When does the 6-month validity period for a multiple entry tourist visa start: from issuance or entry date?

I believe that the OP has the answers needed for his question about the METV.

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The visa is valid for 6 months from the date it's issued so it starts losing validity the day the issued it to you. 😕

When you arrive may 1st you'll get stamped in for 60 days

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.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 . 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱, 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿.

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 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 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

Here's a recent post with MANY helpful answers about the METV

(COPY and Paste the link below)

Yes, 6 months start from the date it's issued. Which Embassy/Consulate will you be using?

The METV multiple entry tourist visa is valid for 6 MONTHS FROM THE DATE IT IS ISSUED. Not 🚫 the date you first enter Thailand.

Suggest you use the search 🔍 tool top of the forum page...

ENTER word METV

CLICK on it and all posts about getting the METV will pop up to read the posts and advice of others.