Multiple Entry Tourist Visa's - METV

[gerry53]

For the last 10+ years I have returned to Thailand for 6 months each year with a Retirement Extension (visa).  Due to Covid 19  hassles we returned to Canada for 2.5 years and I dropped my "retirement" status.  After reading many articles, watching You Tube instructional videos and talking with the Thai Consulate in my country I am still confused - is there anyone that can give me their opinion?  These METVs are not cheap at $280 CAD.  There were a few reasons I did not got with a single entry followed by a 30 day extension.

I applied for my METV today and I know it is good for 60 days per visit, my understanding is I have to exit the country at that point.  Do I have to fly out or can I do a land border run nearby in Isaan and then reenter as in the old days or do I have to fly out to Vietnam or Malaysia then fly back into Thailand?  The Thai Consulate here seemed unsure saying it was up to the discretion of the Immigration Officer?

[HimBadMan]

4 minutes ago, gerry53 said:

For the last 10+ years I have returned to Thailand for 6 months each year with a Retirement Extension (visa).  Due to Covid 19  hassles we returned to Canada for 2.5 years and I dropped my "retirement" status.  After reading many articles, watching You Tube instructional videos and talking with the Thai Consulate in my country I am still confused - is there anyone that can give me their opinion?  These METVs are not cheap at $280 CAD.  There were a few reasons I did not got with a single entry followed by a 30 day extension.

I applied for my METV today and I know it is good for 60 days per visit, my understanding is I have to exit the country at that point.  Do I have to fly out or can I do a land border run nearby in Isaan and then reenter as in the old days or do I have to fly out to Vietnam or Malaysia then fly back into Thailand?  The Thai Consulate here seemed unsure saying it was up to the discretion of the Immigration Officer?

you can add another 30 days for 1900 baht at immigration but then need to leave.   if you want another 60 day stamp at entry u need to come in via Air. (I'm confident but not positive that land entries will not give u 60 day stamps, even with metv, but I could be wrong).

and yes, it's always up to the immigration regardless of any opinions or published rules .   they are very clear saying all entry stamps are 100% in the control of the Immigration Officer.   they hold all the power 

Edited August 17, 2022 by HimBadMan

[gerry53]

Thanks Him - The 1900 baht for a 30 day extension is expensive when you consider I paid $280 CAD for a 6 month tourist visa.  I am hoping someone has experience using border runs to activate the METV as this would be easiest and give me more time to spend with my Thai family.

[Thomaz73]

1 hour ago, gerry53 said:

I am hoping someone has experience using border runs to activate the METV

Done it many times without issues. Pre covid, though. Usually via Laos. Where I get slightly curious is how can you do a border run for less than 1900 baht? 
The way I would use the METV was to extend each 60 day entry stamp for 30 days inside Thailand. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Thomaz73
Spelling

[gerry53]

Hi Thomaz - I am near a border crossing into Laos then returning to activate my METV so it is easy compared to getting to BKK then flying to another country.  Pre covid everything was easier even when travelling to other Asian countries.  The 1900 baht for a 30 day extension is not a huge factor but time and convenience is, spending $280 for a 6 month visa should have some advantages?

[Thomaz73]

Thing is you only need your local immigration office. I did an extension in Nong Khai one time. 

Depending on where you are, it might be easier than border hopping.

[Cazh]

I have used METV visa multiple times and this is how it works.

You can only apply for a METV visa from your home country embassy/consulate, and the visa will give you a 6 month ahead date where you can enter and leave the country as many times as you want, just be aware that the 6 months start when your visa is accepted in the embassy/consulate, so don't apply 2 months before your trip.

Every time you enter the country you will get a 2 month stamp, then you have to leave Thailand by air or land-boarder to get 60 days again, immigration can only give you a 30 days extension and not 60 days, and you can't get 30 days extension after a 30 days extension, but you can do "60 days land boarder...30 days extension...60 days land boarder...30 days extension...and so on"

You can potentially be in Thailand for 9 months with a METV visa if you enter Thailand right before the 6 months METV visa date expires and after those 2 months you extend with 30 days at the immigration's office.

Remember to show your visa every time you enter the country or you will completely ruin the METV visa with a regular TR visa.

I would recommend doing boarder-hopping every 60 days to Cambodia on the Ban Pakkad Border, there are many visa run services in Pattaya that go there with minivan and wait for you to be finished.

[hioctane]

On 17/08/2022 at 10:17, gerry53 said:

Hi Thomaz - I am near a border crossing into Laos then returning to activate my METV so it is easy compared to getting to BKK then flying to another country.  Pre covid everything was easier even when travelling to other Asian countries.  The 1900 baht for a 30 day extension is not a huge factor but time and convenience is, spending $280 for a 6 month visa should have some advantages?

The advantage is that you don’t have to worry about getting denied at the border for too many visa exemptions. Unless you can think of a cheaper way to do this if you don’t qualify for a retirement visa yet.

[Leo_Bia]

Lazily asks, what are the requirements for an METV from the UK Thai Embassy?

I think they were asking for a letter from your employer the last time I looked.

 

[gerry53]

Seeing I was the O/P I will give an update on what I did and what I will do next time on my yearly 6 month visits to our Thai home.

In 2022 I used the METV ($280 CAD) and as mentioned is only good for 60 days followed by a 30 day extension for another 1,900 baht at my local immigration in Isaan.  I then went over to Laos to reactivate my METV for a second time and the Laos immigration charged me 1,800 THB for Laos entry then I circled back to Thai immigration for reentry.  After my 60 days I had to see the local Isaan Thai immigration for another 1,900 THB extension to complete my stay.

In 2023 I may just get a single Tourist Visa in Canada (much cheaper than the METV) with and extension to give me a total of 90 days then do a cheap  flight to Hanoi (and Halong Bay) and then apply for another single Tourist visa for 60 days along with a 30 day extension which will give my 6 months in Thailand.  The flights to Vietnam are cheap and so are the hotels so this is considered a vacation so I don't get too bored in Isaan!  I may have to use an agent to get my new Thai Tourist Visa in Hanoi but I need to check further into this as everything appears to be done online these days.

For over 10 years I had a Thai retirement Visa (extension) but when Covid hit I was in Canada and it lapsed.  I also got fed up jumping thru hoops for Thai immigration and leaving 800,000 in Thai banks when I only stay in Thailand just a few days less than 6 months each year for medical coverage and Tax implications.  Even though I am married to a Thai I never fancied the marriage visa either!

CHEERS

 

[hioctane]

2 hours ago, gerry53 said:

Seeing I was the O/P I will give an update on what I did and what I will do next time on my yearly 6 month visits to our Thai home.

In 2022 I used the METV ($280 CAD) and as mentioned is only good for 60 days followed by a 30 day extension for another 1,900 baht at my local immigration in Isaan.  I then went over to Laos to reactivate my METV for a second time and the Laos immigration charged me 1,800 THB for Laos entry then I circled back to Thai immigration for reentry.  After my 60 days I had to see the local Isaan Thai immigration for another 1,900 THB extension to complete my stay.

In 2023 I may just get a single Tourist Visa in Canada (much cheaper than the METV) with and extension to give me a total of 90 days then do a cheap  flight to Hanoi (and Halong Bay) and then apply for another single Tourist visa for 60 days along with a 30 day extension which will give my 6 months in Thailand.  The flights to Vietnam are cheap and so are the hotels so this is considered a vacation so I don't get too bored in Isaan!  I may have to use an agent to get my new Thai Tourist Visa in Hanoi but I need to check further into this as everything appears to be done online these days.

For over 10 years I had a Thai retirement Visa (extension) but when Covid hit I was in Canada and it lapsed.  I also got fed up jumping thru hoops for Thai immigration and leaving 800,000 in Thai banks when I only stay in Thailand just a few days less than 6 months each year for medical coverage and Tax implications.  Even though I am married to a Thai I never fancied the marriage visa either!

CHEERS

 

If you qualify for a retirement visa, instead of putting in 800k, why not send over 65k monthly? Yes, it does require some planning and you need to do it for a year initially (and continually). You will need spending money will you not?  Yes, you do need medical but unless you have some pre-existing condition or very old, it shouldn’t be too bad. You should have it anyway. As for taxes, you are retired. You shouldn’t be working.

The problem with the STV and visa exemption is that if they continually see you doing that plus extensions, they can deny you entry.

Edit: You can also potentially get up to 9 months on the METV.

Edited April 23, 2023 by hioctane

[Kale]

2 hours ago, gerry53 said:

Seeing I was the O/P I will give an update on what I did and what I will do next time on my yearly 6 month visits to our Thai home.

In 2022 I used the METV ($280 CAD) and as mentioned is only good for 60 days followed by a 30 day extension for another 1,900 baht at my local immigration in Isaan.  I then went over to Laos to reactivate my METV for a second time and the Laos immigration charged me 1,800 THB for Laos entry then I circled back to Thai immigration for reentry.  After my 60 days I had to see the local Isaan Thai immigration for another 1,900 THB extension to complete my stay.

In 2023 I may just get a single Tourist Visa in Canada (much cheaper than the METV) with and extension to give me a total of 90 days then do a cheap  flight to Hanoi (and Halong Bay) and then apply for another single Tourist visa for 60 days along with a 30 day extension which will give my 6 months in Thailand.  The flights to Vietnam are cheap and so are the hotels so this is considered a vacation so I don't get too bored in Isaan!  I may have to use an agent to get my new Thai Tourist Visa in Hanoi but I need to check further into this as everything appears to be done online these days.

For over 10 years I had a Thai retirement Visa (extension) but when Covid hit I was in Canada and it lapsed.  I also got fed up jumping thru hoops for Thai immigration and leaving 800,000 in Thai banks when I only stay in Thailand just a few days less than 6 months each year for medical coverage and Tax implications.  Even though I am married to a Thai I never fancied the marriage visa either!

CHEERS

 

I think you are supposed to be physically in your home country to apply for a 60 day tourist visa, so I don't think you can technically do that from Vietnam.  Would be great if I was wrong on that.  Since it is all done online now I guess you could get it issued in your home country but I think you would need to send them a photocopy of the Thai exit stamp. If the Vietnam entry stamp is on that same page they may have questions about that.  Or they may check that when you come back in to Thailand on the new 60 day.

I believe you can only extend an METV or get a 30 day visa waiver two times over land.  That is stated in the visa rules.  So trying to squeeze in a 3rd one for 9 months total by going through a land border probably won't work.  Going through an airport has no such limit. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by Kale

[hioctane]

15 minutes ago, Kale said:

I believe you can only extend an METV or get a 30 day visa waiver two times over land.  That is stated in the visa rules.  So trying to squeeze in a 3rd one for 9 months total by going through a land border probably won't work.  Going through an airport has no such limit. 

I don’t see a point of doing extensions on a METV. Just leave and come back and do an extension on your last one.

[Kale]

7 minutes ago, hioctane said:

I don’t see a point of doing extensions on a METV. Just leave and come back and do an extension on your last one.

I am talking about leaving and coming back.  Not extending in country.  Call that whatever you want.

Edited April 23, 2023 by Kale

[hioctane]

1 minute ago, Kale said:

I am talking about leaving and coming back.  Call it whatever you want.

You can re-enter as many times as you want. I am not sure about via land. You don’t get extensions on the METV. It just gives you the right to keep re-entering within the 6 month visa period. You can get an extension on the 60 day entry  stamp.

[Kale]

10 minutes ago, hioctane said:

You can re-enter as many times as you want. I am not sure about via land. You don’t get extensions on the METV. It just gives you the right to keep re-entering within the 6 month visa period. You can get an extension on the 60 day entry  stamp.

Looks like the two-times rule only apply to visa exemptions.

Quote

Foreigners under the Visa Exemption List who are entering Thailand via border posts at Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia without securing a prior visa will now be granted 30-day visa exemption stamp TWO times per calendar year, from January 1 to December 31.

According to a spokesman for the Thai Immigration Bureau, the new regulation was created to encourage foreigners to secure the proper visas in advance from a Royal Thai Embassy prior to their arrival. The new rule will also limit the amount of back-to-back visa runs being made by foreigners to extend their stay.

https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thailand-visa-latest-update

Edited April 23, 2023 by Kale

[hioctane]

16 hours ago, Leo_Bia said:

Lazily asks, what are the requirements for an METV from the UK Thai Embassy?

I think they were asking for a letter from your employer the last time I looked.

 

This is a tourist visa so your work should be irrelevant. In the US, the requirement is $7000 minimum balance over the last 6 months.

[hioctane]

4 minutes ago, Kale said:

Interpret this however you want.  Looks like it may only apply to visa exemptions.

https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thailand-visa-latest-update

Looks like it was done to stop border runs by land.

[gerry53]

2 hours ago, Kale said:

I think you are supposed to be physically in your home country to apply for a 60 day tourist visa, so I don't think you can technically do that from Vietnam.  Would be great if I was wrong on that.  Since it is all done online now I guess you could get it issued in your home country but I think you would need to send them a photocopy of the Thai exit stamp. If the Vietnam entry stamp is on that same page they may have questions about that.  Or they may check that when you come back in to Thailand on the new 60 day.

I believe you can only extend an METV or get a 30 day visa waiver two times over land.  That is stated in the visa rules.  So trying to squeeze in a 3rd one for 9 months total by going through a land border probably won't work.  Going through an airport has no such limit. 

 

I don't know for a fact but if I was travelling around the world that Thailand Immigration would demand I return to Canada from Vietnam to get a second  2 month tourist visa so I could help support the Thai economy?  The Vietnamese agents are very skilled and I am sure there must be a way around this.  When I talked to the Thai Consulate in Canada they said everything was at the discretion of the Thai Immigration Officer you are dealing with???

[gerry53]

2 hours ago, hioctane said:

If you qualify for a retirement visa, instead of putting in 800k, why not send over 65k monthly? Yes, it does require some planning and you need to do it for a year initially (and continually). You will need spending money will you not?  Yes, you do need medical but unless you have some pre-existing condition or very old, it shouldn’t be too bad. You should have it anyway. As for taxes, you are retired. You shouldn’t be working.

The problem with the STV and visa exemption is that if they continually see you doing that plus extensions, they can deny you entry.

Edit: You can also potentially get up to 9 months on the METV.

If I only spend less than 6 months at my home in Thailand every year I don't want to do 12 - 65K baht transfers each year to satisfy Immigration.  Usually I just send over about 600K THB thru (Transfer) Wise to last the 6 months - bikes, car and house are already paid for so that's lots for us to live well on.  I am old at 70 and most of us at that age  have some preexisting conditions and that often makes it difficult to collect in spite of huge premium's.  I put aside funds to self insure if needed.  If I had a serious illness I would try to return to Canada.  Don't worry about me working - I retired 17 years ago and am quite enjoying it.  I wish Thailand would charge a straight fee for a simple 6 month visa and not bother people who are contributing to their economy with, extensions, leaving the country and other obstacles.  I think they would prefer people spend the big dollars on Thai Elite Visa's 600K to 2 million baht???

[Kale]

2 hours ago, gerry53 said:

If I only spend less than 6 months at my home in Thailand every year I don't want to do 12 - 65K baht transfers each year to satisfy Immigration.  Usually I just send over about 600K THB thru (Transfer) Wise to last the 6 months - bikes, car and house are already paid for so that's lots for us to live well on.  I am old at 70 and most of us at that age  have some preexisting conditions and that often makes it difficult to collect in spite of huge premium's.  I put aside funds to self insure if needed.  If I had a serious illness I would try to return to Canada.  Don't worry about me working - I retired 17 years ago and am quite enjoying it.  I wish Thailand would charge a straight fee for a simple 6 month visa and not bother people who are contributing to their economy with, extensions, leaving the country and other obstacles.  I think they would prefer people spend the big dollars on Thai Elite Visa's 600K to 2 million baht???

Just go to one of the visa agent places on Buakhao.  They will do everything for you and fix you up with a retirement visa with no cash transfers and no minimum bank balance required.  I think most if not all will do this.  I know someone who uses the one called Cambodia visa or something like that.  It's on Buakhao near Soi 15 I think.  He's done it 2 times now.

Everything is done in Thailand.  Just come in on a visa waiver or tourist visa and then go to the agent and they will explain it all.  I think they first convert it to a 90day temporary retirement visa, then it gets renewed to a 12 month retirement visa.  After that you just renew the 12 month.  I think that is what most expats that want to avoid the minimum money in the bank thing are doing now.  Can't remember the cost.  I think it's around 16000b. That's just for the 12 month.  There would be a fee the first year for the 3 month thing as well.  You might be able to get it cheaper if you shop around idk.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Kale