Answered2 years ago

What should I do if my METV application is delayed and I'm already in Thailand?

US Citizen METV Visa Visa Application Process Travel Documentation Thailand Immigration Visa Approval Delay

Hana *******

asked May 21, 2024

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Hi I’m an US citizen and I applied for the METV in my home country in the US in the beginning of May. My original flight was flying into Bangkok from the US on May 14th which I did. The visa was still in the document approval processes and the embassy had already asked me to provide additional documents and asked for airline tickets proving I’m flying in from my home country as well as my exit flight. So I submitted my original flight ticket for coming into Bangkok on May 10th as well as an onward exit ticket for 58 days later. 

I was just going to wait for it to be approved when I’m here in Thailand and just fly out within 30 days after it’s approved and fly back in with the METV. But I just got an email this morning from the consulate requesting thesame documents. Do I just submit my original flight and the onward travel tickets again or do I buy a new set of onward travel ticket for flying in at a later date ? I thought I just have to apply for the visa in my home country, but I’m already here. I didn’t expect my visa to take this long to be approved. Thank you in advance for any advice or help anyone can provide 🥺

Answer summary

A US citizen applied for a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) while already in Thailand and is experiencing delays in approval. The consulate has requested documentation to justify the need for multiple entries, including a return ticket from Thailand. Community members advised on the necessity of proving ongoing travel plans through appropriate documentation, and suggested that it may be required to provide future travel tickets rather than already completed flights.

11 repliesnewest first

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Rich ****

There appears to be a discrepancy between the original date of arrival you told them (May 10) and your actually arrival date on May 14.

2 years ago

Terary **********

There is no way to know why they haven't approved your application. We can all speculate but that isn't fact, not even in Thailand.

I would recommend you provide bus tickets showing you will be exiting Thailand at some point in the next 2-3 weeks (give them time to approve).

In the past when they asked me to provide additional documents they instructed me to send a an email with my name in the subject line. In that email I provide them the documentation and an explanation of my plans. In your case, I would say something like I plan to spend the next 6 to 9 months visiting the region with Thailand being home base...

They understand English pretty well but its still their second language, keep it simple, concise, and most importantly, polite. Explain you're here now but will be doing some back and forth with neighboring countries because you like Thailand so much (no harm in a little brown nosing).

When you do eventually get your METV, you can just do a border bounce and come back on the METV.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

At the bottom of the application it says "You must justify your need for multiple entries" and you haven't done that. That's why your visa hasn't been approved yet.

You must send them a ticket from your home country to Thailand. A ticket from Thailand to another country within 60 days of your arrival. Then ANOTHER ticket back to Thailand. If you don't provide that you haven't shown that you need multiple entries and they will give you a single entry visa and keep the difference in price.

I don't think they will accept flights that have already passed at this point, so you'll probably need to show proof of a flight from the US to Thailand in the future, and then the other 2 as well.

2 years ago

Rich ****

@Brandon ***********

I never had to show another ticket to another country or another back to Thailand.

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Rich ***

did you apply for the MULTIPLE entry tourist visa that's valid for 6 months and costs hundreds of dollars? Did you apply at the exact same embassy as the op? If not then your experience isn't relevant. They each make their own policies.

2 years ago

Hana *******

@Brandon ***********

I see I only did that because all the research I did online suggested that I did not need to provide proof of multiple tickets. If anything a lot of ppl said that would confused them even more and make the visa process more complicated. A lot of ppl said they just needed to provide the single flight into Thailand the beginning 🥲

2 years ago

David *******

@Hana ******

I don’t know what ‘online research’ you did but maybe submit that and you will the laughter. Asking random people on FB is not research 🧐

2 years ago

Hana *******

@David ******

this is my first time asking “random people on fb”. Online research is just collecting information from the internet from different forums I’ve read or videos from people who have gone through this experience. I’m only asking because I’m not an expert and have no experience in this. You don’t have to provide help or answers if you don’t want to. But by passively putting me down for just trying to find some answers or verification does not help and is not warranted. 🧐

2 years ago

Brandon ************

@Hana ******

In this group we always tell you to provide what's required by the embassy, which is the information I've stated. The application clearly states that you have to justify multiple entry as well.

2 years ago

Hana *******

@Brandon ***********

ok I will try that thank you very much!

2 years ago

Brandon ************

2 years ago