EMTV Question & Clarification..

[les1]

I posted a question on the EMTV visa October time last year. Anyway I have had 3 border crossings since. Last one gave me until March 24th which would cover the 6 months. However yesterday March 6th we made another crossing at Maesai & were given a 60 day stamp valid until May 4th. Now a friend in maesai said that he had heard that when you go out of Bangkok they could question it. Has anyone heard of this type of situation? Please find a copy of the passport & stamp. For obvious reasons I have scrubbed some of the detail.

[BritTim]

If the Enter Before date of your visa is 6 Mar 2017 or later, this is normal. The visa indicates when it can be used to enter Thailand.  The length of stay you are granted is always 60 days when entering during the validity period of the visa. This is a useful feature as it means a 6-month METV can actually be used to stay about 8-9 months in Thailand (extending the last entry) should the holder so desire.

 

If the Enter Before date on the visa is earlier than 6 Mar 2017, the immigration official made a mistake, and this should be corrected by visiting an immigration office.

[Ginkas]

You haven't posted a picture of your Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa (METV), but assuming that it hadn't expired by 6th March

I don't see any problem.

You can enter Thailand many times during the six month validity of the visa and will be given 60 days on each entry.

If you enter on the last day the visa is valid for you still get 60 days (and can apply for a 30 day extension).

An METV can give you almost 9 months if used carefully.

[ubonjoe]

According to the topic you did before It seems the enter before date on your visa is March 20th. You got the correct entry when you entered on the 6th since it was before that date.

[les1]

Hi again,

 

I entered Thailand with my EMTV on September 28th 2016 so as pointed out before with a border crossing on November 24th & another on January 24th it gave me until March 24th. So I decided to test the system by crossing again prior to March 24th which was yesterday 26th March which gave me the "Admitted Until" date of May 4th.

Edited March 7, 2017 by les1
omitted full date..

[BritTim]

39 minutes ago, les1 said:

Hi again,

 

I entered Thailand with my EMTV on September 28th 2016 so as pointed out before with a border crossing on November 24th & another on January 24th it gave me until March 24th. So I decided to test the system by crossing again prior to March 24th which was yesterday 26th March which gave me the "Admitted Until" date of May 4th.

I am still not sure you understand the importance of the Enter before date on the visa. The entry and exit stamps you received on previous entries are irrelevant for determining whether you will get a fresh 60-day entry, or only a 30-day visa exempt entry.  If you enter Thailand on 20 Mar 2017, you will receive a 60-day entry. If you enter on 21 Mar 2017, you will receive a 30-day entry, regardless of whether you were admitted until a later date for a previous entry.

[ubonjoe]

41 minutes ago, les1 said:

Hi again,

 

I entered Thailand with my EMTV on September 28th 2016 so as pointed out before with a border crossing on November 24th & another on January 24th it gave me until March 24th. So I decided to test the system by crossing again prior to March 24th which was yesterday 26th March which gave me the "Admitted Until" date of May 4th.

I think you meant yesterday March 6th.

You could of left and re-entered on the 20th and you would gotten a new 60 day entry since that is the enter before date on your visa.

You can get a 30 day extension of your current entry if you want to stay beyond May 4th.

[les1]

Thank you, my main concern is whether or not I could be challenged on this if I stayed beyond March 24th my original 6 month stay. Even though on March 6th as you correctly say I crossed over giving me another 60 days until May 4th making all in all around 7/8 months stay on a 6 months EMTV.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, les1 said:

Thank you, my main concern is whether or not I could be challenged on this if I stayed beyond March 24th my original 6 month stay. Even though on March 6th as you correctly say I crossed over giving me another 60 days until May 4th making all in all around 7/8 months stay on a 6 months EMTV.

The visas 6 month validity from the date of issue is how long you can use the visa for entry to the country not how long you can stay in the country.

You can get almost 9 months of total stay from the visa by getting a 60 day entry from it on or before the enter before date on it and then

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, les1 said:

Thank you, my main concern is whether or not I could be challenged on this if I stayed beyond March 24th my original 6 month stay. Even though on March 6th as you correctly say I crossed over giving me another 60 days until May 4th making all in all around 7/8 months stay on a 6 months EMTV.

The March 24 date (a randomly chosen earlier permission to stay until date) has no relevance. If the six months from the date of issue of the visa was the date you had to leave by, then this would equate to March 20. However, as explained several times, the visa only determines the last date it can be use to enter, repeat enter Thailand. Your entry stamp specifies the date you are allowed to stay until. Once the visa has expired, you can pretend the visa and all previous entry and exit stamps do not exist. They are irrelevant. Only your permitted to stay until date on your most recent entry stamp matters.

[les1]

Thank you, now I am beginning to understand. As we all know visa system is confusing however we were under the impression that the 6 months  METV was the same as the triple entry 60 day. Difference being that unlike the 60 day triple which if you went out of Thailand say after 30 days you would loose the remaining 30 days. Every time that you exit you are permitted another 60 days up to the last date on you Visa (Enter By date). If I am correct you can stay more than 6 months if you play your cards right.

 

Thank you for your input............................................