The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[tomx2]

 

Hi.

I’m planning to arrive in Bangkok with a 6 mouth MTV Tourist visa on April 12^th, 2018.

Will be applying for the visa at the New York Thai Consulate next week.

I want to skip Songkran and prefer to fly to the Philippines on April 13^th.

 

My plan is  April 12th, pass through immigration at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Get passport stamped. Spend 1 night in Suvarnabhumi. The following day (April 13^th) clear immigration again, get my flight to the Philippines.

 

My question is, when I return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport on April 21^st, will Immigration stamp me a new 60 day(keeping the 2^nd 60 day intact). If not should I apply for a re-entry permit before I leave Thailand?

 

Thanks.

TC.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

•  

7 minutes ago, tomx2 said:

My question is, when I return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport on April 21^st, will Immigration stamp me a new 60 day(keeping the 2^nd 60 day intact). If not should I apply for a re-entry permit before I leave Thailand?

If you have a METV it allows unlimited 60 day entries for 6 months from the date of issue. You will get a new 60 day entry when you return from the Philippines. No need for you to get a re-entry permit.

[kmw]

Hi all,

 

Its that time of year again when im going to try for another back to back METV, this will now be my 4th METV back to back, flying back to Sydney for about a week, obtain the visa label then will try to get back into Thailand, you may remember I got a bit grilled by the IO last time with my 3rd back to back METV, but she let me in anyway, as its blatantly obvious that Im gaming the system, but not really, as the METV is the best option for me at the moment and I meet all the rules and are able to provide evidence that I dont work in Thailand as all my funds are sourced from Australia,

 

I am unable to get a retirement visa as im 34 years old and live in Thailand, and am not willing to park the 10 million THB in a thai bank account or buy some overpriced crappy property, as that amount can return a better result with other investment vehicles. 

 

Will have the 20k THB cash with me on arrival and also 500K THB in a Thai bank account ready for the PE/Elite visa in the event I get denied,

 

Will keep you all updated and lets see how I go, hopefully I can get another 9 months in the Kingdom!

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, kmw said:

its blatantly obvious that Im gaming the system, but not really, as the METV is the best option for me at the moment and I meet all the rules and are able to provide evidence that I dont work in Thailand as all my funds are sourced from Australia,

You are not gaming anything.  If the authorities wished to place time/use-limits on these, for people who can afford to use them as you are, they have had the power and opportunity to do so. 

 

8 hours ago, kmw said:

Will have the 20k THB cash with me on arrival and also 500K THB in a Thai bank account ready for the PE/Elite visa in the event I get denied,

Based on reports for the past few years, if you flew to Penang, entered Thailand by Train, then flew from Hat Yai to your destination, there is no chance you would be denied, put into detention and forced to fly back out, provided you can show the 20K Baht.  

 

Another option, based on recent reporting, could be entering via the Chang Mai airport, as we do not have "nightmare" reports of people denied entry on "suspicion" of working, etc.

 

Good luck at the Bangkok Airport Gauntlet, if you choose to give it another run. 

[Briggsy]

@kmw

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Others will probably disagree but aim for a male IO rather than a female. You didn't mention a flight ticket out. This is really important and I would very much recommend having one to hand. And have an answer ready when they ask you what you do in Thailand e.g. "take care of my girlfriend."

[elviajero]

On 09/03/2018 at 5:00 PM, JackThompson said:

You are not gaming anything.  If the authorities wished to place time/use-limits on these, for people who can afford to use them as you are, they have had the power and opportunity to do so. 

 

Based on reports for the past few years, if you flew to Penang, entered Thailand by Train, then flew from Hat Yai to your destination, there is no chance you would be denied, put into detention and forced to fly back out, provided you can show the 20K Baht.  

 

Another option, based on recent reporting, could be entering via the Chang Mai airport, as we do not have "nightmare" reports of people denied entry on "suspicion" of working, etc.

 

Good luck at the Bangkok Airport Gauntlet, if you choose to give it another run. 

“You are not gaming anything”

 

”if you flew to Penang, entered Thailand by Train, then flew from Hat Yai to your destination, there is no chance you would be denied”

 

Lol. If they aren’t “gaming the system” why do they need to enter by train to avoid being denied entry?

 

The Thai authorities have been making it harder and harder to stay long term as a ‘tourist’, and you can’t accept that they have given discretion to the IO’s rather than publish strict limits! A discretion that IO’s rarely seem to use, and when they do seems reasonably justified.

 

“there is no chance you would be denied”. That is simply not true.

Edited March 10, 2018 by elviajero

[JackThompson]

On 3/11/2018 at 5:28 AM, elviajero said:

Lol. If they aren’t “gaming the system” why do they need to enter by train to avoid being denied entry?

Because agents who do not follow the law and ministerial orders are present at many airport-immigration zones.  This is evidenced by them quoting "rules" that do not exist - such as the mythical "180 day" rule.  It is the people following the law and ministerial orders - allowed to thumb their nose at law and order - who have created that situation.   Every land border except Poipet/Aranya follows the law.

 

On 3/11/2018 at 5:28 AM, elviajero said:

you can’t accept that they have given discretion to the IO’s rather than publish strict limits! A discretion that IO’s rarely seem to use, and when they do seems reasonably justified.

Because Thai law does not allow for making up non-existent rules, quoting those, then denying for false-reasons.  The IOs are violating the law in these cases*, not those who are being denied-entry.

*(where the person has the 20K Baht, and there is no evidence presented that they are working illegally)

[reflectionx]

I have a question regarding O visa (family stay). Last time I stayed there for 5 months, I had to fly out and in at 90 days. 

 

I am planning another 5 months stay. Is it possible now to simply go to immigration and get the extension?

 

how about his new online service, does it apply to O visa as well?

 

thanks

[elviajero]

18 minutes ago, reflectionx said:

I have a question regarding O visa (family stay). Last time I stayed there for 5 months, I had to fly out and in at 90 days. 

 

I am planning another 5 months stay. Is it possible now to simply go to immigration and get the extension?

 

how about his new online service, does it apply to O visa as well?

 

thanks

You can't apply for a non 'O' online.

 

All you need is a Single Entry Non 'O' visa that will give you 90 days on entry. Towards the end of the 90 days you can apply for a 60 day extension of stay, at your local immigration office, for 1,900 baht.

[Briggsy]

This thread is not about O visas. There are numerous threads dealing with O visas.

 

This thread is solely about METV's.

[kmw]

Hey All, pleased to let you know I arrived back into Thailand today, this has now been my 4th metv back to back,

 

Flew to Sydney about  a week ago and obtained the visa label then flew into Chiang mai today, no issues as all 

 

Another 9 months to go!

[edwardandtubs]

7 minutes ago, kmw said:

Hey All, pleased to let you know I arrived back into Thailand today, this has now been my 4th metv back to back,

 

Flew to Sydney about  a week ago and obtained the visa label then flew into Chiang mai today, no issues as all 

 

Another 9 months to go!

Was it direct into Chiang Mai? I'd like to know how things go in Suvarnabhumi airport with that kind of background.

[scubascuba3]

Hey All, pleased to let you know I arrived back into Thailand today, this has now been my 4th metv back to back,
 
Flew to Sydney about  a week ago and obtained the visa label then flew into Chiang mai today, no issues as all 
 
Another 9 months to go!

How much of a gap back home between METVs?

[Briggsy]

16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

How much of a gap back home between METVs?

The poster, kmw, stated it was his 4th "back-to-back" METV.

 

@kmw

 

Glad to know all went swimmingly. Thank you for the update.

 

I will be picking up my 3rd METV shortly. I have spent 21 years in Thailand, the last 7 on tourist visas. I don't foresee major problems. I am within the rules.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

The poster, kmw, stated it was his 4th "back-to-back" METV.


 

Back-to-back doesn't tell you how long he was in his own country for. Could be a day, month, few months, etc

[edwardandtubs]

50 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Back-to-back doesn't tell you how long he was in his own country for. Could be a day, month, few months, etc

 

He said a week.

[scubascuba3]

He said a week.

All 4 he said a week? I missed that post, maybe tell me the number, thanks

[kmw]

Hey All, I spend 8 days in Sydney, the consulate takes 3 business days to issue the visa label in my passport but I always stay a few more days in the event of any delays,

 

I flew Sydney Singapore Chiang mai, so immigration was done in Chiang mai

[JackThompson]

On 3/26/2018 at 11:47 AM, kmw said:

... immigration was done in Chiang mai

That seems to be the best strategy, if flying in.  Due to the lack of bad-reports, it appears not to be run by the same mentality IOs who control the Bangkok airports and PoiPet/Aranya.

[Yeahbutwhytho]

On 1/29/2018 at 6:23 PM, ubonjoe said:

The crossing at Ban Phu Nam Ron in Kanchanaburi province to Myanmar is nearest to Bangkok. 

After their the Ban Laem crossing to Cambodia is the best.

No need to stay overnight. You can leave Thailand enter the other country, turn around and come right back.

I see that I would need an e-visa for cambodia, does that require me to stay 24hours?

Or I could enter and turn around before getting the e-visa

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, Yeahbutwhytho said:

I see that I would need an e-visa for cambodia, does that require me to stay 24hours?
Or I could enter and turn around before getting the e-visa

You do not have to get a e-visa. You can apply for a visa on arrival on entry at any crossing for a official fee of $30 but may be more.

You will have to have a visa to enter Cambodia. You can cross and turn around and come right back but may be fined 300 baht for not staying overnight.

FYI there are only 2 crossing that accept the e-visa (Poi Pet and Koh Kong).

[edwardandtubs]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You do not have to get a e-visa. You can apply for a visa on arrival on entry at any crossing for a official fee of $30 but may be more.

You will have to have a visa to enter Cambodia. You can cross and turn around and come right back but may be fined 300 baht for not staying overnight.

FYI there are only 2 crossing that accept the e-visa (Poi Pet and Koh Kong).

They ask for $35 for the visa at the border but the really important thing is not to tell the visa on arrival guy you're not staying overnight. If you do that, you have to pay 300 baht to that guy and another 300 to the guy who stamps your passport. These are not 'fines' but corruption money.

 

[Yeahbutwhytho]

Im currently at the Poi Pet 'no mans land' because my original plan was just to go to the casino and back because of my METV - i just notice now the casino is before the entry to Cambodia (need visa past that point)

 

For me to get a metv stamp back to Thailand do I have to get a cambodian visa/stamp first? Or i can literally just turn around right now

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Yeahbutwhytho said:

For me to get a metv stamp back to Thailand do I have to get a cambodian visa/stamp first? Or i can literally just turn around right now

You have enter Cambodia.

You will have to apply for a visa on arrival pay a fee of $30 and enter Cambodia and then return to Thailand.

[kmw]

Hi all,

 

Maybe someone can help me, I only noticed this today,

 

So as you all know im on my 4th back to back METV, with my past 3 other METV, they have never stamped the actual visa label, as attached ive uploaded 4 METV, the most recent I have noticed they have stamped it saying this advising the date it was used, they have never stamped the visa label before in the past,

 

However on the flipside, the IO clearly knew it was a visa, as I have also uploaded the required departure date being 60 days, and also it states TR on the immigration stamp, perhaps he thought it was a SETV? as the consulate in Sydney also has the ability to issue 60 day SETV, 

 

Ive had a look at all the other stamps in my passport and some say TR60, or just TR, so its all over the shop.

 

So my question is it now a requirement for the IO's to stamp the visa label in the passport on the first entry?

 

Worst case scenario I will need to goto immigration to get this clarified, howver wondering if anyone else on a new METV has had this happen?

 

Thanks,

[atecom]

I have a METV issued from Sydney that I used to enter first time in mid March, and they did not stamp on it (Although they guy only stamped me 30 days in, so probably wasn't aware I had a METV, and I didn't bother to get it corrected cause I was heading to Cambodia for Easter long weekend anyway). On my return from Cambodia, they stamped correct number of days, but still nothing on the visa itself.

 

Most likely option: they mistook it for a SETV, though I've never used an SETV so i;m not sure what the usual stamping procedure is there. 

[kmw]

thanks for your reply, ive never used a SETV, only visa exempt(30 days), this was many years ago before I decided to move to thailand,  and now METV, so this is the first time I have seen a stamp on my METV visa label, 

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, atecom said:

Most likely option: they mistook it for a SETV, though I've never used an SETV so i;m not sure what the usual stamping procedure is there. 

I am sure this is the correct explanation. It should not create a problem in practice. It was just a dopey immigration official stamping the visa used in error.

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, kmw said:

So my question is it now a requirement for the IO's to stamp the visa label in the passport on the first entry?

 

Worst case scenario I will need to goto immigration to get this clarified, howver wondering if anyone else on a new METV has had this happen?

No. They clearly thought it was a SETV and stamped it used in error.

 

I would go to immigration and ask them what should be done to correct the error. They should be able to make a note on the visa to avoid problems next time you use it.

[Yeahbutwhytho]

18 hours ago, kmw said:

That first photo with the 'USED' stamp, thats the same immigration guy who made mistake on my metv not seeing that its a Multiple Entry - I can tell by the signature

 

 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Yeahbutwhytho