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How does the 6-month Tourist Visa work in terms of entry and exit requirements for Thailand?
6-month Tourist VisaVisa re-entryThailand immigrationVisa extensionMultiple entry visaPermission to stayVisa validityVisa runs
Jan 5, 2026
4 months ago
Christina ******
ORIGINAL POSTERAnother question about the 6 month Tourist Visa....I understand that the 6 months begins on date visa is issued. But since you are not yet in the country. And you have to do 1 or 2 visa runs (every 60 days (or 90 if you get an extension)). This means you don't get a full 6 months in country, right? I assume you must depart country by end of 6 months after visa issue? Or do you get the full 60/90 days on the last re-entry, thus putting you outside the 6 month (180 day) period for your departure? Does this make sense? Thanks again for any clarification.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The 6-month Tourist Visa (METV) does indeed start counting down from the date it is issued, not from your first entry into Thailand. While each entry grants you 60 days, you can extend your stay by 30 days. Importantly, if you enter Thailand on the last day of your visa's validity, you can still utilize your full 60 days (and additional extensions) after re-entry, effectively allowing for a stay that surpasses the 180-day window of the visa issue date. However, any extensions granted will culminate in a required departure from Thailand, and you must be aware that frequent re-entries might draw scrutiny from immigration officials.
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Martyn *******
Your visit must begin before your visa expires and your stay in when you enter the country
Greg ***********
@Martyn ******
an example on HOW to count: If you get issued the METV on January 10, but your flight to Thailand is on January 30, you lose 20 days of the 6-months visa validityReply to
Greg ***********
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Lynnette *******
When you enter make sure you show them you have the METV. Then you get 60 days each time you enter with that visa.
Kerry *******
We have the 6 months Multi entry Tourist visa. Had no issues upon entry to Thailand. It started when we received it via email which for us meant we missed one month. We applied to early not realizing that. When we arrived in Thailand in Nov they Stamped us in, marked it TR Evisa and we had to leave by Jan 2. We went to Vietnam mid Dec. Came back to Thailand even easier 2nd time. Stamped us back in until Feb 15. We will leave again before Feb 15 and come back on March 4. Our visa ends on March 9 but we will get another 60 days. We can then extend for another 30 days.
Kenneth *******
I asked in Australia about it they said i can get METV last 6 months with 90 day stay after my first one 6 months has expired i can not get 2nd one in that year
Greg ***********
@Kenneth ******
that's true, you need to wait half a year before you can get another METV issued, at least that's the policy of many Thai embassiesReply to
Greg ***********
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Alan **********
What is a “6-month tourist visa” ?
Todd *********
@Alan *********
METVSteve *******
@Alan *********
Multiple entry Tourist VisaReply to
Steve *******
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Ross ********
The visa doesn't begin until you enter Thailand which is normally 6 months from issue.
Greg ***********
@Ross *******
"The visa doesn't begin until you enter Thailand" . . . . this is nonsense. When you enter Thailand, a 60-days stay permit begins. You are confusing the visa validity with the admitted stayGreg ***********
@Gregory ********
the point is that you do not know when it is the best time to apply for the METV before your booked flight (and out within the first 60 days because these booked flights are required to show for the application to the METV) . . you will ALWAYS lose days of the visa validity, there is no way around it unless the embassy is willing to issue it one day before your intended travel (which you can kindly ask them by email)Greg ***********
@Gregory ********
you don't have to show me all these texts, I know everything alreadyGreg ***********
@Gregory ********
you can apply for the METV only in your home country (or country of official residence)Gregory *********
@Greg **********
it is for everyone. Oh grumpy one.Reply to
Gregory *********
Reply
Gregory *********
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Ross ********
@Greg **********
When is the first day that your 6 month visa start .On the day you get your permission to enter stamp .Greg ***********
@Ross *******
If you get issued the METV on January 10, but your flight to Thailand is on January 30, you lose 20 days of the 6-months visa validityGreg ***********
@Ross *******
No. That's wrong. AGAIN: The 6 month visa starts on the day of issue. Upon entry, a 60-days stay permit startsReply to
Greg ***********
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Ross ********
@Greg **********
That is what I saidReply to
Ross ********
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Greg ***********
@Ross *******
wrong. . . . the visa validity of 6 months begins on the day the visa gets issued.Steve *******
@Ross *******
Incorrect. The 6 months visa validity starts the day it's issuedRoss ********
@Steve ******
Yes then you have 6 months to enter Thailand and the visa period begins on entry. If it is tourist visa the time allowed to stay in Thailand starts on the day you are stamped in .Steve *******
@Ross *******
It is a Tourist Visa! Permission to stay starts when you enter Thailand, the visa starts the day it's issuedUlrik *************
@Steve ******
last entry must be done within 6 months from issuing dateSteve *******
@Ulrik ************
I know how it works. The 6 months visa validity starts the day the visa is issuedRoss ********
@Steve ******
Thars is what I am saying sirSteve *******
@Ross *******
The visa and the permission to stay stamp are two different animalsRoss ********
@Steve ******
I travel on a Metv and and receive it before I travel and have always had 6 months to enter Thailand from date it was issued The actual visa comes into affect from the day I get stamped in Thailand
Steve *******
@Ross *******
Incorrect, your permission to stay comes into affect when you're stamped into Thailand. The visa is in affect the day it's issued.Reply to
Steve *******
Reply
Dylan ********
I recently did the METV with the embassy in my home country. They still interogated me when I arrived at the airport because of my frequent tourist visas during the year. They stamped me in for 60 days and it says TR E-Visa in my passport. But no indication when it expires, and they said not sure they will let me in when I come in again so not even sure I got the METV or not
Brandon ************
@Dylan *******
TR means you entered using the visa. There is no difference between single and multiple entry. It's just a tourist visa entry.Greg ***********
@Dylan *******
print out the visa .pdf document you received by Email. It will tell your the visa validity expiry date behind the line "visa must be used by"Shane ***********
@Dylan *******
on your Facebook page you state that you live in BKK. You should not be on a tourist visa. Apply for the correct visa and you won’t have an issueReply to
Shane ***********
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Brown ********
With all recent changes I'm not sure this is right but you could enter the country on the last day of the metv and get another 60 days with 30 extension beyond the expiry date of your visa
Graham ******
The permission to stay date in your passport determines the date you must leave Thailand not the validity of any visa that you may have.
Stephen *******
You are given a Permission to Stay of 60 days every time you enter during the visa validity of 6 months from issue. You can extend each stay for 30 days in country.
Brandon ************
The way a multiple entry visa works, is you get the full permission to stay every time you enter, even if you enter on the last day the visa is valid. So you can get almost 9 months out of an METV.
Reply to
Brandon ************
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