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What is the best visa option for a 6-month stay in Phuket for my husband and me?

Visa ExemptionTourist VisaMultiple Entry VisaVisa Rules ThailandPhuket ImmigrationVisa Extensions
Mar 14, 2024
a year ago
Kayla *******************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi everyone, my husband and I are coming to phuket next year for 6 months, what’s the best visa advice? can we just come on a visa exemption and extend it for a extra 30 days then leave and re-enter and do the process twice?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is asking for visa advice for a planned 6-month stay in Phuket. Responses suggest that while using a visa exemption is possible, it may be more advantageous to apply for a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) which allows for a longer stay with less hassle. Users recommend using a METV for extended stays, noting that it can provide significant flexibility compared to repeatedly entering on a visa exemption.
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Pip ****
Would highly recommend a multiple entry visa. They are really cracking down on visa exemptions and making people go through the right visa channels (understandably so)
a year ago
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Bob **********
You can get almost 9 months out of a multi entry TV if done right
a year ago
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Bart **************
Tourist visa is more cost effective and less hassle.
a year ago
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Michael *******
I came in on 60 day. (Uk). Extend 30 ( 1900 baht at immigration.) then had nice flight to KL . Achieved another 30 days. Easy.
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Michael ******
 One tourist visa and one border bounce it’s not a problem. Then you have (60+30)+(30+30), in total 150 days and need to do another border bounce. You arrived on a tourist visa first and need to do two border bounces if you like to stay for six months. Better to apply for a multiple entries tourist visa first, then yo get (60+30) + (60+30) and possibility for another 60+30.
a year ago
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Jan ******************
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Jan ******************
Wouldn’t recommend a six months stay just on visa exemption when there’s a more suitable six months tourist visa with multiple entries available. (METV)
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 you can only stay 3 month period in 180 days. What is good about it?
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
Yes. Valid 6 months. Entry 60 days and extension local immigration 30 days. In 6 month period. What you not understand there?
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 How do you get 3 months out of this? It’s multiple entries not one single entry within six months. You can enter as many times as you wish within six months.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 yes. Multiple entry, but can only stay 90 days in 180 day period.

Could you please understand this. Thanks
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 And what’s the purpose of multiple entries then when you just get the same as a single entry visa. 60+30 days. Why are the fee at the Thai Embassy 30 usd for a single entry tourist visa and 150 usd for a multiple entries tourist visa. Why do you have to prove funds 20K for a single and 200K for a multi if everything is the same.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 ask Thai government. I don’t know…what their purpose is.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 That’s not a METV. You get stamped in for two months (*) every time you enter within the six months, even if it’s the last day. Then you’ll have almost 8 months which can be extended with another 30 days at the local immigration, almost nine months in total.

*(And every time you get two months it can be extended with 30 days at local immigration)
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 yes. In 6 months period
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 but if you enter the last day of your 6 months period you’ll get 8 months and can extend with another month at local immigration.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 you cannot do like that. Can you show passport with 6 month tourist visa? You are allowed to stay 3 months in 180 day period
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 Sorry but you have misunderstood this. But you might mean a single entry tourist visa. This allows you just one entry with one extension, in total 90 days. METV is something else.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 same thing. Allows to stay up to 90 days in a 180 period.

So if you get 1 year multi, you can stay 90 days maximum
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 You are still wrong and if you wish to believe this it’s up to you.
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a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 I don’t know these non official sites or company. I tell you how it is by Thai law.

Who da f..k backpackbob is I don’t know.
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 Ok, I tried, for you just let us say that this is the case. But you don’t know how a six months multiple tourist visa works. If you like to think it’s just a 3 months stay it’s ok with me.
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 it’s not who me thinks, it’s Thai law. Good luck
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Oleg **********
 which you don’t know
a year ago
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Oleg ***********
@Jan *****************
 I do this for living. Know very good.
a year ago
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Chris ***********
@Jan *****************
 unfortunately I can't get the 6 month visa now because I'm not in my home country. But it sounds like the best thing to do if I were in the US
a year ago
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Mel ******
@Chris **********
 are you in your country of residency? I was able to do my metv in oman
a year ago
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Chris ***********
@Mel *****
 I'm American. But I'm in Taiwan now. So you were able to get yours while in a foreign country, if I understand you right?
a year ago
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Mel ******
@Chris **********
 I am also American but was living in oman. I am guessing you don’t have residency in your current location
a year ago
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Chris ***********
@Mel *****
 no I don't have residency here. Oh well!
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Mel *****
 I tried to check a bit and it’s seems to be correct that you can also can apply in the country of residence at date when you apply for METV.

(I checked because the practice some varies for Thailand)
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Mel *****
 electronic as a e-visa with a vpn then?
a year ago
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Mel ******
@Jan *****************
 since I had residency in Oman, I just went to Thai embassy in Oman.
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Chris **********
 yes, you can just apply from your home country.
a year ago
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Chris ***********
@Jan *****************
 I'm trying to understand this. So basically you can pay to extend once every two months. But with the six month visa you still need to exit after that (after the first 3 months) and come back. Is that correct?

And then you could get a few extra months by leaving on the very last day of your second extension and coming right back?
a year ago
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Jan ******************
@Chris **********
 Yes you can do (60+30) + (60+30) + (60+30) in total almost 270 days. I guess admin accepts that I’ll give you this.
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a year ago
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Jan ******************
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Stuart *********
Yes that would work. You are allowed two land border exempt entries per calendar year so assuming you’re flying in to start you’d get 30+30 then border hop to get another 30+30 and repeat.
a year ago
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Stuart *********
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