The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[SorinTVisa]

Thank you all.

[elviajero]

I'm Romanian.

In Vientiane for B visa or for new SETV ?

Romanians can apply for either at Vientiane.

A 'B' visa will only be possible with supporting documents from your employer.

[bombis]

Im now in my third month now of the 6 months METV.

I was wondering about the following: What are the regulations as to when you can re-apply for a new 6 months METV?

I mean, lets say I get back to my home country after the approximately 9 months I had in Thailand with this VISA (if I get a 30 day extension), I assume I cannot just return home and apply for a new tourist visa straight away.

Is there any time in between before that becomes possible?

I don't see any info on this anywhere.

[elviajero]

Im now in my third month now of the 6 months METV.

I was wondering about the following: What are the regulations as to when you can re-apply for a new 6 months METV?

I mean, lets say I get back to my home country after the approximately 9 months I had in Thailand with this VISA (if I get a 30 day extension), I assume I cannot just return home and apply for a new tourist visa straight away.

Is there any time in between before that becomes possible?

I don't see any info on this anywhere.

• There aren't any published rules or regulations which is why you can't find anything.
• As with any visa it will be down to the embassy/consulate how long you have to wait. I'm sure some, at least, will allow back to back applications.

[elgenon]

I will be in Thailand 14 June to 11 August (59 days) then again 2 Nov to 19 Jan (78 days). Can I easily do both of those on one METV ? Or would it be better to do one SETV and one METV?

[elviajero]

I will be in Thailand 14 June to 11 August (59 days) then again 2 Nov to 19 Jan (78 days). Can I easily do both of those on one METV ? Or would it be better to do one SETV and one METV?

You could do either.

As long as you don't buy the METV more than 6 months before Nov 2nd (May 3rd) you could do it. You will need to get an extension of stay to cover the last 18 days.

[elgenon]

Thanks. Good news I only have to go to the Consulate once.

[chrisgng22]

I think you are under the impression that your visa gives you a total stay of 6 months from the first time you enter Thailand. That is not how it works.

• The visa is valid for use for 6 months from the issue date. You can enter Thailand multiple times before the end of the 6 months being the 'enter before' date (Sep 30th).
• Whenever you enter you are granted a 60 day permit to stay which can be extended by 30 days.
• If you entered on or before the very last day (Sep 30th) you would be granted the same 60 day stay which would take you to the end on November. You could then extend that stay by 30 days taking you to the end of December. That gives you a total stay of nearly 9 months (Apr through Dec)

ok why is everyone talking about 60 days with the metv then get an extension of 30 days from immigration/jomtien?

my metv/entry stamp clearly states 90 days am I missing something here?

[BangkokKen]

ok why is everyone talking about 60 days with the metv then get an extension of 30 days from immigration/jomtien?

my metv/entry stamp clearly states 90 days am I missing something here?

a.jpg

b.jpg

Because what you have is not a METV ie a Multiple Entry TOURIST Visa

What you have is a NON IMMIGRANT visa, yes it's multiple entry but it's not a METV

[elviajero]

I think you are under the impression that your visa gives you a total stay of 6 months from the first time you enter Thailand. That is not how it works.

• The visa is valid for use for 6 months from the issue date. You can enter Thailand multiple times before the end of the 6 months being the 'enter before' date (Sep 30th).
• Whenever you enter you are granted a 60 day permit to stay which can be extended by 30 days.
• If you entered on or before the very last day (Sep 30th) you would be granted the same 60 day stay which would take you to the end on November. You could then extend that stay by 30 days taking you to the end of December. That gives you a total stay of nearly 9 months (Apr through Dec)

ok why is everyone talking about 60 days with the metv then get an extension of 30 days from immigration/jomtien?

my metv/entry stamp clearly states 90 days am I missing something here?

a.jpg

b.jpg

Multiple Entry Tourist Visas (METV) are granted 60 days.

Multiple Entry Non Immigrant 'O' Visas, which is what you have, are granted 90 days.

[chrisgng22]

ok thankyou but im not the wiser lol, so after my 90 days I do a cambo run and get another 90 days?

[lkv]

ok thankyou but im not the wiser lol, so after my 90 days I do a cambo run and get another 90 days?

Yes.

[ubonjoe]

ok thankyou but im not the wiser lol, so after my 90 days I do a cambo run and get another 90 days?

You just need to leave the country and return to get another 90 day entry. You could do it at any border crossing.

[elviajero]

ok thankyou but im not the wiser lol, so after my 90 days I do a cambo run and get another 90 days?

Yes.

• Your visa allows you to enter the country as many times as you want on or before 2nd Feb 2017.
• Every time you enter you are granted a 90 day permit to stay. At the end of the 90 days you must leave the country, or apply for an extension of stay.
• You need to do a border run (out/in) on or before May 9th. And you need to repeat this every 90 days.
• The last entry you can make with this visa is 2nd Feb 2017.

Edited February 29, 2016 by elviajero

[clairerosemont]

hi!

ist there any possibility of applying to the 6 months METV elsewhere than your homecountry? if yes, where is in your opinion the most convenient place (regarding time efficiancy from bangkok)?
thank you!

claire

[JDGRUEN]

You must apply in your home country...

[alocacoc]

There was at least one report from a Brit who got the METV in Melbourne.

[Maestro]

...

ist there any possibility of applying to the 6 months METV elsewhere than your homecountry? ...

Yes, there is. If your country of permanent residence is not your home country, ie not the country of your nationality, you may apply for the METV in your country of permanent residence.

[feelitwell]

hey, where is the safest, saftest and well cheapest but safe is important to make a non E visa.

i would fly out&drive this weekend to wherever its best to do it.

[sunnyjim5]

hey, where is the safest, saftest and well cheapest but safe is important to make a non E visa.

i would fly out&drive this weekend to wherever its best to do it.

I do not know what an "E" visa is or where one can be obtained.

If you mean an "ED" visa you will need paperwork from the school you are enrolled with to support an application at Penang, Malaysia or Vientiane, Laos.

[feelitwell]

Can i drive to chiang saen and get soemthing done there? I either need a non ED visa or TV

[BritTim]

Can i drive to chiang saen and get soemthing done there? I either need a non ED visa or TV

There are no Thai embassies/consulates anywhere in the vicinity of Chiang Saen, either in Myanmar or Laos. Therefore, it is certain that you will not be able to get a visa.

Depending on your nationality, you may be able to cross into Laos at Chaing Khong and return to Thailand on a visa exempt entry. This would give you 15 days (30 days if from a G7 country) that can be extended for a further 30 days at an immigration office in Thailand on payment of 1,900 baht.

[feelitwell]

In laos there is right? i mean ive been there done METV

anyhow, someone have most recent info with a border run by land? i mean not to have too much hustle and kinda one day trip.

Last time i was in mae sai they had big sign on the border that no visa runs..

[ubonjoe]

In laos there is right? i mean ive been there done METV

anyhow, someone have most recent info with a border run by land? i mean not to have too much hustle and kinda one day trip.

Last time i was in mae sai they had big sign on the border that no visa runs..

As said you could d a crossing at Chiang Khong to Laos for a visa exempt entry.

The do not allow a crossing at Mae Sai unless you have a valid Thai visa for re-entry.

[feelitwell]

Oh i see, thanks.

So the process should be fairly simple? I drive to Chiang Khong, leave car at this side of the border and walk to Lao, go other side, turn around and come back in? any fees?

[elgenon]

I will be in Thailand 14 June to 11 August (59 days) then again 2 Nov to 19 Jan (78 days). Can I easily do both of those on one METV ? Or would it be better to do one SETV and one METV?

You could do either.

As long as you don't buy the METV more than 6 months before Nov 2nd (May 3rd) you could do it. You will need to get an extension of stay to cover the last 18 days.

Thanks for your generous help. But please be careful when you say "months". I was fined for an overstay because I thought my visa and extension was good for 3 months. The "enter before " date is 180 days after the date of issue not 6 months.

[ubonjoe]

I will be in Thailand 14 June to 11 August (59 days) then again 2 Nov to 19 Jan (78 days). Can I easily do both of those on one METV ? Or would it be better to do one SETV and one METV?

You could do either.

As long as you don't buy the METV more than 6 months before Nov 2nd (May 3rd) you could do it. You will need to get an extension of stay to cover the last 18 days.

Thanks for your generous help. But please be careful when you say "months". I was fined for an overstay because I thought my visa and extension was good for 3 months. The "enter before " date is 180 days after the date of issue not 6 months.

He is correct. A visas validity is in months not days. You are confusing the permit to stay you get on entry which is in days with visa validity.

[elviajero]

I will be in Thailand 14 June to 11 August (59 days) then again 2 Nov to 19 Jan (78 days). Can I easily do both of those on one METV ? Or would it be better to do one SETV and one METV?

You could do either.

As long as you don't buy the METV more than 6 months before Nov 2nd (May 3rd) you could do it. You will need to get an extension of stay to cover the last 18 days.

Thanks for your generous help. But please be careful when you say "months". I was fined for an overstay because I thought my visa and extension was good for 3 months. The "enter before " date is 180 days after the date of issue not 6 months.

• The new METV is valid for 6 months from the date it is issued. The 'enter before' date will reflect this.
• A SETV is valid for 3 months from the date it is issued.
• The maximum permit to stay that can be granted on entry, with either visa, is 60 days.

[notmyself]

Visa validity is in months while entries are in days so this being a leap year means you get an additional day of validity if your visa includes February. I picked up my triple entry in the morning (early September 2015) and flew out from the UK in the evening so will be able to get the full 270 days that are possible. The METV is essentially the same in this regard.

4*90=360 but there are 365/6 days in a year.

I'm not keen on the financial aspects of the METV because it asks people to be stupid with their money but since I will be eligible for a retirement visa May 2017 it actually might just pay to suck up the loss. Maybe just chuck 800k into a Thai bank (for retirement visa) well early and use that to get an METV to tide me over. This is a tough one because the money I would make on 800k is likely to be higher than the cost of just doing a few SETVs. I'll leave it at that because otherwise I will be going way off topic.

[sunnyjim5]

Visa validity is in months while entries are in days so this being a leap year means you get an additional day of validity if your visa includes February. I picked up my triple entry in the morning (early September 2015) and flew out from the UK in the evening so will be able to get the full 270 days that are possible. The METV is essentially the same in this regard.

4*90=360 but there are 365/6 days in a year.

I'm not keen on the financial aspects of the METV because it asks people to be stupid with their money but since I will be eligible for a retirement visa May 2017 it actually might just pay to suck up the loss. Maybe just chuck 800k into a Thai bank (for retirement visa) well early and use that to get an METV to tide me over. This is a tough one because the money I would make on 800k is likely to be higher than the cost of just doing a few SETVs. I'll leave it at that because otherwise I will be going way off topic.

Chucking 800k in a Thai bank will not get you a "retirement visa" !

That amount of money in a Thai bank might assist you obtaining a one year "extension of stay" based on retirement, if you otherwise qualify.