What are the requirements and best options for applying for a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) in Thailand as a freelancer?

I don’t know if it’s the same for Americans, but in my case:

I applied for a 90 days visa to Vietnam(from Thailand)— it took 5 days and cost me around $20. Once in Vietnam, after procrastinating for a few weeks, I started preparing my application (visa stamp, 500k baht, etc.).

The first time I applied, my application was rejected within 24 hours because I wrote my full name (I have 3 first names and 1 last name), while only 2 of my first names appear on my passport. So you absolutely have to write your name exactly as it appears on the passport.

Then I resubmitted my file for the visa. Three days later, I received a notification on the website saying I needed to provide another document. Basically, they wanted to check that I still had the 500k baht in my account at that exact moment. I had to take a photo with a second phone because my banking app doesn’t allow screenshots. And that worked.

After that, I waited another 7 stressful days because my Vietnam visa was about to expire, and I didn’t know if my DTV would be approved in time. In the end, I received a positive answer the day before my Vietnam visa expired.

Regarding my file and proof of income, I think Vietnam is much more lenient than many countries. I don’t have a contract with a company — I work independently in crypto with no official status or anything. I think the key is to be as thorough as possible, even overwhelming them with information if needed, to make it go through.

(As proof, I accidentally sent an email to a Thai consulate in Europe, and they told me I didn’t meet the requirements — yet I still got the DTV. So Vietnam is clearly more flexible than Europe when it comes to granting visas.)

Sorry for the long message, but I hope it helps! :)

*I have digital nomad /workation visa

As many things Thai, each embassy/ consulate can interpret things slightly differently.

In choosing where you apply from, consider the responsiveness and speed or processing of the local Thai embassy you decide on. Sometimes a phone call to that embassy/ consulate can be quite helpful to sort out some details.

As a remote worker, you will (very likely) need a letter from your employer stating you are authorized to work remotely from Thailand (yes this specific wording is necessary). If you have had other contracts as a remote worker before, also put all this info in a portfolio/ CV to show you get regular employment. As for the money, 3 consecutive months' bank statements showing you have the required amount 500k thai baht equivalent is all you need.

You certainly do not need a law firm or agent to do this for you, it is relatively simple. When I applied (remote work), the embassy asked me 2 times for more details, which were providing the company registration proof (many countries have official websites where you can check a company's existence) and to change a detail in my portfolio stating something more specifically. Easy peasy.

R.e. doing it "from home country": I don't know about USA but some countries emit an e-visa. So you can try to apply to your own home country's embassy while being out of Thailand (if your home country delivers an e-visa), while visiting somewhere else. Your home country's Thai embassy will not know you are not in your home country, they can only find out if you are or not currently in Thailand (if they do look, cross reference with immigration).

Scuba diving isn’t covered as a soft power

Laos and Cambodia are good options but note Cambodia can take up to a month for approval. Laos is around 10 -15 business days. Indonesia is another great option. You do not need a law firm to submit your application. You can look thru the threads and find everything you need for a successful application yourself., You can apply as a freelancer, without registration for yourself. Submitting the business registration of the company you work for will strengthen your application. 3 months invoices with the client should be suffice, provide a cover letter detailing that is how long you have worked for them.