Should I apply for a DTV visa now or wait for changes in regulations?

@Aslam *****

I see

@Aslam *****

That is not an answer to my question. What bad stories did you hear from people who got into the country with this visa?

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

the problem is getting the visa for some not about problems in Thailand after getting the visa. And yes there are problems plenty reported in this group. For example some people go somewhere to apply then suddenly they switch to e visa and they have to wait a long time. Other people have issues and need to re apply over very minor details losing time and money. Etc. I don’t think it’s gonna get easier to Get this visa just harder

@Michael *******

I also see a lot of problems posted here, but mainly that are problems people encounter who do not belong to the target group.

The most logical it would be that people apply for a visa between one and two months before they travel to the country they apply for in their home country.

Here I see a lot of people applying for the visa in countries around Thailand, and they want to travel as soon as possible to Thailand.

This looks to me these people are already living in Thailand, probably illegal or on a wrong visa, and now want this visa for some reason, even when they do not belong to the targeted group.

Of course this results in a lot of problems, but that is not because the visa itself is wrong.

Waiting 2 weeks or more is quite normal for a visa, and especially for a visa valid for 5 years it should be acceptable, there is no need from one day to the other to get a 5 year visa all of a sudden, people should plan these things some time before.

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

well there’s so many more cases than those few you’ve seen, and plenty of people have legally lived in Thailand and need to get a new visa and qualify and would prefer getting it asap so it’s kind of annoying spending weeks and weeks in a random country… hence why this group exists. People want to get it done fast and easy and naturally so. Many people don’t want to go to their home country or elsewhere for a month when they have friends, vehicles, girlfriend, etc in Thailand.

Not everything can be so perfectly done like applying 1-2 months beforehand, and the visa that this group targets (remote workers) is exactly the group that is having to spend time out of Thailand and waiting in random countries for their visas.

I could go on but there really are more cases and nuances to this than just following the ultra logical and basic path of being in your home country and applying there 2 months prior to deciding to travel to Thailand as a tourist.

Also, it being “normal” to wait for a visa doesn’t mean people won’t want it asap. Why get it in a month when you can get it in 3 days?

And many of these remote workers were in Thailand legally and studying, so they perfectly got this visa but prior visas were okay but not perfect. Thailand has known about remote workers visiting and living in Thailand and they have welcomed it as evidenced by this visa. Also in the past they did not arrest people working remotely on tourist or education visas as long as there work wasn’t local.

There are so so many cases and I’m not gonna go into details but not everything works out so perfectly and organized that you apply for a visa months prior in your home country and then come visit.

Also, there are many problems people report in the target group. Many. Depending on place.

@Michael *******

When the people you mention are legally in Thailand now, there is no need for them to get a DTV visa, which is NOT meant to live in Thailand, but just an extended tourist visa.

That Thailand did not arrest remote workers on tourist visa I know. DTV is also tourist visa and prohibits employment. Obviously remote work is not seen as employment.

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

yes there is a necessity to switch to DTV. Those legally in Thailand now have visas that do expire. Education visas are year by year for example. Also an actual Thai government official confirmed that you can stay in Thailand 180+180 days then border run and reset no problem, so yeah it’s great for people that want to live in Thailand for a period of time. It’s very hard for remote workers to qualify for other visas because they aren’t seeking local employment or don’t yet have enough capital for incorporation and hiring 4 thai employees. The other options get expensive and time consuming. So the DTV is perfect for remote workers that want to live in Thailand that don’t yet qualify for other visas. Later they can get married, start a local business, etc. not everyone wants to do those things IMMEDIATELY just to live in Thailand. The DTV is a great stepping stone.

Not everything is so cookie cutter and simply logical like you make it out to seem. I know so many people that don’t fit into that perfect mold you’re trying to describe. The fact is it is more complicated than what you’ve previously described and the DTV is great for those living in Thailand that work online that aren’t ready to start a local business, get local employment, or get married.

@Michael *******

When you now are on an education visa, it does not make sense you now suddenly are remote worker for DTV.

I have DTV now because I am remote worker and not yet retired allhough over 50.

DTV is just easier than get METV every time I want to go to Thailand.

I also do not want to live fulltime now in Thailand, so I do not apply now for non-o visa, because then I need to be there at the moment I need a new 1 year extension.

My point is that when you want to live in Thailand you should not get a DTV visa, but another visa. DTV is just an upgraded tourist visa, perfect for people who want to stay for up to 6 months every now and then in Thailand, but not for people who want to be resident in Thailand.

If it was meant that way it would have had yearly extensions, and no need to get out of the country.

And if somebody uses a visa in a way it is not meant, they might have to accept inconveniences.

@Kool ******

thanks for the reply. "History" in Thailand with other visas, changes/updates. Are there past visas in which one was grandfathered in... any idea?

@Michael ********

as one example those that are still under the old retirement visa from the Vietnam era, when bt20,000 was all that was required for the financial requirement as still grandfathered in at the bt20,000, as long as there haven't been any breaks in extending the visa. There are still a few in that category. There are others concerning the original elite visas that are grandfathered in.

@Kool ******

very interesting! Thanks kap 🙏 ☺️

@Kool ******

understood

Thanks for explaining to me

Anonymous participant yeah i probably will do on the end of nov

Soft power option

I heard Jakarta and HCMC is easiest city to apply to