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What are the financial requirements and options for obtaining a DTV visa for families in Thailand?

Dec 23, 2025

15 hours ago

My partner and I (unmarried) have four children - three whom are school aged.

We each have 500kbhat in our Wise accounts and a regular monthly income each of 1,000 euros and savings of 20,000 euros in his name as well as 100,000 euros of investments (also in his name). Finances are in his name because of international politics and it’s been this way for a decade, trust is not an issue because I have access to everything so no point going down that road…

We are both building online businesses which should give us each an additional 2,000 euros a month within 6-8 months. We do not want to touch our investments for a few years at least. 

We would like to live in Thailand and enroll our children in a school we have already chosen and which fits our budget… and we are depending on school to give us time to work!

But we realized recently that when applying for the DTV we may need to have 500k bhat in savings per person (1.5 million each / 3 million total) and that we are not allowed to touch that money even after receiving the visa. Is that true, and is it a strictly implemented rule in your experience ?

Are there alternatives? School enrollment visa seems to have the same financial requirements, but as we want to work online we would need the DTV, right?

We were hoping to have access to that 500k in our Wise accounts to pay extra expenses / supplement our income until it is high enough to sustain us, especially with school enrollment costs which will deplete our savings quite quickly. 

I’m feeling discouraged because the plan we were building the past few months seems to have some flaws in it. Can you offer any helpful advice, insights, experience, work-arounds or options I am just not seeing? 

Thank you!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user queries the financial requirements for obtaining a DTV visa, specifically regarding the necessity to maintain 500,000 baht in a savings account per person and whether the funds can be accessed after approval. Community responses indicate that while showing proof of funds is required at application, the money does not need to remain untouched post-issuance. Alternative options include applying for educational visas for children and exploring different banking solutions, especially regarding the use of Wise accounts versus traditional Thai banks.

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7 hours ago

Wannikea *********

TrustworthySeal8519 when the Visa first came out many parents/main DTV holder would just write a sponsorship letter for the funding requirement for their spouse and children. But times have changed and embassies are getting more restrictive. You have four children but you haven't said their ages, infants and toddlers require a lot less financial support than teenagers. Off the cuff I'd say you need to show 1.5 - 2 million Baht for your family to give the impression of financial stability for 6 people.

13 hours ago

Brett ********

Yes, the 500,000 THB proof of funds for DTV is real. That part is official.

But there is no written rule anywhere that says the money is frozen or that you’re “not allowed to touch it” after the visa is issued.

In practice:

You show the funds at application (often 3 months of statements)

Sometimes immigration asks again at entry or later

As long as you can show the balance when asked, you’re fine

People do use that money after approval it’s not a locked account

The bigger misunderstanding is the total amount needed.

For families like yours, the usual, cleaner setup is:

Both parents apply as main DTV holders (500k each)

Children go on ED visas through the school

You do not need millions sitting idle for each child

Unmarried partners are the reason this matters DTV dependents are typically defined as legal spouse + children, which makes trying to bundle everyone under one DTV messy and risky.

On working online:

DTV is the visa designed for remote/online work

ED visas are fine for kids, not for working parents

Guardian visas are usually more restrictive and not work-friendly

About Wise:

Some embassies accept Wise statements

Some prefer traditional banks

Wise isn’t illegal or disallowed, but it can cause friction

If you want less stress, keep the 500k in a normal bank account

The practical way people handle cashflow:

Treat the 500k as a buffer, not untouchable money

Spend from other savings/income where possible

If you dip into it, rebuild it before any renewal or border scrutiny

You likely need 1,000,000 THB total (500k each), not several million.

Your plan is still viable. The problem is bad explanations, not bad planning.

13 hours ago

Brett ********

True then the latter applies.

10 hours ago

Trustwort**********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Brett *******

thank you for your thoughtful and thorough reply.

To clarify, you don’t think we need an additional 500k bhat for each child?

Again, thanks!

13 hours ago

Brett ********

TrustworthySeal8519

The 500,000 THB proof-of-funds is assessed per DTV applicant. If both parents apply as main DTV applicants, that’s 500,000 THB each.

But if the children apply as DTV dependents, official Thai embassy/consulate requirements commonly still list financial evidence of 500,000 THB for the dependent application (sometimes allowing a sponsor letter). See, for example, Thai Embassy London (DTV spouse/children) and Thai Embassy Singapore / Thai Consulate LA checklists.

If the children are instead on ED visas, then they’re not DTV dependents — but ED/guardian-type visas can have their own financial requirements, and at least one official embassy page states 500,000 THB per child for parents applying to accompany a studying child.

So it's saying depending what visa you get your kids this is the best I can find. May be ask the question to that company they not going to know if you use them or not. Take care

13 hours ago

John **********

@Brett *******

they can't get ED visas if they are home schooling

10 hours ago

Reply to

John **********

Brett ********

TrustworthySeal8519 I’d love to take the credit, but I won’t 😄

I asked ChatGPT to explain Thai Immigration law from

*****

/2025, pasted your post into it, and told it to actually take its time thinking. What came back lines up pretty closely with what a lot of people here are already saying.

Best of luck with it. I was pointed toward a company that handles the process. Naturally they charge, because of course they do, but only once the visa is approved, which takes a lot of the head-scratching out of it. That one is Relothai.org.

That said, I’ve personally just done a 2-month visa directly through the government website and it’s actually very straightforward. Upload documents, the system ticks them off, you can save and come back later. No drama.

The only reason I’d even consider using a company is because I work offshore and in remote areas, and I don’t always have reliable internet access. Convenience has a price. From memory it’s around 38,000 baht, but I’m not sure how they’d structure that for a family.

I live in Thailand but worked rotation so never needed a visa but they clamping down ans this time I got one thank goodness so I will also be looking into getting a long-term visa.

I will ask again to verify with reference for you about the kids

Either way, hope it works out smoothly for you.

13 hours ago

Reply to

Brett ********

Nigel ********

I would suggest you talk to professionals like

@Lawyers **********************

for correct advise, especially after there latest post.

14 hours ago

Luke *********

Get a lawyer. Do it properly.

14 hours ago

David *******

@Luke ********

really not necessary.

11 hours ago

Ossie *********

@Luke ********

been here 19 years and I still haven’t found a decent lawyer they tell you mainly BS and that’s been my experience

13 hours ago

Luke *********

@Ossie ********

That sux. What about one who isn't in Thailand but specialises in the field?

11 hours ago

Reply to

Luke *********

Trustwort**********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Can anyone tell me about which kind of account to put 500,000 bhat in?

We’ve heard a lot about the difficulty for foreigners to open a Thai bank account and also about assets being frozen in a Thai bank account. We put it off the table for these reasons…

Is opening a Thai bank account a doable option? Before we even have a longterm visa?

Otherwise, can we use our European bank accounts and simply show the equivalent of 500k bhat?

14 hours ago

John **********

TrustworthySeal8519 you can use your European bank. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, for you to open a Thai bank account on a DTV as it is classed as a tourist visa

10 hours ago

Garrett ***********

TrustworthySeal8519 Not in Thailand, it should be in your home countries account.

12 hours ago

Reply to

Garrett ***********

Dnatjugweme ************

I agree with Chris that the guardian visa is far more superior. The funds do not need to stay in the bank for the whole year. One month only before the first extension of stay and 2 or 3 months (I don't remember for sure any longer) for subsequent extensions. The only downsides I can think of are

- having to buy re-entry permits if you want to travel abroad, but if you don't plan to travel frequently it's not an issue and

- having to be in Thailand when it's time to apply for extension renewals.

As long as it's remote work with foreign clients, you do not risk much working on such a visa. Unless you brag openly about it, obviously.

15 hours ago

Us *****

First off, you better check on how much the education would cost for them. International school will set you back big time. Next you have to worry about insurance for everyone which will also set you back. You shouldn't worry about the dtv since you qualify to stay with putting your kids in school with an ed visa. I think you will get by with what you have but you will be month to month.

15 hours ago

Trustwort**********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Us ****

as I said we’ve already found our school. Stick to the point, please.

14 hours ago

Nicholas *********

TrustworthySeal8519 with that attitude why would anyone give you any advice 🤷‍♂️

14 hours ago

Dave *********

@Nicholas ********

how about people just give the advice asked for?

8 hours ago

Reply to

Dave *********

John **********

If you both will work online then you each need your own DTV visas based on the workation category so 500k baht or equivalent each but there's nothing to say you can't touch that money. You should be able to get DTVs for your kids with only a sponsorship letter but it depends where you will apply. The other thing to be aware of that whatever consulate you choose to apply through you might have an issue with Wise as it is not a bank. If any of your kids are 20 or older they will need to apply in their own right and thus require their own 509k baht

15 hours ago

Trustwort**********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@John *********

I haven’t heard of the sponsorship letter before. I’ll look into it! I’ve heard that Vientiane is a good consulate to apply with. Any thoughts there? We’ve booked for Laos already but would consider changing if it’s more favorable!

14 hours ago

Reply to

Trustwort**********

Derek *****

You’ll need to move the money into a regular banking account, not fixed, but I’ve never heard of anyone being checked for funds again after getting the visa. You should be fine. Consider applying at a less strict place like Hanoi VT and then it’s likely the kids can get approved on your 500k.

15 hours ago

Sarah **********

Hi, I have the DTV visa and at no point during my application was I told the money needed to remain untouched. I know if you resubmit paperwork to do the 180 day extension they will need to see the required finances, but for myself I will travel every 180 days and get a new stamp.

I have heard of people having trouble with their application when the money has been in a Wise account as this isn’t technically a bank, it’s a FinTech company. Hopefully someone in the comments can share more direct experience on that.

15 hours ago

Jim *******

@Sarah *********

If it like that,why are you on Facebook?

9 hours ago

Reply to

Jim *******

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