The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[Matt Farmer]

Report:

 

I'm a late 20's USA male, and I'm currently on my 3rd METV. Starting to have problems entering through immigration...

 

1st + 2nd METV: Extended each entry,  stayed 9 months. I accidently overstayed 1 day on my first entry, otherwise good. I lived at home in USA 3-4 months after each time. Got a new METV in person from Chicago consulate, super easy each time.

 

3rd METV: Entered at BKK airport, young male IO pushed me to not file for extension this time, saying I should leave/enter instead. He said "You extend entry again, you have trouble. You have METV, leave, don't extend. " I tried to ask some questions to understand and he got mad, waved me off, and wouldn't look at me. ('Welcome to Thailand')

 

So.... Trying to decide how to re-enter Thailand for my second entry now. I'm definitely avoiding BKK, and really I would avoid Thailand if I wasn't hung up on a girl here :). Any feedback appreciated.

 

[scubascuba3]

Report:
 
I'm a late 20's USA male, and I'm currently on my 3rd METV. Starting to have problems entering through immigration...
 
1st + 2nd METV: Extended each entry,  stayed 9 months. I accidently overstayed 1 day on my first entry, otherwise good. I lived at home in USA 3-4 months after each time. Got a new METV in person from Chicago consulate, super easy each time.
 
3rd METV: Entered at BKK airport, young male IO pushed me to not file for extension this time, saying I should leave/enter instead. He said "You extend entry again, you have trouble. You have METV, leave, don't extend. " I tried to ask some questions to understand and he got mad, waved me off, and wouldn't look at me. ('Welcome to Thailand')
 
So.... Trying to decide how to re-enter Thailand for my second entry now. I'm definitely avoiding BKK, and really I would avoid Thailand if I wasn't hung up on a girl here :). Any feedback appreciated.
 

Perhaps he was trying to advise you to go to the border where you can get 60 days vs extension 30 days, perhaps trying to save you money. I use visa run buses, all good so far

[stud858]

I've never had trouble with metv but have never tried extending. Thanks for your post and experience.  I don't think I'll bother ever getting an extension.

 

It does seem they prefer and feel comfortable with the standard metv. Stay away for a few months and then return. Just wish they were 3 month instead of two. The long drive border run makes me feel sick for the day. 

[elviajero]

You shouldn’t have a problem doing a land border run, but don’t use Aranya/Poipet.

 

You shouldn’t discount BKK, you weren’t denied entry and it’s highly unlikely, holding that visa, that you would be.

 

The IO gave you good advice. There is no need to extend your stay with METV. Lots of short stays look better than a few long (max) stays even if the cumulative stay is the same. The visa is designed for frequent visits, not long stays.

[scubascuba3]

The IO gave you good advice. There is no need to extend your stay with METV.

I do border runs but i do a final 30 day extension at the end, so an extension is required if you want to get the most out of the METV

[stud858]

When getting your metv from USA do you get into any conversations with the general or staff about such problems

I ask a few questions and give feedback but the general can't do much about passing on feedback to the higher officials. He says he's just gotta do what he's told.

[BritTim]

As others have suggested, follow the immigration official's advice. It feels to me that he was trying to help. Do a border bounce at a land crossing rather than doing an extension. Depending on where you are in Thailand, the border bounce may even cost less than the extension, though it may take a bit more time.

 

There may be a point to note here. I tentatively suggest that immigration officials are being told to look for extensions as an indication of people using tourist entries to live in Thailand. While this is not against any official rule, it is known that some officials (including some at senior levels) feel it should not be allowed. If I am correct, it may be best to avoid extensions and do more frequent visa runs instead (though that has its own drawbacks in terms of individual consulate limits on issuing visas).

[Matt Farmer]

Thanks Everyone, maybe I'm just over-thinking this and I should switch to 2 month stays. I'll report back if I have any other problems.

 

4 hours ago, stud858 said:

When getting your metv from USA do you get into any conversations with the general or staff about such problems

I ask a few questions and give feedback but the general can't do much about passing on feedback to the higher officials. He says he's just gotta do what he's told.

The Chicago office has been so easy to work with that there isn't even a chance for conversation haha. They look at my bank balance, check my pictures are the right size, and then say come back in 3-4 days. They reject any other papers I give, in and out 3 minutes flat. Anyways, I don't bother giving any feedback about the immigration process, I know it won't change anything.

[sampson]

On 11/26/2018 at 5:57 PM, elviajero said:

Yes you can extend any of the 60 day stays by 30 days for 1,900 baht.

 

Every time you enter using the METV you get a new 60 day stay. That includes up to and including the ‘enter before’ (visa expiry) date printed on the visa.

 

The visa has a set 6 month window it can be used. You can enter as often as you want within that window.

Although always worth checking the stamp is correct!

Twice in my one that just expired I got stamped in for 30 days, it didn't matter either time but of course had I been planning to stay 60 days I'd presumably have wasted a lot of time in immigration getting it sorted

[scubascuba3]

Although always worth checking the stamp is correct!
Twice in my one that just expired I got stamped in for 30 days, it didn't matter either time but of course had I been planning to stay 60 days I'd presumably have wasted a lot of time in immigration getting it sorted

The little helpers at the border often forget to write the visa number on the arrival card, the IO then stamps 30 days, so check the arrival card first

[AgentSmith]

Are there any restrictions on the number of land border runs per year on a METV?

[elviajero]

3 minutes ago, AgentSmith said:

Are there any restrictions on the number of land border runs per year on a METV?

No. There are no set limits.

[JackThompson]

52 minutes ago, AgentSmith said:

Are there any restrictions on the number of land border runs per year on a METV?

No - but, do NOT use the Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing, where they like to make up their own rules, created to express their dislike for foreigners using Visas to stay in Thailand for longer periods.  All other Land Border entry-points should be fine.

 

And, always have 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks to show when entering.  Though only reported as being asked coming in from Malaysia, currently, it is a published rule.

Edited December 14, 2018 by JackThompson

[AgentSmith]

26 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

No - but, do NOT use the Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing, where they like to make up their own rules, created to express their dislike for foreigners using Visas to stay in Thailand for longer periods.  All other Land Border entry-points should be fine.

 

And, always have 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks to show when entering.  Though only reported as being asked coming in from Malaysia, currently, it is a published rule.

Great. I'm in Hua Hin so I might be doing border runs to Myanmar. No problems there I hope. Other borders are simply too far away. The next best thing is to hop on a plane to KL albeit more expensive of course.

 

It's starting to look like a border run every 60 days on a METV is the best option for long term tourists. No extensions, even on the last stay. So effectively 8 months in the country.

 

Is KL a good place to get a METV several times in a row?

[kevin612]

I currently have the 6 months tourist visa

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, AgentSmith said:

Is KL a good place to get a METV several times in a row?

You can only get an METV in your home country, or a country of which you are a resident. Assuming you are not a Malaysian citizen, you will not get an METV in Kuala Lumpur.

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

Is KL a good place to get a METV several times in a row?

No. Unless you’re Malaysian or resident there you won’t be able to get any. Or any other country neighbouring Thailand.

[AgentSmith]

36 minutes ago, BritTim said:

You can only get an METV in your home country, or a country of which you are a resident. Assuming you are not a Malaysian citizen, you will not get an METV in Kuala Lumpur.

Right, I see that now on the embassy's website. There goes that option..

 

Leaving is back on the table then. I was thinking to 'flee' for 6 months to Indonesia. Then onwards to say Hong Kong, get a new passport there from my embassy, and then return to Thailand. That way Thai immigration can't see I've been in Asia all this time. Considering they're profiling that should help.

 

If changing passports too often also raises flags then I might have to consider leaving Thailand for good, and only return for actual short holidays, until I'm 50 yo. Or not..

Edited December 14, 2018 by AgentSmith

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

Right, I see that now on the embassy's website. There goes that option..

 

Leaving is back on the table then. I was thinking to 'flee' for 6 months to Indonesia. Then onwards to say Hong Kong, get a new passport there from my embassy, and then return to Thailand. That way Thai immigration can't see I've been in Asia all this time. Considering they're profiling that should help.

 

If changing passports too often also raises flags then I might have to consider leaving Thailand for good, and only return for actual short holidays, until I'm 50 yo. Or not..

I do not know your nationality. If you return to your home country once a year, the use of a combination of METV, visa exempt, and about two months per year out of Thailand may be possible. That will depend on the policy of the Thai embassy in your country on issuing multiple METVs.

[JackThompson]

10 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

Leaving is back on the table then. I was thinking to 'flee' for 6 months to Indonesia. Then onwards to say Hong Kong, get a new passport there from my embassy, and then return to Thailand. That way Thai immigration can't see I've been in Asia all this time. Considering they're profiling that should help. 

 

If changing passports too often also raises flags then I might have to consider leaving Thailand for good, and only return for actual short holidays, until I'm 50 yo. Or not..

The profiling only exists at the Poipet land-border and some Airports (both in Bangkok, likely also Phuket and Samui, but maybe not at Chang Mai). 

 

At all other land-based entry points, you can do 2x Visa Exempts per year, and unlimited Tourist Visa entries - as permitted by a lack of any such restriction in published laws and police-orders, which are followed at those locations. 

 

Your Tourist Visas can be an METV from your passport-country, or SETVs locally - it doesn't matter which.  Just be sure to have 20K in Cash or Travelers Checks to show, if asked - and a Visa-Exempt from Malaysia requires at least one night-out.

 

If you want to increase the likelihood of successful entry at a Bangkok airport in the future, your new-passport idea could help, as well as staying out longer before returning on each entry.  But given they are applying unpublished rules, it is difficult/impossible to "plan" for how they might regard a future entry, no matter how you do it.  You could be gone for nearly a year, come back, they see you stayed in Thailand for a longer-stretch 2 yrs ago, and still take issue (similar cases have been reported).

[AgentSmith]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Visa-Exempt from Malaysia requires at least one night-out.

That's good to know because I considered a return flight on the same day before. Happy I never decided to do so. Especially because no one would've stopped me. I check in online and travel with just a small backpack allowing me to skip the check-in counter (except once when my self-printed boarding pass stated a document check was required).

 

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

If you want to increase the likelihood of successful entry at a Bangkok airport in the future, your new-passport idea could help, as well as staying out longer before returning on each entry.  But given they are applying unpublished rules, it is difficult/impossible to "plan" for how they might regard a future entry, no matter how you do it.  You could be gone for nearly a year, come back, they see you stayed in Thailand for a longer-stretch 2 yrs ago, and still take issue (similar cases have been reported).

It's these unpublished rules that are slowly getting me. This is not a strictly Thai thing of course. I've been having weird experiences in several countries now. You think you're following all the rules and not breaking any laws when all of a sudden doors are threatened to be slammed shut. So far they've stayed open but it's this uncertainty that's nagging me more and more. In my case it took about 6 years for these symptoms to manifest. First it was one country, then two, then three.. Then you return to your country of origin for a short visit and even though it was an entirely friendly chat the officer there also asked questions.

 

I've been reading stories of people who were sent back to their country of origin, on this and other websites. I have absolutely nothing to go back to there. It's not my home anymore. My life is here. Most of my friends are here. Even my retired parents are here now. Life simply happened and now it is what it is. I've never tried to claim any rights as a 'tourist' but I did always expect a certain degree of hospitality. To use immigration's phrase "good guys in bad guys out": I've always considered myself one of the good guys. Always following the strict visa rules. Always preparing all paperwork meticulously to ensure a smooth process (unlike those annoying travelers who don't prepare at all and then make a fuss about not getting what they want). Always extending in time if necessary. I've only had one case of short overstay, years ago and completely by accident (1 day miscalculation, beginner's mistake). I'm a guest here, I adjust, I try to blend in. I'm polite, and sure I also bring in money because I spend everything here. Everybody happy, I thought. Turns out that was quite naive. Turns out again and again that we never run out of life lessons.

 

For years you feel like a world citizen and then reality catches up. The 'system' doesn't seem to want wanderers. At some point you have to fall in line and do what 'they' want you to do. I was thinking to leave the continent and go on an entirely new adventure. But who knows now what immigration surprises await me in uncharted territory. Elon Musk better hurries with his trips to Mars. ????

[Briggsy]

Let's keep this thread about the Multiple Entry Tourist Visa.

 

Thanks

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Visa-Exempt from Malaysia requires at least one night-out.

That's good to know because I considered a return flight on the same day before.

Sorry if unclear - I meant visa-exempt by land-border you need a night out - maybe METVs also (do not recall a recent report on that), but less likely to be a problem than Visa-Exempt. 

Some do same-day returns by air from Malaysia (Visa-Exempt and METV), which can work - if one does not have a longer/frequent stay-history in Thailand to set-off airport immigration on a witch-hunt. 

[JackThompson]

5 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

I've been reading stories of people who were sent back to their country of origin, on this and other websites. ...

For years you feel like a world citizen and then reality catches up. The 'system' doesn't seem to want wanderers. ...

I was thinking to leave the continent and go on an entirely new adventure. But who knows now what immigration surprises await me in uncharted territory.

There are many, many other countries where one is welcome to stay and spend their money forever - most of Latin America, plus Cambodia, Vietnam and The Philippines close-by.  PI citizens would burn down Manila to stop their govt replicating what Thailand is doing.  No need to leave "the continent" any time soon.  This is discussed in some other threads and other forums such as here:
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/123-southeast-asia-forum/

[sampson]

Have to admit I'm a bit anxious about my next entry in 3 weeks or so.  Plan on picking up the METV again from Hull a few days before I go but I spent a lot of time in Thailand last year. Pretty much 1-2 months on then the same off.  I'm 30 so if they're profiling on age thinking you're working there then I guess I'm primed for it.

Other than the Elite Visa, which is a bit over kill at this stage, there don't seem to be any other options for what I'm doing at this time, I am a genuine tourist but I can see why they can think otherwise with people like me and there are a lot of us.  I just have to hope for the best and come prepared I guess but feeling anxious already.  I entered at Samui last time, they normally don't care there but last time it was a good 3-4 minutes of close inspections and looking at the computer before the stamp went in.  

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, sampson said:

Have to admit I'm a bit anxious about my next entry in 3 weeks or so.  Plan on picking up the METV again from Hull a few days before I go but I spent a lot of time in Thailand last year. Pretty much 1-2 months on then the same off.  I'm 30 so if they're profiling on age thinking you're working there then I guess I'm primed for it.

Other than the Elite Visa, which is a bit over kill at this stage, there don't seem to be any other options for what I'm doing at this time, I am a genuine tourist but I can see why they can think otherwise with people like me and there are a lot of us.  I just have to hope for the best and come prepared I guess but feeling anxious already.  I entered at Samui last time, they normally don't care there but last time it was a good 3-4 minutes of close inspections and looking at the computer before the stamp went in.  

If your history has been 1-2 months in and 1-2 months out consistently, you would be foolhardy entering visa exempt, but should be fine entering with an METV. Make sure you have the 20,000 baht equivalent cash, to helpfully let the immigration official see without being asked, should any serious questioning start.

[DougM]

I'm planning a long stay in SE Asia (as long as possible). I have a girlfriend in Thailand for 3 years and I have visited the country many times but the stays were for only for 30 days a time visa exempt because I was returning to work in the UK. I have found a way to make money on the internet in the range of £1500-£2500 per month without selling physical products.

 

I was looking at the METV as an option, but I'm not employed by a company and I don't run a business, I make my money from freelance trading on my laptop. How would I go about obtaining this visa and would Thailand consider me making money like this as working in Thailand?

Edited January 20, 2019 by DougM

[elviajero]

Yes that is ‘working in Thailand’, but as you’d be a tourist they are highly unlikely to stop or prosecute you.

 

You will need to meet the employment/business criteria to get the visa. There must be some people applying with fake letters from employers as the embassy/consulate staff do not check the authenticity.

[Briggsy]

2 hours ago, DougM said:

I'm planning a long stay in SE Asia (as long as possible). I have a girlfriend in Thailand for 3 years and I have visited the country many times but the stays were for only for 30 days a time visa exempt because I was returning to work in the UK. I have found a way to make money on the internet in the range of £1500-£2500 per month without selling physical products.

 

I was looking at the METV as an option, but I'm not employed by a company and I don't run a business, I make my money from freelance trading on my laptop. How would I go about obtaining this visa and would Thailand consider me making money like this as working in Thailand?

It is unlikely you would currently be able to obtain an METV from any of the UK consulates or embassy as you do not fulfil all the requirements, specifically the requirement that states you require either :-

 

a) A letter from the applicant’s employer (in the UK and addressed to the Royal Thai Consulate) stating length of service and expected return to work. 

 

or

 

b) If you are self-employed your self-assessment form.

 

You can always approach them and either ask or just apply without either of the documents stated above. They generally do not take the fee if they see your application will not be successful.

 

With regard to your second question about working in Thailand, nobody will know or care if you are trading securities online. This issue has been discussed many times over. This is not the appropriate thread for this discussion.

[drh1010]

On 1/21/2019 at 3:12 AM, DougM said:

I'm planning a long stay in SE Asia (as long as possible). I have a girlfriend in Thailand for 3 years and I have visited the country many times but the stays were for only for 30 days a time visa exempt because I was returning to work in the UK. I have found a way to make money on the internet in the range of £1500-£2500 per month without selling physical products.

 

I was looking at the METV as an option, but I'm not employed by a company and I don't run a business, I make my money from freelance trading on my laptop. How would I go about obtaining this visa and would Thailand consider me making money like this as working in Thailand?

I have had 3 METV visas without working for a company. I just showed my recent SA100 (self assessment) form which was sufficient each time. If you are freelancing, then I guess you will be categorised as self employed for tax purposes so you should be able to do the same.