What are the extension options for a DTV visa in Thailand?

One wonders why so many anonymous comments in this group 🤔. Mostly negative ones.

If you lose your job and don't cancel your DTV on basis of workation, then you are in violation of your visa conditions and cheating the system by doing the border runs! Criminal!

Respect the rules of the Kingdom or they will crack down on the good guys too. You should convert to a MTV (multiple entry tourist visa) and stay 100% legal. Ask your local immigration officer if you have any questions.

It’s true much easier to do a border run

This is weird. Especially for the soft power classes like you would do with Discover Thai Nature. From what I understand, you do a year's worth of seminars and that's it. What would they make you do to confirm things for the remaining 4 years?

My first extension is due. I went to immagration and they said you come 45 days prior to expiry date. You must take all the documents + 2 photos of me outside my residence + 2 photos inside my residence+ map of my residence with lat & long location+ landlords id and blue book. It seemed like they were unsure they showed my the only other DTV extension they had done and alot of paperwork. So l am flying to KL for couple of days stamp back in. It's a holiday and less to worry about

Its not a joke lol. You either extend at immigration and have to provide all documents again or you leave the country and come back (border run). Those are your options. Good luck.

Maybe I'm missing something here or don't understand "extension", but why go through all that work when you could fly to Hanoi for a couple of days, come back and start over? It's that a hell of a lot easier? Or am I being stupid about it?

This is not a joke. That's how most visas work around the world. You're granted a visa for a specific purpose, which in your case would be to live as a digital nomad with ongoing online work. Most other non-immigrant visas in Thailand also need to be renewed/extended each year with a large number of documents.

Some people say, "You keep your status" but not really. They assume you do because there hasn’t been strict border control so far. However, other visas like the Non-B, ED, or Marriage visa are immediately canceled (or must be canceled) when the visa holder no longer meets the purpose for which the visa was issued, regardless of its remaining validity.

Nothing indicates that the DTV will be different. Maybe it will be, but there’s no official guarantee. In fact, Thai immigration requires full documentation when applying for an extension and that suggests they may (or not) check it more closely.

For an extension, they usually ask for an updated employment letter in the workaytion category. If you do a visa run there are currently no checks for ongoing activity.

If you apply for an extension the immigration office will want to see updated proof and establish you have the funds in place. A border bounce to get a fresh 180 days stamp is your only option if you can no longer substantiate your status.