METV from Vieniane

[B0nkers]

Sorry, I realize there is a METV pinned topic, but it has so many sub-conversations and at 47 pages long, it's very difficult to find a direct and actionable answer to my needs. Very confusing.

Basically, I would like to know the current requirements to obtain a METV from Vieniane. I'm guessing this is the easiest way to obtain one from Chiang Mai. I have 30 days before I need to get a METV.

Yes, I did go to the most official site I could find on Google, but it's not in English... even though it is the English version according to the URL

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/en/consular/visa.php

So my question is: Can someone please point me in the right direction with official, clear cut, information on how get a METV? If Vieniane is not the best option, then great... please enlighten me. I'm also not married to the idea of coming back to Chiang Mai and wold be happy to look at southern options by the ocean as well if that makes a difference in convenience of which country to obtain a visa.

Trying to find this info from bits and pieces throughout 47 pages of the pinned topic has left me with more confusion than before. There are as many contradicting replies than there are not. For every yes someone says no. Trying to fins official sources/links etc

Thanks!

[luke000]

METVs are only available in Vientiane Laoation people .

METVs are generally only available to people in their home Country , although some Embassys seem to be lenient about this, but these Embassys are not in Asia

[B0nkers]

So I need to fly to my home country to get the METV?? Damn... maybe the Philippines will be my next stop then

[luke000]

You can still get a single entry tourist visa from Vientiane though

[B0nkers]

Which is what, 60 days +30 day ext?

I spoke with a guy a couple weeks ago who said he got a METV from Laos without any issues. Not sure how long that was though. We didn;t get ito detail. It's frustrating to hear so any different views (probably due to lack of consistency from the officials & their personal experiences), and not able to find any official information online in English.

[Maestro]

Which is what, 60 days +30 day ext?

I spoke with a guy a couple weeks ago who said he got a METV from Laos without any issues. Not sure how long that was though. We didn;t get ito detail. It's frustrating to hear so any different views (probably due to lack of consistency from the officials & their personal experiences), and not able to find any official information online in English.

The "guy" said METV but was it a multiple-entry tourist visa from a Thai consulate in Laos? That is the question. Only a scanned copy of the visa can give the answer. Can you arrange that?

[ubonjoe]

If you had looked at page me of the pinned topic you would of seen this METV Visa - Vientiane, Laos. It's official and gotten the info you needed.

[elviajero]

Which is what, 60 days +30 day ext?

I spoke with a guy a couple weeks ago who said he got a METV from Laos without any issues. Not sure how long that was though. We didn;t get ito detail. It's frustrating to hear so any different views (probably due to lack of consistency from the officials & their personal experiences), and not able to find any official information online in English.

Non Laotians can get the METV but only if they have permanent residency. Unless the 'guy' had legal residency in Laos he wouldn't be able to get it through official channels. The double entry tourist visas were stopped last November, it could be that visa he was referring to.

[B0nkers]

If you had looked at page me of the pinned topic you would of seen this METV Visa - Vientiane, Laos. It's official and gotten the info you needed.

Thank you for the reply. I did look at it and it was closed last year.

[B0nkers]

Which is what, 60 days +30 day ext?

I spoke with a guy a couple weeks ago who said he got a METV from Laos without any issues. Not sure how long that was though. We didn;t get ito detail. It's frustrating to hear so any different views (probably due to lack of consistency from the officials & their personal experiences), and not able to find any official information online in English.

The "guy" said METV but was it a multiple-entry tourist visa from a Thai consulate in Laos? That is the question. Only a scanned copy of the visa can give the answer. Can you arrange that?

Unfortunately no, it was just a random guy sitting at a bar who I'll likely never come across again

[B0nkers]

OK, so sounds like the only way it to either go back home for a METV, or get a single entry tourist visa, correct?

Can I apply for the regular visa in Laos or somewhere closer to Thailand than home? It would give 60 days + 30 day extension? How often can one use this option in a row, any limits?

Thanks again for the help

[sunnyjim5]

Which is what, 60 days +30 day ext?

I spoke with a guy a couple weeks ago who said he got a METV from Laos without any issues. Not sure how long that was though. We didn;t get ito detail. It's frustrating to hear so any different views (probably due to lack of consistency from the officials & their personal experiences), and not able to find any official information online in English.

The "guy" said METV but was it a multiple-entry tourist visa from a Thai consulate in Laos? That is the question. Only a scanned copy of the visa can give the answer. Can you arrange that?

Unfortunately no, it was just a random guy sitting at a bar who I'll likely never come across again

Bars and random guys are always a good source of rumour/misinformation.

Such sources are rarely correct or reliable and should not be quoted as "fact"

[Maestro]

OK, so sounds like the only way it to either go back home for a METV, or get a single entry tourist visa, correct?

Can I apply for the regular visa in Laos or somewhere closer to Thailand than home? It would give 60 days + 30 day extension? How often can one use this option in a row, any limits?

Thanks again for the help

1) Yes

2) Yes

3) Until the consulate suspects you of working illegally in Thailand. See this: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oieiWRCP6Mg/TomwkYT-uII/AAAAAAAAO6g/wGDbc5Nf9cY/s512-Ic42/Tourist%252520visa%252520warning%252520announcement%252520Vientiane%25252020090903.jpg

[JDGRUEN]

Just a comment on the repeated questions about getting a METV in the Thailand region - posted for the benefit of the OP and others.

It seems that after several months of hundreds of posts many people are just in a state of denial that the only way to get an METV is to go home. In denial because they just do not want it to be that way ... It is not difficult to read the requirements and see and understand.

Not only should we have the PINNED Post on METV but also a PINNED NOTICE on METV... in bold print - Want an METV - Multi-Entry Tourist Visa?... Then GO HOME to get it and Home is the country where you hold citizenship or legal residence granting you some of the same privileges as a citizen.

The few claims - sometimes with evidence that people are getting METVs not in their home country are currently flukes and cannot be counted upon. So the hard truth is -- You Gotta Go Home to get a METV and even then there are requirements such as having employment, or being able to produce evidence of owning a business, having as much as the equivalent of $7000 in a bank account, etc. Some few Thai Embassies/Consulate in some countries have listed that evidence of being on some sort of welfare is okay. And some Retirees want to use an METV instead of other Visas open to them... This may be okay if showing evidence of a pension.

Sometime in the future Thai Immigration via Embassies and Consulates may allow issuance of the METV in countries near Thailand - but my advice - don't hold your breath waiting on that to happen.

[tinat]

" Taxes. I'm a Canadian working as a freelancer online and will soon drop that to start my own online businesses.

- For the freelance income, I have clients from around the world. They pay me through a freelancer website based in the US, so I earn USD regardless of my or the client location. I then transfer that money to my Canadian bank and withdraw in Thailand using an ATM."

The visa you refer to is for tourists - not people working here. :-)

[sunnyjim5]

" Taxes. I'm a Canadian working as a freelancer online and will soon drop that to start my own online businesses.

- For the freelance income, I have clients from around the world. They pay me through a freelancer website based in the US, so I earn USD regardless of my or the client location. I then transfer that money to my Canadian bank and withdraw in Thailand using an ATM."

The visa you refer to is for tourists - not people working here. :-)

Working in Thailand demands that a person have

1 An appropriate visa.

2. A work permit.

I doubt either of these would be available to a "freelancer" or someone operating an "on line business"

[B0nkers]

Yeah, work visa's haven't caught up to the modern days yet. Working as a freelancer does not take away jobs from any local economy. There is a story about 20 or so foreigners using a shared working space out of Chiang Mai a year or two ago. The police raided it, thinking the owner of the business was hiring foreigners. Once they found out all these people were freelancers simply renting a space for a few hours/day outside of their apartments they let them all go and the business owner bought them all lunch as an apology.

So, as far as I know freelancing is still a grey area in many countries only because they haven't figured out how or bother to amend Visa rules. We bring foreign money to their local economy that would never be otherwise. Similar to a pension in terms of effect. Even though laws may technically prohibit freelancing or at least complicate it, unless you are actually a resident they tend to leave you alone and many places welcome freelancers with open arms. Like I said.. there are local companies who build their businesses around providing office space services for freelancers and do so very legally. It's not hidden by any means.

Anyways, thanks all for the Visa info. Seems the question has slightly irritated a couple people so I will refrain from asking more, lol. Two times now I have gotten into a little heat here for asking questions/using TV as discussion forum rather than an encyclopedia

Philippines it is then!

[lkv]

OK, so sounds like the only way it to either go back home for a METV, or get a single entry tourist visa, correct?

Can I apply for the regular visa in Laos or somewhere closer to Thailand than home? It would give 60 days + 30 day extension? How often can one use this option in a row, any limits?

Thanks again for the help

1) Yes

2) Yes

3) Until the consulate suspects you of working illegally in Thailand. See this: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oieiWRCP6Mg/TomwkYT-uII/AAAAAAAAO6g/wGDbc5Nf9cY/s512-Ic42/Tourist%252520visa%252520warning%252520announcement%252520Vientiane%25252020090903.jpg

On your third point, I would just say that that piece of paper is dated 2009, and in the last 7 years (at least so far) they have shown more flexibility.

[jacksam]

Geezus. There has I think been one report from a brit obtaining METV in Australia. That's it. You need to apply in own country. Or one you at least have permanent residence. ALL other questions about requirements are up to that consulate. Some want employment for example and others way more flexible. Don't ask tv ask consulate where you are applying. As for METV in Vientiane. Hello bells.