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What are the new requirements for extending a DTV in Thailand as of January 2026?

Jan 12, 2026
4 months ago
REJECTED DTV EXTENSION! Rejected at Immigration, was told NEW policy Jan 1 2026 requires Thai Bank for 180 day extension, only way to extend is doing Border Bounce. Just heads up, and I understand different offices do different things
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A recent report indicates that Thai immigration has changed the rules for extending a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) as of January 1, 2026. Applicants now must have a Thai bank account to apply for a 180-day extension, with alternative solutions like border bouncing mentioned as potential ways to maintain residence. Many expats are sharing mixed experiences, noting inconsistencies between different immigration offices, leading to confusion and frustration.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Lisa **************
So basically you have to leave the country every six months based on this information?
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Fiamma ******
The PO’s experience signals the future and it would very likely to happen, just a matter of time.

Thai immigration only deals with Thai bank because they are local, and can verify and aligned with local proof; money in Thai bank account is same for ALL type of Thai visa issued within Thailand - apply or extension.

DTV is issued outside of Thailand by embassy/consulate which is ruled by MFA, not immigration bureau (the one for extension). MFA by nature, allows use a foreign country’s local bank, AND Thai bank to be your financial proof, so DTV or other type of visa apply from overseas embassy allows your home country’s bank as proof.

It’s not the issue with bank account, or immigration nonsense nor PO posted anon, DTV is not supposed to be extended within Thailand - It aligns with how the bigger system works.
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Fiamma ******
Thanks for the sharing. This is something definitely would happen in anytime soon across whole Thailand and makes total sense in the system.

Much appreciated
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YU**
You dont have money to book short flight to other country for 3days - 1 week? Are you serious? How you get DTV. Rule is a rule. Per entry 180 days. Then get out and then come back for new stamp. Easy. Unless you poor as a DTV Holder. Shame!
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Bryn ********
Actually you can get a Thai bank account with a DTV, use an agent, depends on the bank as everything does in Thailand. I was also told you cannot get a Thai license because you need a proof of residence which you also officially cannot get on a DTV yet I managed to get both, both of these you need to open a Thai bank account🙂. This is not the official rules, as with anything in Thailand
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Marb ********
@Bryn *******
and how long ago did you

Get your bank account
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Vitaly ********
@Bryn *******
residence certificate can be obtained on any type of visa or visa-exempt stamp, you're making it up
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Anonymous ******************
@Vitaly *******
Its up to the office
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Anonymous ******************
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Mehdi *******
@Bryn *******
it's possible to get a proof of residency from the immigration. They ask for the purpose. They only give it to buy a motorcycle or open a bank account.... You need to give them the details of the bank/branch. Apparently they contact the bank and you can get the paper in a week. I got it!
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Jack ****
Do you know any agent?
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Jack ****
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Mike **********
I can actually believe what the poster is saying, hua hin seem to have a whole new interpretation of visa rules.

Problem seems to be that each immigration office interpret the rules differently.
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Don *******
lol how do these posts get approved
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Vitico ********
It was always known from the beginning that the easiest way is to leave the country and come back and that trying to extend in country was going to be as complicated as the original application or worse.
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Anonymous ******************
Ya’ll acting like immigration all follow the same regulations and the same interpretation of those regulations when all of us seasoned folk have had very different experiences - that’s a fact. Let’s face it - the rules are whatever they are based on who you meet, when you arrive, and where you enter the country.
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Felix ******
Anonymous participant 464 yeah even to extend a visa exemption different offices have different rules
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Felix ******
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Maria **************
I can confirm also here on Samui they denied extention even if all the papers were in order, i will get more details tomorrow. I let my name show here so the people that love the anonymos BS comment do not need to leave a comment. It is not me as i am on another Visa.
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Andrew *********
Just like the e-cig rule. They arent illegal as long as you can prove you imported it legally. Its illegal to import them.
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Anonymous ******************
I'm assuming you're somewhat mobile since you were able to go to immigration. If so, my sincere recommendation would be to hire a large VIP SUV with a good driver who isn't in a rush, and do a border bounce by land (via Laos). You can leave and come back within minutes. Other than that I'm not sure what options you have
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Dany ********
they just dont want to deal with the paperwork, thats all. made up the story to reject you.
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Dany *******
Absolutely could be the reason. Some others have posted that here as well. Just giving people a heads up
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Anonymous *************
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just got off the phone with an agent, who confirmed she spoke to Immigration Officer and they are no longer allowing DTV extensions in country without Thai bank account, she acknowledged you can't get a Thai Bank account and said this is the first she is hearing about it but had 2 others today at the same office rejected for the same reason
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
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Anonymous ******************
That is the weirdest and most suspicious claim ever in this group and most likely not true. How should it be possible to present funds in a Thai bank account, if you are not allowed to open one with the glorified tourist visa? 🙄
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anonymous participant 857 That's the point
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Todd *********
Anonymous participant 857 are you new?
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Todd *********
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Nick *******
I call another bit of anonymous BS!
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Anonymous ******************
@Nick ******
Another one of your BS replies… Have you even tried to extend or to contact an agent, out of curiosity? No, you didn’t...
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Nick *******
Anonymous participant 207 yes. I use an agent. They have not had this issue mr anonymous
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Nick *******
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Frank **********
@Nick ******
explain exactly why you think is BS please. Just throwing some words without explanation is... just guess...
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Nick *******
@Frank *********
because I don’t believe it to be true. I have seen too many BS scaremongering posts from anonymous posters. Beyond that I don’t need to explain myself to you, I am allowed an opinion. This isn’t North Korea
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Nick *******
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ******
I've already explained why I'm anonymous, to avoid the bombardment of personal messages , so that they can also all be present here . Just got off the phone with an agent who was at immigration and confirmed at Hua Hin Immigration office, DTV need Thai Bank ( Knowing you can't get one)
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Nick *******
and.....shall I send you a message screenshot saying it is BS? does that make me right
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ******
You do you man. Whatever makes you sleep at night
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Anonymous ******************
If u get tax id, u can open bank account right?
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Nick *******
Anonymous participant 470 no
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Nick *******
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Nick *******
I stand by my statement! BS
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
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Anonymous *************
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G ***************
Probably something to do with your name.

Miss Participant. I'm guessing Anonymous is a female name.
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@G **************
No probably not
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David ********
Try going go bangkok?
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MagentaLo*********
Let me tell you, Thai immigration hates DTV, which carries some unforeseeable risks. In a political culture where avoidance of responsibility, risk, and blame is the norm, there is no reason that they’d want to take the bullet for other government departments. Thai immigration couldn’t have a say because of its lower rank when this visa was launched by MFA.
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Lyle *********
Why always anonymous
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Chris **********
Go for a nice weekend away somewhere and save yourself the headache
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Chris *********
I can't travel, I just had surgery
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Chris **********
Yep 100% medical extension. You'll be fine
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Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant you should be able to get a medical extension if you’re actually unable to travel. Speak to the hospital/doctor that performed your surgery and they’ll provide you with documentation to give immigration. You’re cutting it a bit fine time wise but should be able to get it sorted tomorrow.
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Anonymous ******************
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Kurt *************
i guess you can show proof of this rejection ?
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MagentaLo*********
@Kurt ************
no, for any rejection, they’d first say no to you. If you try to argue with them or have a rant, they’ll give you the rejection letter and put a rejection stamp on your passport. This is the case for me. I got both when I quarreled with them. But I was trying to do a border bounce. Since DTV is a new type of visa, I don’t know they even have the rejection letter & stamp for it.
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Todd *********
@Kurt ************
what 'proof' are you expecting exactly? They tell you no... and you move on
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Kurt *************
@Todd ********
i mean dont they give you any paperwork when rejected ?
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James ********
Nope 👎
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Ivan ************
@Ku**
generally when rejecting an extensions, they will just say no. They won't take your money and there will be no paperwork. If they take your money, they usually give you a 7 days to get out refusal of extension, which is a stamp in your passport. But they typically will tell you before they take the money whether they are going to do it or not, and if not, you can keep your money but no extension and no paperwork.
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James ********
Correct ✅
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kurt ************
No they look at all paperwork, said where is your Thai banking slips, I showed them my Wise account, they said no sorry need Thai bank and send you on your way
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Kurt *************
Anonymous participant sounds very weird. First time ive seen this. Lets see if others report the same the next couple of weeks.

What office ?
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kurt ************
Hua Hin. Yes I was shocked and many people I have talked to have expressed the same, agents and all .
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Anonymous *************
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kurt ************
Well my passport stamp still shows Jan 14th , but other then that they don't give you a rejection certificate or anything
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Kurt *************
so why post anon ?
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kurt ************
because people send a ton of private messages and I rather not be bombarded like that and rather all the questions and answers be posted here for everyone to see
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Anonymous *************
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Gab ****
Another anonymous bad call
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Brilliant*********
Wait what? So you tried to do and extension and the immigration officer said you cannot you need a Thai bank account? You would need to do a border bounce? That don't make a stitch of sense.
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Paul ********
Precisely
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
BrilliantZebra7843 100%. It got escalated to higher ups, etc and it was determined that Jan 1st new policy to extend in country is Thai Banking requirements. When I told them you can't get Bank account on DTV, they acknowledged and said " Only way is to leave the country and come back "
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Maksym ***********
Анонимный участник bank account requirement already existed for months... ) maybe in other offices.
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Ivan ************
@Maksym **********
I think they all have the 500k requirement but at least some other offices (such as Chiang Mai) will accept it with a foreign bank statement.
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Ivan ************
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Brilliant*********
Mind blown. Ok well thanks for the heads up. Guess I'll be visiting Vietnam in 70 odd days
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Brilliant*********
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Xennex *******
How do you get Thai bank if the dtv doesn’t allow ?
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Colin *******
@Xennex ******
I was told the same in April 2025 at Hua Hin immigration.
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Anonymous ******************
@Xennex ******
because most of us been living here on non-b and retained the bank accounts from years prior
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Anonymous *************
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@Xennex ******
They acknowledged that too and said, then you gotta leave the country and come back
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Anonymous ******************
It's very typical for Thai bureaucracy, or the office wants you to use an agent for extension
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Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anonymous participant 862 Ya but after I reached out to 3 agency and they all told me they can't help me for DTV without a Thai Bank account
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Anonymous ******************
While you were there, it could be helpful to ask if the officer knows an agency that can help with this. If they have a recommendation, it's practically a guaranteed path.
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Fredrik **********
Isn't everybody just leave the country and come back?

I never ever heard someone trying to do extension inside of thailand because it's very very complicated.
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Anonymous ******************
@Fredrik *********
Det har varit jättelätt innan.Du är felinformerade.
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Anonymous ******************
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John **********
Simple fact is immigration offices don't like dealing with a DTV
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James ********
Correct ✅
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James ********
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Jack ********
Anonymous participant wow. I’m sorry they decided that. What a brainless policy.

I am in the habit of leaving every 90 days simply because I like to travel.
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Jack ********
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