What are the key details and requirements for applying for a 6 Month Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) in Thailand?

Apr 26, 2023
2 years ago
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
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.

๐—œ๐—ณ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—น๐˜†๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐— ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—˜๐—ป๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜€, ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ฎ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ด๐˜‚๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ฟ ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜€ . ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—น๐—น ๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ, ๐—ถ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜๐˜€ ๐—ฎ ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—˜๐—ป๐˜๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฎ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐— ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—˜๐—ป๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฎ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ.

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 ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป 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
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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.
Daren ******
Thank you very much for this information. Regarding the recommendation for showing onward travel, do we have to show confirmation for all the onward travel - and final departure - for the whole 6 months or just for the first out-and-back-in after 60 days?
Graham ******
@Daren *****
Within the period you will initially get stamped in for, in this case 60 days then another inward flight to Thailand
Neal *******
Informative and direct to the point. Nicely done!
Andy *********
AWESOME info
@Tod ********
๐Ÿค™
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
People were messaging me asking how you can get 9 months of stay out of a 6 month visa ๐Ÿ˜• This is how you

Purchase the 6 month METV from thai consulate in your country as close to your departure date as you can. This is because the visa is valid for entry for 6 months from the date they issue it NOT from the date you first enter thailand

The months in brackets are "TTIC <- total time in country)

* Enter thailand get stamped in for 60 days (2 months)

* take a 30 day extension 1900baht (3 months)

* when that runs out, exit/re-enter thailand get stamped in for 60 days (5 months)

* take the 30 day extension 1900baht (6 months)

* just before the VISA (PDF/Sticker) expires, exit/re-enter thailand to get a FINAL 60 days (8 months)

* take the 30 day extension 1900baht (9 months)

You can also do it without taking the 30 day extensions during the validity of the visa by just bouncing out/back every 60 days. Which ever way you do it the TTIC is the same just under 9 months
Julie **********
@Tod ********
but do you need to get a re-entry permit before you leave the kingdom? Or is it taken as read that because it's a METV that we will get stamped back in for a further 60 days regardless? Thank you.
Ellie *******
@Julie *********
, you don't need re-entry permit to enter Thailand on a VALID METV, regardless how many times you want to enter Thailand on it. That's why it is called "multiple entry" tourist visa.
Julie **********
@Ellie ******
right. That was my big confusion - that makes everything a lot simpler, wherever we decide to exit and entry. Thank you again for your help. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ™
Cliff *********
Tod, thank you for the informative posting.

Iโ€™m sad that others are having difficulty coming to grips with the new reality.

Thailand wants tourists to go home and not stay indefinitely.

Perhaps you could expand on what are legitimate reasons for coming and going over a six month period?

Job and ongoing medical treatments seem likely candidates. Other thoughts?
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Cliff ********
You won't have any issue maxing out a 6 month METV as long as you pick carefully where you bounce out and back to get a new 60 day entry stamp
John ********
The point being I didn't just bounce but used Thailand as the main hub of my extended holiday
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
which while helpful (seeing as you didn't max out your 60 day stamps and 30 day extensions on each entry) and were doing "tourist" stuff in other countries using thailand as the base of travel doesn't necessarily make them look at you with any less a critical eye post covid sh*t show. ๐Ÿ˜• They are just hard on people nowadays.
John ********
@Tod ********
, you are undoubtably correct. Maybe I have just been lucky, although I am also convinced being polite, respectful and looking well dressed makes a significant difference. It shouldn't but it does
John ********
I am here on a multiple entry visa. I was also here on one last year. However I have never applied for a 30 day extension, and I also visited Laos and trekked in Nepal for over a month last year. This year I again plan to visit Vietnam for a month and the Nepal or India. This a great visa for those that want to spend significant time in Asia but dont want to live here
****
365. If you want to live here I suggest using this visa only once as a 'test' before applying for something more permanent
Glynis ************
Tod you are extremely informative about issues. I always read your posts. I come to KOP every year mostly in March, just for a holiday, class it as my 2nd home, and i love the place. Take care.
Milo *********
My recent experience with an METV was fairly straightforward. I applied for it and met all the conditions and was given one within 2 weeks of applying. One thing that nearly caught me out though..

My METV expired on 14th Feb 2023. Shortly before it expired, I went to Vietnam for a week and re-entered Thailand on 14th Feb. I got a new 2 month stamp, which took me up until mid-April. However, rather than going to an immigration office and asking for a final 30 day extension, I decided to fly to KL for 4 days and then tried to re-enter Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt stamp. The immigration officer nearly declined me and it wasn't until I explained that I was here for medical reasons (I had to show proof) that she let me in.

My big learning from this is that once an METV expires, you probably should be going back home. If you time the entries/exits/extensions properly, you should be able to get nearly 9 months of stay in Thailand, which should be more than enough for tourism purposes, for most people.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Milo ********
yep, after almost 9 months in country (even in 60 day increments) if you're flying in to either bangkok airport you need to expect to be questioned about why you're comin' back in so soon. ๐Ÿ™‚
Michael ***********
This is a good and informative post. It would be great to hear about peopleโ€™s experiences with what has worked for them when applying for the METV.

Iโ€™ll be applying soon using just the flight to/from Bangkok, with a written declaration about why I need to โ€œvisit Thailand on a regular basisโ€ (two in/outs to Malaysia and Vietnam) and I will report back with my results. Thank you Tod Daniels. ๐Ÿ‘
Wannikea *********
@Michael **********
that written declaration will likely hardly be proof enough depending on the consulate. Just show proof of 1 out/in within the first 60 days. Prepare for disappointment. Good luck.
Michael ***********
@Wannikea ********
I think itโ€™s a misunderstanding of the meaning of the statement, โ€œhave a genuine reason to visit Thailand on a regular basisโ€.

Iโ€™ll reply back to let you know how it turns out. Thank you kindly for your concern.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Please realize I mean no disrespect but ๐Ÿ˜• ๐Ÿ˜ฎ what part of where I said I'm NOT gonna let posts asking about people's experiences getting METV's did you not glom on to ๐Ÿ™?

Unless someone is applying at the SAME consulate, with the same exact documentation, entry/stay history, etc those "how did it work for you posts are worthless as tits on a tomcat" as far as helping people. the experience I had applying for it might be yours or it might not.

Good luck with it, it'll either work or it won't.
Michael ***********
@Tod ********
sorry about that, I was reading too fast and thought you were encouraging people to share feedback on their own experiences.
Jehan ***************
When u say live. Do u mean have a hous contract?
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ryan *******
sadly, your question has VERY little to do with how to max out the time on an METV ๐Ÿ™ So consider that my "final answer" ๐Ÿ™‚
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
i mean you have the correct visa and legally can STAY in that country not as a tourist.

So no, just because you have a contract to rent a place doesn't give you a legal right to LIVE there as a "resident"

For instance the thai consulates in Lao will sell METV's to the foreigners who legally work/live in Lao so they can go to thailand every week for shopping etc

Contact the consulate you're thinking of applying at and ask them
Ellie *******
@Jehan **************
, "you live legally" means you have legal residency in that country, such as proper longterm (not just a tourist) visa, etc.
Jehan ***************
@Ellie ******
thought so. Thanks
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