Please suggest me best Visa option for my Itinerary

[lkv]

Do you reckon you would qualify for this one?

http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/Delhi/pdf/Checklist_for_Non_B_(Business)_For_business_meeting_or_training_010914.pdf

I doubt that as i don't work for any company as such

Not even for the Indian side of it no? Points 1 to 10.

[Thaidude]

Do you reckon you would qualify for this one?

http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/Delhi/pdf/Checklist_for_Non_B_(Business)_For_business_meeting_or_training_010914.pdf

I doubt that as i don't work for any company as such

Not even for the Indian side of it no?

No. I guess tourist visa is my only option

[sunnyjim5]

Its mentioned on the website that METV is available http://prntscr.com/a9yhrv

Are you in a position to meet all these requirements?

http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/Delhi/pdf/Tourist_Multiple_visa_Checklist_181115.pdf

Yes no issues regarding that. If however I apply for this Visa, it will start from June to Nov.

What after that? I plan to celebrate new year there so i don't want to travel around Dec to jan Mid month.

As you now know there are no easy options. If you can enter a nearby country you could fly out and obtain a Visa on Arrival (15 days) for 1000Bht , on return to Thailand but you would also need a ticket out of the country. -----

How many times this can be done ? I cannot answer that question.

[lkv]

Whether the OP can or cannot it is absolutely none of your business.

The OP, I am sure, requires no help from you to determine if he can meet the requirements.

And how did your input there help the OP with his situation?

[BritTim]

No. I guess tourist visa is my only option

Since you can only apply for visas from inside India, you are at the mercy of the visa processing center there on whether they will allow back-to-back tourist visas. You could get by with a single METV for the period until January 15 (with one border run just before the visa expires in November to get 60 days to carry you through). You would then need a second METV for your next trip. With no alternative locations to apply for visas, whether you will be able to do this is fraught with uncertainty.

The Thailand Elite visa is expensive, but if planning to use Thailand as your main residence for several years, it would be your safe option. I appreciate that you may not be in a position to fork out that kind of money though.

[lkv]

Ok here are your options:

Option 1. You apply for a METV in India (don't know the processing time for your visa center), but the issue date of the METV should be as close to Jun 1 as possible. You do have to include return time as well if via courier. So let's say for this example your METV gets issued on May 20. Expiration date will be Nov 19

First entry. You enter June 1. You get 60 days. You will receive permission of stay until July 30 (60 days). You can apply for a 30 day extension of stay at local Immigration (1900 baht), but that will only take you until August 30. So you will either have to overstay one day (which is not very advisable but you could take a shot, there is no fine at the airport if it's only one day, but keep a low profile for that day, if you get stopped on the street it could be a problem). Another option would be to apply for another extension at Immigration, which will be refused and you will be given 7 days to leave the country. That also involves a cost of 1,900 baht. Or you cross the closest border, on reentry you apply for a Visa On Arrival 14 days @1,000 baht.

For your second entry, you enter the country Oct 2nd, you are still in the validity period of your METV, but it cannot last until Jan 15. So what you do, before the expiration of METV, let's say Nov 18, you cross the closest border and come back. If you come back Nov 18, you will get 60 days that will take you through Jan 17. Your departure is Jan 15, so that will cover you.

As for your 3rd entry on Feb 18, if you get a SETV it will last until April 28 (60 days), you extend that for another 30 days and it's May 28. At this point I would not recommend you trying to apply for another extension of stay and get refused and be given 7 days to leave the country, as a matter of fact I would not advise you to use that the first time also, never mind 2 times. So the best option would be to cross the nearest border and come back with a VOA 14 days @ 1,000 baht. You depart June 1st so that will cover you.

Option 2 (If the Embassy refuses to issue you with an METV or you prefer SETV)

For SETV the timing is less strict, because it only allows a single entry of 60 days anytime within the validity of it (3 months). You get 60 days from the moment you arrive in Thailand.

The first entry remains the same.

You get your second SETV back in India or an METV this time. Say you get another SETV.

You enter Oct 2, your 60 days will finish on Dec 1. With an extension of stay you make it to Jan 1. The problem is that you will have to exit the country on January 1 so don't drink too much for the New Year's Eve You go to the border you come back on VOA 14 days and it takes you to January 15 exactly, and that's your departure date.

For the third entry, assuming you apply for your third SETV, you enter Feb 18, takes you to Apr 18, another 30 day extension to May 18 and you cross a border, come back on a 14 day VOA and that will be sufficient until your final departure date which is June 1st.

Should you have had an METV from your second trip, you would enter Feb 18, exit Apr 18 (no need for a 30 day extension), and come back which would last until June 18, way past your last departure date June 1st.

I do believe however that 3 SETV's should also work, bearing in mind that they are not back to back and you spend about 1 month in India every time between them.

[Thaidude]

Ok here are your options:

Option 1. You apply for a METV in India (don't know the processing time for your visa center), but the issue date of the METV should be as close to Jun 1 as possible. You do have to include return time as well if via courier. So let's say for this example your METV gets issued on May 20. Expiration date will be Nov 19

First entry. You enter June 1. You get 60 days. You will receive permission of stay until July 30 (60 days). You can apply for a 30 day extension of stay at local Immigration (1900 baht), but that will only take you until August 30. So you will either have to overstay one day (which is not very advisable but you could take a shot, there is no fine at the airport if it's only one day, but keep a low profile for that day, if you get stopped on the street it could be a problem). Another option would be to apply for another extension at Immigration, which will be refused and you will be given 7 days to leave the country. That also involves a cost of 1,900 baht. Or you cross the closest border, on reentry you apply for a Visa On Arrival 14 days @1,000 baht.

For your second entry, you enter the country Oct 2nd, you are still in the validity period of your METV, but it cannot last until Jan 15. So what you do, before the expiration of METV, let's say Nov 18, you cross the closest border and come back. If you come back Nov 18, you will get 60 days that will take you through Jan 17. Your departure is Jan 15, so that will cover you.

As for your 3rd entry on Feb 18, if you get a SETV it will last until April 28 (60 days), you extend that for another 30 days and it's May 28. At this point I would not recommend you trying to apply for another extension of stay and get refused and be given 7 days to leave the country, as a matter of fact I would not advise you to use that the first time also, never mind 2 times. So the best option would be to cross the nearest border and come back with a VOA 14 days @ 1,000 baht. You depart June 1st so that will cover you.

Option 2 (If the Embassy refuses to issue you with an METV or you prefer SETV)

For SETV the timing is less strict, because it only allows a single entry of 60 days anytime within the validity of it (3 months). You get 60 days from the moment you arrive in Thailand.

The first entry remains the same.

You get your second SETV back in India or an METV this time. Say you get another SETV.

You enter Oct 2, your 60 days will finish on Dec 1. With an extension of stay you make it to Jan 1. The problem is that you will have to exit the country on January 1 so don't drink too much for the New Year's Eve You go to the border you come back on VOA 14 days and it takes you to January 15 exactly, and that's your departure date.

For the third entry, assuming you apply for your third SETV, you enter Feb 18, takes you to Apr 18, another 30 day extension to May 18 and you cross a border, come back on a 14 day VOA and that will be sufficient until your final departure date which is June 1st.

Should you have had an METV from your second trip, you would enter Feb 18, exit Apr 18 (no need for a 30 day extension), and come back which would last until June 18, way past your last departure date June 1st.

I do believe however that 3 SETV's should also work, bearing in mind that they are not back to back and you spend about 1 month in India every time between them.

Hey thanks for taking out your time to write this. Right now this is my plan

Just around 2 weeks before my flight I apply for a SETV and stay for next 3 months(BY paying 1900 for extension so total 90 days)

June to Aug 30th - Stay in Thailand

Aug 30th - Return back and stay till Sept end

While i am in my country for 30 days, I apply for a 6 months tourist visa

Oct to Jan Mid - Stay in Thailand

Jan Mid to Feb mid - Go back to my country (While visa is still valid)

Here i am confused about 1 thing. Can I apply for SETV again after it expires in march? I mean can I apply for SETV from Laos or some other country as I plan to stay until May end atleast

[sunnyjim5]

Ok here are your options:

Option 1. You apply for a METV in India (don't know the processing time for your visa center), but the issue date of the METV should be as close to Jun 1 as possible. You do have to include return time as well if via courier. So let's say for this example your METV gets issued on May 20. Expiration date will be Nov 19

First entry. You enter June 1. You get 60 days. You will receive permission of stay until July 30 (60 days). You can apply for a 30 day extension of stay at local Immigration (1900 baht), but that will only take you until August 30. So you will either have to overstay one day (which is not very advisable but you could take a shot, there is no fine at the airport if it's only one day, but keep a low profile for that day, if you get stopped on the street it could be a problem). Another option would be to apply for another extension at Immigration, which will be refused and you will be given 7 days to leave the country. That also involves a cost of 1,900 baht. Or you cross the closest border, on reentry you apply for a Visa On Arrival 14 days @1,000 baht.

For your second entry, you enter the country Oct 2nd, you are still in the validity period of your METV, but it cannot last until Jan 15. So what you do, before the expiration of METV, let's say Nov 18, you cross the closest border and come back. If you come back Nov 18, you will get 60 days that will take you through Jan 17. Your departure is Jan 15, so that will cover you.

As for your 3rd entry on Feb 18, if you get a SETV it will last until April 28 (60 days), you extend that for another 30 days and it's May 28. At this point I would not recommend you trying to apply for another extension of stay and get refused and be given 7 days to leave the country, as a matter of fact I would not advise you to use that the first time also, never mind 2 times. So the best option would be to cross the nearest border and come back with a VOA 14 days @ 1,000 baht. You depart June 1st so that will cover you.

Option 2 (If the Embassy refuses to issue you with an METV or you prefer SETV)

For SETV the timing is less strict, because it only allows a single entry of 60 days anytime within the validity of it (3 months). You get 60 days from the moment you arrive in Thailand.

The first entry remains the same.

You get your second SETV back in India or an METV this time. Say you get another SETV.

You enter Oct 2, your 60 days will finish on Dec 1. With an extension of stay you make it to Jan 1. The problem is that you will have to exit the country on January 1 so don't drink too much for the New Year's Eve You go to the border you come back on VOA 14 days and it takes you to January 15 exactly, and that's your departure date.

For the third entry, assuming you apply for your third SETV, you enter Feb 18, takes you to Apr 18, another 30 day extension to May 18 and you cross a border, come back on a 14 day VOA and that will be sufficient until your final departure date which is June 1st.

Should you have had an METV from your second trip, you would enter Feb 18, exit Apr 18 (no need for a 30 day extension), and come back which would last until June 18, way past your last departure date June 1st.

I do believe however that 3 SETV's should also work, bearing in mind that they are not back to back and you spend about 1 month in India every time between them.

Hey thanks for taking out your time to write this. Right now this is my plan

Just around 2 weeks before my flight I apply for a SETV and stay for next 3 months(BY paying 1900 for extension so total 90 days)

June to Aug 30th - Stay in Thailand

Aug 30th - Return back and stay till Sept end

While i am in my country for 30 days, I apply for a 6 months tourist visa

Oct to Jan Mid - Stay in Thailand

Jan Mid to Feb mid - Go back to my country (While visa is still valid)

Here i am confused about 1 thing. Can I apply for SETV again after it expires in march? I mean can I apply for SETV from Laos or some other country as I plan to stay until May end atleast

"Here i am confused about 1 thing. Can I apply for SETV again after it expires in march? I mean can I apply for SETV from Laos or some other country as I plan to stay until May end at least"

As an Indian Passport holder you can only apply for Thai visas within India.

You will not be able to obtain a Thai visa anywhere within the region.

[lkv]

Hey thanks for taking out your time to write this. Right now this is my plan

Just around 2 weeks before my flight I apply for a SETV and stay for next 3 months(BY paying 1900 for extension so total 90 days)

June to Aug 30th - Stay in Thailand

Aug 30th - Return back and stay till Sept end

While i am in my country for 30 days, I apply for a 6 months tourist visa

Oct to Jan Mid - Stay in Thailand

Jan Mid to Feb mid - Go back to my country (While visa is still valid)

Here i am confused about 1 thing. Can I apply for SETV again after it expires in march? I mean can I apply for SETV from Laos or some other country as I plan to stay until May end atleast

1. Look, I'll be honest with you I am lazy to calculate on the calendar but be advised that a 60 day stamp can look like for example 23 Sep - 21 Nov, (less 2 days), and a 30 day extension can look less 1 day, depending on whether that particular month has 30 or 31 days, or February 28 days (or 29 every four years)

I believe you should loosen up that schedule, and not use it to the very last day unless u have the patience to calculate with a calendar.

I also have to advise that along this scheme and because of nationality, you may get asked questions while passing through Immigration, but for now I think it's still OK as they are paid visas (both the SETV and the VOA).

2. If you are successful in getting your METV starting with your second planned trip, your METV should be issued perhaps around 20-25 Sept, which would make it valid until 20-25 Feb. As your initial estimation for your third trip was Feb 18, you could still use the METV to enter, as long as you enter before it expires. So upon entry, you would be granted another 60 days. Feb 18 - Apr 18 (60 days) +30 days = May 17 + VOA 14 days (cross land border, come back) is around your planned departure date which is June 1st.

But you really have to calculate these dates more exactly with a calendar.

3. You cannot apply for an SETV in another country, because India is on a list of restricted countries, so its citizens can only obtain a Thai Visa in India unfortunately.