DTV Visa Thailand
The DTV is a five-year, multiple-entry visa that lets you live in Thailand 180 days at a time while working remotely, training, studying a Thai skill or receiving treatment. You need 500,000 THB in savings, a document pack that matches your category, and 10,000 THB for the government fee. Here is the whole process, in order.
- Age
- 20 or older
- Savings
- 500,000 THB in liquid funds, held before you apply
- Validity
- 5 years, multiple entry
- Stay per entry
- 180 days, extendable once by 180 days
- Government fee
- 10,000 THB per application
- Work
- Remote work for non-Thai employers only
Which DTV category are you?
The DTV is one visa with four doors. The savings requirement is identical; only the evidence changes.
Workcation
Remote employees, freelancers and business owners paid from outside Thailand.
- · Employment contract, or client contracts and invoices
- · Company registration if you are self-employed
- · Proof your income comes from outside Thailand
Thai soft power
Muay Thai students, cooking or language course students, sports training, festivals.
- · Course, camp or gym enrolment letter
- · Payment receipt or booking confirmation
- · Schedule showing the length of the activity
Medical treatment
Long-course treatment at a Thai hospital or clinic.
- · Appointment letter from the hospital
- · Treatment plan with expected duration
- · Evidence you can cover the cost
Dependents
Spouse and children under 20 of a DTV holder.
- · Marriage certificate or birth certificate
- · Copy of the main applicant's DTV
- · Translations where documents are not in English
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Check which category fits
Workcation, soft power, medical or dependent. Your category decides which supporting documents immigration expects — applying under the wrong one is the most common rejection reason.
- 2
Season your savings
Get 500,000 THB (about USD 16,000) sitting in a personal bank account and leave it there. Bank statements should show the balance across the months before you apply. Crypto, share portfolios and pension pots are not accepted as-is.
- 3
Gather documents
Passport with six months' validity and a blank page, a recent photo, proof of your current address, your category evidence, and bank statements plus a bank letter. Anything not in English or Thai needs a certified translation.
- 4
Apply online
Everything goes through Thailand's e-visa portal — you choose the Thai embassy handling your file, upload the documents and pay the 10,000 THB fee. There is no in-person interview for most applicants.
- 5
Wait for the decision
Processing typically runs two to four weeks, longer at busy embassies. The embassy may ask for extra documents through the portal, so check it regularly.
- 6
Arrive and plan your 180 days
Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before you land. Immigration stamps you in for 180 days. Extend once at a local immigration office, or leave and re-enter to reset the clock.
Mistakes that get DTV applications refused
- Topping the account up to 500,000 THB days before applying — the balance needs history.
- Using a business account instead of a personal one.
- Submitting a remote-work contract with no start date or no salary figure.
- Assuming the DTV allows work for a Thai company. It does not.
- Forgetting the Digital Arrival Card, which is separate from the visa.
- Leaving the 180-day extension to the final week, when appointment slots are gone.
Want us to check your DTV file first?
We review your savings evidence and category documents before you pay the 10,000 THB fee, then stay with you through the extension and your first 90-day cycle. Start with a free consultation.
Straight answers about the DTV.
Lesson Learned Thailand is a consulting and relocation service — we are not a law firm or a government agency. DTV rules, fees and financial thresholds are set by Thai immigration and can change; confirm current figures with us or the relevant Thai embassy before you commit to a number.