Since the introduction of the Destination Thailand Visa, much has been assumed, interviewed and published on the matter. The end result? A few answers and many more questions.
Some intrepid journalists, TikTokkers and YouTubers have even tried to get the answers “from the horse’s mouth”, notably from a deputy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The problem is, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets the rules of application but it’s the Thai Immigration Department, working under the auspices of the Royal Thai Police, that both administer and enforce the visas, and the visa exemptions.
As no one has actually entered Thailand under the new DTV at this stage, exactly how immigration officials will stamp their own requirements, and administer extensions and renewals, permitted within the 5 year visa, is yet to be seen.
With both the new extended (mostly from 30 to 60 days) visa exemptions, and the Destination Thailand Visa, the theoretical may not match the actual once visitors with these visas start arriving in Thailand.
As the situation exists today, the new DTV provides a cheap alternative to a number of other long-stay visas which have been available for decades before: 10,000 baht for a 5 year visa, allowing multiple 180 day stays, apparently without 90 day reporting or compulsory medical insurance.
The new DTV is ‘activity’ based, or for digital nomads, both of which would require documentation to prove their reason for applying for the visa. It also cannot be applied for inside Thailand – there is a an e-visa option but the e-application specifically asks where you are applying for the visa.
Here’s a quick summary of the main points of the new DTV…
The DTV is aimed at tourists with the intention of staying longer in Thailand – for education or some sort of cultural activity – or the digital nomad who is working for an overseas company but wants to work digitally in Thailand.
You cannot get a work permit to work for a Thai company, and you are prohibited from doing some other things that usually require long-term non-immigrant visas.
But the DTV still offers a longer-term, flexible stay in Thailand.
It’s a certainty that the generous time (5 years) and low-cost of the visa will be abused by some. Here are the basics…
Duration: 5 years, multiple entry
Length of Stay: 180 days per entry
Extension: Yes, one time per entry (so 180 days+ 180 days then you MUST leave)
Application: Overseas Thai Embassies/Consulates, or online through Thailand’s e-visa website
Family: Yes, can include spouse and children
Cost: 10,000 baht + proof of 500,000 baht in a bank account (doesn’t have to be a Thai bank account). It appears you can also provide ‘proof of income’ instead but this hasn’t been tested in reality as yet.
To qualify (according to Siam Legal):
- You must be at least 20 years old
- You must not have a history of long visa overstays on record with Thai Immigration
- You must have at least 500,000 Thai baht in assets to prove that you can support yourself while in Thailand
- Alternatively, Thai Immigration may allow a sponsor in Thailand to act as a guarantor if they have the required funds and agree to support you in writing
- Also, note that the embassy you apply from may demand to see a higher amount in your bank account
Dependents:
- You must be a legal spouse of the DTV holder OR
- You must be a legally recognised dependent child of the DTV holder, younger than 20 years old, and unmarried
Once you have been approved for a DTV, you can leave and re-enter Thailand as many times as you want without having to apply for a re-entry permit (as other Thai tourist visas require).
But each time you enter Thailand, you can only stay for a total of 360 days (180 days + 180 day extension) after which you will have to leave the country. But you can return to reset your stay and get another 180 days, etc… up to 5 years.
All this for a one time payment of 10,000 baht, for unlimited 180 day stays over the five year term of your visa. The 180 day extension would cost 1,900 baht at a Thai immigration office.
You can also get dependent visas for your family so you can bring them to Thailand without having to worry about separate visas for each family member. There is no limit to how many dependents you can bring but each family member will incur a 10,000 baht fee.
The only financial requirement is a bank statement showing 500,000 baht in a bank account, any bank account. You will also require evidence of either freelancing as a digital nomad, or enrolment in a Muay Thai/Thai cooking course/sports training/medical treatment/seminars/music festival (doesn’t say if you’re in the audience or on the stage!)
There could be all sorts of other ‘reasons’ for your 5 year stay in Thailand but it seems the application will have to include proof of this purpose.
Given that people have paid 900,000 baht for a Thailand Elite visa (for 5 years), or had to invest millions of baht, or show proof of high incomes to receive a LTR (Long term Resident) visa (or SMART visa), there will be plenty of people who will be happy to wrap the much simpler (and cheaper) DTV around their intentions to live in the Kingdom long-term.
For people who are under 50, hence unable to access the ‘retirement visa’ (O and OA visa), and wanting to stay in Thailand long-term, the new DTV will be very popular. But the O and OA visas will still remain the staple for people over 50 who want the cheapest option of remaining in Thailand for a year at a time.
Whether you would be able to apply for ANOTHER DTV after the first 5 years is finished, we don’t know yet.
But most of this information has come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and there has not been any comments from the Immigration Department, who will be responsible for its administration once people arrive in Thailand.
Whatever you THINK is the full story of the new Destination Thailand Visa, you will probably be wrong as the situation will evolve as soon as people start applying for, receiving, and entering Thailand with them.
