Do I need to be in Vietnam while my DTV application is being processed?

DTV visa Thailand visa application proof of stay visa processing e-visa requirements expat advice immigration rules

Oct 29, 2024

23 days ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi all - looking for some DTV application advice. I applied for the DTV while in Vietnam and subsequently left the country. I have now received a request for additional information including proof that I am in Vietnam - which I was when I applied, but am no longer.

I have seen no information stating that you need to be in the country of application for an e-visa for the time spent processing the application, only to make the application, however this may be a loophole from the (recent) days when they would keep your passport during the application.

Question is - in the opinion of the great minds assembled here - should I submit the hotel bookings for my time there or return to VN to complete the process?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A user seeks advice on their DTV visa application after leaving Vietnam. They received a request for additional proof of their stay in Vietnam at the time of application. Many comments indicate that the applicant likely needs to return to Vietnam, as visa processing rules suggest you should remain in the application country during processing.

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Cameron ***********

Hi mate what did you do and did it get approved?

14 days ago

Benjamin *********

First, I'd submit the booking confirmation from the date you submitted the application. If they request additional documents, go back.

22 days ago

David ********

That's rubbish you either applied out of Vietnam and got caught or you can't read as the application clearly states that you must be in the country where you make the application why would you leave it only takes a few days another wanker 🤣

23 days ago

Lawrie *******

Geez how does applying for the visa in Vietnam equate to strumming your old fella?

23 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I'm not entirely sure myself.

To be clear: I was in Vietnam. I can prove I was in Vietnam. But I am no longer in Vietnam. Unfortunately I wasn't aware that I needed David's permission to leave, and then asked for advice on a FB group offering... advice.

Thanks for your input David.

23 days ago

Kool *******

@Jonathan **********

immigration has all your entry, and exit details. They also don't start processing your application immediately when you apply. If your immigration exit stamp shows you left Vietnam before they started processing your application when it came up in the queue, you better return immediately and send them proof you are there, or the rejection can be expensive. They asked for proof you are in Vietnam. What happened to others has absolutely no relation to your case at all. You can't argue with them. If you don't return, and your immigration entry stamp shows it, no matter what you say, they will reject you. They do verify your location by your entry, and exit notations in the computer. They know exactly when, and where, you entered, and exited the country, as it is all in the immigration computer system, and for every country you've entered and exited.

21 days ago

Tom *****

@Kool ******

the Thai embassy in Vietnam has no connection with Vietnamese immigration, and therefore has no way of knowing that you have left Vietnam. As proof, I managed to get my e-visa from the embassy in Paris while traveling in Australia,

20 days ago

Cameron ***********

@Tom ****

how did you do this, just apply to the Paris embassy on the evisa?

14 days ago

Tom *****

@Cameron **********

yes and use a refundable one way fly ticket from my home contry to Thaïland.

14 days ago

Cameron ***********

@Tom ****

are you a resident in Paris, is this why you choose this embassy? Also for proof of location is it just I'd bank stayement with the Paris address?

14 days ago

Tom *****

@Cameron **********

yes i 'am residing in France, i used an electricity bills for that

14 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Tom ****

Aye, the Thai Consulate can check if I’m in Thailand but don’t have access to any other immigration databases.

20 days ago

John *******

@Jonathan **********

- How long did you stay? Since the visa process is about 5 days, it seems like you would have only been there a day or two? Why did you rush out, if you were actually there? Did you supply proof that you were there in your original application? What additional proof do they want?

22 days ago

David ********

@John ******

my point exactly he is not giving full details of what happened. Everyone complains about Thai process being over ownerous but this is why people stuffing it up for those doing the right thing. So many people trying to scan Thai system

22 days ago

Reply to

David ********

Bob **********

If you want the visa I’d go back

23 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Bob *********

Thanks Bob. Looking like the best option to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.

23 days ago

Reply to

Jonathan ***********

Elías ********

It's literally written everywhere that you do need to be in the country during the application process. Now you should go back, as faking it would most likely end in a rejection.

23 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Elías *******

It literally isn't. It's written in many places that you need to be in a particular place when you apply, and I'm asking if it's worth confirming that I was there when I applied but am no longer. It's a reasonable question given the information on this group indicating that people are traveling before their visas have been issued meaning they are - wait for it - not staying in the country during the application process.

Not sure where you've decided I was "faking" anything, but appreciate your deeply limited insight. Love to the family.

23 days ago

Luit *****************

@Jonathan **********

I saw more people in this group are impatient and travelling before they actually get their visa, but that does not make it correct.

Common practice with visa application is you be in the country where you apply, during the process.

Most embassies will put this somewhere on their website, because in this case Thai MFA only allows them to process visa under these conditions.

By ignoring these rules you took a risk.

When you don't want to be rejected, the best you can do is travel back, because obviously they now have reasons to believe you are not in the country.

23 days ago

Rober *******

@Luit ****************

it does not say you have to be there in the entirety of the process.

14 days ago

Luit *****************

@Rober ******

Thai embassy in The Hague Netherlands website tells you should be in Netherlands during the whole process.

IMPORTANT:

Thai Visa is for entering Thailand. It is therefore issued to those who are outside of Thailand and will visit Thailand. Therefore, your visa application will be rejected if you are already in Thailand during the visa process.

Royal Thai Embassy, The Hague, has the authority to provide visa service only to those who are in the Netherlands for the entire visa process. Therefore, your visa application will be rejected if you are outside of the Netherlands.

************************************************************************

14 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Luit ****************

requirements vary significantly from country to country, hence my question. Dutch requirements have no bearing on those in VN. You can’t apply in SG unless you’re a Singaporean resident for example.

Absolutely nowhere in the process does VN tell you you need to be in the country for the entirely of the application or until it is issued, only “when you apply”.

13 days ago

Luit *****************

@Jonathan **********

Indeed all Thai embassies implement the general rules different. The content of these websites is somehow building up with content of MFA and sometimes difficult to find.

But the rules you should not be in the country you apply a visa for and are available in the country where you apply are logical rules, not only for Thai visa, but also for visa from other countries.

I always wonder why so many people here want to ignore them with the risk of being rejected.

13 days ago

Jonathan ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Luit ****************

there is definitely no such thing as a "logical rule", mate. There are only rules. I have applied for multiple e-visas this year while travelling without any problem or requirement to be in the country for the entire application process because that simply isn't required.

12 days ago

Reply to

Jonathan ***********

Elías ********

@Jonathan **********

I didn't say you were faking anything, rather that now that they asked you a proof of being in Vietnam, you should not fake it (now, not talking about the past), hence why I suggested to go back to Vietnam. As for it being written or not, to be honest, I haven't read the Thai Embassy in Vietnam website, but I can assure you that the one Thai Embassy I applied at (Seoul, Korea) did mention that I was required to remain in the country for the whole processing time, and that leaving Korea could be a cause for rejection. It was even written on red letters. I assumed it would be written in the other embassies sites, too. Good luck, and I hope you get the visa.

23 days ago

Luit *****************

@Elías *******

Same warning in red letters also at Dutch embassy

23 days ago

Reply to

Luit *****************

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

@Jonathan **********

the ONLY thing e-visa changes about the visa application process is the application method. Everything else is the same. Pretend you applied in-person because it's the exact same. You would still need to be in the country the entire time your in-person application was processing and would need to be in the country to receive your completed visa.

23 days ago

Reply to

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

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Can you apply for a DTV visa in Vietnam and re-enter Thailand afterwards?

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