This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Is it reasonable and legal to plan for an extended stay in Thailand with a multiple entry visa after traveling to Vietnam?

Dec 13, 2025

20 hours ago

We're a family of four, two kids aged one and five. We want an extended period here in Thailand before our oldest starts school in August 2026. Initially our holiday was 59 days with flight booked home. We'll have been here sixty days when we fly to Vietnam instead, where our plan is to apply for a six month multiple entry visa. We're more than happy to do some travel in other nearby countries during this six months to meet requirements. This should get us to July after which we plan to go home and not return to Thailand for several years.

Is this line of thinking reasonable and legal?

804

views

likes

all likes

replies

images

users

TLDR : Answer Summary

The user, a family of four with young children, is planning an extended stay in Thailand before their oldest child starts school in August 2026. They initially planned a 59-day holiday but instead intend to fly to Vietnam and apply for a six-month multiple entry visa (METV), allowing them to travel to other nearby countries to meet visa requirements. They seek confirmation on whether this plan is reasonable and legal. Responses from the community suggest that it is possible to stay in Thailand for up to nine months with smart planning and border runs, but note that obtaining a METV may be restricted based on residency in Vietnam.

Pelle Eriksson★★★★★

Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...

recently on Facebook

Luca G.★★★★★

I used this agency for my DTV Visa...

recently on Google

Trusted Thai Visa Agent

OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED

#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND

Jan ******************

You can’t apply for a METV in Vietnam unless you’ve got a permanent residency there. Only a SETV.

17 hours ago

AuthenticR***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jan *****************

oh. Right. Well that's good to know.

15 hours ago

Reply to

AuthenticR***********

Simon *******

Why don't you just get a METV from the start as its easy to get 8 months with a METV by arriving back in Thailand a day or so before the visa expires and you will get another 60 days. My advice would be don't bother with extensions unless you need to ,then if you want to extend your final 60 day stay for another 30 days giving you 9 months you should be ok.

There is also a rule a tourist can only stay in Thailand for a max of 180 days in a calendar year, your arrival day and leaving days are counted as well.

18 hours ago

AuthenticR***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Simon ******

We are already here though. Initially when coming here we had intended to go home but the plan changed bc we are loving it so much.

18 hours ago

Reply to

AuthenticR***********

Graham ******

Does the Thai Embassy sell a METV to non-Vietnam resisents?

19 hours ago

Jan ******************

@Graham *****

✅ nope

17 hours ago

Graham ******

@Jan *****************

I thought so, thanks

16 hours ago

AuthenticR***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Graham *****

is there any advantage to applying for single entry visa? Or just rely on exemption?

15 hours ago

Jan ******************

AuthenticReindeer2210 There is in practice little difference between the visa exemption system itself and a tourist visa in terms of right to enter and length of stay, a tourist visa mainly serves as a formal document and may give a slightly higher margin of comfort at entry if you have multiple visa exempt entries, but it is not a guarantee. What matters is the overall travel pattern within a rolling cycle and whether you still appear as genuine tourists rather than attempting long term stay without a long term visa, and based on what you describe this normally falls within ordinary tourism under the new formalised guidelines and the visa exemption system itself.

15 hours ago

AuthenticR***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jan *****************

So you think we'll be ok just to use exemptions?

Our pattern of stay would be 60 days Thailand, 28 days in Vietnam, 60 + 30 in thailand, exit for several weeks, stay another 60 +30, then leave for good

15 hours ago

Jan ******************

AuthenticReindeer2210 If you’re already in Asia, I would recommend a safe entry service and pre-scan. Contact the owners of this group and discuss it further with them.

@THAI *****************************

14 hours ago

Jan ******************

AuthenticReindeer2210 Sorry, I may have misunderstood your original post slightly. Based on your situation and travel pattern, you are clearly in a position where you should apply for a visa for this stay. This is a typical METV travel pattern.

15 hours ago

Reply to

Jan ******************

Bob **********

Yes if done right you can get close to 9 months stay three extensions and to border bounces

20 hours ago

Jan ******************

@Bob *********

Not from Vietnam.

17 hours ago

Bob **********

@Jan *****************

why not ?? A multi entry tourist visa is the same from any embassy or consulate

15 hours ago

Jan ******************

@Bob *********

Yes, but there is a general rule that both METV and Non O-A visas can only be applied for through the embassy or consulate of your passport country, or in another country if you have a registered permanent address there, meaning you have formally relocated to that country.

15 hours ago

Bob **********

@Jan *****************

this is not true you can apply for a non-o or a METV in Vietnam you can’t apply for a OA visa

15 hours ago

Jan ******************

@Bob *********

Sorry, but you’re a bit off track again and should be a bit more careful with the advice you’re giving. This is very well known.

15 hours ago

Bob **********

@Jan *****************

15 hours ago