This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
What are the latest statistics on approved Digital Nomad Visas (DTV) in Thailand, and how do the numbers compare by nationality?
DTVvisa statisticsThai visa rulesimmigrationnationality breakdownNON-O visaexpat living in ThailandThailand immigration news
Jan 9, 2025
a year ago
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTERAny numbers on approved DTVs? I heard through November 50,000. So, I guess 60K+. Did they have a goal? It should be well over 100K in first year. Is there a breakdown by nationality? I was reading it was China 1 and Malaysia 2. Interesting but the us the same as the tourist visiting too.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion mentions that by mid-November, around 11,000 DTVs (Digital Nomad Visas) had been approved, with estimates suggesting around 50,000 to 60,000 approvals by the end of the year. While there are claims that China tops the list for approvals, commentators note a significant presence of Russian applicants and Australian retirees transitioning from NON-O to DTV due to easier application processes. However, there was confusion regarding the restrictions on Chinese applicants. Official targets for DTV approvals for 2024 or 2025 were reportedly not set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Take the basic DTV Qualification Test to see if you're eligible for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the DTV Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Pelle Eriksson★★★★★
Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...recently on Facebook
Luca G.★★★★★
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
Trusted DTV Visa Agent
OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED
#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND
Kevin *******
I landed in Bangkok today and the IO said it was her first time seeing a DTV. It's been 6 months already so it doesn't look like a lot of people got it.
Ido **********
Source = “I heard”? Maybe post a link to something official in writing?
Mo ******
I would have said Russians number one according to my waiting line in front of the Thai embassy in Jakarta. They accounted for easily 95% and everyone was speaking Russian to one another
Greg ********
@Mo *****
Russians tend to congregate in one place where they have agents or connections. I have crossed at a remote Cambodian border, and 90% of those doing the bounce were Russians—all on organized buses with Russian facilitators.Mo ******
@Greg *******
I see Russians being like that and also Chinese. But Germans, Spaniards, French, Brit’s do everything alone. Same for me as a Frenchman. If I can do alone, why I would bother stick to someone to get help!Greg ********
@Mo *****
Indians do it in jobs too. In Singapore it was rife and even government ministers mentioned it. When I worked in Singapore and Thailand locals always came first and not just for visa reasons. Working at large global orgs it was easy enough to bring anyone in but the local talent was almost always good enough.Mo ******
@Greg *******
crazy! I am not a big fan of this. I prefer to favor the best talent regardless of anything else….Greg ********
@Mo *****
Well you are meant to look for local talent first. It is part of your business license. If you look at BOI for example part of the requirements is skill transfer. In both Thailand and Singapore the local talent was very good. When I worked in Clinical research Thailand is renowned as a place to run clinical trials. It still is. Salaries in life sciences here higher than average. I ran a Global PMO at a large Japanese company here reporting to C-Suite. I hired 2 Thai chemical engineers into that global PMO. They were excellent and dealt with people on a global scale at all levels including CEO.Reply to
Greg ********
Reply
Steven *******
@Greg *******
They take care of each otherGreg ********
@Steven ******
Most nationals do except those cultures with "Tall Poppy Syndrome" - talking about us Brits and Aussies lolMo ******
@Greg *******
French also are very indépendant and don’t really take care of each otherGreg ********
@Mo *****
I have seen certain Brits employing only others with the same dodgy handshake for jobs in Asia lolReply to
Greg ********
Reply
Steven *******
@Mo *****
Russians get 3 months on arrival. Maybe has an impactReply to
Steven *******
Reply
Jennifer ******
Strange, isn't China one of the restricted countries to apply for DTV? How did so many get approved?
Greg ********
@Jennifer *****
The only restricted countries are on that one non-official website. Is there an actual official list? ********************
Reply to
Greg ********
Reply
Steve ********
A lot of Australian retirees are switching from non-O to DTV, I think due to the simplicity of obtaining the DTV
Greg ********
@Steve *******
It is down to peronal circumstances but I am still not convinced about it being the correct option for everyone who is on Retirement "O" to switch. It is for many and for a couple of close pals on "O" Spouse it is the right move for them.Steve ********
@Greg *******
Yes correct. It's all down to individual circumstances. I travel fairly extensively so it suits my travel patterns. A couple of buddies have switched because they have for several years been using visa agents and paying *****
k each year for their extensions. They're happy now to be rid of that and will do the border bounce when required. The biggest plus of course for many is the elimination of visits to immigration and tolerating their pedantic nuances year in, year out. It will be interesting to see how the figures shake out and whether immigration actually bother to keep numbers on those switchingGreg ********
@Steve *******
If immigration are losing too much ie those yearly fees and tea money from agents they just might start to look at ex retirement visa holders with a DTV more closely. I am keeping my powder dry before making any decisions and will wait and see the lay of the land.Steve ********
@Greg *******
There's a lot more DTVs might be looked at more closely, such as the dental appointments and cooking classes before they look at retirees. If someone has a business registration and a work contract, it's a lot more solid than a few fillings! One friend of mine has just secured his by becoming a "consultant" for his son-in-laws lawn mowing business. On paper, he will carry out the financial administration of the business. I don't see how the MFA can deny this, when they're dishing them out to Instagram "influencers" 😂Greg ********
@Steve *******
MFA dishing out the DTV is not where any issues will arise. It is the other departmentsSteve ********
@Greg *******
Yes. Once I've got mine, I'm making a five year pledge never to attend immigration. I know just how pedantic these people can get once they've got that uniform on!Reply to
Steve ********
Reply
Christopher ***********
@Greg *******
Absolutely Greg! I’m on Non-O Retirement extensions. I once went six years without exiting Thailand. This year, myself and Thai wife had planned to visit stepdaughter who lives and works in Japan and later take a holiday in Portugal. Unfortunately, my wife was diagnosed with cancer in October thus needs to regularly attend her Cancer Centre. Plus, she doesn’t feel up to flying anymore.Greg ********
@Christopher **********
Sorry to hear about your wife. A very good friend of mine who I used to work with is a Clinical Oncologist specialising in immunotherapy. He is Burmese and is now a Singapore citizen. We have been talking about setting up a clinical development consultancy here as he wishes to live in Chiang Mai a short flight from home. Cancer care in Thailand is good. A friends Thai wife who has lived in UK almost 30 years has chosen to continue treatment here as she feels it is better. Nothing against the NHS but she is now under care at a regional cancer centre and the treatment and care is good. All the best to you and your wife.Christopher ***********
@Greg *******
I agree! My Mum died of cancer in U.K. Too late for any treatment because only four weeks prior to her death the doctor in charge of the Medical Investigation Unit told her all tests were negative, she didn’t have cancer and was ‘fixable’. One week later blood tests indicated cancer and they moved heaven and earth to discharge her from hospital. There were no nursing home or hospice places available. Hospital social worker refused to sanction home care on the grounds; ‘she doesn’t need it’. My Mum was 88. Had to threaten them with the press. They finally relented and she died in the hospital without a pain pump in situ due to short staffing.Greg ********
@Christopher **********
It is unfortunate but it often comes down to money. UK is currently way behind in oncology as they have been starved of funds for years during austerity. This plus the advancements in cancer detection and treatment have come on leaps and bounds recently and it looks like this will continue with Immunotherapy and mRNA. The UK has a great life sciences industry. I have another good pal who is UK Medical Director for Moderna. Their cancer vaccines are showing promise. He used to sit next to me in Singapore as did the Oncologist I mentioned above. They put them next to me as I talk a lot and could show them around the company when they were both new starters lolReply to
Greg ********
Reply
Tommy ********
I interviewed the MFA and they said 11,000 up until mid November.
No goal or targets for 2024 or 2025 they told me. It’s on the
No goal or targets for 2024 or 2025 they told me. It’s on the
@FCCT ***************************
念**
Burmese agents outright sell DTV approval for ฿
*****
. Issued out of Cambodia. At some point I believe this whole thing is going to be reviewed and made more stringentRay *****
@念**
agents always played a part in every visa. There is zero reason for review and tighter requirements. They want more people in country spending money, that's the ultimate aim.Tim *********
@念**
what agents? 😆Reply to
Tim *********
Reply
Tommy ********
They also said top 5 nationalities were China U.K. USA Germany and Australia I believe
Mo ******
@Tommy *******
by order from the highest to the lowest? I thought the Russian are in the top position. According to what I have seen in the line of the embassy from JakartaDca *****
@Mo *****
Note, that's just one location out of 94 and what the average person will not see are the "queues" on the Thai E–Visa website....Mo ******
@Dca ****
yeas especially now as all embassies have switched to e visaTommy ********
@Mo *****
Top 5 countries - China, U.S., U.K., Germany and Australia. As of November according to the MFA on the @FCCT ***************************
23:26Tommy ********
*******************************************************************************************
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Mo *****
maybe don’t qualify or know much about the DTV.Mo ******
Participant(e) anonyme oh k. It seemed most of them got it. It was in November
Mo ******
Participant(e) anonyme you mean me?
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Mo *****
no commenting on the post aboveReply to
Anonymous *************
Reply
John *******
The November interview said 11,000 were approved.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
wow the Bangkok Post wrong again. They said 50,000 through NovemberWannikea *********
Anonymous participant Bangkok Post, phenomenally repeatedly unreliable.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Wannikea ********
yes but this time I can’t find the article I read. I know it was on one of my news feeds.Reply to
Anonymous *************
Reply
John *******
Anonymous participant - CD a you share the Bangkok post article? I can’t find anything
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
yeah I searched for it too and didn’t come up I read it a month ago. Maybe was possible a different news feed. But I remember them saying 50,000 were issued and 60,000 for target for 2024.
I’ll keep searching for it.
*****
seems like but *****
seems a little lowJohn *******
Anonymous participant
*************************************************************************
- At 22 minutes in the Interview he says 11,000 up to Nov 15thAnonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
thanks for infoReply to
Anonymous *************
Reply
3 comments
a year ago
1 comments
a year ago
15 comments
a year ago
27 comments
a year ago
1 comments
a year ago
45 comments
a year ago
71 comments
2 years ago
27 comments
2 years ago
12 comments
2 years ago
7 comments
2 years ago
22 comments
2 years ago
128 comments
2 years ago
5 comments
2 years ago
17 comments
2 years ago
110 comments
2 years ago
100 comments
2 years ago
42 comments
2 years ago
3 comments
2 years ago
104 comments
2 years ago
60 comments
2 years ago
82 comments
2 years ago
5 comments
2 years ago
134 comments
2 years ago
193 comments
2 years ago
76 comments
2 years ago
7 comments
a month ago
9 comments
a month ago
21 comments
a month ago
16 comments
a month ago
8 comments
a month ago
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.