The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[Maestro]

He is an employee of his company, isn't he?

[2sigi3]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

[elviajero]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

You need to ask the embassy/consulate you're applying at for a definitive answer. But if you are a housewife then put that on the application form and make them aware that you are traveling with your husband. As long as you can both show the money needed I am pretty sure they will grant the visa.

Why do you feel you need a METV. You could get a SETV and then apply for another locally once in Thailand. You'll have to exit Thailand anyway after 60/90 days so you could go and get another then.

Edited January 16, 2016 by elviajero

[2sigi3]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

You need to ask the embassy/consulate you're applying at for a definitive answer. But if you are a housewife then put that on the application form and make them aware that you are traveling with your husband. As long as you can both show the money needed I am pretty sure they will grant the visa.

Why do you feel you need a METV. You could get a SETV and then apply for another locally once in Thailand. You'll have to exit Thailand anyway after 60/90 days so you could go and get another then.

I am not a housewife :-D I am unemployed from december and wanted to take some rest from corporate life SETV is not enough as we need to return to our country after 90 days and we want to stay at least for 6 months so METV sounds better for us

On the other hand thank you very much for everything I´ll call to consulate on monday so hopefully everything will work just fine for us

[bkk6060]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

I wrote "retired" and that was fine.

[BritTim]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

You need to ask the embassy/consulate you're applying at for a definitive answer. But if you are a housewife then put that on the application form and make them aware that you are traveling with your husband. As long as you can both show the money needed I am pretty sure they will grant the visa.

Why do you feel you need a METV. You could get a SETV and then apply for another locally once in Thailand. You'll have to exit Thailand anyway after 60/90 days so you could go and get another then.

I am not a housewife :-D I am unemployed from december and wanted to take some rest from corporate life SETV is not enough as we need to return to our country after 90 days and we want to stay at least for 6 months so METV sounds better for us

On the other hand thank you very much for everything I´ll call to consulate on monday so hopefully everything will work just fine for us

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

[sunnyjim5]

great thank you very much so he can make self-assessment. and what about me? I think I am not able to write housewife :-D or do you think it would be enough just for my husband to have proof?

You need to ask the embassy/consulate you're applying at for a definitive answer. But if you are a housewife then put that on the application form and make them aware that you are traveling with your husband. As long as you can both show the money needed I am pretty sure they will grant the visa.

Why do you feel you need a METV. You could get a SETV and then apply for another locally once in Thailand. You'll have to exit Thailand anyway after 60/90 days so you could go and get another then.

I am not a housewife :-D I am unemployed from december and wanted to take some rest from corporate life SETV is not enough as we need to return to our country after 90 days and we want to stay at least for 6 months so METV sounds better for us

On the other hand thank you very much for everything I´ll call to consulate on monday so hopefully everything will work just fine for us

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

Citizens of some countries cannot obtain visas from anywhere other than from their own country of permanent residence.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20150909-173935-504463.pdf

[BritTim]

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

Citizens of some countries cannot obtain visas from anywhere other than from their own country of permanent residence.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20150909-173935-504463.pdf

That is true. For that reason, I was careful to read the earlier posts in the thread and confirm that the OP was from a country (British citizen) where this does not apply.

[alocacoc]

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

Citizens of some countries cannot obtain visas from anywhere other than from their own country of permanent residence.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20150909-173935-504463.pdf

That is true. For that reason, I was careful to read the earlier posts in the thread and confirm that the OP was from a country (British citizen) where this does not apply.

Now i'm confused. People from countries which are not on the list can obtain a METV in Kuala Lumpur?

[ubonjoe]

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

Citizens of some countries cannot obtain visas from anywhere other than from their own country of permanent residence.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20150909-173935-504463.pdf

That is true. For that reason, I was careful to read the earlier posts in the thread and confirm that the OP was from a country (British citizen) where this does not apply.

Now i'm confused. People from countries which are not on the list can obtain a METV in Kuala Lumpur?

Not the METV but they can get other visas there and other locations.

[JB300]

On an SETV, you need to leave Thailand after 60-90 days (you can extend the original 60-day stay by 30 days at an immigration office within Thailand). However, you do not then have to return to your home country. You can visit a country bordering Thailand (such as Malaysia, Vietnam or Laos) and get another SETV. With an METV, you still need to make trips outside Thailand. You just have greater flexibility about where to go and how long to stay. If an METV becomes too troublesome to acquire, the alternative of back-to-back SETVs is quite feasible.

Citizens of some countries cannot obtain visas from anywhere other than from their own country of permanent residence.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20150909-173935-504463.pdf

That is true. For that reason, I was careful to read the earlier posts in the thread and confirm that the OP was from a country (British citizen) where this does not apply.

Now i'm confused. People from countries which are not on the list can obtain a METV in Kuala Lumpur?

Not the METV but they can get other visas there and other locations.

KL being a bad example, much easier to use Penang (for an SETV).

Edited January 17, 2016 by JB300

[2sigi3]

that is also good to know as I was told that for SETV I need to return back to my home country. I didnt find my home country on the list so if we have trouble with METV now we have at least other option.

[tubby johnson]

Has anyone successfully applied yet for the METV in Vientiane or Savannakhet?

Or is the METV dead in the water, unachievable?

[ubonjoe]

Has anyone successfully applied yet for the METV in Vientiane or Savannakhet?

Or is the METV dead in the water, unachievable?

This has been discussed already in this topic.

They will only do them for Laotians and legal residents of Laos.

[JepSoDii]

After 18 months living in Chiang Mai (I had back-to-back tourist visas July 2013 - Jan 2015), I left Thailand (for Ecuador) 12 months ago, hoping to wait out the visa silliness, and come back about mid-2016 when I hoped things would return to "normal," so to speak. But I've just now heard about these new requirements, and it seems it's harder for people like me ("digital nomad") to "live" in Thailand on a near-permanent basis, at least on tourist visas.

So, just to summarize my understanding of the new regulations, as a US citizen, I can still arrive on a 30-day tourist stamp, but if I want to stay in Thailand longer (e.g., 6 months, and get a METV, I must:

1. Either go home or to a 3rd country Thai consulate (not Vientiane; and Melbourne is the closest Thai consulate anecdotally known to accept citizens of 3rd countries).
2. Show bank balances with an average of over $7k USD (fluctuations acceptable) for the past 6 months.
3. Have a letter from employer of some sort (stating what? That I am employed?).

If I can't meet the above (and I can't meet 2 of the 3--I'm self-employed but don't own a company)

• Somehow get a 1-year non-immigrant B visa (which I have heard isn't common). or
• Be willing to study Thai. Is it still 8 hours per week minimum?

Am I wrong on any these points? If no, any ideas or suggestions?

Edited January 18, 2016 by JepSoDii

[jspill]

Melbourne doesn't ask for the employment requirement, and thankfullly it seems a bit more than anecdote as their own website doesn't state the residency or employment requirements either.

Consulates elsewhere have alternatives for the self-employed like a copy of self assessment tax.

It is officially 8 hrs/week for the Ed visa yes, in practice though is a different matter. Not sure about Chiang Mai but I know some Samui schools are still being very flexible.

Edited January 18, 2016 by ubonjoe
removed quote of a removed post

[BangkokKen]

Whats wrong with Ecuador?

[JepSoDii]

Thanks for that, it is encouraging. I may be able to do "self assessment tax" whatever that is. Education, if there are some flexible schools like you say, then that's possible. I'm not likely to go to Samui, except maybe for a month or so, but maybe some of those schools would do Skype sessions if they are flexible. And, I saw somone posted a cheap AirAsia flight to Melbourne. That's always possible. Thanks again, jspill.

Melbourne doesn't ask for the employment requirement, and thankfullly it seems a bit more than anecdote as their own website doesn't state the residency or employment requirements either.

Consulates elsewhere have alternatives for the self-employed like a copy of self assessment tax.

It is officially 8 hrs/week for the Ed visa yes, in practice though is a different matter. Not sure about Chiang Mai but I know some Samui schools are still being very flexible.

[JepSoDii]

Whats wrong with Ecuador?

Nothing is "wrong" with Ecuador, per se. I like being in a mountain city with cooler air and able to drink tap water, but I never intended to stay here. I'm glad I'll have the chance to travel around a bit and learn some Spanish, but I like Thailand better and I have lots more friends there.

[JB300]

Thanks for that, it is encouraging. I may be able to do "self assessment tax" whatever that is. Education, if there are some flexible schools like you say, then that's possible. I'm not likely to go to Samui, except maybe for a month or so, but maybe some of those schools would do Skype sessions if they are flexible. And, I saw somone posted a cheap AirAsia flight to Melbourne. That's always possible. Thanks again, jspill.

Melbourne doesn't ask for the employment requirement, and thankfullly it seems a bit more than anecdote as their own website doesn't state the residency or employment requirements either.

Consulates elsewhere have alternatives for the self-employed like a copy of self assessment tax.

It is officially 8 hrs/week for the Ed visa yes, in practice though is a different matter. Not sure about Chiang Mai but I know some Samui schools are still being very flexible.

Have you weighed up the cost of an ED Visa + School Fees + 90 Day Extensions + Exit the country every year to get a new visa against the Thailand Elite visa which will give you 5 years (possibly almost 6) with yearly extensions without having to leave the country for 500,000 THB?

[JepSoDii]

Thanks for that, it is encouraging. I may be able to do "self assessment tax" whatever that is. Education, if there are some flexible schools like you say, then that's possible. I'm not likely to go to Samui, except maybe for a month or so, but maybe some of those schools would do Skype sessions if they are flexible. And, I saw somone posted a cheap AirAsia flight to Melbourne. That's always possible. Thanks again, jspill.

Melbourne doesn't ask for the employment requirement, and thankfullly it seems a bit more than anecdote as their own website doesn't state the residency or employment requirements either.

Consulates elsewhere have alternatives for the self-employed like a copy of self assessment tax.

It is officially 8 hrs/week for the Ed visa yes, in practice though is a different matter. Not sure about Chiang Mai but I know some Samui schools are still being very flexible.

Have you weighed up the cost of an ED Visa + School Fees + 90 Day Extensions + Exit the country every year to get a new visa against the Thailand Elite visa which will give you 5 years (possibly almost 6) with yearly extensions without having to leave the country for 500,000 THB?

No I haven't. But I guess I shouldn't, shouldn't I? I could probably come up with 500k if necessary, and if you really don't need to leave every 90 days or check in with immigration after 60 days (I don't know any specifics about the Elite visa program). Then again, if I was to commit to 5 years, I'd probably want to spend some money on school and learning the language.

[Ils1977]

Hi there,

I'm in Chiang Mai on a METV. Does anybody knows if you can extend the 60 days entry at the immigration office? If not, can I do a borderrun or do I need to fly out and come back for the next entry?

Thank you for your answer

Ils

[elviajero]

Hi there,

I'm in Chiang Mai on a METV. Does anybody knows if you can extend the 60 days entry at the immigration office? If not, can I do a borderrun or do I need to fly out and come back for the next entry?

Thank you for your answer

Ils

Yes you can extend by 30 days (1,900 baht)

[luke000]

Hi there,

I'm in Chiang Mai on a METV. Does anybody knows if you can extend the 60 days entry at the immigration office? If not, can I do a borderrun or do I need to fly out and come back for the next entry?

Thank you for your answer

Ils

You could extend it for 30 days for 1900 B , or go to Mae Sai and get another 60 days upon re entry , for 1000B (500B Myanmar Visa and 500 B travel expenses)

[ubonjoe]

Hi there,

I'm in Chiang Mai on a METV. Does anybody knows if you can extend the 60 days entry at the immigration office? If not, can I do a borderrun or do I need to fly out and come back for the next entry?

Thank you for your answer

Ils

Yes you can get a 30 day extension.

You can do your entries by land or air.

[HLover]

Hi there,

I'm in Chiang Mai on a METV. Does anybody knows if you can extend the 60 days entry at the immigration office? If not, can I do a borderrun or do I need to fly out and come back for the next entry?

Thank you for your answer

Ils

Yes you can get a 30 day extension.

You can do your entries by land or air.

Land and air both give the visa holder 60 days?

[BritTim]

Land and air both give the visa holder 60 days?

Yes, each entry is for up to 60 days (or 90 days with an extension).

[bkk6060]

A quick question about extensions?

Are they frowned upon what so ever? If someone has multiple Visas and extensions will that hurt you in the long run if you try for lets say, a Retirement VIsa?

Thanks

[thelongshoot]

Hi there. Any recent reports from UK consulates, applying for METV? I would like to know if they are asking for the documents exactly 'as advertised'? I find it hard to believe that all 3 consulates are demanding you provide ALL of the information - bank statment, employment stand out for me as soemthing they might turn a bling eye to but obviously i would like to know first hand!

[elviajero]

A quick question about extensions?

Are they frowned upon what so ever? If someone has multiple Visas and extensions will that hurt you in the long run if you try for lets say, a Retirement VIsa?

Thanks

• No.
• No, you should have no problem applying for an extension of stay based on retirement as long as you meet the criteria. Your previous extensions of stay and visas will have no bearing on the decision.