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Can dependents travel to Thailand on a DTV if the main holder is not present?

Dec 10, 2025

3 days ago

Question : dependents with DTV

Hi everyone,

Can I check if anyone has tried travelling to Thailand on a dependent’s DTV while the main DTV holder is not traveling to Thailand yet?

My wife is the main DTV holder while me and our kids are dependents on her DTV (All 4 of us have our DTV approved)

We are thinking of flying into Thailand first and my wife will fly back a few weeks later.

We will prepare all the documents we submitted and also the min. cash amount as they seem to be clamping down on that as well.

Has anyone been stopped or turned around before in such similar scenarios?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The post discusses whether dependents can travel to Thailand on a Dependent Thai Visa (DTV) if the main visa holder is not traveling with them. The author mentions their situation where they and their children are dependents on their wife's DTV. Several comments confirm that dependents can indeed travel separately, noting that there are no requirements for them to be with the main DTV holder. One comment mentions that while the main holder needs to be with the dependents in future renewals, traveling initially is not an issue.

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Wannikea *********

There is no requirement or expectation that dependents or spouses will be holding on to the arm of the main DTV holder

3 days ago

Cloudy ****

@Wannikea ********

I'm of the same opinion but it seems another commenter on this thread has been told otherwise by immigration in BKK.

3 days ago

Reply to

Cloudy ****

Michi ********

I’m the primary DTV holder and my husband is my dependent, he traveled outside no problem. However, to renew it would be based on your 180 days and she has to be traveling with you for it to reset.

3 days ago

Wannikea *********

@Michi *******

your phrasing isn't too clear. I believe if a dependant/spouse applies for an in country extension, it would be only be granted if the main holder also had an extension granted since an extension requires wholly updated resubmitted requirements. It's a little tricky to wrap your head around the logic process, possibly

@Tod ********

can lay out the scenario in understandable wording.

3 days ago

Tod *********

wouldn't have the slightest idea how the immigration office would deal with 180 day extension of a "trailing spouse" DTV and I would indeed imagine that the primary DTV holder would need to get the extension at the same time

BUT

as I said, don't have any idea, so few people actually apply for extensions on DTV's that there's very little hard data out there

Most people just bounce out/back to get a new 180 day entry stamp

2 days ago

Reply to

Tod *********

Cloudy ****

@Michi *******

where did you get this info? Can you provide I source. I haven't heard or read this before. I know plenty of spouses who travel separately and the 180 days resets every time one leaves the country and comes back. So what you're saying would mean spouses would always need to travel together, which does not seem to be the case.

3 days ago

Michi ********

@Cloudy ***

he didn’t ask any further, but based on assumption, I believe that if the primary visa holder visa is not valid or is expired, then any dependents under them would be as well.

3 days ago

Cloudy ****

@Michi *******

I'm not sure that can be true. The e-visa itself is valid for 5 years. The 180 day entries begin in validity when you enter the country. I've entered with and without my husband as he has with and without me and we've always been stamped in, no questions asked. There isn't really a way they can require spouses to travel together for everything. We don't have kids as dependents, though, so I don't know if that changes anything.

3 days ago

Michi ********

@Cloudy ***

I think around that time someone else in this group had mentioned something along those lines so we just booked a trip out to avoid any gray areas.

3 days ago

Reply to

Michi ********

@Cloudy ***

immigration at Bkk as my husband left alone and we didn’t want to plan a family trip as we have an active toddler.

3 days ago

Cloudy ****

@Michi *******

but I still don't understand how this would work in practice. Do you just mean that you need to eventually leave as well?

3 days ago

Robert *******

@Cloudy ***

She try to explain that at the end of the 180 days, you can apply at Immigration for a new 180 day Extension of Stay.

At that application the reason of your application has to be present, simply said if you apply depending on your spouse, your spouse has to be there to confirm.

Nothing to do with travel or entry into Thailand.

3 days ago

Cloudy ****

@Robert ******

I see. Not what the OP is asking, which is why I was confused.

3 days ago

Reply to

Cloudy ****

David ******

Yes, my wife did it with zero issues.

3 days ago

Reply to

David ******