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Can I apply for the METV from Europe if I'm an American citizen?

Thailand VisaTourist VisaMETVU.S. EmbassyVisa Application ProcessVisa RequirementsExpats in Thailand
Apr 23, 2023
2 years ago
Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
METV Question:

I'm American. I will be visiting cousins in Europe this summer, then entering Thailand.

I'm looking at the tourist visa website and I'm confused on which location I should select when I apply.

I want to apply for the METV. Should I select the Washington DC office even though I will be in Europe?

Is this process 100% online? From what I can tell from the application, it seems like its all electronic....

Also, is it easy to get the METV these days? Is one of the embassies in America better to select than others?

I dont want to waste like $200 if they are not giving out the METV.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) for Thailand can only be applied for from your home country, the U.S. in this case, even if you are currently in Europe. The application process is primarily online, but you must select the appropriate U.S. consulate based on your state of residency and provide a confirmed flight leaving from the U.S. to Thailand. It's important to meet all application requirements to avoid complications and unnecessary expenses.
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Thomas *********
Use the Royal Thai Embassy site easy:
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2 years ago
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Richard *********
Can u use a VPN for ur home country from wherever you are?
2 years ago
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Kool *******
@Richard ********
 that works, except for one little detail they ask for, your confirmed airplane flight. You can't run that through a VPN to change the actual airport you leave from. If it is not a flight leaving from the US in his case, then no approval. You can't get that visa without a confirmed flight.
2 years ago
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Richard *********
@Kool ******
 BUT couldn't you use owardflights dot com?

just asking
2 years ago
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Stuart *********
@Richard ********
 In theory you could. Haven’t seen any posts saying people have been successful though.
2 years ago
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Richard *********
@Stuart ********
 🙂 seen any that says that haven't been?
2 years ago
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Stuart *********
@Richard ********
 a number of people have said that they couldn’t use but not specifically stating that that reason was because of location.
2 years ago
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Stuart *********
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Brandon ************
Yes it's all online but that doesn't change any of the requirements. You apply through the consulate based on your physical location. So if you're in the US now you can use the evisa for applying through one of the Thai consulates in the US. If you're in Europe you cannot apply through a Thai consulate in the US because you're not in the US.

METV can only be applied for through your home country or a country you have permanent residence in, so you would not be able to apply while you're in Europe. The visa starts the day it's issued so if you're going to be in Europe for long then it may not be beneficial for you to apply for the multiple entry since it's valid for 6 months from the day it's issued.

You have to justify the need for multiple entry so that means you have to show a flight from your home country to Thailand, a flight out of Thailand within 60 days, then another flight into Thailand. If you do not provide this they will issue you a single entry visa and keep the difference in price.

You apply through the consulate based on your state of residency. One of the questions in the application asks you to show proof of residence like a drivers license or utility bill with your address, so you would need to select the correct consulate or they will reject your application and tell you to apply again through the correct consulate.
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yea so Im America, I live in Florida, my residence. Ill be in Norway for the summer.... And I want to go straight to Thailand from Norway ideally on a METV.

How would I go about applying for the METV? If its all online, cant I just apply at like the WAshington DC office?
2 years ago
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Brandon ************
@Kenny ******
 there's no reason for you apply if you're going to be in Europe for the summer. By the time you go to Thailand you'll have lost half of the visa time already.

Either apply for a single entry tourist visa when you're in Norway or just enter Thailand visa exempt without a visa.
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 Yea thats why I wanted to apply for METV while in Norway.

When I apply for the single entry, should I just do it now while im in America or can I apply for it in Norway? What embassy would I select on teh website?
2 years ago
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John **********
@Kenny ******
 it's pretty straightforward. You apply from the country you are in at the time of application. You can normally only apply for the multi entry visa from your home country so if you apply now before going to Norway you will lose all of the time you spend in Norway. May as well just get a standard tourist visa which you should be able to apply for from Norway
2 years ago
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Brandon ************
@Kenny ******
 you'll need to enter Thailand within 90 days from the date the SETV is issued. If you're going to be in Europe longer than that then you'll be wasting the visa. If not you can apply now but they may require you to show a flight from the US to Thailand as part of the application.

Norway also participates in the evisa program so you might be able to apply for the SETV while you're there. You would need to check their website to see what their policy is as some embassies will not issue visas to non-residents.
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 Thanks for your help man. Really wish I was going straight to thailand haha
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
So I will not be able to apply for the visa at all then?
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
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Kool *******
You can only get it from the country your passport is from. You can't get it in Europe unless you have official residency in writing. The little detail to ensure this is the airline flight you must list that you are confirmed for. You can't get it with a flight from Europe, only the US.
2 years ago
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Av **********
@Kenny ******
 you go and get 30 days on arrival. Here in Portugal they want your residency card to prove that you live here. I just applied. You will have to apply from the USA with a ticket leaving from there.
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
 Oh interesting. So they need to see my plane ticket to Thailand? So I cant have a plane ticket from say Oslo to Bangkok? (since ill be in Oslo when applying)....
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
So what about a normal tourist visa. Same problem?
2 years ago
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Kool *******
@Kenny ******
 that's right. You can only get the METV in the US, with a confirmed plane ticket leaving from the US.
2 years ago
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Kool *******
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Stuart *********
You can generally only apply for an METV from your home country. Although the evisa system is online it seems that they will still need to see that you’re in your own country to apply.
2 years ago
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Roberto *********
@Paul ******
 He's saying he'll apply for an METV in a country where he's not resident. If he tries to "pretend" he's in his home country, he might get denied and will forfeit the application fee.
2 years ago
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Kenny *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stuart ********
 My home is in America, but at the time Ill be applying for the METV ill be in Europe
2 years ago
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Roberto *********
@Kenny ******
 You run the risk of being denied which will cost you the application fee. You might be better off applying for the SETV, as you'll definitely get it
2 years ago
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Paul *******
@Roberto ********
Depends. European countries are generally easier places for foreign nationals to apply for Thai visas than anywhere in Asia, with the exceptions of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Almost everywhere else in Asia, non-residents either can't apply for a Thai visa or only with difficulty.
2 years ago
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Paul *******
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