METV or SETV in Savannkhet

[nicelee808]

Hi all,

I have a friend, he wants to stay in Thailand for one year, he is living quite close to Savannkhet, he is single. What are his options, any ideas?

[ubonjoe]

He can only get a single entry tourist visa at the consulate in Savannakhet.

A METV can only be applied for in a persons home country or country of legal residence.

[nicelee808]

Thanks ubonjoe, is it ok for him to continue getting the 60 daySE at savannket throughout the whole year, which would be a total of 6 visas in one year

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, nicelee808 said:

Thanks ubonjoe, is it ok for him to continue getting the 60 daySE at savannket throughout the whole year, which would be a total of 6 visas in one year

Each singe entry visa can give a total stay of 90 days by getting a 30 extension of the 60 day entry.

He might be able to get 4 back to back visas at Savannakhet

[nicelee808]

You say might be able to get 4 back to back visa, is there an issue with getting back to back is then

[Fithman]

22 minutes ago, nicelee808 said:

You say might be able to get 4 back to back visa, is there an issue with getting back to back is then

 

Most of the regional Consulates have a limit to the number of back to back SETV they will issue. Vientiane is one of the more lenient. 

[elviajero]

35 minutes ago, nicelee808 said:

You say might be able to get 4 back to back visa, is there an issue with getting back to back is then

You should have no problem getting 4 back to back SETV's in the region, but each Embassy/Consulate has its own limits. Getting 4 from the same place is not guaranteed. 

 

Tourist visas are not designed for someone to live in Thailand.

[darrendsd]

14 minutes ago, elviajero said:

You should have no problem getting 4 back to back SETV's in the region, but each Embassy/Consulate has its own limits. Getting 4 from the same place is not guaranteed. 

 

Tourist visas are not designed for someone to live in Thailand.

 

If he wants to live in Thailand for a year then 4 TV's will be fine for him so not sure why you are saying they are not designed for someone to live in Thailand?

 

3 at Savan and 1 at Vientianne or 2 at each is no problem, if they were not designed for someone to live in Thailand then they would not issue that many

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, darrendsd said:

 

If he wants to live in Thailand for a year then 4 TV's will be fine for him so not sure why you are saying they are not designed for someone to live in Thailand?

 

3 at Savan and 1 at Vientianne or 2 at each is no problem, if they were not designed for someone to live in Thailand then they would not issue that many

Trolling again!

 

"not sure why you are saying they are not designed for someone to live in Thailand?"

• A Tourist visa only gives permission to stay for 60 days. That's a big clue.
• They are designed for short term tourism. 60 days.
• I advised the OP that 4 in the region should be ok, but I wouldn't apply in Vientiane with 3 SETV's already in my passport from their satellite Consulate.
• The very fact that you are suggesting the need to apply at more than one location proves the point.
• Limits apply at Embassies/Consulates to deter long term tourism without affecting genuine tourists.
• If they were designed for someone to live here (1 year as per the OP) they would issue permission to stay longer than 60 days.

Edited October 18, 2016 by elviajero

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, darrendsd said:

 

If he wants to live in Thailand for a year then 4 TV's will be fine for him so not sure why you are saying they are not designed for someone to live in Thailand?

 

3 at Savan and 1 at Vientianne or 2 at each is no problem, if they were not designed for someone to live in Thailand then they would not issue that many

 

The Thai authorities have (to date) been liberal in how they treat people with many tourist entries. However, it should be clear from various actions taken by them over the last couple of years that, while somewhat tolerated, tourist entries are not intended for long-stay residents of Thailand. For instance,

• They now restrict visa exempt entry, having previously been as liberal in their policy on visa exempt entry as they now are on tourist visa entries.
• They eliminated double entry and triple entry tourist visas to discourage back-to-back tourist entries.
• The longest stay allowed on a tourist entry is 60 days (plus, admittedly, a 30-day extension). To get a tourist entry of longer than 60 days costs 500,000 baht (Thailand Elite).

If the Thai authorities were comfortable with long stay residents using tourist entries, they would design something suitable for that purpose (in the way countries like Cambodia and Vietnam do). I think there is a probability that, at some point, they will introduce limits on the use of tourist entries for extended stays, assuming they cannot deter people sufficiently by making the process inconvenient.

[darrendsd]

13 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Trolling again!

 

"not sure why you are saying they are not designed for someone to live in Thailand?"

• A Tourist visa only gives permission to stay for 60 days. That's a big clue.
• They are designed for short term tourism. 60 days.
• I advised the OP that 4 in the region should be ok, but I wouldn't apply in Vientiane with 3 SETV's already in my passport from their satellite Consulate.
• The very fact that you are suggesting the need to apply at more than one location proves the point.
• Limits apply at Embassies/Consulates to deter long term tourism without affecting genuine tourists.
• If they were designed for someone to live here (1 year as per the OP) they would issue permission to stay longer than 60 days.

 

Someone who disagrees with you is not a troll, you should learn the difference

 

It would be very possible to get up to 12 SETV'S within the region at various Embassy's/Consulates, close to a 3 year stay

 

No matter what you think it IS possible to stay here longterm on SETV's, this is a fact no matter what you 'think" how they are designed to be used, plenty of people stay here longterm doing just that

 

If Thai Immigration really had a problem in people staying longterm on them they would limit them to a certain amount per passport, not per Embassy/Consulate, the fact that they haven't should tell you something, actually it is telling you something you just can't see it as usual

 

I deal in facts not what I "think" I suggest you do the same, look at the facts not what you think

[BritTim]

12 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

 

Someone who disagrees with you is not a troll, you should learn the difference

 

It would be very possible to get up to 12 SETV'S within the region at various Embassy's/Consulates, close to a 3 year stay

 

No matter what you think it IS possible to stay here longterm on SETV's, this is a fact no matter what you 'think" how they are designed to be used, plenty of people stay here longterm doing just that

 

If Thai Immigration really had a problem in people staying longterm on them they would limit them to a certain amount per passport, not per Embassy/Consulate, the fact that they haven't should tell you something, actually it is telling you something you just can't see it as usual

 

I deal in facts not what I "think" I suggest you do the same, look at the facts not what you think

 

I am actually curious. Given the fact that you consider the Thai authorities to be supportive of long-stay residents on tourist entries, why do you think they eliminated double and triple entry tourist visas? Why do you think they do not offer a long stay tourist visa, as an option, like some other countries?

[darrendsd]

10 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 

I am actually curious. Given the fact that you consider the Thai authorities to be supportive of long-stay residents on tourist entries, why do you think they eliminated double and triple entry tourist visas? Why do you think they do not offer a long stay tourist visa, as an option, like some other countries?

 

Where did I say they are supportive? I said it is possible to stay here longterm on SETV'S, the facts prove this

 

As I said I deal in facts, not "why do you think" or "why do they not offer" or "in the future" or "why did they stop"

 

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by darrendsd

[Fithman]

2 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

 

Where did I say they are supportive? I said it is possible to stay here longterm on SETV'S, the facts prove this

 

 

 

Abuse of a privilege will, eventually, lead to the 'privilege being withdrawn 

 

Example !  

 

Try obtaining multiple back to back visa exempt entries at a land border. Some used that privilege as a means of staying in Thailand. ----------- Attempt doing it now !

[thaitero]

The fact is that living on touristvisas is still possible.
Undoubtedly there are signs that this may end some day but nobody knows when if ever so this belongs to "i think" -category not in "facts"-category.

Edited October 18, 2016 by thaitero

[elviajero]

24 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

 

Someone who disagrees with you is not a troll, you should learn the difference

 

It would be very possible to get up to 12 SETV'S within the region at various Embassy's/Consulates, close to a 3 year stay

 

No matter what you think it IS possible to stay here longterm on SETV's, this is a fact no matter what you 'think" how they are designed to be used, plenty of people stay here longterm doing just that

 

If Thai Immigration really had a problem in people staying longterm on them they would limit them to a certain amount per passport, not per Embassy/Consulate, the fact that they haven't should tell you something, actually it is telling you something you just can't see it as usual

 

I deal in facts not what I "think" I suggest you do the same, look at the facts not what you think

You are not disagreeing, but baiting and creating an argument.

 

I didn't say it wasn't possible to get multiple SETV's or stay long term. All I said was that SETV's aren't designed for people to live here. I said that to help the OP understand why they may be given the run around in order to live here as a tourist.

 

I know it's possible to live here as a tourist and often advise people how they can do it. That doesn't change the fact that a SETV is designed for short term tourism. Only Non Immigrant Visas or the PE visa offer long term options. 

 

The last thing Thai immigration want to do is apply an overall limit, especially a certain amount per passport. Unless/until their worldwide consular services are linked by a common database it wouldn't be a practical solution and may affect genuine tourists. They also don't want to get in the position of denying entry to visa holders at the border.

 

I was a long term tourist for many years and long before you turned up. I have seen the changes made especially over the last 10 years, and it seems clear to everyone but you that the Thai authorities are making long term back to back tourism harder. 

 

I stated a simple fact. You are trolling in this thread and countless others. 

[darrendsd]

12 minutes ago, elviajero said:

You are not disagreeing, but baiting and creating an argument.

 

I didn't say it wasn't possible to get multiple SETV's or stay long term. All I said was that SETV's aren't designed for people to live here. I said that to help the OP understand why they may be given the run around in order to live here as a tourist.

 

I know it's possible to live here as a tourist and often advise people how they can do it. That doesn't change the fact that a SETV is designed for short term tourism. Only Non Immigrant Visas or the PE visa offer long term options. 

 

The last thing Thai immigration want to do is apply an overall limit, especially a certain amount per passport. Unless/until their worldwide consular services are linked by a common database it wouldn't be a practical solution and may affect genuine tourists. They also don't want to get in the position of denying entry to visa holders at the border.

 

I was a long term tourist for many years and long before you turned up. I have seen the changes made especially over the last 10 years, and it seems clear to everyone but you that the Thai authorities are making long term back to back tourism harder. 

 

I stated a simple fact. You are trolling in this thread and countless others. 

 

I don't troll I point out facts a word you seem unable to understand

 

Someone who disagrees with you is not a troll, something else you seem unable to understand

 

In your above post most of your points you state what you "think" as usual you have no evidence to back it up

 

I could go on but.....

 

 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

The last thing Thai immigration want to do is apply an overall limit, especially a certain amount per passport. Unless/until their worldwide consular services are linked by a common database it wouldn't be a practical solution and may affect genuine tourists. They also don't want to get in the position of denying entry to visa holders at the border.

 

I think this is the key point. The main reason that tourist entries are still treated liberally is the practical difficulty in doing otherwise.

 

Especially when travelers arrive by air, denying entry is a serious matter. What the authorities would want is to place the onus on the airlines to deny check in, and/or consulates to refuse visas. I can foresee that happening only when the computer systems available to the consulates are much better than today.

 

While nobody can be sure, I can foresee a time when Thailand takes a similar approach to Singapore, rarely denying entry outright, but allowing only a 7-day entry to those seen as abusing tourist entries. You may also start to see stamps in the passport (backed by a linked consular and immigration computer system) to the effect that further visas can only be issued in home country. Yes, all this is speculative, but things are moving that way. The Thai authorities, IMO, are rather good at signalling their attitude while introducing changes that can affect people quite slowly to allow them time to adapt. We should thank them for that.

 

[JackThompson]

I think the current Tourist Visa system is designed to make it more difficult to stay here long term, but they have intentionally not shut the door on it.  Staying under the current rules requires having the funds to jump the hurdles - that is all.

 

Even without a "linked" system for issuance and tracking, they could have implemented a rule, applied at all consulates, where a Tourist Visa is not to be issued if the applicant has spent more than (for example) 250 days in the Kingdom in the previous 365 days.  This would not affect short-term tourists, frequent short-term tourists, or even "seasonal tourists" who come to escape their winters (categories often erroneously described as 'genuine tourists', by arbitrary standards).

 

Rule-changes affecting all or some consulates, for various visa-types, have been handed down recently and repeatedly.  They have chosen not to implement a more restrictive rule with Single Entry Tourist Visas.  Therefore, the path to long-term stay on Tourist Visas is open intentionally, not because there is "no practical means" for them to do it, if they wanted to. 

 

That said, I agree that limits could be coming soon, if restrictive trends continue.  All those living here on SETVs should have a backup plan to move to one of the nations nearby who happily offer longer-term visa-solutions.  This plan should be ready to execute on every visa-run.