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Could rental income from property in Thailand affect my visa application?
Thai visa rulesDTV visaMuay ThaiAirbnb incomevisa rejectionproperty ownershipexpat concernsimmigration advice
Jan 6, 2026
4 months ago
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTERHi everyone,
I’ve been rejected twice.
First time at the Laos embassy: funds were not held for 3 months on my Thai bank account (they only issued a 6-month DTV).
Second time at The Hague: fully rejected, no reason given.
I applied under Soft Power (Muay Thai) and I actively train. I travel in and out of the country a lot. My income comes from a property I own in Thailand and rent out via Airbnb. This income is visible on my bank statements. During the second application, they specifically questioned the Airbnb income. I provided ownership documents.
Could owning property or having rental income in Thailand be a reason for rejection?
And is it a mistake to show the funds on a Thai bank account? Would a foreign/Dutch account be better for a third application (possibly Vietnam)?
Any insights are appreciated. Thanks 🙏
I’ve been rejected twice.
First time at the Laos embassy: funds were not held for 3 months on my Thai bank account (they only issued a 6-month DTV).
Second time at The Hague: fully rejected, no reason given.
I applied under Soft Power (Muay Thai) and I actively train. I travel in and out of the country a lot. My income comes from a property I own in Thailand and rent out via Airbnb. This income is visible on my bank statements. During the second application, they specifically questioned the Airbnb income. I provided ownership documents.
Could owning property or having rental income in Thailand be a reason for rejection?
And is it a mistake to show the funds on a Thai bank account? Would a foreign/Dutch account be better for a third application (possibly Vietnam)?
Any insights are appreciated. Thanks 🙏
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original post discusses two visa application rejections under the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa), asking if owning property and having rental income in Thailand are factors in these rejections. Community members suggest that income from property, particularly via Airbnb, raises red flags during the application process, as the DTV does not permit earning from Thai sources. Advice includes considering a different bank account, specifically from the applicant's home country, to avoid showcasing Thai-sourced income in future applications.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Take the basic DTV Qualification Test to see if you're eligible for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the DTV Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
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Petrov ********
Can apply again but do not show them that have properties , friends ,girlfriend in Thailand. This is tourist visa. They can say that you want to use DTV visa to ménage your properties live with your girlfriend. Les connection with Thailand better. Can change your profile also with different email and put nik name.
Terry *******
change your name and start again
Anonymous ******************
Unbelievable. You are telling the Thai official you are doing something illegal in Thailand? Twice? How can you become wealthy enough to buy a room? What kind of business or work you did you are so smart like that. 😅
Anonymous ******************
Airbnb ? Rented out under 1 months is illegal. Do you have a contract with a management company that is doing all the work ? (Since you’re not allowed)
Pamela ********
It’s the income from your property
Dca *****
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001Dca *****
Do not rent out an Airbnb or Agoda in Thailand unless you have the proper Thai Hotel Licenses and other Thai Business Licenses, which you cannot obtain Thai Hotel Licenses and various other Thai Business Licenses while inside Thailand on a DTV E–Visa
Reply to
Dca *****
Reply
Anonymous ******************
Is this a joke? 🤣
Dca *****
Are you sure that the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos (or, was it the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet, Laos?) issued to you a Thai E–Visa PDF File that said: " Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) " for Multiple Entries that was only valid for 6 Months???
or, was it actually that the Thai Embassy in Vientiane issued a Thai E–Visa PDF File that said: " Tourist Visa (TR) " for Multiple Entries (METV) that was only valid for 6 months???
if indeed you received from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane a Multiple Entry Tourist E–Visa (METV) valid for 6 months, then when you went in–person to make payment in Thai Baht Cash to pay for the DTV E–Visa Application Fee at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane (or, was it the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet?), did you pay ฿10,000.– Thai Baht in Cash or did you pay ฿5,000.– Thai Baht in Cash (again, paid in Cash and in–person)???
or, was it actually that the Thai Embassy in Vientiane issued a Thai E–Visa PDF File that said: " Tourist Visa (TR) " for Multiple Entries (METV) that was only valid for 6 months???
if indeed you received from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane a Multiple Entry Tourist E–Visa (METV) valid for 6 months, then when you went in–person to make payment in Thai Baht Cash to pay for the DTV E–Visa Application Fee at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane (or, was it the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet?), did you pay ฿10,000.– Thai Baht in Cash or did you pay ฿5,000.– Thai Baht in Cash (again, paid in Cash and in–person)???
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Dca ****
oh you are correct, in Vientiane they gave me 6 months TR.. Considering applying for a 3rd time with my Dutch bank account. Hanoi this time. Are the embassies connected? Can I make a new account for applying or is this connected to pasport? Or should I just forget about it and go for elite.. :(Anonymous ******************
@Dca ****
In my case, I paid 10k Thai Baht, applied from Jakarta (Workcation). Had over $16k in my wise, showed a contract (with US company) and client chats during my interview (the interviewer was satisfied all that stuff).Everything was going right, then came the new year holidays, and right after the holidays the visa is approved! And guess what, I got METV (6 months). IDK what happened, anyhow I have emailed the embassy for explanation!
Dca *****
Anonymous participant 995 There have been several applications/incidents of the same predicament same as you out of the Thai Embassy in Tokyo:
Applied and Paid for DTV E–Visa, application didn't get cancelled, denied or rejected, but instead issued a different E–Visa type than applied for (which does happen for those, for example, who applied for a Multiple Entry Tourist E–Visa, but only received a Single Entry Tourist E–Visa)
Applied and Paid for DTV E–Visa, application didn't get cancelled, denied or rejected, but instead issued a different E–Visa type than applied for (which does happen for those, for example, who applied for a Multiple Entry Tourist E–Visa, but only received a Single Entry Tourist E–Visa)
Reply to
Dca *****
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Robert *******
LOL, having income inside Thailand, working inside Thailand and applies for the incorrect visa and not understand why it is denied.
You work in Thailand, so get the Non Immigrant B visa and Work Permit, stop wasting money on applications for the DTV,
You work in Thailand, so get the Non Immigrant B visa and Work Permit, stop wasting money on applications for the DTV,
David ********
I would suggest get gf and go for marriage visa, but that one is quite expensive sometimes
Anonymous ******************
Thai income you cooked yourself.
Nattha *****
you must have a business in Thailand if you own property and the business should give you a visa to live and operate business in Thailand. DTV is not meant for people doing business in Thailand. Hence, most probably it will be rejected.
SugaRae *****
Wow! You're cooked.
Benjamin *********
Income from thailand is not supposed to happen for tourist visa.
Anonymous ******************
Airbnb in Thailand that's an instant refusal. Totally against the rules of DTV
Van ********************
Bro send me a dm
James *******
@Van *******************
stop scammingReply to
James *******
Reply
Daniela ***********
I would Not Tell about the Thai property, Show the Balance in a dutch Account and Answer only what they‘ll ask
Daniel **********
Jeez you lost two application fees? $800?
John **********
Do you have a Thai TIN and pay Thai tax on your rental income? Do you have Thai tax returns to show? The tax situation with income generated inside Thailand is quite different to the tax situation with overseas income
Sefton ********
@John *********
hes digging himself a hole I suspect.Reply to
Sefton ********
Reply
DTV_Be*******
Were you physically in the Netherlands when you applied?
Joe **********
a DTV holder cannot legally earn income from Airbnb hosting in Thailand. Good luck as there are 3 Authorities - Immigration, Hotel Acts and Tax Dept can come after you.
John *********
Forget it ..Thai income from property, it’s a definite rejection 🤷🏾♀️
Kurt *************
The rental in thailand is for sure the problem
Anonymous ******************
Your Thai bank account will be closed once you get DTV. LOL
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 334 that's funny
Sefton ********
Anonymous participant 334 not for property owners (usually).
David ******
@Sefton *******
even for property owners, it is a tourist visa and you are not allowed to hold a bank account on a tourist visaSefton ********
@David *****
yes you can.. Theres no hard rule its up to the individual bank, many banks allow property owners, married folks, etc to open or retain accounts on a DTV (or visa exempt etc).David ******
@Sefton *******
Having seen 3 friends in the same situation have their accounts closed because of that, I say again you are not allowed a bank account on a DTV. It is a tourist visa.Sefton ********
@David *****
skill issue.. There is no law only bank guidance.Chris ********
@Sefton *******
negative, dtv is tourist, you may have bank account from years ago or with agent but it's not allowedAnonymous ******************
@Chris *******
i have multiple Thai bank accounts and lived here 15 years , I recently changed from marriage extension to DTV purely because it's way less hassle and I can assure you they don't want to close my accounts downSefton ********
Anonymous participant 248 He seems to be one of those people who thinks what happens to one person is a law and happens everywhere, which is how individualist cultures operate, equality of individual rights in standardised treatment. That simply isnt how Thailand and clan cultures work, they run on connections, status, social cues with unequal outcomes. That means impressions and subtle ways of carrying yourself and expectation have far wider effects.
Took me a long time to understand how to play their games, but things change 180 once you do. I used to explain to new folks after bank accounts (admittedly when easier but still many refused) you don't go in an ask if you can have a bank account, you tell the clerk you are here today to open an account, you do it while well dressed, with a business folio of your docs, etc etc.
Took me a long time to understand how to play their games, but things change 180 once you do. I used to explain to new folks after bank accounts (admittedly when easier but still many refused) you don't go in an ask if you can have a bank account, you tell the clerk you are here today to open an account, you do it while well dressed, with a business folio of your docs, etc etc.
Sefton ********
@Chris *******
thats just nonsense.. One of my good friends was recently checked by the bank, on a DTV, he said he has a condo and they were fine as soon as he produced his condo owners book. Lots of reports of similar.. Including married guys keeping accounts. As usual it isnt a hard rule, its decided case by case.
Thailand isnt a country of hard rules, it runs on grey areas and personal connections, have a few mil in your account and they wont care what visa your on, it will be smoothed over..
Chris ********
@Sefton *******
the old friends story, and wouldn't someone married be on a different visa, why need a dtv tourist visa, anyhow I've been in Thailand 3 years and have a bank account but no longer use it as don't trust it to be frozen at any time. Dtv you simply can't get a bank account on it anymoreSefton ********
@Chris *******
because it enables legal online work obviously.. Which the marriage visa doesnt. As to 3 years experience, I have now been here 26 years, half my lifetime, I have a little bit of an idea how the place works.
Reply to
Sefton ********
Reply
Chris ********
@Sefton *******
dtv is tourist visa regardless if property, if own property ltr visa is generally neededReply to
Chris ********
Reply
Wannikea *********
Thai sourced income, red flag.
ArticulateN************
Hmmm Airbnb income for foreigner it sounds too bad for Thai officer
Johan **************
You are not allowed to have a business in thailand or make income from something in thailand on the DTV so that is definetly a problem. You can only make your money outside of Thailand working for non thai business or people.
My advice. Don't mention the airbnb and if you can, use a different bank account, such as in your home country. Preferably you have other income visible there.
FYI: Essentially there is no problem with a thai bank account, I got my DTV with a thai bank as well but I dont have airbnb income there. Just transfers from overseas that I backed up with payslips in europe.
Good luck.
My advice. Don't mention the airbnb and if you can, use a different bank account, such as in your home country. Preferably you have other income visible there.
FYI: Essentially there is no problem with a thai bank account, I got my DTV with a thai bank as well but I dont have airbnb income there. Just transfers from overseas that I backed up with payslips in europe.
Good luck.
Sefton ********
@Johan *************
really not true.. Renting property you own wouldnt qualify for a DTV remote work, but theres no restriction on it and a soft power application should have been fine. Renting property does not require a work permit and isnt considered domestic work. It does have a tax liability though. Personally I would have just shown my 500k, applied soft power and said nothing else as you suggest.
Johan **************
@Sefton *******
It's true that you don't need a work permit to rent out say a house for a year and you just collect rent money every month. However he said he is doing airbnb which usually involves some more management like handling bookings, check-in/out, cleaning, etc all of which he is not allowed to do on a DTV. He would need to hire someone for that and that really starts looking like running a business inside thailand 😉On top of that he also needs a hotel license for short term rentals like airbnb.
And he lives of thai sourced income only too.
Many red flags an immigration officer will see I think.
Sefton ********
@Johan *************
agree many red flags.. But the 'you cant rent or make income from something in thailand' while on a DTV from posters is just incorrect.Plenty of totally legal ways to make passive income in Thailand which is fine on a DTV.
David ******
@Sefton *******
It is a tourist visa and you are not allowed to have a Thai income with it.Sefton ********
@David *****
again just nonsense.. You can have Thai passive income, it doesnt support a work permit for domestic employment is the only restriction. Commissions, rental returns, royalties, dividends, etc etc are all perfectly fine and legal on any visa class or no visa at all. All Thai taxable also and are valid reasons to need a Thai tax number without 'working' here.
Reply to
Sefton ********
Reply
Toni *******
Do you have hotel permit if you rent out the way you would need it? Do you pay taxes to Thailand?
ข้าว ********
@Toni ******
its not a short term rental obviously.Toni *******
Meaning if you rent out for less than 30days, you need a hotel license
Ossie *********
@Toni ******
yesReply to
Ossie *********
Reply
Michael **********
Oh man. You're making incomes in Thailand and it's very likely you can work at your property which is totally not ok with DTV. Your rejection totally makes sense
Anonymous ******************
Could it be that they think you could potentially hire Thai employees to help manage the property or you could have Thai customers renting the property? You are strictly not allowed to hire Thai employees or have Thai customers for the business you are running under a DTV. It's hard to say though without a reason given.
Elías ********
Participante anónimo 824 As far as I understand, on the DTV you're not allowed to have income from within Thailand, including money from renting a place.
Reply to
Elías ********
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