Answered2 days ago

Does a METV 6-month validity period begin on entry or from the date of issuance?

METV Multi-Entry Tourist Visa Visa Validity Thailand Immigration Entrances and Stays Visa Rules

Sarah **********

asked Nov 8, 2026

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Does METV 6 months start on entry or stay

Hi

Is a  METV valid 6 months from the day you land or 6 months of time spent in Thailand 🇹🇭 ver à longer time span? Let’s say I stay the max 60 days then go away for 3 months and then return to Thailand stay 60 days, is the visa now no longer valid or can I then leave again and return for another 60 days which would be a total of 6months on Thai soil but used up over a longer period of time than 6 months

Thanks

Answer summary

The METV (Multi-Entry Tourist Visa) is valid for 6 months from the date of issuance, not from the date of entry into Thailand. This means that the 6-month period starts ticking down as soon as the visa is issued, regardless of whether you are in the country or not. You can make multiple entries, each allowing for a stay of up to 60 days, until the 6-month validity expires.

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Mark *******

From date of issue

2 days ago

Steve *******

6 months from the date of issue.

2 days ago

Tod *********

The METV (Multi-Entry Tourist Visa) is valid for 6 months from the date it is issued <-that means it starts running the validity down the second it's issued whether you're in the country or not (which is why most people get it as close to their flight here as possible).

You get unlimited entries of 60 days each for the validity of the visa. Even if you entered the country the last day the visa itself was valid for you'd still get stamped in for 60 days.

It's not that you get 6 months in country. It's that you have a visa valid for 6 months to enter thailand during that time all you want

2 days ago

Myer ******

@Tod ********

so you could stay just under 8 months or they pissed you were there the full time other than popping in n out?

2 days ago

Jim *********

Myer Gold and then you run into the new two years ago Thai tax law. If you stay in Thailand more than 179 in a calendar year, you are a Thai tax resident.

2 days ago

Tod *********

if you get the METV as close to when you're traveling here, bounce out/back every 60 days, and then bounce one more time just before the visa expires to get that final 60 day entry and take a 30 day extension on that you can get almost 9 months of stay out of it

2 days ago

Tod *********

@Ronny ********

not true AT all, there is no 180 day rule people with METV routinely get almost 9 months of stay in thailand out of it

a day ago

Ronny *********

@Tod ********

With a METV the moment that they see you can reach the 180 day mark, they will never stamp you in for a longer period that year than reaching the 180 days

a day ago