What are the realities of living in Thailand on a DTV visa, and how does it differ from other visa categories?

Anonymous participant you laugh… because you don’t understand. And here you are ‘all pissed off’ while I’m sipping margaritas poolside 😂😂😂

Anonymous participant DTV is very clearly a tourist visa. You cannot even open a bank account. You must report every 90 days and then to immigration every 6 months to apply for extension or do a border bounce. What is clear is that it is NOT a residency visa. Just be a tourist ‘nomad’ and play by the rules. If you want a residency visa, get LTR, Non O, OX or Thai elite.

And grey or green makes no difference in application. For many years have been digital nomads without a visa that says so. No govt at present has an effective means of policing people working online on tourist visa or visa exempt.

@Sergey *********

Can you explain what happened and why? What visa were you on?

@Tim ****************

I understand your need for animosity, and what visa you're on doesn't pertain to anyone but yourself. Maybe it could help other looking into other better fit options. Dm me thanks.

@Tim ****************

I am still considering DTV too. The BOI Smart "S" probably was a better option but that has changed in the last month or so. One other indication on how quickly visas and immigration can change in Thailand

@Greg *******

yes they can. They’re dropping 60-day entry I see.

Tbh I thought the DTV might disappear in a couple of years, but less so now I’ve talked to them. They have retained a lot of control by being a bit vague.

@Tim ****************

Tim Vaughan-Spencer dude, no one is guessing or assuming! Watch the video I sent you… Finally! And go to immigration themselves and ask them if you can stay for 5 years doing 180+180+ border bounce. The answer is YES.

If it is indeed “the law” that you must spend weeks out of the year out of Thailand, it would be officially announced, not whispered about at tiny little events at coworking spaces.

Please cite an official source ONLINE. I’ve done it. Can you?

My source:

I also recommend you email an embassy or consulate or visit immigration yourself. THEY have the correct information…

@Michael *******

MFA also did the FCCT (Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand) Webinar/Interview. I have never seen TAT anywhere on this. The MFA created the DTV. Then it is Immigration responsible for entry and extension.

@Greg *******

Tim won’t respond to me because I’ve dropped too many facts and straight proof. Unbelievable. I think I’m at my wits end with this group. You can literally show concrete proof, you can literally interview an official at MFA, you can literally go to immigration yourself and ask the same questions, and yet people continue to make up complete and utter nonsense that you “have to leave Thailand for weeks at a time.”

This group was awesome in 2024 when it was about the facts and nothing else, now it’s filled with complete random nonsense like this…

TAT apparently makes visas now 😂

@Michael *******

actually I thought I did reply but it must not have sent. I’m in dodgy WiFi so maybe that, but bit annoying to write it again! I’ve got nothing to gain by lying dude, I was just at the latest event about DTVs so thought I’d share what they told me. This one was more for local businesses so they can learn about what it is, and in Thai which I didn’t realise, but it was worth hanging around to speak to them afterwards.

I gave an example of leaving for a few weeks, not saying you had to, as that was the specific question I asked the lead of the DTV who was at the event as one of the other guys there had the DTV and wanted to know.

I’m just recommending people go along so they can hear them answer their specific questions that’s all. We’ve all seen the YouTube vid from months ago with the generic questions, it’s just useful to hear an up to date voice answering specific case questions now it’s been around for long enough for extensions and bounces.

TAT designed the visa as it was born from the TR visas, and they floated it and now report the data to MFA. The MFA had to rubber stamp it as that is their domain. They have run all the official events in Chiang Mai (I haven’t been to any anywhere else) and are the conduit that are reaching out as the public voice of it. Not many countries do that tbf. Again, this is what I’ve been told on several occasion by TAT. If you’ve heard different from talking with MFA then one of us is being told porkies, and sure it could be me! Unlike you it seems I’m totally open to hearing about what others are being told by the authorities. I’m just reporting what I’ve been told, more than once.

I totally agree that the group is filled with people’s opinions and random interpretations. I don’t monitor this group, a post just popped up on my feed and thought I’d share what they told me that pertained to the post. You don’t have to believe it, but if you’re going to shoot people down because their experience is different to yours then you’re part of the social media problem bud. I’m sure you’re a reasonable guy in person, though it’d be interesting if this is how you’d talk to me in person in a discussion.

@Tim ****************

same problem for me, rewriting a comment right now. Annoying Facebook.

All I’m saying is that “I heard it at some event,” when plenty of us have gone through immigration, is not a credible source. It seems like you were implying (especially on the previous post) that we must leave Thailand for weeks or months at a time and can’t stay almost continuously (following the right procedures) for 5 years.

IF there is some requirement to leave for weeks or months at a time it will be made known publicly and widely similar to the requirements of the visa. You’ll be able to link directly to a Thai government website or an interview with an official.

“Unlike you it seems I’m totally open to hearing about what others are being told by authorities.”

What a weird thing to say... I opened the discussion with you on the previous post because you were implying that we couldn’t stay here for 5 years but instead had to leave for weeks or months at a time. You left the discussion as soon as I provided counter evidence. Again, “I heard it at some event maybe you should go” isn’t proper journalism/evidence. IF there is a proper requirement to do that, it will be made widely known direct from the government, not mentioned at some event. I was open to what you had to say because I have this visa, but you left the moment I provided counter evidence.

I’m not shooting YOU down or attacking YOU personally. It’s your message, that you’re implying we can’t be here almost continuously for 5 years (again following proper bounce and extension procedures). Your source of “there’s some event, go to it, I heard something there,” doesn’t stand up against those of us that actually went to immigration. You can ask these same questions to immigration, a higher authority, and I’m certain you’ll get the right response.

“You’re part of the social media problem bud”

What? Man stay on topic.. We are discussing the DTV and the legality of remaining here for the duration of 5 years following bounce and extension procedures. This is 0% personal. 0% malice against you. This isn’t a “social media problem” it’s a “let’s get to the bottom of the truth of this visa” problem. I’m not sure why you’re making this about “what if we met in real life” either. I have questioned people’s opinions in real life too…

In short we met on your comment in another post where you heavily implied that we should spend weeks or months at a time out of the country. All I’m asking is for a proper source or interview. No a random TAT event isn’t a qualifying source. It’s the embassies and consulates that issue the visa and immigration that lets us in and handles extensions. I’ve gone through the process and the interview. I’ve told the guy I’m living in Thailand for 4-5 years prior, continuously, and he had 0 issue with it. He had 0 issue with me continuing to live here, as long as I follow proper procedure. He interviewed me in Thai too.

So I’m very curious why people are now suggesting we “must” leave for weeks or months at a time on the DTV. There’s not one single reputable source that says that, and the thousands of us that are in the know aren’t commenting on these Facebook posts because we’ve gone through the immigration process and asked our questions directly at immigration…

@Michael *******

I was just messaging someone else about some of the taxation posts. Complete lies and rubbish posted.

@Tim ****************

we just had a discussion on this dude and you dipped out when I dropped facts. TAT doesn’t make visas, MFA does. No one is saying you can spend 5 years here with only 2 border bounces. Obviously it would be a minimum of 5 border bounces and 5 extensions.

MFA - a higher authority than TAT - came out on video to say that you CAN do 180+180+bounce for the duration of 5 years.

Those people running tiny little events at yellow coworking are NOT immigration and NOT MFA. You can go to immigration yourself and ask them if you can spend 5 years in Thailand (with the correct border bounces and extensions) and the answer will be YES.

Now please, watch this video already….

Until there is an official statement from a higher authority, THIS is how it is.

Tiny weeny little events at yellow coworking (great spot btw) are NOT official and do NOT outrank the official interviewee in the official. IF we aren’t allowed to stay for the entirety of the visa, it will be made explicitly made online by the MFA, NOT TAT!

You do NOT have to spend weeks or months out of Thailand at a time, stop this nonsense. Everyone with the CORRECT DOCUMENTS has so far border bounced and extended without major hassle.

@Michael *******

just catching up on the opinions you’re offering as fb isn’t my full-time gig. I was saying stay non-stop for 2 years, not 2 bounces. There were maybe 100-odd businesses and several dignitaries at the event, but it sold out so one of their bigger events as they make them smaller so people can network and ask their team questions directly. As I say, worth going along.

Anyway, don’t shoot the messenger. None of it is my opinion as tbh that has changed since I met them in January and again last week. I’m just passing on their answers to a few questions. You may get different answers if your questions are different - 20 years coming to Thailand and dealing with visas tells me that much!

If you want to get unnecessarily pissy at anyone because you don’t like the answers then go to the next one and do so with them 🤷‍♂️

@Michael *******

I like Yellow - never been to an event there though :-)

@Greg *******

yeah yellow is good. Haven’t been there in a while because I live a bit far now. Anyways yeah they do all kinds of events and whatnot, seems like the tourism authority of Thailand is doing their job promoting the DTV to nomads but somehow Tim thinks we “have” to spend weeks or months out of Thailand every year. Obviously this is not official…

@Michael *******

I moved to CM very recently and Yellow is very walkable for me. I fist tried it last August.

@Tim ****************

DTA was created by MFA and entry and extension is administered by Immigration is it not?"

@Greg *******

DTV was created by TAT. MFA oversee visas obvs as a whole - and one of their bigwigs has been on YouTube answering generic questions - and yes immigration decide on the day who will get in, get extensions etc. You won’t get face to face with immigration obviously (and like all tourist visas there will be inconsistencies there), but TAT are the ones putting on public events. Best way to ask about your situation and how best to use the DTV as they are the ones reporting back to MFA.

As I say, seek out an event and speak to the government agency who are the face of it as listening to all the voices in this group - including me, as I don’t know everyone’s situation - isn’t going to get anyone anywhere.

@Tim ****************

Please link to show DTV created by TAT. You are the first person I have even seen claim this. MFA guys have been interviewed (Youtube and FCCT) - never seen a TAT person promoting it. Not saying you are wrong but never heard it said anywhere else. PS: Why would TAT report back to MFA - once visa is issued it has nothing to do with MFA. It is then all down to Immigration - MFA say this on their website.

@Wayne ********

so elite visa is also tourist visa. Work visa permit allow to get permanent residency after 5 years ?

@Michael ******

Non Immigrant visa needed for permanent residency, min 3 years

Anonymous participant 497 I think you just don't get it... The more abuses, the stricter things are becoming for everyone. Some visas got canceled after multiple abuses. Is that what you want? You would rather have it difficult so that serious people may have a great visa guaranteed instead of having to deal with rules and tea money. Check what's happening on other visas instead of focusing only on DTV.

Anonymous participant 142 Not heard that term for ages lol

@Ian *******

thanks mate. Yeah I’ve looked already, we have a tax treaty with Thailand so if you’re taxed in Aust you can’t get double taxed in Thailand. Thailand also doesn’t tax civil service pensions including military (I’m a vet). Doesn’t mean you don’t have to submit your tax each year if here over the 180, but need to show the evidence so you don’t have to pay more tax.

@David *******

yes, same applies for the UK on military, Police, Fire Government Pensions. I have a UK Government Pension. The DTA states its taxed in the UK only and Thailand has no claim to it. However, for example my UK rental income is always taxable in the UK but that doesn't mean that Thailand cannot also tax part of it if I bring it into Thailand. The DTA just prevents the same money being taxed twice. Any tax I've paid in the UK on this rental income, I could claim a tax credit for, so that money is not taxed twice. But any difference would be taxed in Thailand.

Expat Tax Thailand has a great website with loads of useful info and recorded webinars.

@Ian *******

yeah I’m guessing the U.K. taxes are way higher than Thailand’s, same as Aust. I’m in the same situation with my rental there.

Anonymous participant 319 agreed, broke people shouldn’t be able to bend the system to get one then live off peanuts here