I think he means that he needs to go back to the UK for normal life reasons, not that he needs this to meet a visa requirement.

The problem with trying to game the visa system, is that sometimes you lose. Losing may involve being denied entry and being forced to purchase a return ticket on the spot. Then you get held in an immigration detention center at the airport until that flight departs. The best bet is to get the visa that is most appropriate for your stay and don't leave your fate to the whims of every immigration officer that you encounter. If the METV is the right visa, then check with your home embassy. Otherwise, you my want to look in to one of the other visas suggested above, or the Thai Elite if none of those apply. Good luck.

There are no requirements to own land or have specific sums of money. The main challenge is her convincing the person that conducts the interview that she has sufficient ties to Thailand to return. This can be a lot of things, but demonstrating that she is going for legitimate tourist reasons and that she will not stay is the key. I sent a cover page and some supporting documents for my stay in Thailand, showing that I was on a long term visa, I lived in Thailand full time, I was supporting the trip financially, and that seemed to help. They asked for my proof of long term stay and finances, and that, along with her history of travel around Asia and Europe, seemed to make the difference for my girlfriend’s approval.

Your mileage may vary.

Should probably look in to getting a 60 day tourist visa, and the 30 day extension. That will offer 90 total days in country... No border runs...

I made a cover letter for my girlfriend explaining that I live in Thailand on a Thai Elite visa, and sent proof of my finances to cover her expenses while visiting the US. They asked for my passport/visa proof, and that was enough to convince them that I lived here and that she lived with me. That seemed sufficient to show her intent to return to Thailand for that particular agent.

The expedition fee for this service is technically a tip or a bribe. I found this out when I was offered expedited service on the first one I needed, and asked about it for the second one a couple of weeks later with a different person at the counter. They had some questions about my previously expedited document. Played dumb to keep from getting anyone in trouble, but be careful when making payments that aren’t for services listed and that don’t have receipts.

Totally different visa, and I don’t suggest you apply for any visa in the US or Europe that does not fit your case. I mean, you could hire your girlfriend as a contract laborer at a canning factory or as a lettuce picker on a farm, but that doesn’t quite work for a trip to Disney. Also, your girlfriend may not like being labeled as a laborer… 🙂

If you have the means to hire migratory workers and cover the visa requirements, you can probably set other things in motion to help them qualify for a tourist visa without all is that hassle.

It is very difficult for SE Asians to get a tourist visa for a lot of western countries. The UK, US, and Australia are particularly difficult.

The letter was on top of her packet of documents, and she asked him to read it when she walked to the counter. He read it, and went through all of her other documents. I can not speak to what his thinking process was or what all he considered to make the decision, but I helped her demonstrate that she had ties to Thailand for that particular officer. We got the idea from a friend of hers that got a tourist visa a few months earlier. Your mileage may vary.

Important to note, this was after one failed attempt applying without anything from me.