Understanding Thai Single vs Thai Multi-Entry Visas 

Last updated on August 28th, 2025 at 11:02 am

Single-Entry Tourist Visa – (SETV) Visa is good for one trip into Thailand. When you leave, the visa expires, regardless of the expiration date on the Visa.

You can apply for a SETV at any Thai Embassy, outside Thailand. You have 60 days to use the visa from the date it is issued. Furthermore, you can enter Thailand one time with this visa, and it will then be marked as used. When you enter Thailand, you will be given a 60-day stay permit. After 60 days, you can extend your stay for an additional 30 days at an immigration office in Thailand.

The Visa on Arrival was changed recently from 30 days to 60 days last year for citizens of most countries, which also allows tourists to extend their stay an additional 30 days for a total of 90 days. This makes the SETV somewhat obsolete. 

Multi-Entry Tourist Visa – (METV) Allow a traveler to leave and return to Thailand multi times as long as the Visa has not expired.

An example of a Multi-entry Visa, a 6-month tourist VISA, This is a valuable yet rarely used Visa. You can potentially use this Visa to stay in Thailand 9+ months. this will require 2 shirt exits fromn thailand during this time, such as two visa runs. Making it one of the easiest, cost-effective Visas to get for a long stay in Thailand.

Important caveat: Note: Some Visas require you to report to immigration when you are leaving and on return in order for the VISA to remain valid when you return. Please make sure immigration does not cancel your METV visa in error, when you return, this is a common issue. 

The visa costs 5,000 THB. Two extensions cost 3,800 THB.

You must apply for a 6-month tourist visa (METV) at a Thai embassy or consulate in your home country. Most applications are now done online, so you can avoid having to go to the embassy in person.

Once you have your visa, you can enter Thailand an unlimited number of times for up to 6 months, from the date which the visa is issued to you. When you first enter the country, you will be given a 60-day stay permit. After 60 days, you will need to leave Thailand and then re-enter to get a new 60-day permit. This is called a visa run, and you can repeat it as many times as you want during the 6-month period.
If you enter Thailand with less than 60 days left on your visa, you will still be given a 60-day stay permit. You can also extend your stay for an additional 30 days at an immigration office in Thailand