Unanswered10 days ago
What are the requirements and challenges for applying for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) from Germany?
Hi everyone! đź‘‹
My partner and I are planning to move to Thailand, and we have a few questions about applying for the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa). We would really appreciate any advice or experiences from people who have been in a similar situation, especially those who applied from Germany.
As far as we understand, the main requirements include:
* 500,000 THB in financial proof per person
* Bank statements covering the last three months
* A criminal record certificate
* Proof of residence in Germany
* A passport photo
* Proof of remote work or a professional portfolio
* The visa application and a fee of approximately €350 per person
We have a few questions about how to handle our specific situation:
Application fee and rejected applications
1. If we pay the application fee and our DTV application is rejected because we cannot provide sufficient documentation, is the fee refundable, or do we lose the money?
Financial proof – 500,000 THB per person
One of us can provide proof of sufficient funds that have been in the bank account for several months. The other person currently cannot meet this requirement independently.
We are not married, so we cannot simply assume that one person’s financial proof will be accepted for both applicants.
2. Has anyone successfully applied in this situation?
3. Is it possible to use a financial sponsorship or a letter of support from an unmarried partner?
4. Would transferring money to the other person’s account be accepted, and if so, how long would the funds need to be in the account before applying?
5. Would the authorities require the full amount to be held separately by each applicant?
Remote work proof / professional portfolio
We have both quit our jobs in Germany because we want to build our own online business and work remotely while living in Thailand.
However, we are still in the early stages of building the business and do not yet have an established business history, long-term client contracts, or several years of income records.
6. Has anyone successfully obtained a DTV in a similar situation?
7. What documents did you submit as proof of remote work?
8. Would a portfolio, business plan, website, social media presence, initial client agreements, or other evidence of a business in development be sufficient?
9. If you are just starting your own business and do not yet have a long track record, what would you recommend submitting?
We would especially appreciate examples of documents that were actually accepted.
Criminal record certificate and proof of residence
We understand that certain documents, such as the criminal record certificate and proof of residence, may need to be recent.
Since we are planning to deregister from Germany, we want to make sure we obtain the correct documents before leaving.
10. Can we apply for these documents shortly before deregistering from Germany and still use them three or four months later?
11. Is there a specific validity period required by the Thai authorities or the embassy handling the application?
12. Does deregistering from Germany affect whether these documents can still be used for a DTV application?
Deregistering from Germany, health insurance and taxes
For those who moved from Germany to Thailand:
13. Did you explicitly inform the German tax office (Finanzamt) that you were leaving, or was deregistration with the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) sufficient in your situation?
14. How did you handle your German health insurance? Did you notify them that you were moving abroad and provide proof of deregistration?
15. Were there any other authorities or insurance providers you had to contact before leaving Germany?
We would appreciate hearing about your personal experiences and any important steps we should not overlook.
Contacting the Thai embassy or consulate
We believe the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt is responsible for our application, but we are not entirely sure how much guidance they can provide.
16. Has anyone contacted the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt directly with questions about their individual circumstances?
17. Were they helpful in explaining which documents would be accepted?
18. Is it worth contacting them before applying, especially regarding the financial proof and remote work requirements?
We would rather clarify everything beforehand than spend approximately €350 per person on an application that may not meet the requirements.
Thank you so much in advance for any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations! 🙏
We know that requirements can vary depending on the application location, so experiences from people who applied through the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt or elsewhere in Germany would be especially helpful.
My partner and I are planning to move to Thailand, and we have a few questions about applying for the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa). We would really appreciate any advice or experiences from people who have been in a similar situation, especially those who applied from Germany.
As far as we understand, the main requirements include:
* 500,000 THB in financial proof per person
* Bank statements covering the last three months
* A criminal record certificate
* Proof of residence in Germany
* A passport photo
* Proof of remote work or a professional portfolio
* The visa application and a fee of approximately €350 per person
We have a few questions about how to handle our specific situation:
Application fee and rejected applications
1. If we pay the application fee and our DTV application is rejected because we cannot provide sufficient documentation, is the fee refundable, or do we lose the money?
Financial proof – 500,000 THB per person
One of us can provide proof of sufficient funds that have been in the bank account for several months. The other person currently cannot meet this requirement independently.
We are not married, so we cannot simply assume that one person’s financial proof will be accepted for both applicants.
2. Has anyone successfully applied in this situation?
3. Is it possible to use a financial sponsorship or a letter of support from an unmarried partner?
4. Would transferring money to the other person’s account be accepted, and if so, how long would the funds need to be in the account before applying?
5. Would the authorities require the full amount to be held separately by each applicant?
Remote work proof / professional portfolio
We have both quit our jobs in Germany because we want to build our own online business and work remotely while living in Thailand.
However, we are still in the early stages of building the business and do not yet have an established business history, long-term client contracts, or several years of income records.
6. Has anyone successfully obtained a DTV in a similar situation?
7. What documents did you submit as proof of remote work?
8. Would a portfolio, business plan, website, social media presence, initial client agreements, or other evidence of a business in development be sufficient?
9. If you are just starting your own business and do not yet have a long track record, what would you recommend submitting?
We would especially appreciate examples of documents that were actually accepted.
Criminal record certificate and proof of residence
We understand that certain documents, such as the criminal record certificate and proof of residence, may need to be recent.
Since we are planning to deregister from Germany, we want to make sure we obtain the correct documents before leaving.
10. Can we apply for these documents shortly before deregistering from Germany and still use them three or four months later?
11. Is there a specific validity period required by the Thai authorities or the embassy handling the application?
12. Does deregistering from Germany affect whether these documents can still be used for a DTV application?
Deregistering from Germany, health insurance and taxes
For those who moved from Germany to Thailand:
13. Did you explicitly inform the German tax office (Finanzamt) that you were leaving, or was deregistration with the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) sufficient in your situation?
14. How did you handle your German health insurance? Did you notify them that you were moving abroad and provide proof of deregistration?
15. Were there any other authorities or insurance providers you had to contact before leaving Germany?
We would appreciate hearing about your personal experiences and any important steps we should not overlook.
Contacting the Thai embassy or consulate
We believe the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt is responsible for our application, but we are not entirely sure how much guidance they can provide.
16. Has anyone contacted the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt directly with questions about their individual circumstances?
17. Were they helpful in explaining which documents would be accepted?
18. Is it worth contacting them before applying, especially regarding the financial proof and remote work requirements?
We would rather clarify everything beforehand than spend approximately €350 per person on an application that may not meet the requirements.
Thank you so much in advance for any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations! 🙏
We know that requirements can vary depending on the application location, so experiences from people who applied through the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt or elsewhere in Germany would be especially helpful.
Summary so far
A couple planning to move to Thailand seeks advice on applying for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) from Germany, highlighting concerns about the financial proof requirement of 500,000 THB per person, the refundability of the application fee upon rejection, and necessary documentation for remote work and criminal record clearance. The questions posed include potential issues with unmarried partners' financial proof, sufficiency of documentation for new businesses, and how deregistration from Germany affects their application. The responses indicate skepticism about their ability to meet the requirements, stressing that both applicants need to satisfy the financial proof independently and warn against severing ties with Germany prior to obtaining the visa.
8 repliesnewest first
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Hakuna ********
I got mine in 6 days with
*************************
you can talk with then they are really open and helpfulPaddy *****
You need to establish your business in Germany first. And keep it registered and taxed in Germany. Otherwise where is your business registered?
Steve******
Have you heard that the DTV is being scrutinized more closely?
The DTV is a tourist visa. While it is intended to allow for a longer stay in Thailand, it is not a long-term stay visa. It was not actually introduced to allow people to emigrate from their country and immigrate to Thailand. One is and remains a tourist.
If you sever your ties to Germany, this is no longer considered tourist behavior and could lead to questions from the embassy and immigration authorities.
Aside from the fact that you don't seem to fully meet the requirements anyway.
The DTV is a tourist visa. While it is intended to allow for a longer stay in Thailand, it is not a long-term stay visa. It was not actually introduced to allow people to emigrate from their country and immigrate to Thailand. One is and remains a tourist.
If you sever your ties to Germany, this is no longer considered tourist behavior and could lead to questions from the embassy and immigration authorities.
Aside from the fact that you don't seem to fully meet the requirements anyway.
Jeffrey **********
I defer to John Stanners' comments on your ability to meet the requirements of the DTV. I am wondering about the appropriateness of the DTV for your intentions. You write that you and your partner "are planning to move to Thailand". Many, perhaps most, current DTV holders seem to be using the DTV for that purpose but Thai Immigration is making clear that the DTV is a visitor visa. The visa is good for 5 years, but that's not the same as living in Thailand for 5 years. The visa limits the period of stay to 180 days (with the possibility of an extension of up to another 180 days). Re-entry after only a few days out of country seems to be common, but also seems to be questioned in an increasing number of cases recently.
Perhaps, rather than moving to Thailand, your true intention is spending a majority of your time in Thailand? That would be more in line with the intention of the DTV.
Perhaps, rather than moving to Thailand, your true intention is spending a majority of your time in Thailand? That would be more in line with the intention of the DTV.
Greg ***********
in case you have done remote work for your clients in Europe, the Thai Embassy is likely going to ask you for bills these clients have paid to you. In case these do not contain the German VAT included in the total, you can get accused for tax evasion
Greg ***********
1. If we pay the application fee and our DTV application is rejected because we cannot provide sufficient documentation, is the fee refundable, or do we lose the money?
*** you will lose the money
We are not married, so we cannot simply assume that one person’s financial proof will be accepted for both applicants.
*** If you are not married, everybody needs to apply for himself
2. Is it possible to use a financial sponsorship or a letter of support from an unmarried partner?
***no, this is not possible, your “partner” needs to be your child or your official spouse
3. Would transferring money to the other person’s account be accepted, and if so, how long would the funds need to be in the account before applying?
*** not, this is not accepted
4. Would the authorities require the full amount to be held separately by each applicant?
*** yes, of course
Remote work proof / professional portfolio . . . we are still in the early stages of building the business and do not yet have an established business history, long-term client contracts, or several years of income records.
*** this means your portfolio has ZERO chances to get accepted. You need to prove you have been living on remote work for quite some time before
9. If you are just starting your own business and do not yet have a long track record, what would you recommend submitting?
*** submit NOTHING because it will be useless, your application will be rejected
9. Criminal record certificate and proof of residence
We understand that certain documents, such as the criminal record certificate and proof of residence, may need to be recent.
Since we are planning to deregister from Germany, we want to make sure we obtain the correct documents before leaving.
*** See above your application will be rejected
10. Can we apply for these documents shortly before deregistering from Germany and still use them three or four months later?
*** no, you cannot, you need to stay resident in Germany until you get the visa issued
11. Is there a specific validity period required by the Thai authorities or the embassy handling the application?
*** No, there isn’t. It takes as long as it takes, and you need to wait until the visa application gets issued or rejected.
1
2. Does deregistering from Germany affect whether these documents can still be used for a DTV application?
*** No, a DTV once issued, is good for 5 years
Deregistering from Germany, health insurance and taxes
For those who moved from Germany to Thailand:
13. Did you explicitly inform the German tax office (Finanzamt) that you were leaving, or was deregistration with the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) sufficient in your situation?
*** You probably need to apply for “unbeschränkte Steuerpflicht” with the Finanzamt Neubrandenburg
14. How did you handle your German health insurance? Did you notify them that you were moving abroad and provide proof of deregistration?
*** Your German health insurance does not pay for anything that happens outside of the EU
Some private health insurances pay from between 40% and 70%
15. Were there any other authorities or insurance providers you had to contact before leaving Germany?
**** if you have never started to gather information regarding this, I think you should NOT go anywhere in the World but stay registered in Germany
15. We believe the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt is responsible for our application, but we are not entirely sure how much guidance they can provide.
16. Has anyone contacted the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt directly with questions about their individual circumstances?
**** the Frankfurt consulate will NOT pick up the phone and they will NOT reply to any emails sent, regarding visa applications
17. Were they helpful in explaining which documents would be accepted?
*** no they are absolutely NOT helpful
18. Is it worth contacting them before applying, especially regarding the financial proof and remote work requirements?
*** They will NOT reply to you
*** you will lose the money
We are not married, so we cannot simply assume that one person’s financial proof will be accepted for both applicants.
*** If you are not married, everybody needs to apply for himself
2. Is it possible to use a financial sponsorship or a letter of support from an unmarried partner?
***no, this is not possible, your “partner” needs to be your child or your official spouse
3. Would transferring money to the other person’s account be accepted, and if so, how long would the funds need to be in the account before applying?
*** not, this is not accepted
4. Would the authorities require the full amount to be held separately by each applicant?
*** yes, of course
Remote work proof / professional portfolio . . . we are still in the early stages of building the business and do not yet have an established business history, long-term client contracts, or several years of income records.
*** this means your portfolio has ZERO chances to get accepted. You need to prove you have been living on remote work for quite some time before
9. If you are just starting your own business and do not yet have a long track record, what would you recommend submitting?
*** submit NOTHING because it will be useless, your application will be rejected
9. Criminal record certificate and proof of residence
We understand that certain documents, such as the criminal record certificate and proof of residence, may need to be recent.
Since we are planning to deregister from Germany, we want to make sure we obtain the correct documents before leaving.
*** See above your application will be rejected
10. Can we apply for these documents shortly before deregistering from Germany and still use them three or four months later?
*** no, you cannot, you need to stay resident in Germany until you get the visa issued
11. Is there a specific validity period required by the Thai authorities or the embassy handling the application?
*** No, there isn’t. It takes as long as it takes, and you need to wait until the visa application gets issued or rejected.
1
2. Does deregistering from Germany affect whether these documents can still be used for a DTV application?
*** No, a DTV once issued, is good for 5 years
Deregistering from Germany, health insurance and taxes
For those who moved from Germany to Thailand:
13. Did you explicitly inform the German tax office (Finanzamt) that you were leaving, or was deregistration with the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) sufficient in your situation?
*** You probably need to apply for “unbeschränkte Steuerpflicht” with the Finanzamt Neubrandenburg
14. How did you handle your German health insurance? Did you notify them that you were moving abroad and provide proof of deregistration?
*** Your German health insurance does not pay for anything that happens outside of the EU
Some private health insurances pay from between 40% and 70%
15. Were there any other authorities or insurance providers you had to contact before leaving Germany?
**** if you have never started to gather information regarding this, I think you should NOT go anywhere in the World but stay registered in Germany
15. We believe the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt is responsible for our application, but we are not entirely sure how much guidance they can provide.
16. Has anyone contacted the Thai Consulate in Frankfurt directly with questions about their individual circumstances?
**** the Frankfurt consulate will NOT pick up the phone and they will NOT reply to any emails sent, regarding visa applications
17. Were they helpful in explaining which documents would be accepted?
*** no they are absolutely NOT helpful
18. Is it worth contacting them before applying, especially regarding the financial proof and remote work requirements?
*** They will NOT reply to you
John **********
As far as the Thai consulate is concerned you are just 2 individuals. You both need to justify your application as if the other doesn't exist. So you each need to show 500k baht in your bank account and sponsorship won't work.
As well as police clearance certificate you'll need to provide your German ID.
If you've set up a business you'll need to show registration details etc. Even if you're self employed they will probably want to see you are a registered with the tax authorities.
You're also going to have to show contracts if you have any, invoices, matching receipts in your bank account and so on.
It sounds like you will likely struggle to satisfy the requirements. The fee you pay is an application fee, so once you apply that fee is gone
As well as police clearance certificate you'll need to provide your German ID.
If you've set up a business you'll need to show registration details etc. Even if you're self employed they will probably want to see you are a registered with the tax authorities.
You're also going to have to show contracts if you have any, invoices, matching receipts in your bank account and so on.
It sounds like you will likely struggle to satisfy the requirements. The fee you pay is an application fee, so once you apply that fee is gone
Maria ********
Dont do it, if you do be very careful. I moved with my family and we lost everything, even ended up divorced.
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