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Can I enter Thailand on a visa on arrival while waiting for my DTV visa approval?

DTV visa visa on arrival Thailand immigration visa processing time Ukrainian citizen in Thailand Thai embassy residence permit

Mar 13, 2025

a month ago

Денис **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi, I have a problem with my DTV visa, I applied for it 3 weeks ago through the website, it was sent to Ankara embassy, ​​I am a Ukrainian citizen but now I am in Georgia but I have all the documents (like residence permit etc.) but the problem is it has been 3 weeks and the document pending status is still not completed and I am starting to worry as my flight is arriving in 2 weeks and I still don't know what to do. But the main question is, can I go to Thailand, get my visa on arrival, stay here until I get a response on my DTV visa (if I didn't get it in time before my flight) and then just re-enter Thailand with my DTV visa?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A user is facing delays with their DTV visa application submitted three weeks ago and is concerned about whether they can travel to Thailand on a visa on arrival while waiting for their DTV visa. Community members discussed the possibility of entering Thailand with a visa on arrival and re-entering with the approved DTV visa. They advised that while technically allowed, it carries risks if the embassy requires in-person follow-up. Some shared personal experiences of successfully entering Thailand under similar circumstances.

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Brian *********

Why you come to Thailand is your country not at war ?

a month ago

Ju ********

@Brian ********

a month ago

Reply to

Ju ********

པདྨ་ *******************

I had this same issue recently. I was waiting for my DTV for a month after having to reapply. Rather than wait, I just returned to Thailand on a standard visa exemption. At the airport I showed them a printout of the page showing that my application was still pending. They were ok with that. After a couple weeks back in Thailand, my DTV was approved. Now I just have to leave and come back next month.

a month ago

Денис **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@པདྨ་ ******************

oh, ok, thank you, then i can stop worring about, but did you just print a screenshot of the page showing the pending status?

a month ago

པདྨ་ *******************

@Денис *********

Yep. I just printed a screenshot. No guarantees, but it worked for me. It doesn't seem like a big deal to just come on a visa exemption or whatever you are eligible for. Then if your DTV is approved, you just leave and come back.

a month ago

Денис **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@པདྨ་ ******************

thank you then, you helped a lot

a month ago

Marianne ********

@Денис *********

this is not great advice.

Thailand doesnt really care if your status is pending or not. They will let you in on a visa exemption if you are eligible for one and dont have a lot of history with coming and going to Thailand.

The problem is if your embassy requires you to attend a interview in person at the Thai embassy in the country you applied in.

They may very well reject your DTV application if you can't go and they realize you are already in Thailand.

a month ago

Reply to

Marianne ********

Darren *********

Several people have had the same issue of not planning far enough ahead and actually having their visa before their travel date. What you are talking about is what they have been doing waiting in country until they get approval then border bounce to switch visas.

The risk is in the embassy wants you to come in for some reason you are SOL.

But since you are already in a different country it isn’t that much extra risk.

a month ago

John *******

@Darren ********

Since Georgia doesn’t have its own Thai embassy, individuals physically present in Georgia are supposed to apply via the embassy in Ankara. So he is technically currently within the embassy’s physical jurisdiction, so there is added risk if he leaves.

a month ago

Reply to

John *******

Денис **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Well, I just emailed them this morning and I'm not sure when the answer will come. I read on the forums yesterday and found out that the embassy in Ankara takes a very long time to do everything and there were cases when people waited for two months. It's a pity I didn't know this before I applied for a visa. But now I'm just trying to consider all the options.

So in theory, I can do this, just leave Thailand and come back only with the issued visa to activate it?

a month ago

Brandon ************

@Денис *********

Yes. It does happen and people don't have any issues. If the embassy issues the visa, you will be able to use it

a month ago

Денис **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brandon ***********

Thank you. you calmed me down a little

a month ago

John **********

@Денис *********

the problem will be if the embassy wants to verify you are still in the country you applied from or if they want to call you in for interview. Thai embassies don't expect you to travel in advance of a visa application being completed, they treat the application in the same way as previously in that they treat it exactly the same as if you physically handed over your passport

a month ago

Reply to

John **********

Brandon ************

Technically, you are required to remain in the country while your visa is processed. If you were to travel to Thailand, and if the embassy still issues your visa, it would still be valid. You would just have to exit Thailand in order to use it, since you cannot activate it inside of Thailand.

Have you tried contacting the embassy to follow-up on your application?

a month ago

Reply to

Brandon ************

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