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What is the best visa option for staying long-term in Thailand while traveling around Southeast Asia?

Nov 16, 2025
2 days ago
Randall *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I am hoping that sometime soon I'll be looking at a retirement visa in Thailand. The wife and I have spent significant time there and feel at home in Chiang Mai in a way we never have anywhere else. However, I want our next trip to be exploratory and long. I'd like to spend 4 to 6 months in SE Asia, visiting other places (we've been to every country in SE Asia, but never had time to do more than play tourist).

So I want a visa that will let me come and go for those 4 to 6 months and spend more than 60 days in Thailand. Maybe more than 90. I've been up and down the Thai embassy list of visas, and the closest I can find is the Digital Nomad visa. Do I have to actually have a job as a digital nomad to qualify? Can posting photos to Facebook count? Or is there some other visa that really does cover what I want?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is considering a retirement visa for Thailand while wanting to explore Southeast Asia for 4 to 6 months. They are looking for a visa that allows them to stay longer than 60 to 90 days in Thailand and are unsure if the Digital Nomad visa requires actual employment in that capacity. Various commenters suggest the Multi Entry Tourist Visa (METV) which allows multiple entries over six months with extensions possible, and discuss the benefits of the Non-Immigrant OA visa for long-term stays.
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Gwennie *********
I am look to relocate to Pattaya Thailand, next year, I am gathering all my documents now. It will be a reset for me.
Frank **********
Posting pictures to Facebook.
Pascal ********
Il n'y a plus trop de possibilités de faire plus de 90 jours en Thaïlande avec des exemption de visa

Il faut prendre un visa multi entrée touriste
Peter ****************
Well, as a first longer trip to Thailand, maybe a Multi Entry Tourist visa is an option like others say. But after 60 days (or 90 if you have an extension of 30 days), you have to leave the country and can come back which allows you for another 60 days (with possible extension of 30 days).

If you really want an almost hassle free stay, and you qualify, maybe a non imm. OA visa is an option. (e.g. you must have health insurance and police clearance of good behaviour). This visa gives you a whole year of stay and is multi entry, so during that year you can leave and come back as much as you want. But then you have to do a 90 day report if you stay more than 90 days in Thailand. (rather easy process). If later you want to fully retire and/or want to live in Thailand, with this visa you can also already open a Thai bank account.

I think not relevant yet, but every time you go out of Thailand and come in again, y'r stamped in for a whole year until the expiration date of that visa. So if you leave just before that expiration date, you get a whole year of stay again. But watch out: this stay is not multi entry anymore, so then you need a re-entry permit. Also you need the health insurance for that whole year.

Good luck ! 🙏
Randall *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Peter ***************
Thanks. The multi entry visa sounds good. It isn't on the embassy list of visa types, although looking again, it sounds like the regular tourist visa description.
Peter ****************
@Randall ******
Sorry, never had to use the e-visa site, so I din't know. Already live in Thailand for over 8 years. Then I had to go to the Thai Embassy in the Netherlands myself. To live here I then bought a non imm. O single entry visa, and after 60 days I bought a year extension which I do every year with the Thai immigration every year.
Wannikea *********
METV, 60 days per entry, valid for 6 months, can squeeze 9 months out of it, only available in your home country, demonstrate proof of need with tickets out of Thailand within 60 days and back sometime after that, each entry is eligible for a 30 day extension
Christian **********
@Wannikea ********
I do wonder if, by touting the ability to "squeeze" an additional 3 months from the METV, we might invite closer scrutiny of this otherwise very useful visa. We might be advised to keep that feature on the down low.
Wannikea *********
@Christian *********
it's perfectly legit and how it's meant to be used
Christian **********
METV!
Anthony ******************
Resets on jan 1.
Martin ********
@Anthony *****************
what do you mean ?
Anthony ******************
Thailand works on a Calendar Year, not a 12 month period. The calendar resets on Jan 1
Pete *******
Multiple Entry Tourist Visa.
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