Answered10 months ago

Do I have to book my flights and accommodation in advance for my visa application to Thailand?

DTV Visa Thailand Visa Application Travel Planning Visa Processing Times Flight Booking Accommodation Booking

Florian *********

asked Jan 12, 2026

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Hi everyone,

I just wanted to finalize my application and am at the point of travel information. Do I have to book everything in advance? I want to go to Thailand asap and am not sure what to do here. If I book everything in advance, how far in the future should it be? How long does it take for the embassy in Berlin to approve everything? I‘m afraid to lose a lot of money if I book flights etc and then get rejected or miss the flight and accommodation booking because it’s taking too long for them to approve it. I have all other documents needed for the DTV tho. Can someone help me here? 

Thanks in advance! 🙏

Answer summary

When applying for a DTV visa to Thailand, you are not required to book flights or accommodations in advance unless specifically requested by the embassy. The 'intended date of arrival' can be chosen flexibly, and some applicants have successfully received their visas without confirmed bookings. It's advisable to choose refundable flights and accommodations should you need to provide details later. Processing times can vary, with some applicants experiencing significant delays.

25 repliesnewest first

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Andrea ********

Let's put it this way... I went to Da Nang, Vietnam and filed through the HCMN consulate. Every source of information and friends who did the same said 5 working days.

It took them 17 working days to approve mine. You just can't schedule a trip before you have DTV visa in your hand. I also have met a Dutch guy who did every single homework right and got rejected 3 times.

9 months ago

John ******

I told them my intended date then a few days before issue I got an update asking me to supply flight details 24 hours later the visa was issued

9 months ago

Moiz ******

you just dummy itinenary book not confirmed

9 months ago

Jukka *********

I was just asked to send a copy of my flight ticket even though I put the flight number and dates in the application and the visa came the next day after that

10 months ago

Graham ******

@Jukka ********

which Embassy asked for that?

9 months ago

Jukka *********

Helsinki Finland

9 months ago

Andy ****

Just book full fare flights which are refundable

10 months ago

Brian ****

The keyword is "intended."

10 months ago

Kevinko *******

@Brian ***

thanks for writing my thoughts:)

9 months ago

Michael ********

You don't have to book. No flights, no hotels

10 months ago

Anonymous ******************

@Michael *******

Some Embassies may ask for proof of flights and/or accommodation so it’s not an absolute.

10 months ago

Graham ******

Anonymous participant 736 crodss that bridge IF you come to it

9 months ago

Jonathan *******

Following this as I'm doing my application and have the same worry. Haven't booked my flight into Thailand as yet but aiming to be there for mid March

10 months ago

Humble******

Check in the group for previous submissions at the embassy you're planning to apply to. Some of them require booked flights (e.g. London), but for others it's just the intended date of travel so you can put whenever you expect to fly to TH.

Most embassies do not seem to require booked flights but there are exceptions.

Edit: You can Google flights on your intended date of travel and take the flight number from there.

9 months ago

Tapan ********

- Your travel date shouldn't be more than 3 months away from date of applying.

- You don't need to make any bookings unless the embassy specifically asks you the bookings later

Recommendation:

Choose flight number and accomodation address prudently so that just incase you are asked for additional details later, you can book them and share.

All the best to you!

10 months ago

Aake **********

@Tapan *******

3 months???

9 months ago

Kevinko *******

Aake Hultgren so.. LESS than 3 months

9 months ago

Tapan ********

@Kevinko ******

not more than and less than 😄. Yes.

9 months ago

Tapan ********

Aake Hultgren Yes, 3 months from your intended date of travel ie the one you'll mention in the DTV application form. Else it's been observed in certain cases that Embassies put the application on hold.

9 months ago

Anonymous ******************

“intended date of arrival” is just intended, just make it up. your intended date of departure will be 6 months after your arrival date, this is because your DTV is only for 6 months at a time.

in regards to your flight, you don’t need to book one, you can find flight numbers on airline websites, just choose a flight date and add that flight number.

in regards to your accommodation you do need that, book a hotel on booking.com that is refundable. this is the only thing you should have beforehand.

I did all of this and was approved in hanoi in December.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need anymore help :)

10 months ago

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

These questions are not asking you for bookings, they are asking you for information.

10 months ago

Florian *********

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

thank you. If they are asking for my flight number and my accommodation, I have to book them in advance to have these information or am I wrong? Please clarify.

10 months ago

Florian *********

Thanks!

9 months ago

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

@Florian ********

yes you are wrong. When do you think you will fly? Find the flight number that corresponds to that.

Where do you think you will stay? Enter that information.

10 months ago