Thai Visa In Laos September 2016

[chiangmai1978]

Hi in the past i always gone to Laos to Thai embassy and applied for a multiple entry visa. With that visa i was able to stay in thailand about 6 month. 

First 2 month in Thailand then make it 30 days longer at thai embassy. Then leave the country and back to get 2 month. Then 30 days again immigration which gave me a total of 6 month.

Now i was for couple of month in germany and i heard that there are new rules at the thai embassy in laos. I dont really get it. Can someone explain it to me please.  Is it true multiple entries not exist anymore and if yes how is it now and how long? please need your help.

thank you so much

[ubonjoe]

You were getting 2 entry tourist visas not a multiple entry visa.

Since November of last year only single entry tourist visas are possible since the multiple entry tourist visa became available. It is valid for 6 months and allows unlimited 60 day entries up to the date it expires.

It is generally only available in your home country. 

[chiangmai1978]

so if i go next week to laos i need to apply for single entry visa and this will be valid for 6 month? right? or am i wrong?

someone said need bank account with 200 000 baht another said no. i dont get it and next week i need to renew my visa. i came in july again back from germany and get 30 days at the airport and immigration i made 30 days. now in 7 days that will expire and i will need to travel to laos. when i am there what should i choose for the longest tourst visa. single entry? and thats valid for 6 month? or how?

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, chiangmai1978 said:

so if i go next week to laos i need to apply for single entry visa and this will be valid for 6 month? right? or am i wrong?

someone said need bank account with 200 000 baht another said no. i dont get it and next week i need to renew my visa. i came in july again back from germany and get 30 days at the airport and immigration i made 30 days. now in 7 days that will expire and i will need to travel to laos. when i am there what should i choose for the longest tourst visa. single entry? and thats valid for 6 month? or how?

A single entry tourist visa only allows one 60 day entry and is valid for 3 months.

The multiple entry tourist visa (METV) is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

[chiangmai1978]

Did you have experience with apply METV in vientainne? do i really have to bring a copy of my bank statement from germany and i heard you need work permit in laos or how? METV would be interesting but what requirements specially in vientainne they want and how is it in real. 

[phetphet]

32 minutes ago, chiangmai1978 said:

Did you have experience with apply METV in vientainne? do i really have to bring a copy of my bank statement from germany and i heard you need work permit in laos or how? METV would be interesting but what requirements specially in vientainne they want and how is it in real. 

Listen to ubonjoe. He knows his stuff on this.

 

As he says, "Generally only available from your own country".

 

These are the requirements for a multiple entry tourist visa from Thai Embassy in my country (UK). They may differ slightly in your home country. Best to check.

 -  A current passport with validity of over 6 months beyond the date of application
     -  A completed application from
     -  Two (2) recent (2 x 2 inches.) photographs of the applicant
     -  Original bank stament of the applicant showing a blance of least 5000 pounds ( for 6 months)
        or a print out with official stamp of the bank
     -  A letter from the applicant's employer ( in the UK and addressed to the Royal Thai Embassy)
        If you are self-employed, you self assessment and a copany registration doument are required 
     -  A photocopy of the confirmed Air ticket to Thailand
     -  A photocopy of the hotel reservation confirmation in Thailand

HTH.

Edited September 6, 2016 by phetphet

[chiangmai1978]

yes but i am living in thailand and have my rent house here so brings me nothing to travel to my country to germany. the  costs would be not effective

[chiangmai1978]

So that means i can travel now 4 times for the whole year to laos. I think i will do that now for one year and then i will rent another house in another asian country and not thailand anymore. visa run was always stressful with double entry but now with that new rule its getting more stressful.Normally a country should be happy that a lot of people bringing their strong currency to thailand which makes the country more growing but with this stupid immigration politic i will not longer want to live here. i will choose and plan now to go to another asian country until the end of the year. Bad for the property market and owner again. but what can expect from stupdiy. Thats why we europeans and western are more inteligent as this idiot people which are doing every time new rules. Brain broken.

 

thanks all for the reply

Edited September 6, 2016 by chiangmai1978

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, chiangmai1978 said:

So that means i can travel now 4 times for the whole year to laos. I think i will do that now for one year and then i will rent another house in another asian country and not thailand anymore. visa run was always stressful with double entry but now with that new rule its getting more stressful.Normally a country should be happy that a lot of people bringing their strong currency to thailand which makes the country more growing but with this stupid immigration politic i will not longer want to live here. i will choose and plan now to go to another asian country until the end of the year. Bad for the property market and owner again. but what can expect from stupdiy. Thats why we europeans and western are more inteligent as this idiot people which are doing every time new rules. Brain broken.

 

thanks all for the reply

 

I am not defending bureaucratic immigration rules in Thailand, but I see nothing to suggest Western countries are more rational. My own country (the UK) has voted to leave the EU mainly so they can prevent economic migrants from entering the country and mitigating the damaging impact of an aging population.

Edited September 6, 2016 by BritTim

[IMA_FARANG]

<removed>

Double and triple entry tourist visas stopped being issued  on November 15, 2015 when the 6 month multiple entry tourist visa began to be issued. (METV)

But for most people a METV is only available in their home country as it is only issued to nationals of the issuing country or legal residents of that country.

Which means for most German passport holders you can only get a METV in Germany, English cn only get an METV in the U.K., and Americans in the U.S.A.

And even in your home country there may be other  restrictions on getting a METV that may make it a poor choice for you as to expensive and to restricteive.

You have to check with the Thai embessy/consulate in Germany to see what financial and other requirements they want to isue a 6 month METV as the requiemnents seem to vary from country to country.

For most people looking for a 6 month toutist visa to Thailand the METV has turnrd out to be not an advance but a step backard for those looking fo a 6 month visa to Thailand, at least in my opinion as it has raised more restrictions on entry to Thailand than ever before for lrgitimate tourists wanting a 6 month stay.

Othe people have their own opinions, but I see the METV visa as a step backward for Thai tourisim that wa poorly thought out in the first place and more poorly implimented indeed.

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by ubonjoe
inflammatory comment removed

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Othe people have their own opinions, but I see the METV visa as a step backward for Thai tourisim that wa poorly thought out in the first place and more poorly implimented indeed.

 

I think they achieved exactly what they intended with the phasing out of double and triple entry tourist visas. Their mindset was that they ideally want tourists to travel from their home country to Thailand and then return. They continue to allow some loopholes, but want to discourage their use. Doing what they intended is not the same thing as having wise intentions. Like you, I believe it is a mistake.

[JackThompson]

16 hours ago, chiangmai1978 said:

So that means i can travel now 4 times for the whole year to laos. I think i will do that now for one year and then i will rent another house in another asian country and not thailand anymore. visa run was always stressful with double entry but now with that new rule its getting more stressful.Normally a country should be happy that a lot of people bringing their strong currency to thailand which makes the country more growing but with this stupid immigration politic i will not longer want to live here. i will choose and plan now to go to another asian country until the end of the year. Bad for the property market and owner again. but what can expect from stupdiy. Thats why we europeans and western are more inteligent as this idiot people which are doing every time new rules. Brain broken.

 

thanks all for the reply

 

My nation (USA) makes it difficult for self-supporting people like you to live there for more than 6 months, but welcomes anyone in, legally or illegally, who will destroy our safety-net infrastructure, bankrupt local and state govt budgets, increase crime, drive down wages, and generally make our citizens poorer and less-safe.  I was under the impression your govt had recently adopted a similar policy to the one that wiped out most of our former middle-class.

 

Regarding visas in Thailand, I share your frustration - and you will need to use more than one consulate location to get back-to-back tourist visas for an extended time - but be aware that there are other ways to stay long-term, such as an education visa or volunteer visa (with work-permit). 

[Khun Robert]

You can also apply for the 5 year Elite Visa at 500.000 Thb.

After all with all the "stong currency"  cash you bring into this country it would be peanuts to pay for.

 

According to my knowledge in 2004 52 Thb for 1 Euro and now 38 Thb. Not strong in my opinion.

[Thaidream]

The simple fact is that Thailand does not want people living in Thailand on exempt entries and tourist Visas. That is why they structured the METV with strict requirements and got rid of Double and Triple entry tourist Visas. In the USA they have now taken the authority for METV away from the honorary consulates and I believe also in Europe.

The Thai bureaucracy believes that if one has independent wealth ; under 50; not married to a thai- and wants to stay long term in Thailand to purchase the Elite Visa plan at 500K for 5 years or the 10 year plan for $800K. They do not seem to care what effect this will have on those who have used visa exempt and tourist visa in the past and generally do not seem to care if these people relocate to other countries.  Their plan is apparently to replace that income with increased Chinese tourists

In the short term this will work but long term it is doomed to failure as the number of tourists from Mainland china will eventually overwhelm the  Thai resources and this will cause a backlash that will eventually lessen the numbers needed. In fact, it is already happening.

 

 

[perdido]

2 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

You can also apply for the 5 year Elite Visa at 500.000 Thb.

After all with all the "stong currency"  cash you bring into this country it would be peanuts to pay for.

 

According to my knowledge in 2004 52 Thb for 1 Euro and now 38 Thb. Not strong in my opinion

.....surely Elite Visa costs more than £10K...???!!!

[phetphet]

2 minutes ago, perdido said:

.....surely Elite Visa costs more than £10K...???!!!

Depends on which visa you go for, and at what exchange rate you get, or got your money.

 

If you changed up your GBP when it was over THB50,  then the 5 year @ THB 500,000 is less than £10K.

If you change now at around THB45 then it will be over £10K.

[Cinderella Man]

On 07/09/2016 at 10:11 AM, JackThompson said:

 

My nation (USA) makes it difficult for self-supporting people like you to live there for more than 6 months, but welcomes anyone in, legally or illegally, who will destroy our safety-net infrastructure, bankrupt local and state govt budgets, increase crime, drive down wages, and generally make our citizens poorer and less-safe.  I was under the impression your govt had recently adopted a similar policy to the one that wiped out most of our former middle-class.

 

Regarding visas in Thailand, I share your frustration - and you will need to use more than one consulate location to get back-to-back tourist visas for an extended time - but be aware that there are other ways to stay long-term, such as an education visa or volunteer visa (with work-permit). 

Cambodia introduced 1 year visas, easy in Vietnam too... plenty of options where to stay

[perdido]

On 07/09/2016 at 8:52 AM, phetphet said:

Depends on which visa you go for, and at what exchange rate you get, or got your money.

 

If you changed up your GBP when it was over THB50,  then the 5 year @ THB 500,000 is less than £10K.

If you change now at around THB45 then it will be over £10K.

...thanks...hadn't realized there were cheaper options....