What are the attendance requirements for the DTV visa in Muay Thai after approval?

There’s no published minimum, like X classes a week, for the DTV. Gyms normally ask you to commit to 6 months, but nobody expects you to use every single class in a 6-month package. What matters is that it’s genuine. You enrolled, you paid, you actually show up. Keep your receipts and ask the gym for an attendance record or a letter if you ever need one.

After the program ends, in practice, re-entry checks for proof of training are rare but it does happen, IOs often ask which gym you train at and they might call it too. So if you change your gym after 6 months, make sure they know you are on DTV and they know your full name in case an IO calls. Rules can vary by office and officer though, so don’t treat anything as guaranteed.

Usually the immigration officer asks you to shadow box. One time they brought a kid to spar with me and he swept me to the ground.

I heard “owweeeee” in a choir from the officers and was approved after that

Yeah, best of luck with LA. My husband & I applied for soft power using a program from a reputable school with a schedule for weekly classes, but we were denied 24 hours later. We met all other criteria. At least they were fast about it 😅 but we still lost $800 overnight and since LA is the only option for the state we live in.

If you're serious about Muay Thai, travel somewhere on the East Coast somewhere you have family maybe and get a new driver's license so you can use as proof of address to apply through any of the other US consulates.

Regarding accommodation: look on google maps, close to the camp. Especially around that "Muay Thai Road", are dozens of small hotels and lodges.

Immigration is expecting you to continue attending to Muay Thai because that is why you got the visa. After your initial course expires, you just book a new one

Hi! There is currently no stated DTV requirement to attend a specific number of Muay Thai classes per week or to use every class included in your program. However, if Muay Thai is the activity supporting your DTV, we recommend genuinely participating and keeping evidence of your training.

Several of our students have now been questioned by Immigration at the airport when re-entering Thailand and asked for evidence of their Muay Thai training. They have been able to show their subscriptions, bookings and attendance history, as well as photos and videos of their training.

We wrote about one student’s firsthand experience here:



Regarding what happens after your initial program, our students do not need to purchase another full DTV program once they complete the original one. They can continue training with a regular subscription or class package, and their attendance continues to be recorded. We recommend keeping your training records current and accessible when traveling.

For an extension of stay, Immigration may request updated supporting documents. Requirements can vary, so it’s best to check with the immigration office where you intend to apply.

One important point for your Los Angeles application: the consulate currently requires an official acceptance and support letter from the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), along with documents from an SAT-certified gym. Make sure the gym you choose can arrange the additional government support document. It generally takes approximately 5–21 days to receive, so allow plenty of time.

The consulate also currently lists an FBI criminal certificate issued within the previous three months. Check the latest requirements before applying and allow time to obtain both documents.

Since you’re not yet sure where you’ll be living, it makes sense to choose a gym you can realistically get to and a program that fits your schedule. You don’t need to be a fighter or train every day, but choosing somewhere you enjoy training will make the experience much more worthwhile.

Good luck applying through LA

My experience from the last time I came in through Phuket airport was that they wanted to see proof of me doing Muay Thai, in the form of recent photos/video. Since I didn’t have any (because I’m camera shy and just don’t take pictures/video of myself), they wanted to see a contract with a gym. Once I showed that they were satisfied. Not once did they ask me how often I train (and how would they check that anyways).

See the search row up the top of the page? Search “Muay Thai reporting”. This has been asked 100 times in this group.

If the training is less then 5 years, you won't get a 5 years visa. If you wand a 5 years DTV, go the workation path, but different requirements there. Usually training courses like Mui Tai / cooking etc are 6-12 months long, so you only get visa for same period. If courses last < 6 months, there's high chance they give you METV instead of DTV.

I am in the same boat