Will I be denied entry to Thailand if I leave before my METV expires and re-enter shortly after?

Feb 18, 2024
9 months ago
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello! We are getting the 6 month multi entry visa from mid-March to mid-Nov (we will do last entry/exit in Sept in our last days so we get the last 60 days to extend into Nov). We have some friends who are holidaying in Thailand in Nov/Dec so we would like to stay and all holiday together.

Do you think we would be denied entry if we leave before our METV expires and re-enter 3-7 days later? The plan would be to get the 30-day visa on arrival upon re-entry and then extend for another 30 days. We are a family of five (two adults, three young kids). I'm just not sure if there would be a reason for denial for doing the 6 month visa then re-entering after.

Our reason for travel is holidaying and making life easier for ourselves with young kids - otherwise the kids would all just be sick together at home during the winter and I'd much rather be stuck on the lovely beach/pool than inside in the cold back home. Plus it's a lot more affordable to get help with childcare.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user plans to use a 6-month multiple entry tourist visa (METV) from mid-March to November. They seek clarification on whether leaving Thailand shortly before the visa expires and re-entering 3-7 days later would result in denial of entry. Comments reveal that as long as the visa is still valid upon re-entry, they should be granted another 60-day stay, which can be extended. Some advise having a stronger reason for their long stay and suggest the importance of paperwork, including accommodation and onward travel proof to avoid issues with immigration.
Terary **********
Supposedly you can fly in on visa exempt as many times as you like and enter by land visa exempt twice in a calendar year. If you come on a METV and expires you should be eligible to do border bounce via land twice, or by air any number of times.

Many people do this, no issues. On occasion some poor schmuck will have an issue. In those circumstance you simple try again or go to a different border.

To avoid having issues I recommend travel with the 3 proofs and be very polite to the Immigration Officer, it's really their decision regardless of what paperwork you have.
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Terary *********
what are the three proofs? We would have accommodation and air tickets out - what would be the third?
Terary **********
@Nina ********
Onward travel. Some believe that means air travel but a bus, train, or boat will do.

It's more 'evidence' than 'proof' that you have plans to leave Thailand.
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Terary *********
so the three proofs are onward travel, accommodation, and what else? Sorry I feel like I’ve missed one
Jan ******************
@Nina ********
20 000 thb pr person or 40 000 thb pr family, but it’s rarely checked.
Terary **********
@Jan *****************
Only once have I been asked for this and it was crossing from Penang into Thailand, there they had a goofy requirement it had to be in THB, not any other currency.
Jan ******************
@Terary *********
Yes I know, but this is a formal requirement. Funny with thb🤣
Robert *******
I am new here also bit what country are you from. For me I get a 30 day exemption and was told if i leave the country ( preferred air travel) my 30 days are renewed and is no limit to how many times you fly in and out. But pand crossing have a limit. You can also ask for s extension and pay the fee.
John **********
If you re-enter just before your multi entry tourist visa expires you will be stamped in for another 60 days, which you can also extend by an additional 30 days. Much safer than what you propose
Bart **************
You'll indeed most likely be denied entry. You need to find yourself a better reason to stay in Thailand than holidaying. They'll not buy it anymore beyond a certain point. If you stretch your multi entry to 9 months, you're already getting more than most others.

So you need a better reason than holidaying. How about work?
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
thanks, something to think about. I have three kids so that’s pretty much work 😅
Bart **************
@Nina ********
it's not a right to stay in Thailand. You can come as a tourist but only until a certain point. The METV gets you already past that point.

Maybe your kids can get education visas and your can stay as their caretaker?
Wylie *******
I think you may be getting the visa expiration confused with how long you can stay in Thailand. The visa expiration just means you can enter Thailand as long as it is valid. As long as you enter before the expiration date you will be stamped in for 60 days, even if you enter 1 day before it expires.

You can leave and reenter just before the visa expires in mid November. Since the visa is still valid you will still get stamped in for 60 days which can be extended another 30 days. Meaning you can stay until mid February using the METV. No need to enter on visa exempt.
Bart **************
@Wylie ******
please read the post again.
Wylie *******
@Bart *************
I guess I missed that since they said the visa was good from mid March to mid November. I thought they were saying the visa expired in Nov. I didn't do the math to realize they were already including a final border bounce. Thought it was odd they wanted to do their last bounce 2 months before it expired.
Bart **************
@Wylie ******
I thought the same, at first. The beginning of the post was a bit confusing.
Wayne *********
The last 60 days can also be extended by 30 days taking you to December
Graham ******
You will totally be in the hands of the Immigration Officer holding your passport as doing up to nine months on a Tourist Visa with extensions then border bouncing to get Visa Exempt entry is not typical for a "tourist". You would need a border bounce agent to grease the wheels for you just in case.
Nina *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
thanks! Do you think that’d be the case even if we had accommodation booked at a resort? I’m not sure how they’d expect me to be doing anything else other than holidaying with three kids, but you’re right it’ll probably be a bit of a luck of the draw on the day.
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