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6 month METV questions


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Hi all.

I have some questions regarding the METV to clear up my understanding of it for future plans.

I understand the 6 month METV visa allows the visa holder to depart and reenter as many times as one wishes during that 6 month period from the initial entry.

Does each entry and departure require stamps? 

Does one have to depart every 60 days and reenter?

On arrival with this visa, the immigration officer will stamp me for 60 days and then I will depart before that expiration for and return for another 60 day entry?  I simply just return through immigration under my METV .

I've read up on the METV but still need a clear description of the procedures based on someones actual experiences with it.

 

Thanks.

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Each departure and entry will require the normal small stamps for them.

You will get stamped in for 60 days for each entry you do up to the enter before date on the visa which is 6 months from the date the visa is issued not the first entry.

You can get a 30 day extension of the 60 day entries for a fee of 1900 baht at an immigration office. After that you would have to leave and re-enter the country for a new entry.

You can get almost 9 months of total stay from the visa by getting another 60 day entry on or just before the enter before date and getting the 30 day extension of it.

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You are right ubonjoe I did seven months witch will end on end of April and return home, I did follow the procedure on how to mange this with your guidance and it worked .

Thank you for helping with your knowledge.

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Thanks ubonjoe. 

I wanted to clarify that I won't need to do any additional applications or paperwork if I leave to Philippines, Cambodia or Vietnam during that 6 months and return.

As long as I already have the METV visa in my passport, I can just fly back in and get a new 60 day entry stamp within 6 months of the original entry date.

While I need to fill out the TM30 and deal with the personal information form separately.

 

This was what I needed to clarify.

 

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11 minutes ago, survivalblue said:

As long as I already have the METV visa in my passport, I can just fly back in and get a new 60 day entry stamp within 6 months of the original entry date.

While I need to fill out the TM30 and deal with the personal information form separately.

The visas 6 month validity starts from the date it issued at the embassy or consulate. You should apply for it as close to your departure date as possible to get the most you can from the visa.

Unless you apply for a 30 day extension you will not need to do any forms at immigration.

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2 hours ago, murraynz said:

ubonjoe,you have answered some of my queries also----can a second 6mth  METV  be obtained  ???   can a retirement visa be obtained whilst in thailand ?? or can it only be obtained from home country??

There is no limit on the number of METV's you can get. I think there are people that are on their 3 or 4th one since they became available.

You cannot get a OA visa here in the country. You can apply for a one year extension of stay based upon on retirement at immigration here,

You can apply for a OA long stay visa for retirement at a embassy or official consulate in your home country or country of legal residence.

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In my opinion this Visa is the biggest waste of money. Besides the fact that you have to have a 2nd flight ticket booked when you apply, there is really no need for this visa as long as you fly in/out of Thailand anyway, have 20,000 Baht in your wallet on arrival, and have a ticket out of Thailand when you arrive.

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With my METV, issued from Australia, you have a choice of giving a written statement of proposed first departure from Thailand after 60 days from entry. I hand wrote that I propose to travel overland to Cambodia via Poipet on xx date.. That was sufficient. My previous METV I booked the cheapest possible flight out of Thailand, Hat Yai to KL o/w for about Bt750 with Air Asia. I didn't use it though... 

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20 hours ago, owenm said:

With my METV, issued from Australia, you have a choice of giving a written statement of proposed first departure from Thailand after 60 days from entry. I hand wrote that I propose to travel overland to Cambodia via Poipet on xx date.. That was sufficient. My previous METV I booked the cheapest possible flight out of Thailand, Hat Yai to KL o/w for about Bt750 with Air Asia. I didn't use it though... 

Which Aussie consulate are you using? Last year you didn't need any tickets or bank statements when applying for a METV. As an Aussie passport holder you just rock up with your passport, form and cash to pay the METV fee. Has that now changed & if so, is this also the same for the SETV?

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What kind of proof/documents do you need on a 6 months multi entry if any at all? Do all consulates do them or any that dont? Is Vientienne Laos feks doing them at the moment.Guess you need to wait over night at most places?

Thanks for any reliable advice...

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1 hour ago, Odin Norway said:

What kind of proof/documents do you need on a 6 months multi entry if any at all? Do all consulates do them or any that dont? Is Vientienne Laos feks doing them at the moment.Guess you need to wait over night at most places?

Thanks for any reliable advice...

You can only apply for a multiple entry tourist visa in your home country or country of legal residence in most cases.

Their have been reports of them being done in Australia without residency which would be the nearest place to here where you might be able to get one.

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1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You can only apply for a multiple entry tourist visa in your home country or country of legal residence in most cases.

Their have been reports of them being done in Australia without residency which would be the nearest place to here where you might be able to get one.

Thanks ubonjoe.Not to pick on anything here but is it posible that the  country of legal residence is not the same country as youre passport is? In my case I have a written letter from my norwegian goverment  saying that my registered adress and residence is Thailand. Transelated,stamped and verified by the Norwegian embassy in Bangkok.Also verified by the thai ministry of foreign affairs in Bangkok. Why I have this is just another run they made me do,to get my tabien-ban without being married or having any legal connection with a thai.This was done before my kid was born.

The thai embassy in Norway did say I could get a one year multi entry based on my kid now with all kinds of documentation needed so that could be done.Why I wonder about the 6 months is simply because maybe that could  be more easy and maybe it could be done without going to a country I dont realy visit more then I have to.

Sounds like it is no way around it.

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5 minutes ago, Odin Norway said:

Thanks ubonjoe.Not to pick on anything here but is it posible that the  country of legal residence is not the same country as youre passport is?

You have to be legal resident of the country where you apply for the visa.

Vientiane's requirements are here. http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/en/news/announce/detail.php?ID=410

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  • 4 months later...

I'm American and only hold a US passport and just last month I was able to apply for and get approved for my 6 month METV while in Auckland, New Zealand (when I was visiting there as a tourist). I emailed the consulate in Auckland in advance to ask if I could apply and got confirmation I could. You must apply in person. Although I was told it could take 3-4 working days to process the application, my visa was approved the following business day and was ready for pick up. Application requirements were the same as if I were to have applied at my NYC consulate. I provided my US bank statement as proof of income (you must show that you have the equivalent of $9,000 NZD/per person of $18,000/per family), a printout of my confirmed flight to Thailand e-ticket, my passport, a passport sized photo, and paid the $250 NZD application fee in cash (paid in NZD currency). $250 NZD is about $185 USD, so the visa fee came out to a bit less than than the fee when applying in the US. And I had no problems using the visa...I'm in Thailand now!

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13 minutes ago, CynthiaL said:

I'm American and only hold a US passport and just last month I was able to apply for and get approved for my 6 month METV while in Auckland, New Zealand (when I was visiting there as a tourist). I emailed the consulate in Auckland in advance to ask if I could apply and got confirmation I could. You must apply in person. Although I was told it could take 3-4 working days to process the application, my visa was approved the following business day and was ready for pick up. Application requirements were the same as if I were to have applied at my NYC consulate. I provided my US bank statement as proof of income (you must show that you have the equivalent of $9,000 NZD/per person of $18,000/per family), a printout of my confirmed flight to Thailand e-ticket, my passport, a passport sized photo, and paid the $250 NZD application fee in cash (paid in NZD currency). $250 NZD is about $185 USD, so the visa fee came out to a bit less than than the fee when applying in the US. And I had no problems using the visa...I'm in Thailand now!

It seems the embassy in New Zealand is the same as in Australia, USA and Canada. They also only require you to show that you have a visa or visa waiver in the country.

Most other locations clearly state you must be a resident or citizen to apply.

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  • 1 year later...
On 3/17/2017 at 4:15 AM, Upnotover said:

No.  Within 6 months of the issue date of the visa, marked as "enter before" on it.

Hi ... I have a question regarding the 'enter before' thing.

 

I'll be applying for the METV through the Los Angeles consulate and plan to arrive on October 8.

 

How much time do they allow?

 

Thinking I'll apply early September ... will that 'enter before' be past October 8 or do I need to cut it closer?

 

Thanks,

DS

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1 hour ago, MrKFC said:

Hi ... I have a question regarding the 'enter before' thing.

 

I'll be applying for the METV through the Los Angeles consulate and plan to arrive on October 8.

 

How much time do they allow?

 

Thinking I'll apply early September ... will that 'enter before' be past October 8 or do I need to cut it closer?

 

Thanks,

DS

When you apply for an METV, the expiry date will be six months from the date the visa is issued. If the visa is issued around, say, September 10, 2019, this would mean that you would be able to use it to enter Thailand (receiving a 60-day permission to stay each time) until March 10, 2020. If you would wish to use the visa to enter Thailand in, say, late March, it would make sense to apply for the visa closer to your departure date from the US.

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3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

When you apply for an METV, the expiry date will be six months from the date the visa is issued. If the visa is issued around, say, September 10, 2019, this would mean that you would be able to use it to enter Thailand (receiving a 60-day permission to stay each time) until March 10, 2020. If you would wish to use the visa to enter Thailand in, say, late March, it would make sense to apply for the visa closer to your departure date from the US.

That was quick, thank you sir! 

 

I think I got it ... but just to be sure ... the first 60 day visa begins the day I enter the country ... not the day they 'approve/send' the visa to me from Los Angeles ... right? 

 

DS

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19 minutes ago, MrKFC said:

That was quick, thank you sir! 

 

I think I got it ... but just to be sure ... the first 60 day visa begins the day I enter the country ... not the day they 'approve/send' the visa to me from Los Angeles ... right? 

 

DS

Each time you enter the country using the visa, you receive a 60-day permission to stay starting with the day you arrive in Thailand.

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2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Each time you enter the country using the visa, you receive a 60-day permission to stay starting with the day you arrive in Thailand.

Thanks much! I'd rather ask a dum question than make a dum mistake ????

 

DS

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  • 4 months later...

Am I correct in thinking that with my METV I'm not limited to a certain number of entries in the 6 month period the visa is valid for? Can cross in and out of Lao several times if I want to? 

 

And that each entry is good for another 60 days? 

 

I know that the number of land entries is limited to 2 per year, but an article I just read said that limit is only if you show up at the border with with no visa and are issued a new one each entry - and there's no limit to airport entries.  Is that '2 per year' limit applied to the METV as well? 

 

Thanks!

DS

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11 minutes ago, MrKFC said:

Am I correct in thinking that with my METV I'm not limited to a certain number of entries in the 6 month period the visa is valid for? Can cross in and out of Lao several times if I want to? 

And that each entry is good for another 60 days? 

I know that the number of land entries is limited to 2 per year, but an article I just read said that limit is only if you show up at the border with with no visa and are issued a new one each entry - and there's no limit to airport entries.  Is that '2 per year' limit applied to the METV as well? 

A METV allows unlimited 60 day entries for 6 months from the date it issued.

The limit of 2 visa exempt entries per calendar at land border crossing does not apply if you have a valid visa for entry.

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