I’m currently in Hanoi preparing to apply for the DTV visa, but after reading a lot of recent experiences, I’m starting to feel a bit unsure. Last year, I entered Thailand on a 60-day tourist visa and later enrolled in a six-month Thai language course. With the proper visa extensions, I was able to stay for a full year—all completely by the book. I’ve never done any border runs or overstayed. I even took a short solo trip to Hong Kong to visit art exhibitions with friends during that time.
I’m now applying for the DTV as a freelance graphic designer, and I have all the required documentation ready—proof of income, an extensive portfolio, and everything else listed in the guidelines. At first, I thought my clean history and the fact that I followed all the rules would work in my favor. But some of the posts I’ve come across suggest otherwise, and now I’m wondering: could studying Thai in Bangkok actually hurt my chances instead of helping them?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster is applying for a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) as a freelance graphic designer after completing a year in Thailand with a tourist and then student visa. Despite having a clean visa record and proper documentation, they express concerns about previous experiences shared online, particularly regarding the impact of studying Thai on their application. Responses from the community assure the poster that as long as their application is solid and they adhere to the guidelines, they should be fine, sharing personal success stories and encouraging them to proceed.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES