The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Topic (METV)

[Briggsy]

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

We had reports by people who were allowed to fly to somewhere else, so it depends.

Yes, it depends. I had a return leg. So easy for Immigration to force me down that route. The posters who went elsewhere generally had no return leg. As I said, discussed on multiple threads.

[SpanishExpat]

Nearly got denied yesterday. Just got finally through as my gf phoned with the IO and I could prove that I had extensive travel booked with her in the upcoming 3 months. Living in Thailand now for 2.5yrs with METV (9 Months Thailand/3 Months Europe).

As a data point...it was my first time flying to Suvarnabhumi in Economy class. Until now I never had problems in the Premium Lane or the dedicated lane for Thai First Class and the IO s were super friendly there. 

Been flying through DMK often though in Economy with Air Asia and was shocked, but too tired to discuss after the long flight. I was accussed of working here which is not true and I have my business in Europe (thats why I spend 9/3 months in Thailand/Europe). Had 800 Euro in cash with me, but she didnt even bother to ask me. 

Funny thing is that she said *book business/first class then next time*.  In the end I still dont know why she let me through, but I think it is time for me to move on to a different visa. I doubt an IO at the priority lane will ever stop me (thai logic : if the farang flies in premium classes, he has to be rich (which i am surely not)) and I still never took the land-border option. Anyway, I think it s getting harder and harder and don t want to play that roulette anymore. As I want to marry my gf in the next 2-3 yrs, I thought I ll get away with the METV, until I get the marriage visa, but well I was obviously wrong.

 

Is an ED is solution to the METV-issue or its risky as well? I do speak some thai but just basic. So i would take this serious and go to a language school. Not even thinking of the ED-Scam where you apply, but never visit the school.

 

The Elite-Visa is no option for me, as it s waste of money and I just need a solution for 2-3 years.
 

[Wizzy]

On 7/10/2019 at 6:41 AM, jacko45k said:

Was it perhaps a Scoot flight you came in on?

No, was Turkish Airlines.

 

On 7/10/2019 at 8:53 PM, Caldera said:

Probably your flight number if it's written above the entry stamp, maybe you can check again (their handwriting can be hard to decipher).

Ah yes, with a bit of immigration, it could be that! Thx, was worried about that.

 

On 7/10/2019 at 9:36 AM, BritTim said:

On the current METV, the safest solution is to do in/out by land (avoiding Poipet). Entering at Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang, you might be lucky but it is risky.

Thanks! 

 

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Thank you all for the replies! Really helpful to know what happens when you are turned down. Will try to come back on some other smaller airports or Chiang Mai, still plenty of towns I haven't been to anyway ????

 

[SpanishExpat]

They always write next to the visa class on the stamp...in the METV case it`s TR. On the top of the stamp is the flight number. As you flew with Turkish Airlines (TK), it could be TK0068, as that is their BKK-Flight. TK0066 is DPS (Bali). So you should check where exactly they wrote it.@Wizzy

[ThaiBunny]

On 7/11/2019 at 6:34 PM, SpanishExpat said:

Living in Thailand now for 2.5yrs with METV (9 Months Thailand/3 Months Europe).

And that's precisely the problem from a Thai perspective isn't it?

[SpanishExpat]

16 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

And that's precisely the problem from a Thai perspective isn't it?

Sure it is and I`ve been too naive in this regard. But I sticked to the rules, didn`t work illegally and really travelled extensively. There should be a clear rule then (like for example not more then two consecutive METV visa or whatever). Moreover, the embassys in the home countries should be more strict, but seem they don`t care, as you give them your money.

[Briggsy]

@SpanishExpat  Your experience and number of months spent in Thailand per year mirror mine. I too was accused of working here. Unfortunately I was sent back to the UK on an METV.

 

An alternative to flying business class (!!!!) is to get a new passport or so I was told by an IO. 

 

However I understand you are sick of playing roulette. So you have decided to get married and do your visas that way.

[SpanishExpat]

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

@SpanishExpat  Your experience and number of months spent in Thailand per year mirror mine. I too was accused of working here. Unfortunately I was sent back to the UK on an METV.

 

An alternative to flying business class (!!!!) is to get a new passport or so I was told by an IO. 

 

However I understand you are sick of playing roulette. So you have decided to get married and do your visas that way.

Well I flew in with a totally new, blank passport and was faced with several pages of all my entries:) Will look for an ED Visa in 2020 anyway, before getting married in 2021. If it wasn`t for my gf, I wouldn`t be here anymore. Just sick of the IO-games without 100% clear rules. Especially when the Embassy in my home country told me, the METV is the best solution, after I told them my issue in detail.

[BritTim]

52 minutes ago, SpanishExpat said:

Especially when the Embassy in my home country told me, the METV is the best solution, after I told them my issue in detail

Very irritating is the reality that the embassy/consulate is a terrible source of information on what immigration are likely to do in any particular situation. Indeed, the embassy often does not even understand the official immigration rules, let alone the unofficial ones being applied at some of the major airports and Poipet. People tend to assume that the embassy should be the experts, but relying on what they tell you is extremely dangerous.

[kmw]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

Very irritating is the reality that the embassy/consulate is a terrible source of information on what immigration are likely to do in any particular situation. Indeed, the embassy often does not even understand the official immigration rules, let alone the unofficial ones being applied at some of the major airports and Poipet. People tend to assume that the embassy should be the experts, but relying on what they tell you is extremely dangerous.

I totally agree, embassy's and consulates abroad really have no idea, they will issue as many visas as they can as it's just all monotary for them, I was before on many back to back metv and the Sydney consulate didn't care, only on my last few back to back metv I started experiencing issues with IOs at BKK airport immigration, so my last visa is a boi non b to s

 

Just a recommendation if people don't want the hassle of metv back to back, you can easily get a boi work permit via iglu, cost is about 10k thb per year, and you don't even need to be working,

[SpanishExpat]

19 minutes ago, kmw said:

Just a recommendation if people don't want the hassle of metv back to back, you can easily get a boi work permit via iglu, cost is about 10k thb per year, and you don't even need to be working,

I know one person, who got his work permit via iglu, but in his case he really had a business in Thailand. ( and he told me it was around 50k/year and they helped him with tax-related issue. However, I never asked for more details). Isn`t the other case the same like the fake ED-Visas with some black-sheep language schools, where you never attend classes? After all what`s going on, who knows when that trick is cracked down .I don`t want to give the immigration even the slightest possibility to accuse me of operating in the grey-zone afterwards.

 

[kmw]

12 minutes ago, SpanishExpat said:

I know one person, who got his work permit via iglu, but in his case he really had a business in Thailand. ( and he told me it was around 50k/year and they helped him with tax-related issue. However, I never asked for more details). Isn`t the other case the same like the fake ED-Visas with some black-sheep language schools, where you never attend classes? After all what`s going on, who knows when that trick is cracked down .I don`t want to give the immigration even the slightest possibility to accuse me of operating in the grey-zone afterwards.

Your correct, about iglu, I don't personally use them, but have 3 friends who do, mainly just for long term visas, they don't even work, but use the work permit to stay here long term, iglu are a boi company who can issue as many work permits as they want, don't even need to be working or running a business for the hokders,, I think they initially started to help the digital nomads but it seems thier customer base is anyone who wants a 1 year visa to Thailand that can be extended every year, just will be a matter on time for the crack down, however it's probably going to take several years, as it has taken forever for immigration to crack down on ED and metv, roughly 4-5 years 

[jackdd]

46 minutes ago, kmw said:

Just a recommendation if people don't want the hassle of metv back to back, you can easily get a boi work permit via iglu, cost is about 10k thb per year, and you don't even need to be working,

Monthly minimum income with IGLU is 2500 USD, and they take away 30% for taxes etc. So if somebody uses Iglu just to get the visa it costs him effectively 750 USD per month, which is currently 23k THB. So the cost is about 280k THB per year, this makes the Thai Elite visa look cheap. Where did you get your 10k THB per year from?

[kmw]

19 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Monthly minimum income with IGLU is 2500 USD, and they take away 30% for taxes etc. So if somebody uses Iglu just to get the visa it costs him effectively 750 USD per month, which is currently 23k THB. So the cost is about 280k THB per year, this makes the Thai Elite visa look cheap. Where did you get your 10k THB per year from?

Can actually use them for the work permit, need to pay out of pocket, and they reimburse next pay cycle, as the other poster said he had a friend who got the work permit with only a 50kthb per year turnover, the 10k is the multi entry cost for work permit, it's not actually 10k but 9800 or something from what I remember,

 

I personally think the whole boi is all smoke and mirrors, I work for a boi company, we are actually a multi national corporation, all boi does is allow major corporations set up here on thai soil(usually under a different name or subsidiary) within a 6 month period, pay no tax, and are able to issue unlimited work permits for foreigners without the need to employ any thai nationals, 

 

International corporations should set up here properly instead of taking advantage of the boi loopholes, I feel the board of investment knows exactly what's going on, so the whole boi process is to make it easier for foreign companies to set up shop here with very little hassles, and companies like iglu are taking advantage of this by issuing yearly extendable work permits to anyone 

[jackdd]

27 minutes ago, kmw said:

Can actually use them for the work permit, need to pay out of pocket, and they reimburse next pay cycle, as the other poster said he had a friend who got the work permit with only a 50kthb per year turnover, the 10k is the multi entry cost for work permit, it's not actually 10k but 9800 or something from what I remember,

Of course you will get a work permit from them, without it you can't start working. But i would guess if you don't make enough money through them within a few months, they will cancel the work permit. Why should they pay social security tax for somebody who doesn't make money for them. Even if they should not cancel the work permit, for sure they would kick you out after the first year is over.

[kmw]

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Of course you will get a work permit from them, without it you can't start working. But i would guess if you don't make enough money through them within a few months, they will cancel the work permit. Why should they pay social security tax for somebody who doesn't make money for them. Even if they should not cancel the work permit, for sure they would kick you out after the first year is over.

That's exactly what I guessed as well, social security is only based on the incomings via payroll, however iglu from what I understand is for freelancers and project based online workers, so while some of thier "employees" may not do any turnover in the first few months they may meet the requirements at a later stage, one of my friends have yet to be reimbursed for the out of pocket expense for the visa (still no work) and his renewal of the work permit is comming up in the next few weeks, apparently all is fine with iglu as he is "apparently" working on a project that pays on completion, however I think that's a load of bs and he is stringing them out for another year,

[scubascuba3]

And that's precisely the problem from a Thai perspective isn't it?

Why's it a problem when people are spending money? i doubt even thais know, they've forgotten why they are getting tougher on tourists

[PingRoundTheWorld]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

13 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

And that's precisely the problem from a Thai perspective isn't it?

Why's it a problem when people are spending money? i doubt even thais know, they've forgotten why they are getting tougher on tourists

Exactly. Foreigners living in Thailand on money they bring from overseas is helping the economy and creating jobs. I guess the current powers that be either simply don't like foreigners, and/or are trying to stop foreigners who they think come to steal Thai jobs. But denying people randomly based on made-up "rules" is not the answer to that - it's throwing the baby out with the bath water and for every expat they screw over there are Thai jobs lost. They are still high and blind on the tourism boom and it's effect on the economy, but the boom is over - this year tourism is at least 30% down, maybe more, and it will continue to decline for the same reasons it already has: inflated baht, better value for money in neighboring countries, greed and scams, taxi mafias, and of course immigration making foreigners feel unwelcome.

 

 

P.S. It's quite ridiculous that they've started denying people with METV now. In order to get a METV you have to prove money in the bank and that you have a job or company in your home country. That's not the kind of people who need to be working in Thailand. Really stupid.

 

[Briggsy]

6 hours ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

I guess the current powers that be either simply don't like foreigners, and/or are trying to stop foreigners who they think come to steal Thai jobs.

This could be the case.

 

However, I believe it is related to Thai Elite. The sale of Elite visas has rocketed since it has become very onerous to live in Thailand on METV's/SETV's. 

 

The revenue generated is significant and is going somewhere and there is circumstantial evidence Immigration has been negotiating for a cut.

 

Remember in the Thai public sector, everyone has paid for their position and everyone needs to recoup that outlay many times over as the salaries are well below their expected standards of living.

[jethro69]

I'm just wondering if there's yet another requirement, or I'm just starting suffering chronic anxiety, because of all those good news coming from the Land of Smiles.

The website of the Belgian consulate states:

"If you are unemployed: a proof of income (document from unemployment benefit, pension or copy of your latest bank statement, etc.)"

Now I'm wondering about those document BS. In the past I just entered retired into the form until some frustrated bureaucrat decided that you can't be retired without a pension or document saying so. Then I switched to unemployed, and that was good enough as I do have more than enough funds than required . BTW, I do not receive any unemployed benefits.

I do rent out my property partly, which brings not a huge amount of money (700 (keep that part low because of taxes>), but when I take all together which appears monthly on my accounts it becomes around 1500, so is it wiser to become now a "property manager" in occupation when renting out your own house? 

 

[Caldera]

30 minutes ago, jethro69 said:

I do rent out my property partly

There you go, occupation: Landlord. I've stated nothing else ever since visiting Thailand for the very first time.

[jethro69]

29 minutes ago, Caldera said:

There you go, occupation: Landlord. I've stated nothing else ever since visiting Thailand for the very first time.

Thanks mate, so nothing to manage either, hence no work permit -

LoL, it's getting so pathetic that it starts to get amusing again.

[JackThompson]

On 7/14/2019 at 3:45 PM, kmw said:

I totally agree, embassy's and consulates abroad really have no idea, they will issue as many visas as they can as it's just all monotary for them, I was before on many back to back metv and the Sydney consulate didn't care, only on my last few back to back metv I started experiencing issues with IOs at BKK airport immigration, so my last visa is a boi non b to s

 

Just a recommendation if people don't want the hassle of metv back to back, you can easily get a boi work permit via iglu, cost is about 10k thb per year, and you don't even need to be working,

More like $2500 * 30% * 12 = 9000 USD = 270K Baht / yr. 

The Iglu advantage is that you can get into the Thai national health, and qualify for applying for PR or Citizenship after 3 yrs.  But, if going that route, one might as well just get an actual job in Thailand, and Get Paid, instead of paying Iglu.

[kmw]

29 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

More like $2500 * 30% * 12 = 9000 USD = 270K Baht / yr. 

The Iglu advantage is that you can get into the Thai national health, and qualify for applying for PR or Citizenship after 3 yrs.  But, if going that route, one might as well just get an actual job in Thailand, and Get Paid, instead of paying Iglu.

Don't actually need to pay iglu, I have 2 friends who use iglu just for the work permit, it's no financial risk to iglu as the multi entry permit is paid out of pocket by the holder, iglu need to issue the boi work permit prior to the holder working, and because it's project based it's 3 years based on review, I don't personally use iglu but it is currently the cheapest and unorthodox way to stay in Thailand long term, one of my friend just last week got his work permit extended for another year, yet he had yet to push any income through iglu, yes they will take 30% of income, but they will reimburse the 10k 9800 or whatever it is in the first pay cycle

[JackThompson]

24 minutes ago, kmw said:

Don't actually need to pay iglu, I have 2 friends who use iglu just for the work permit, it's no financial risk to iglu as the multi entry permit is paid out of pocket by the holder, iglu need to issue the boi work permit prior to the holder working, and because it's project based it's 3 years based on review, I don't personally use iglu but it is currently the cheapest and unorthodox way to stay in Thailand long term, one of my friend just last week got his work permit extended for another year, yet he had yet to push any income through iglu, yes they will take 30% of income, but they will reimburse the 10k 9800 or whatever it is in the first pay cycle

Well, if there is a way to use IGLU w/o actually paying them much/any (except the 10k for WP), that does sound like a good deal.   I didn't know that was an option, and not sure how they make money / stay-afloat that way.

[kmw]

46 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Well, if there is a way to use IGLU w/o actually paying them much/any (except the 10k for WP), that does sound like a good deal.   I didn't know that was an option, and not sure how they make money / stay-afloat that way.

Agreed, however I think most of the digital nomads use iglu for the correct purposes, in relation to how iglu makes money the WP is risk free in the hopes the holder drives revenue through them in the future, probably why they take the massive 30% of income, being much higher then the usual minimum 5% tax on everyone else 

[aaron80k]

Hi,

 

I am a US citizen, and currently in Korea visiting family.

I called the Thai Royal Embassy in Korea to inquire about Multiple Entry Visa.  

When I asked about the 1 month extension after the 60 day initial stay, they said they no longer give extensions.

Is this true? 

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, aaron80k said:

When I asked about 1 month extension after the 60 day initial stay, they said they no longer give extensions.

Is this true? 

No

But of course a ambassy does no do extensions so they are not the best source of info about anything to do with immigration.

[aaron80k]

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No

But of course a ambassy does no do extensions so they are not the best source of info about anything to do with immigration.

Thank you very much.  I have a follow up question:

 

When applying for METV, requirement states that I show proof of flight out of Thailand.  Can I assume that after 60 days, I can get a 30 day extension, and thus purchase an outward airline ticket that is 90 days from entry? 

[scubascuba3]

Thank you very much.  I have a follow up question:
 
When applying for METV, requirement states that I show proof of flight out of Thailand.  Can I assume that after 60 days, I can get a 30 day extension, and thus purchase an outward airline ticket that is 90 days from entry? 

I've had flights out nearly 9 months later and that was fine. Probably best to call your consulate