ATTN; MEMBERS
6 Month METV <- Multi-Entry Tourist Visa
I think we <-(as in you people applying for the METV) are confusing a few things.
First off NO thai consulate in S/E Asia will sell the METV to anyone who doesn't have legal residence in that country <- as in you live legally in that country where you're applying for the METV. This means most tourists cannot get an METV in Asia, period end of story. You get the 6 month METV from the thai consulate in your country BEFORE you wing your way here :)
Now as far as the onward travel recommendation;
There is APPLYING for the 6 month METV visa at a thai consulate in your country <- it's at this point where we recommend you show onward travel (out and back) within 60 days of your planned arrival.
This is ONLY to get the visa issued because of this warning they have on the eVisa website.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ . ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ.
Then there is USING the visa once it's issued. Now once you get the visa issued there is NOTHING making you use that onward travel you showed to get the visa approved.
Once you have the PDF issued or the visa sticker stuck in you can show up here, get the 60 days, take the 30 day extension if you want and you are free to bounce out and back by any means you want to.
We tell people to show onward travel within the number of days you will stamp IN to thailand on that visa because in the consulate's eyes there is no guarantee you will get the 30 day extension,
AND
to show you have a "genuine reason" for them to issue the visa.
Whether you do it or not, is up to you,
BUT
we are done letting posts on the group by people asking what to do, what worked for them, etc about the METV and onward travel. :( :/
MEET the requirements and you will get the visa, don't meet them, especially in the eVisa situation - don't show them you have a ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป for the METV and you could end up with a single entry tourist visa. They clearly state you lose the difference in fee (200USD for METV and 40USD for a single entry so you'd lose 160USD)
One final thing to keep in mind is a 6 month METV starts running down the 6 months the date it's issued NOT the date you enter thailand on that visa :O SO get that visa as close to when you're coming here as you can or you lose time on it not being here
Good luck to each and every one of you applying for the METV
TLDR : Answer Summary
This post clarifies the requirements and procedures for applying for a 6 Month Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) from a Thai consulate. It specifies that applicants must be legal residents of the country where they apply, making it difficult for tourists to secure the visa in Southeast Asia directly. It emphasizes the need to show proof of onward travel when applying to demonstrate a genuine reason for visiting Thailand regularly. After receiving the METV, travelers can navigate entry and exit strategies to maximize their stay in Thailand, hinting at potential stays up to nine months. The discussion also touches upon common misconceptions and experiences of other travelers regarding the METV application process and usage.