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Answered2 months ago

Can I extend my 6-month multiple-entry tourist visa in Thailand without voiding it?

Richard *********
asked Sep 5, 2026
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Came to Bangkok on 15/7/26 on 6 months multiple entry tourist Visa went to Immigration yesterday Friday 4/9/26 to maybe do 30 day extension the officer said if I do that it will void the Visa after 30 day extension.

So do I just leave Thailand in a weeks time and start another 60 days on the Tourist Visa I have 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
Answer summary
The user is uncertain about the consequences of extending their 6-month METV for 30 days, as an immigration officer mentioned this would void the visa. The community responses suggest that the information provided by the officer may be incorrect and that under normal circumstances, holders of a METV can indeed apply for a 30-day extension without voiding their visa. Several users highlight that the METV allows for 60 days per entry and a potential 30-day extension, pointing out that the exact terms should be confirmed directly with immigration services.
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John *********
John *********
Some people are just not worth replying to 🤦🏻‍♀️🚮
Richard *********
Richard *********
OP
Thank you EVERYONE on here for your feedback

I’ll try and sort it out from Monday 🇦🇺🇹🇭🙏
Leevi ***********
Leevi ***********
Richard Barnett inform us then..this is important topic👍
David ********
David ********
This is the visa im applying for next year after recommendations. Itinerary; Bangkok to Phuket, Hat Yai. Exit Padang Besar (Malaysia). 60 days. Return Hat Yai to Chiang Rai, Exit Chiang Khong to Laos. 60 Days. Return and head to Trat 60 days, b4 flying out. Or do Laos and Cambodia 50 days. Return Thailand within a week of METV expiry for 60-day stamp in and 30-day extension. If needed. Was advised to make an separate itinerary for each 60 day entry plus have sufficient funds available.
Mitchell *******
Mitchell *******
They are enforcing certain visas more strictly. The e-visa site even states if you apply for a METV, and they think a regular tourist VISA works for your situation just as good, they will give you the 60 day tourist visa. The METV is more for people moving around SE Asia.

You are basically doing what could be done on a SETV. One of my questions to you would be how many places in Thailand did you visit, or were you only in one place for the entire time?

This is just my opinion mind you, but we are starting to see a trend.
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Mitchell Trott sadly for all of us, you are completely wrong. NOTHING has changed about the way a 6-Months Multi Entry Tourist Visa can be used
Mitchell *******
Mitchell *******
Greg Alexander, ok. So, I am thinking of getting one next year. My plan is basically 1 month in Thailand, 1 month out of Thailand for 6 or 7 months. Thoughts?
Brandon ************
Brandon ************
I think he meant after those 30 days, you have no other option than to leave.
Luc ************
Luc ************
Ant ***********
Ant ***********
Evisa METV = 60 day + extend 30 - leave Thailand before 90 days is up

Come back in & restart until the end date or the visa
DeVictor *******
DeVictor *******
My 1st 30 day extension expires soon and I'd love to return here to Chiand Mai a.s.a.p. I've heard that on the 15th those of us with USA Passports will receive only 30 days stays. Which border should I exit and most importantly, how long must I be in Laos until I may reapply to enter TH?
Phil ******
Phil ******
Nope head to ask at another immigration centre
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Phil Beer you need to apply at the Immigration which serves the location where you are TM30 registered. But you are right: He could theoretically travel to Buriram, check into a hotel, get TM30 registered and use the Immigration Buriram for the application to a 30-days extension
Phil ******
Phil ******
Greg Alexander not me as sorted and retired. Tell the OP
Laurie ********
Laurie ********
I have heard people are being denied re entry with a METV after extending 30 days after the first 60 days. So I changed my itinerary, flying to Vietnam for 6 days after my first 58 days. Will spend 60 more days in Thailand and hopefully get a 30 day extension after that. It seems like the METV needs some fine tuning. They are really messing with people’s travel plans.
Herve *********
Herve *********
Why extension? You have over 4 months left since you entered in July 🤔
Steve *******
Steve *******
@Herve ********
The METV only allows 60 days per entry. You can leave or extend after 60 days. Obviously the OP wants to extend. The 6 months starts the day the visa is issued so how do you know the OP has 4 months left?
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
@Herve ********
A multi entry Tourist Visa has a validity for use for an unlimited number of entries (“multiple entry”) during its 6-month validity.

The 6 months visa validity starts on the day the visa is issued. Thus, if you enter Thailand 9 days after it has been issued, you lose 9 days of the total of the 6 months visa validity.

PLEASE don’t confuse the date of expiry of the visa validity, with the date of expiry of the stay permit. These are two different dates!

Be aware that if applying for the METV through the E-visa online system, you will need to show proof of why you need a METV over a SETV (single entry 60-days Tourist visa)

This proof could be like a flight ticket out of Thailand to a neighbor country within the first 60 days, and a flight back home within 6 months, at least. If the processing embassy or consulate are not convinced, they may issue a SETV and won’t refund the difference in the application fee.

Many embassies have started to ask for a proof of funds for the application to the METV. It is like three months of account statements that prove you have at least savings of a minimum of 20,000 THB equivalent in your currency.

*** On each entry, you will get stamped in for a 60-days stay permit

On each and every 60 days stay permit, you can apply for a 30-days touristic extension of the stay permit, for 1900.- THB, on Immigration. You could, however, also make a border run instead, before the expiry of the 60-days stay permit.

If you take the 30-days extension, you must be aware that before the 90th day expires, you need to exit Thailand.

*** With the next entry, you will activate another 60-days stay permit

Which you also can extend for 30 more days.

To get the maximum number of days out of this visa, you should therefore enter Thailand as close as you can, to the date of issue

If you exit and re-enter Thailand as close as possible before the visa validity expires, you will get stamped in for 60 days for the last time.

You can then still get a 30 days extension of this last 60-days stay permit.

By this method, you can theoretically get almost 9 months of stay in Thailand out of the multi entry tourist visa.

WARNING: some recent reports have indicated that holders of the METV got refused a last 60 days stay permit upon the individual discretion of the Immigration officer at the border.

This means that the road to a 9-months stay could be blocked.

So please BEWARE: take into account that your actual stay maybe cannot extend 180 days.
Leevi ***********
Leevi ***********
new rules again? METV visa should allow 30 days extension...! seems like they hate foreigners
Gerar ********
Gerar ********
The extension isn’t a given right but up to the discretion of the officer.
Steve *******
Steve *******
Leevi Kiviranta Extensions of stay must be applied for and are issued at the discretion of the Immigration Office
Leigh *****
Leigh *****
Never heard of that before,🤔🤔🤫🤫visa void after 30 day extension
Bob ********
Bob ********
Go back to

immigration .
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Bob Garber better NOT because they seem not to be very cooperative. They either told him bullshit, or there was a misunderstanding in translation
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
That's either bullshit from the officer, or you have misunderstood him. This is not how this visa works. And other than that - an Immigration officer CANNOT render a valid visa invalid. They are not allowed to do that. They could only deny entry, but there will be a different Immigration officer welcoming you at the border. The visa was issued by the MfA, a different authority. Only the MfA can invalidate your visa - and they won't do that because the METV is valid for use for multiple entries for a period of 6 months from the date of issue. It is actually PRINTED on the .pdf which is your visa document, after the words "visa must be used by" and a date
Steve **********
Steve **********
Greg Alexander i believe it is 6 months from first entry within the 6 months of valid for entry dates listed on the visa notification. I wrote the embassy and asked and the answer was such.
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Steve Jacobson that's the typical WRONG reply from an MfA employee on a question regarding Immigration, a wholly different ministry! The SIX MONTHS visa validity of a Multi Entry Tourist Visa starts on the day the visa gets issued. It does NOT START on the day of your first entry, this is bullshit. On each entry WITHIN these 6-months of validity, you get stamped in for a 60 days stay permit
John **********
John **********
I'm not sure he quite told you the truth. But regardless, every entry you make into Thailand during the validity of that visa should get you stamped in for 60 days
Are ********
Are ********
Buy reentery permit before leave
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Are Opedal the METV is a multi entry permit already included visa !!
Are ********
Are ********
Greg Alexander i have O-A multipel entry visa, still need to buy re entery permit if i decide to leave contry
Greg ***********
Greg ***********
Are Opedal You are confusing a few things: . . . . . a 365-days Non-Imm-O/A Longstay Visa has a multi re-entry permit included ONLY during the FIRST YEAR of its visa validity. After the expiry of the visa validity, you do NOT have a re-entry permit anymore. From this moment on you need to buy a re-entry perimit to prevent your current stay permit to become void when you exit Thailand without a re-entry permit

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