What are the requirements for extending a visa in Thailand according to Immigration Division 1?

@Shandy *******

Do you think retirement and marriage visas are valid forever and don't need renewing?

sean jones I wasn't responding to you but a visa has an expiration date upon which you'd re-qualify for a new visa with the same terms.

@Shandy *******

No worries, you can always enter visa exemption if you don't want the hassle of a visa.

sean jones Maybe your decades in Thailand have made you intolerant of criticism. Just confused by the inconsistency of having no requirements to re-enter for a five-year period (as it so far seems) and introducing unexpected requirements for extension at about six months after the visa was introduced.

It’s normal for Thailand, that things are made up when it need to, but not before.

@Shandy *******

I knew all this before I applied for my DTV. They didn't just introduce this.

@Romain ****

To be honest if you qualified for Workaytion and had to apply for a new visa at 10k it might be cheaper in long run that paying for Soft Pwer activities over the period.

Yes but is it possible to re-apply to DTV visa for Workcation if you have an ongoing DTV visa for soft power ?

@Sean ******

They gave me a discount bececause I used them to obtain the initial DTV from the start so I am not sure what they would charge. You can try sending them a message, and ask they are very responsive.

@Sean ******

It is how it works now. Some missing pout might not be happy 🙂 Visa holders etc learn the best options though just as other visa types.

@Greg *******

this is why I stayed with the work one.

@Christopher *******

I think it is the best choice long run if you continue working. Be a pain in the ar5se if they start to look at attendance and residence for SP too. Example of the people living on the southern islands with gym in Chiang Mai.

@Brian ***

Immigration have already accepted that or confirmed that to you? Going to be a lot of dental work over 5 years :-)

@Greg *******

don’t they mean a gym (probably the same you used for the initial application) that has to be registered with the Sports Authority? The wording is a bit over the top but I guess that’s Thailand for ya 😏

@Sascha *********

Looks like it so the applicant needs up-to-date documentation from the gym too? They are not making the process "Frictionless".

@Greg *******

I would expect at the very least a letter stating that this person will continue training/has booked/paid for the next 6 months plus all the documentation that was in the initial package.

(Which shouldn’t be an issue if you are legitimately training 😉)

@Sascha *********

True - the accom is another issue. How long do you need a hotel booking if no 6 month rental contact etc. As I said - they are not making this easy. I suspect some agents who have charged a lot of money will not be seen quite soon. That or there will be a facilitation fee for extensions at a local office.

@Greg *******

actually ka

The agency responsibility ends at the point the person get the visa

Any more restrictions or regulations will be issued or implemented by the government or the immigration is not the agency responsible and can't throw any blame to them as they are not the one who set the regulations and no one can forecast what the future is

@AllSabai *****

Yup. So those paying 90-100k for the DTV package now have their visa. If they want to extend they may have further costs to renew Soft Power etc either through agency or arrange themselves. Will be interesting to see how this pans out in the future. This could turn out to be a very expensive visa for some over a 5 year period.

@Greg *******

exactly

So the best package fee is the best choice now

@AllSabai *****

Best package is DiY if you qualify :-).

@Greg *******

too many are Not

@Greg *******

for me not an issue (I own a house), but yeah can imagine this can get tricky, especially if they all start wanting house photos and house books of landlords like that guy experienced in Krabi 🫣

And what if you’re a nomad changing location every 6 weeks or so… is 6 weeks enough of a booking? More questions than answers…

@Sascha *********

People find the House Visits etc a chore for Spouse Visa - people move to Retirement as less hassle. I have never been asked for Blue Books etc got Retirement Visa. For my "B" I did not show anything and TM30 never registered (BOI so more forgiving). I am working on my "Pitch Deck" right now for BOI "S" and cannot see the requirement for a Blue Book in the listed docs. The DYV is not turning out to be as smooth as first appeared. For Soft Power medical might be easier for those with a chronic illness (Only mentioning this as helping a pal with his BOI proposal to set up Metabolic Syndrome Health company here 🙂 )

@Greg *******

it sounds like Immigration really detests this visa and will make it as difficult as possible to do an extension. Hopefully it won’t get this difficult at border crossings/airports

@Sascha *********

Reading between the lines and what certain agent who talk to immigration almost daily I would have to agree with that assumption. As for entries I think it will be same as other border runners on exempt/METV. Most will be OK but some will get pulled and asked for the ongoing proof etc. There will also be agents providing border run services at a price which might be cheaper than a flight and be less risky.

@Greg *******

not surprised immigration don't like it, pushed through by the old gov't without even being finalized and has been abused since August when people figured out how to game the system. The pensioners who switched thinking it was a golden egg since they didn't have to show the 800K THB funds in a local bank should have known that it wasn't that simple and had a plan B. Anyone of them who had done an extension on a long term visa hopefully considered the documents that were required for those every year and realized it's never simple. Agents are going to make a killing on this. Funny, I got slaughtered on the Thai subreddit when I mentioned to expect that extensions would require proof of that they still qualified. Don't want to gloat about it, but might have to go back to the worst offender in that sub and have an "I told you so" moment. 😁

@Helen *******

A lot of us were slaughtered when we said extensions and maybe even re-entry might not be straightforward. Re-entry might be easier but not without risk. Not a basis to be planning the next 5 years on as some were doing ie considering the DTV as though a Residence visa. This is Thailand - things change.

@Helen *******

Exaxtly. It was pushed through by MFA and the previous PM without consultation. So if we take a retirees in Pattaya as an example. 1) Going to have to produce all documentation at immigration for extension 2) Do a border run or FoFI 3) Pay an agent for 1 above then still pay for 2 above. The Rice Bowl was never going to be broken. Power lies with immigration for both entry and extensions at the end of the day, not MFA

@Greg *******

what do you mean "Border run costs are starting to be apparent too"? That still looks like the easier no-brainer solution to me. To each their own though. If you like paperwork and bureaucracy more power to you. I don't.

@Winston ***********

Sorry - I was not clear. Border run agency in Pattaya now offering a visa run in a van for DTV border bounce ie another 180 day stamp. Same as Visa Exempt / METV have been doing. Cost for DTV doing it is 6500 while for Visa Exempt it is 3500 or so. There is a premium it would seem for DTV. Now this is just one border run but a very popular one. My pal does it DiY and drives himself as he hates the van ride. He still pays 3500 at border for same day bounce (Inc the Cambodia Visa and processing). I suspect other border runs will have costs from different locations. As for paperwork etc these runs will be "Frictionless". Doing it yourself including flying might include showing paperwork

@Greg *******

huh, excuse my ignorance but why would you pay more for a DTV bounce than an exempt bounce? What’s the justification for this? (Just curious btw)

@Sascha *********

Length of entry. The border bounce fee for visa exempt went from 2500 to 3500 when visa exempt went from 30 to 60 days. No flies on these guys.

@Greg *******

absolutely ridiculous, it’s the same amount of work?? 🤦🏻‍♀️

@Sascha *********

It is not the work but the benefits you are paying for. Good business practice. Same as paying access to a software platform for 3 months Vs 6 :-)

@Greg *******

yeah but still, you already paid for the visa (benefits) when you applied… anyways, I’ve never used an agency to do a border bounce, can’t imagine I ever will… especially now that I know this 😏

@Sascha *********

You are continuing soft power activities though so have continuing qualification for the visa. Those signing up to gyms a thousand Km from where they are living are playing the system. The system might bite back in a number of ways including ongoing costs

@Sascha *********

The reason a DTV bounce is more is because you get 180 days not 60. I knew they wouldn't do it for the same price.

@Greg *******

wait till the borders reject this method for DTV or apply a fee for those who are doing this Bounce for a new 180 days DTV stamp

@AllSabai *****

Some borders are applying a fee. One which is 3500 for Visa Exempt/METV is charging 6500 for DTV .... apparently as posted here yesterday.

@Greg *******

yes

We.know and this is reaaon of a jump from 3500 to 6500 ka

This is only the start

@Greg *******

we used to leave who whoever act the smartest on the planet to speak and criticizes what we may say

While we just grab some popcorn , Sit and watch what been said coming to be True

@AllSabai *****

Well, it is not pay once and live in Thailand for 5 years on Soft Power. There will be ongoing costs and admin to fulfill. I wonder how the pensioners who switched look at it now?

@Greg *******

This is how they thought

Oh 10,000 THB and 5 years in Thailand

Yeeehaaaa .

We are over the sky and D**m to all and we need no one and we need no agencies.

Come back please to the earth , wake up and smell the coffee

@Greg *******

I read that as if you own your own apartment etc here. Not if you are renting etc. But could create some confusion at first as it is written.

@Tony *******

It is confusion I agree. For other extensions etc no need to show landlords blue book etc. For DTV the guy extending in Krabi had to show it. The guy in Samut Prakan did not?

@Greg *******

Ya - it's early days, the offices are all still figuring it out, getting updated docs etc. Plus as we all know, each province and office often has their own process and requirements (and some places have bigger issues with overstays, which is probably why some what extra docs etc).

That said, I imagine in a few months things will settle down and get more streamlined.

@Tony *******

Exactly. It took Immigration 6 months just to issue the guidance order on 13th January. It is still all settling down.