I have no idea why but as he's an ultra respectable person I don't believe it would be for a fraudulent purpose

I have no idea either but I think New Zealand might not feel the same way if it was indicated that he posted his passport from a country other than Australia.

[SaintLouisBlues]

The latest info on the Sydney Thai Consulate page does not mention income at all. The form is dated "final November 2015" http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/Content/attach-file/VISA_FORM_A_FINAL_NOV2015.pdf and the requirements for a multiple entry visa apart from the outrageous $225 fee is an airline ticket showing the date of the second entry into Thailand http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/Home/visa

Since the stated purpose of the visa is to encourage tourism in the region, surely the Thais would expect an airline ticket from a neighbouring ASEAN country?

[ubonjoe]

I did not peruse the entire thread, so sorry if I am repeating anyone's question: I am planning to apply for the METV in Phnom Penh, but my money is in a Thai bank account. Will that pose a problem? Does the money need to be in a foreign account?

Unless you are a Cambodian National you will be refused a METV which can only be obtained from an Thai Embassy/Consulate in your own home country.

Really? Wow. Looks like I'll have to change my plans. I'd still like to know though if I can use my Thai bank account when applying in my home country.

You will need to contact the embassy or consulate you will be applying at to get an answer to your question.

[JackThompson]

I did not peruse the entire thread, so sorry if I am repeating anyone's question: I am planning to apply for the METV in Phnom Penh, but my money is in a Thai bank account. Will that pose a problem? Does the money need to be in a foreign account?

Unless you are a Cambodian National you will be refused a METV which can only be obtained from an Thai Embassy/Consulate in your own home country.

One unexplored possibility is getting a long-term "E" visa and work-permit in Cambodia, and using those to establish residency, in order to qualify for applying for an METV there. Every process in Cambodia is "tea-money" based to the extreme, but you'd need to give them enough paperwork to allow them to cover their backsides.

The total for that the Cambodian visa and work permit ($300 + $100) might cost less than a round-trip flight home. No "proof" of anything is needed to obtain those Cambodian docs. Beware, though - no reports of anyone using those to get an METV for Thailand successfully, yet.

As to "where your money is" - A non-Lao citizen who had residency, a work-permit, etc in Lao, reported being refused a METV because his funds-proof were not in a Lao bank acccount. No reports yet on foreign-nationals using Thai bank accounts to show funds in their home countries, upon application.

[luke000]

 

Posting a passport while not in the country your posting it to amounts to fraud imho

 

On what basis would it be fraudulent? My cousin lives in Australia but travels on a New Zealand passport. There are occasions when he posts it to New Zealand - I have no idea why but as he's an ultra respectable person I don't believe it would be for a fraudulent purpose

Although we are talking about a different situation .

If you post your passport to an Embassy with the sole intention of pretending you are in that Country, when infact, you are not, is being deceptive

[JackThompson]

Posting a passport while not in the country your posting it to amounts to fraud imho

On what basis would it be fraudulent? My cousin lives in Australia but travels on a New Zealand passport. There are occasions when he posts it to New Zealand - I have no idea why but as he's an ultra respectable person I don't believe it would be for a fraudulent purpose

Although we are talking about a different situation .

If you post your passport to an Embassy with the sole intention of pretending you are in that Country, when infact, you are not, is being deceptive

Usually, using post for passports across national borders is done when one needs a visa for "Nation A" but is currently residing in "Nation B" - but there is no consulate for "Nation A" in "Nation B" - or they do not process passports for non-citizens of that country.

For example, if you are living in Japan, you cannot obtain a visa for Thailand while there unless you are a Japanese citizen. You would then have no choice but to send your passport to another country, where a Thai Consulate exists that will provide you with a visa. In the case of USA consulates who have no stated policy forbidding this (some do forbid it - see Portland), they state they only use local mail services, requiring an intermedidary to forward ones mail there and back.

The pertinent case, of course, is the METV, which is generally not available at local consulates, requiring one post ones passport to their home-country to obtain it - or go on a long unnecessary journey, which serves no purpose at all. Whether or not an METV will be issued by some consulates, when someone honestly states an "abroad" "current address" on the application, is currently unknown.

[JLCrab]

As far as Thailand is concerned:

5. To apply for a visa, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or travel document that is recognised by the Royal Thai Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act of Thailand B.E.2522 (1979) and its relevant regulations. In addition, the visa applicant must be outside of Thailand at the time of application.

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15405-General-information.html

So if you DO mail your passport to your home country or any other country, and given the processing times required by the Thai Embassy/Consulate to process by mail, you may have several weeks where you must reside ex-Thailand which would also be for an otherwise unnecessary purpose and could maybe take longer than a trip to where you might be sending your passport.

Edited December 11, 2015 by JLCrab