Answered2 months ago
How was your experience with DTV approval in Vientiane, Laos, and what can you share about the process?
DTV Approval & Timeline in Laos, Vientiane.
I was there for 18 days.
Sunday 2nd August - Entered Vientiane by plane.
Monday 3rd August - Applied for DTV using Issa Compass agency
Tuesday 4th August - Went to Thai Embassy and paid the 10K thai baht.
Wednesday 5th August - Embassy requested additional documents (uploaded same day)
Monday 10th August - invited to interview on Tuesday 18th August
Tuesday 18th August - interview complete
Wednesday 18th August - Issa Compass told me I was approved. I’d already expected this so flying back to Thailand same day, currently sat at the airport writing this. Printed off my DTV this morning.
I used a reputable agency called Issa Compass (4.5K baht if using a referral code, and a 98% approval rate), I am 24 and run a UK marketing agency. I have lots of clients with invoices, legal contracts, clear proof of funds etc, £12K seasoned for 3 months.
Honestly I expected to be there for a week, maybe a week and a half. I chose Laos because I heard the approval time was fast, but in my experience it was not fast. I met a few people out there who said something similar (interview was booked further in advance than anticipated).
I stayed in Vientiane for 5 days because they request a hotel/airbnb confirmation of at least 5 days when applying, but I almost died of boredom whilst there.
Thankfully I decided to take the fast train to Vang Vieng (recommended, loads to do, Amari hotel is amazing) and then Luang Prabang (more to do than Vientiane, I suggest staying in an Airbnb called ‘Longevity House’, or Santi resort & Spa) where my trip was significantly better. I’d suggest anyone applying in Vientiane do the same.
Any questions let me know. Thanks!
I was there for 18 days.
Sunday 2nd August - Entered Vientiane by plane.
Monday 3rd August - Applied for DTV using Issa Compass agency
Tuesday 4th August - Went to Thai Embassy and paid the 10K thai baht.
Wednesday 5th August - Embassy requested additional documents (uploaded same day)
Monday 10th August - invited to interview on Tuesday 18th August
Tuesday 18th August - interview complete
Wednesday 18th August - Issa Compass told me I was approved. I’d already expected this so flying back to Thailand same day, currently sat at the airport writing this. Printed off my DTV this morning.
I used a reputable agency called Issa Compass (4.5K baht if using a referral code, and a 98% approval rate), I am 24 and run a UK marketing agency. I have lots of clients with invoices, legal contracts, clear proof of funds etc, £12K seasoned for 3 months.
Honestly I expected to be there for a week, maybe a week and a half. I chose Laos because I heard the approval time was fast, but in my experience it was not fast. I met a few people out there who said something similar (interview was booked further in advance than anticipated).
I stayed in Vientiane for 5 days because they request a hotel/airbnb confirmation of at least 5 days when applying, but I almost died of boredom whilst there.
Thankfully I decided to take the fast train to Vang Vieng (recommended, loads to do, Amari hotel is amazing) and then Luang Prabang (more to do than Vientiane, I suggest staying in an Airbnb called ‘Longevity House’, or Santi resort & Spa) where my trip was significantly better. I’d suggest anyone applying in Vientiane do the same.
Any questions let me know. Thanks!
Answer summary
The user detailed their experience applying for a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) in Vientiane, Laos, outlining a timeline from entering the country to approval. They applied through Issa Compass, received additional document requests, and had an interview before approval. The process lasted over two weeks, contrary to their expectations of a faster turnaround. They described their time in Vientiane as boring but suggested visiting nearby places like Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang for a more enjoyable experience. The comments included inquiries about the referral code, interview questions, and personal experiences from others applying for similar visas.
23 repliesnewest first
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Alex ********
hey i think before you had hotel and an airbnb link you recommended, no? Would love to check them out
Jean-baptiste **************
Thanks for sharing! What did you say when they ask you, why do you wanna stay in Thailand? What’s your plan?
Ben *******
OPI said that I have a girlfriend in Thailand and that my brother also lives in Thailand and has a wife and baby out there. I don’t have any hobbies or anything so didn’t really say much else to be honest.
James ********
Thank You for your helpful report 👍
Congratulations 👏👏👏
PRINT OUT THE EMAIL THAT HAS YOUR DTV VISA.
That's what you should do... print it out.
You may have to show PROOF of your DTV Visa to airline staff on check-in for your flight ✈️ to Thailand...even to the connecting airline staff. Or to the land border crossing entry Thai Immigration Officer.
Upon arrival into Thailand, show the DTV visa to the Thai Immigration Officer and look at the STAMP placed in your passport to be sure you are STAMPED in for 180 days.
Congratulations 👏👏👏
PRINT OUT THE EMAIL THAT HAS YOUR DTV VISA.
That's what you should do... print it out.
You may have to show PROOF of your DTV Visa to airline staff on check-in for your flight ✈️ to Thailand...even to the connecting airline staff. Or to the land border crossing entry Thai Immigration Officer.
Upon arrival into Thailand, show the DTV visa to the Thai Immigration Officer and look at the STAMP placed in your passport to be sure you are STAMPED in for 180 days.
Ben *******
OP@Mitten *******
Well worth the £100 in my opinion, but yes I could have done it myself fairly easily but didn’t want to.
Mitten ********
That’s silly isn’t it? Why do you need an agency to do the paperwork for you if you already have everything in order ?
Steven*******
What questions they asked in the interview?
Ben *******
OPThe interview itself was fine/easy. I said I ran marketing agency and that I coached people, she asked for proof so I showed her a Google Ads account, and also I showed her my calendar which showed my coaching clients booked in. She asked to see my business bank account app and she scrolled through my transactions to see proof of my income. Fairly simple, took maybe 5 minutes. Get there 20 mins early to get an early place in the queue. I was 15 mins early and was place 4 out of 10.
I will give a warning to anyone using the printing services from the guys outside the embassy though. First guy tried charging 2 million kip to print of 128 pages of my application. Ended up using the 2nd guy and negotiated down to 500K kip.
It took him about 2 hours not kidding and when he gave it to me the pages were in the wrong order, and the first 30 pages were missing. Only found out when I got back to my Airbnb, so I had to get a taxi back to him and do it again a 2nd time and check each page was right (he gave me the 128 pages in the wrong order the first time). When I got to my interview she didn’t even look at the application apart from maybe a page or two 😭
I will give a warning to anyone using the printing services from the guys outside the embassy though. First guy tried charging 2 million kip to print of 128 pages of my application. Ended up using the 2nd guy and negotiated down to 500K kip.
It took him about 2 hours not kidding and when he gave it to me the pages were in the wrong order, and the first 30 pages were missing. Only found out when I got back to my Airbnb, so I had to get a taxi back to him and do it again a 2nd time and check each page was right (he gave me the 128 pages in the wrong order the first time). When I got to my interview she didn’t even look at the application apart from maybe a page or two 😭
Alex ********
Currently in Luang Prabang waiting for my family’s DTV dependent visas to be approved. It’s been a week here and 2 days in Vientiane. We just spent the weekend in Vang Vieng. I’m bored stifffffff but hopeful we will be over this soon and will be so grateful for the opportunity to be in Thailand longer term.
Ben *******
OPYes its a lot of hassle but feeling happy now I’m back in Thailand!
Tara ********
Can you share the referral code please?
Peter ********
@Tara *******
you can use mine GUNTWS7I. ...(Fyi the last letter is an upper case I)Tara ********
@Peter *******
its for a friend. ThanksBen *******
OPHey I don’t want to distract away from the point of this post by making it seem like an ad, hope you understand! Feel free to search ‘Issa compass referral code’ to find one though, that’s all I did!
Max ******
is this an ad for issa compass
Ben *******
OPI’m a marketer, I added a couple of their USPs without even thinking haha, but no this is not an ad. I do recommend them though, I asked a lot of questions!
Ryan ***********
We are doing the same trip soon so will bear this in mind! Thank you for this
ExcellentRa***********
It was 10 working days (as 12 august was official holiday?). That was pretty usual time for workcation dtv in Vientiane, given their number of applicants.
Ben *******
OPI know I just got my hopes up that it’d be sooner since a few months ago when I made the decision to do it in Vientiane it seemed like the approvals happened sooner. I shouldn’t complain but Laos definitely has less to do than other SE Asia countries so it felt like it really dragged!
Khun-t******
I was there for the same Time. We find it long but if we think about it, it may take months to get a visa for France or UsA or whatever country. It took a year for my cousin to get her visa for France.
I did it alone, was borred AF in Vientiane but at the end i feel like it’s not so much to handle to be able to live in Thailand for 5 years.
We are lucky 🍀✌️
I did it alone, was borred AF in Vientiane but at the end i feel like it’s not so much to handle to be able to live in Thailand for 5 years.
We are lucky 🍀✌️
Hanooman ******
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