Almost 8 Months in Thailand on 6 month METV

[vnoluck]

At the time there wasnt DTV and I wanted to stay in Thailand for a Long vacation. Lets call it staycation.

I wanted to share what I done to stay in Thailand for almost 8 months on a METV.

Initially I did this because the visa exception was only for 30 days per visit and I didn't want to risk getting denied if I did it 4 times. Since the visa exception is now 60 days per visit, it may be cheaper to go that route and risking 3 entry.

Basically, I got the METV for 6 months but I must leave Thailand every 60 days or extend for additional 30 days for each entry. The trick to get more than 6 months is to enter into Thailand a few days before your visa expirew so you can stay 60 days pass your visa expiration plus extend for another 30 days.

Below I gave a bit of my itinerary and what I did and a bit of info for METV.

 

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Travel Length

Mar 15 to Nov 17 2024

 

METV (Multi Extry Tourist Visa)

https://www.thaievisa.go.th

Cost: $200

 

Start Application Feb 18

Approved on Feb 28

Length of each stay 60 days (Extend additional 30 days for 1,900 baht)

 

Required Documents:

Bio Data of Passport 

Passport Picture 

Driver License 

Onward Ticket 

Accomadation 

 

58 days

Mar 15 - May 11 Thailand

 

19 days

May 11 - May 29 Laos

 

77 days (Extended)

May 29 - Aug 13 Thailand

 

08 days

Aug 13 - Aug 20 Laos

 

90 days (Extended)

Aug 20 - Nov 17 Thailand

[ricktoronto]

There's a big risk at some point an immigration officer will decide you're gaming the system and won't admit you.

[asia_pig]

5 minutes ago, ricktoronto said:

There's a big risk at some point an immigration officer will decide you're gaming the system and won't admit you.

I spent 6+ months on METV and was worried about immigration stopping me from returning to Thailand. I didn't do any extensions but I did do some visa runs to Cambodia through air travel and didn't have any issues or questions. But from my understanding, it is up to the immigration officer working that day so YMMV. 

IMO there's probably going to be changes on how immigration views foreigners staying in Thailand. Maybe visa runs by air and land will change risk levels, an emphasis on DTV / LTR over METV, or they just won't care as long as you leave and reset the 60 days on arrival.

[ricktoronto]

If they start coordinating taxation and immigration records you run a new risk of being over 183 days in Thailand and having to deal with that headache. It's not consecutive days either.

Even on a multiple entry visa at some point they're going to insist on a proper visa, refuse entry or give you 10 days to pack up.

I wouldn't press your luck time after time because the tourist excuse won't wash. 

I firmly recommend that non residents do everything to stay away from the gaze of authorities. Immigration, customs, police, taxes, pregnancy, borrowing money, the works, nobody is siding with the farang.

[vnoluck]

I think the visa exception are the ones they most likely will deny entry as METV is a proper visa. As always the officers can always deny you but for METV, I actually paid for that visa so technically the government just want their cash. IMO, I would think they want you to get METV instead of DTV. They get more money. $200 every 6 months instead of $400 every 5 years. I doubt they would stop you.

 

Relating to taxing after 180 days, currently they have no way to tax money coming from ATM. If you have a Thai bank and transfer that way, is the only way they see money. At least that what I been reading. 

[ricktoronto]

Well they know people abuse all sorts of visas so a METV isn't a guarantee, moreso when you get a real jobsworth immigration agent.

At some point someone can say you're acting like a resident and lack a resident visa type.