The METV is useful if you will leave and return within six months. Since 15 September 2026, visa-free entry is only 30 days for most people, so a METV can replace repeated border runs. See after the 30-day change for the rules on visa-free re-entry.
Who qualifies
Thai embassy pages describe the METV as a tourist visa for holders of ordinary passports who want to enter more than once for tourism. They do not set a nationality list. They set rules by residence and funds.
You can usually apply when:
- You hold an ordinary passport.
- Your purpose is tourism.
- You live in the area the embassy serves.
- You can show the funds that post asks for.
Some posts add more. London says the METV is for people "currently residing" in the UK, Ireland or UK territories, and asks for utility bills as proof. Canberra serves named Australian states and territories, plus Pacific nations. Non-Australian residents there must give a VEVO check. Los Angeles says applications from outside its area may be denied.
Check the page of your embassy. Washington's METV rules do not mention a residence test beyond the address and status documents. If you are a tourist who lives abroad in a third country, ask the embassy before you apply and pay.
Validity and stay
| Item | What the pages say |
|---|---|
| Validity | 6 months from the issue date |
| Stay per entry | Up to 60 days |
| Entry window | London: enter within the first 3 months |
| Extension | London: "possible for another 30 days". Washington: up to 90 days in total from entry, for the tourist visa |
| Total days | Pretoria: up to 60 days per entry, 180 days maximum during validity |
The Pretoria 180-day total ("up to 180 days maximum during visa validity") is that post's statement. Other posts do not give a total. It follows from 60 days and the six-month window, and it depends on how many entries you make and when.
London adds that the first entry should happen within 3 months. We did not find this on other pages, so check it for your post.
Fees by embassy
| Embassy | METV fee | Page date |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | USD 200 | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Los Angeles[2] | USD 200 | 9 Oct 2023 |
| Moscow[8] | USD 200 | 12 Sep 2026 |
| Singapore[5] | SGD 250 | 18 Mar 2025 |
| Helsinki[6] | EUR 170 | 7 Nov 2023 |
| Tehran[7] | EUR 170 | 4 Jun 2025 |
| Pretoria[9] | ZAR 3,100 | no date |
| New Delhi | INR 13,500 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Jeddah[10] | SAR 750 | 25 Aug 2022 |
Fees are not refundable (Jeddah, Washington; Helsinki: no refund if rejected). Pages older than 12 months may be out of date. Confirm the amount on thaievisa.go.th.
Funds: the main test
| Embassy | Amount stated | Period | Page date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow[8] | USD 2,000 each month | last 3 months | 12 Sep 2026 |
| Washington, DC | USD 700 each month per person, or USD 2,000 per family (single rule on page) | last 3 months | 27 Aug 2026 |
| Singapore[5] | SGD 8,000 per person | 6 months | 18 Mar 2025 (older) |
| Tehran[7] | no less than THB 20,000 | last 3 months | 4 Jun 2025 (older) |
| Canberra[4] | THB 200,000 or equivalent | past 6 months | no date |
| Pretoria[9] | ZAR 110,000 per person, ZAR 220,000 per family | 6 months | no date |
| Los Angeles[2] | USD 2,000 each month | last 3 months | 9 Oct 2023 (older) |
| Helsinki[6] | EUR 6,000 per person | last 6 months | 7 Nov 2023 (older) |
| Jeddah[10] | SAR 5,000 per person, SAR 10,000 per family | not stated | 25 Aug 2022 (older) |
"Older" means the page is more than 12 months old. Treat those figures as a starting point and confirm on thaievisa.go.th.
Washington's page gives one bank rule for the tourist visa (USD 700 each month per person, or USD 2,000 per family, last 3 months) and no separate METV amount. London's METV page gives no amount.
Notice the spread. Tehran asks for about THB 20,000 while Canberra asks for THB 200,000 or equivalent. Do not assume the figure of one post applies at another.
Use savings in your own name, and ask your embassy before you use a joint or family account. Do not borrow money for a statement and do not buy a statement. An embassy can reject the application, and the fee does not come back.
Other documents
- Passport with enough validity. Helsinki asks 12 months and two blank pages for METV.
- A recent photograph.
- Flight confirmation. Los Angeles asks for a US-Thailand-Thailand-US route. London asks for an outbound ticket.
- Accommodation booking or invitation.
- Employment proof for non-citizens (Washington asks for a green card or valid US visa plus a hand-signed employment letter).
- Business licence, registration or tax returns if you are self-employed (Washington).
See tourist visa documents for each item.
Processing time
Los Angeles states a minimum of 15 business days and no expedited service. Canberra states 10 business days and up to 4 to 6 weeks in some cases. Apply well before you plan to travel.
METV or other options
| You plan to... | Option to check |
|---|---|
| Visit once for up to 30 days | Visa-free, if your passport is on the 60-country list |
| Visit once for up to 60 days | TR, one entry |
| Leave and return several times in 6 months | METV |
| Work remotely, study long-term | Different visa (DTV or Non-Immigrant) |
A METV does not promise entry. Keep your return tickets and booking proof with you when you travel.
Before you apply
- You live in the area your embassy serves, and you can prove it.
- Your funds meet your post's METV figure for the months it names.
- Your passport has the validity your post asks for (Helsinki: 12 months).
- You plan your first entry inside the window your post states (London: first 3 months).
- You checked the METV fee for your post on thaievisa.go.th.
Before you pay the embassy fee, our tourist visa pre-check can read your documents against your post's list. You apply on thaievisa.go.th yourself.
Not confirmed yet
No official page we read states these points. Ask your embassy before you pay or submit.
- Whether posts other than London set a first-entry window.
- A total-days limit at posts other than Pretoria.
- Whether the older pages in the funds table still show current figures.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Thai METV valid?
6 months from the issue date, with up to 60 days per entry.
How many days can I spend in Thailand on a METV?
Up to 60 days per entry. Pretoria states up to 180 days in total during the validity. Other posts give no total.
How much money do I need for a METV?
It depends on the post: USD 2,000 each month for 3 months at Moscow, THB 200,000 over 6 months at Canberra, SGD 8,000 at Singapore.
Can I extend a METV stay?
London says the stay is extendable for another 30 days.
Can I apply for a METV from a country where I am a visitor?
London says the METV is for people currently residing in the UK, Ireland or UK territories, and Los Angeles may deny applications from outside its area. Ask your embassy before you pay.
Sources
- washingtondc.thaiembassy.org/en/page/trsingle-entry (read 22 Oct 2026)Washington: multiple entry USD 200, valid 6 months; the page gives one bank rule (USD 700 per month per person or USD 2,000 per family, 3 months) with no separate METV amount; updated 27 Aug 2026
- thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-metv-multiple-entries (read 22 Oct 2026)Los Angeles: METV USD 200, 6 months, 60 days per entry, USD 2,000 each month for 3 months, min 15 business days, no expedited service; updated 9 Oct 2023
- london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-multiple-entries-visa (read 22 Oct 2026)London: METV for people currently residing in UK, Ireland, UK territories; valid 6 months, enter within first 3 months; 60 days per entry, extension possible for another 30 days; utility-bill proof; no fee or funds stated; updated 4 Apr 2024
- canberra.thaiembassy.org/en/content/visa (read 22 Oct 2026)Canberra: METV bank statement past 6 months with THB 200,000 or equivalent; jurisdiction list; VEVO for non-Australian residents; no fee stated
- singapore.thaiembassy.org/en/page/tourist-visa (read 22 Oct 2026)Singapore: METV SGD 250, valid 6 months, SGD 8,000 for 6 months, long-term pass; updated 18 Mar 2025
- helsinki.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-tr-metv (read 22 Oct 2026)Helsinki: METV EUR 170, EUR 6,000 per person for 6 months, passport 12 months; updated 7 Nov 2023
- tehran.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-multiple-entries (read 22 Oct 2026)Tehran: METV EUR 170, 6 months, no less than THB 20,000, statements for last 3 months; updated 4 Jun 2025
- moscow.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/83954-2-tourist-visa (read 22 Oct 2026)Moscow: METV USD 200, USD 2,000 each month for 3 months; updated 12 Sep 2026
- pretoria.thaiembassy.org/en/page/29707-tourist-visa (read 22 Oct 2026)Pretoria: METV ZAR 3,100, ZAR 110,000 per person (ZAR 220,000 family) for last 6 months, up to 180 days maximum during validity
- jeddah.thaiembassy.org/en/page/multiple-entry-tourist-visa-metv (read 22 Oct 2026)Jeddah: METV SAR 750, SAR 5,000 per person; updated 25 Aug 2022
Reviewed by the Thai Visa Pre-Check team
We check documents; we are not a law firm and not the Thai government. We read each embassy page named in the sources on the date shown.
We sell a document check. We do not apply for you, and only the embassy decides your visa.
- Last checked
- First published
What changed
- first published. Added a page-date column to the funds table, a checklist and five questions. Links point to the new guide structure.
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