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Is the 500,000 THB financial requirement for the DTV visa necessary to maintain during my 5-year stay in Thailand?

Dec 15, 2025

14 hours ago

Hi everyone,

I have a question regarding the 500,000 THB financial requirement for the DTV. Once the DTV has been approved and issued, is this amount required to:

* remain available at all times during the 5-year validity, and/or

* be shown again at each entry into Thailand?

Or is the 500,000 THB only assessed at the time of application, with no obligation to maintain or re-prove the same balance for future entries (assuming no other red flags)?

For context: after approval, I plan to use a large portion of these funds (around 80%) for personal expenses/investments outside Thailand, meaning that at some point the full 500,000 THB equivalent would no longer be available in my bank account.

I’m not asking about visa-exempt entry, but specifically for valid DTV holders making multiple entries over the 5-year period.

If anyone has first-hand experience or official guidance on this, 

I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance 🙏

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The 500,000 THB financial requirement for the DTV visa is primarily assessed at the time of application, and there is no formal obligation to maintain this amount for the entire validity of the visa. However, it is advisable to keep a considerable amount available in your bank account as there may be instances where immigration officials request proof of funds upon entry. While there have been few reported cases of individuals being asked to show their bank balance at re-entry, maintaining a significant sum is recommended for personal financial security and potential emergency needs.

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Andrew *********

Its meant to be there and can be asked anytime. Very few reports of being asked though.

The rules can change or be enforced anytime. Dont be surprised if it starts getting asked soon especially after the election.

A wise move is to keep it there and attend courses.

Remember bank accounts were closed and immigration dont want anything to do with it. 10,000 education visas where cancelled a few months back. There almost certainly will be a crackdown on it.

9 hours ago

Mike **********

I have never seen it to be required for 5 years. I just used a lot of my funds to buy another house in the USA.

11 hours ago

蓝**

Why would I have to have this amount in my bank which the visa is just under the tourist category? The only situation you need to meet this requirement is when you extend your stay in Thailand. They will ask you to have 500k Thai Baht amounts 30 consecutive days in your bank account.

13 hours ago

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

@蓝**

Just because it is a visa requirement! It is meant for emergency cases. Do you think that for some reason someone with a tourist visa type cannot be involved in an emergency?

12 hours ago

蓝**

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

It is not mandatory! Not only tourists or DTV holders, but also the students and other workers who travel or live in Thailand may involve in emergency cases. So you must have sufficient amount during your stay in Thailand. But it is not appropriate to fix your 15,000 usd in your bank account the whole five years just for entering Thailand. I can buy Gold or Bitcoin or doing anything with this amount of money.

12 hours ago

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

@蓝**

Why should embassy and immigration be wrong about it and you right? You should believe what you to believe, but I trust official authority about this. I don't know what other kund of workers you mean, but normally the employer is responsible or the visa requirements also state financial requirements.

You can put that money to other banj accounts, as long as it is direct accessible, so gold and bitcoun are no options, even when golg might be a much better guarantee in case of problems..

12 hours ago

蓝**

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

I don't say the embassy or the immigration is wrong. In my knowledge, the applicant must have 500,000 thai baht or equivalent currency amount in their own bank account to meet the visa requirements. But it is not mandatory to bring that amount of money when you travel Thailand. Just make it simple. That's it.

12 hours ago

Reply to

蓝**

Greg ********

@蓝**

30 days for extension in country at immigration. Not 3 months

13 hours ago

蓝**

@Greg *******

Yeah! Thanks for correction. I just remember number "3".

13 hours ago

Reply to

蓝**

Ian **********

The latter, unless you want to apply for a 6 month extension while in country.

13 hours ago

Robert *******

The 500.000 thb is asked as a kind of insurance, that you are able to pay the bills in case of emergency.

BUT if you think it it better to invest that money and not being able to pay the bills it is your choice.

Be aware that unless you are depending on another DTV person, the 500.000 Thb needs to be in the bank if you like to extend your stay in Thailand.

13 hours ago

Wannikea *********

Currently there's no obligation to maintain the 500K, that said very few have been asked upon entry. It would be wise to maintain a big bulk of the funds for immediate access. Although unwritten I think you should use other funds to live off and keep the 500K untouched for emergencies.

13 hours ago

Julien ****

@Wannikea ********

when applying for an extension within Thailand, they require the proof of funds, so i would recommend keeping the money in the account if one wishes to extend their visa another 6months without doing a border run. And it is at each other discretion to make that decision.

12 hours ago

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

@Julien ***

Don't bother trying to apply for an extension. Immigration wants nothing to do with DTV. They make the extensions nearly impossible to get. For example in Chiang Mai you must show 500,000 baht in a THAI bank account for the extension. Yes, immigration knows you cannot open a Thai bank account with a DTV visa.

11 hours ago

Julien ****

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

I was not commenting on doing this versus that. I was just saying that if you chose that route that is I agree more difficult then you would need to keep the 500k in an account.

11 hours ago

Reply to

Julien ****

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

Don't need have always this amount but better you have always when you enter in case they ask .

Now can read many case they ask to show balance when enter.

(And some case last week they get denied entering because they can't prove sp plus balance in bank

13 hours ago

Greg ********

Anonymous participant 122 Please show us 1) Many cases DTV holders have to show 500k 2) DTV holders denied

13 hours ago

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

@Greg *******

if you read in this group few day ago have people report that. 🤷‍♂️

I don't make interview to people and ask name . So did you ask me if I know name?!? 😅😂

12 hours ago

Greg ********

Anonymous participant 122 You said "many". One person said he had to prove activity. Nobody was denied. Go back and read again. Stop bedwetting and spreading misinformation.

11 hours ago

Reply to

Greg ********

Josh *****

No because that's absolutely unrealistic.

14 hours ago

Andrew *********

@Josh ****

Its an emergency fund. How is it unrealistic?

9 hours ago

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

@Josh ****

another quality tourist here

11 hours ago

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

@Josh ****

If maintaining the primary visa requirement for all types of DTV visa is unrealistic for you, you should never have gotten this visa. This requirement is in place becauae you might need it in emergency cases, but I guess that you in case of emergency you trust your family and friends to start crowd funding for you. According embassy and Immigration the requirement ia in place the whole visa period. At the official e-visa site it is exactly the same way describe as financial requirements for other visa, nowhere mentioned it is temporary. Not having it in the rare case you will get asked can be a reason to permit you entry.

12 hours ago

Elías ********

@Josh ****

not unrealistic for me and many more. We have more than that basic amount just as savings, that beyond any other business or investments 🤷🏻

13 hours ago

Conor ***********

@Elías *******

investments isn’t cash in the bank . And any non business owner would have to be pretty daft to be keeping 500k in a bank earning barely any interest on it

13 hours ago

Elías ********

@Conor **********

There are risk-averse people 🤷🏻 Also, in my country people usually keep solid savings, money that you can use anytime, anywhere you want to.

13 hours ago

Reply to

Elías ********

Lincoln **********

@Josh ****

in what way is it unrealistic, given you already had 500k baht, to continue to have 500k baht?

14 hours ago

Reply to