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What are the rules for maintaining a DTV visa in Thailand and how do renewals work?
DTV visaThailand visa rulesmulti-entry visavisa renewal process180-day entry stampre-entry permitvisa extensionsexpat living in Thailand
Oct 25, 2024
2 years ago
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERHello dear DTV'ers,
I wish to share my experience as I hadn't read a clear guidance on what happens when we leave Thailand while on the DTV visa. Yes, we know that it's a multi entry visa, but here is the interesting twist that I can confirm ( At least from my experience).
I first arrived in Thailand on August 2nd, expiration date: January 28 2025. Then I left the country for about 10 days in October. Entered Thailand on October 16th...my new expiration date is April 13th 2025. I find this situation very interesting as we also have the choice of renewing once a year with immigration(we'll see how that goes). One question is still unanswered, 180 + 180 (renewal)= 360, if we choose this path, what happens with those 5 missing days to complete the year?
I hope that this post will help put a little light with this fantastic visa.
Cheers
I wish to share my experience as I hadn't read a clear guidance on what happens when we leave Thailand while on the DTV visa. Yes, we know that it's a multi entry visa, but here is the interesting twist that I can confirm ( At least from my experience).
I first arrived in Thailand on August 2nd, expiration date: January 28 2025. Then I left the country for about 10 days in October. Entered Thailand on October 16th...my new expiration date is April 13th 2025. I find this situation very interesting as we also have the choice of renewing once a year with immigration(we'll see how that goes). One question is still unanswered, 180 + 180 (renewal)= 360, if we choose this path, what happens with those 5 missing days to complete the year?
I hope that this post will help put a little light with this fantastic visa.
Cheers
TLDR : Answer Summary
This post discusses the experience of the DTV visa holder regarding the implications of leaving Thailand and re-entering on the same visa. The original poster shares that upon re-entering Thailand after a short trip abroad, their visa expiration was extended. The conversation reveals that each re-entry grants a new 180-day stamp, and emphasizes the rule of extensions per entry rather than per year. It addresses queries about the renewal process, costs associated with the visa, and insights into the immigration experience during re-entry.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Take the basic DTV Qualification Test to see if you're eligible for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the DTV Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
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Derek ***********
You were just given a new 180 days before you have to leave or I believe you can get an extension in Thailand but I don't know all of the specific details
Jargalsaikhan ********
How was the process when you re-entered on October 16th? Did the immigration officer ask for anything particular?
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERJargalsaikhan Erdene got to officer, presented my passport and he entered a new visa stamp with a new expiration date 180 days away. No questions asked.
Jargalsaikhan ********
@Hugo **********
Thanks for sharing :DCharles **********
@Hugo **********
are you here on soft powerHugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Charles *********
Self employed, I work online.Reply to
Hugo ***********
Reply
Henrik *****
In visa you always count days, never months or years.
Fredrik *********
5 days?!!😅
Justin ********
What do you mean 5 missing days? It's not possible to staf more than 360 day consecutively legally - end of story. It's similar to how with tourist visas it isn't legally possible to stay more than 60 days consecutively, legally. 30+30extension. (Unless you qualify for a weird family extension etc.).
Luit *****************
Just like 60 days almost never is exactly 2 months, 360 days is not exactly a year
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Brad ********
You are asking FB quacks for valid information?
Brad ********
Not at all. My information is backed by valid experience. Example: I recommend using a professional visa service rather than quacks recommending do it yourself. At least for the first time anyway. Make sense?
Brad ********
Eat my shorts you petulant jerk.
Greg ********
@Brad *******
Professional Visa Service? *****
You found the FB Quack when looked in the bathroom mirror this morningReply to
Greg ********
Reply
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brad *******
You answered and on FB. Does that make you a FB quack (as you say)?Brad ********
@Hugo **********
BTW if you follow the FB content you might notice wild inconsistencies. That might take some thinking.Brad ********
@Hugo **********
by the way I anticipated a crack like that. Typical FB peanut gallery remark.Reply to
Brad ********
Reply
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brad *******
No, simply sharing my experience. I'm all good and running.Reply to
Hugo ***********
Reply
Alex **********
I want my missing 5 days! 🤬
James ********
@Alex *********
don't get the DTV visa, problem solved 🤗Reply to
James ********
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Dan ***********
Is it possible to go out and come back with reentry permit? If so are there any benefits to doing this?
Tore *********
@Dan **********
no re-entry permit needed with DTV. Its a multiple entry visa. Re-entry is “built in”. And with re-entry you get a fresh 180 day stamp, “resetting the clock”Biff *******
@Dan **********
That would only have a benefit once your visa has expired but your entry stamp hasn’t. Say for instance your visa expires 1st November 2029 and you enter thailand one day before that, you still get stamped in for 180 days, and the only way to keep that stamp active if you leave the country again, would be to get a re-entry permit before you left. During the validity of the visa, a re-entry permit just restricts your length of stay to the stamp you got before you left with the permit; ie it has no useful purpose.
Dan ***********
@Biff ******
I guess I won't bother then. So just go out and come back with another 180 days. But isn't there 10,000 baht that would have to be paid upon return for the new 180 days? I thought that was the deal - 10k baht every 180. Or have I misunderstood? ThanksLuit *****************
@Dan **********
The only thing you have to pay for again is when you want to extend a stay of 180 days with an extra 180 days without leaving the country.It probably will cost 1900 THB like all other extensions.
Biff *******
@Luit ****************
And the possibility of having to show the ฿500.000 again, but no one knows owns the details yet.Luit *****************
Biff *******
@Luit ****************
I’m very pleased for you.Biff *******
@Dan **********
Several people have posted that they re-entered by just showing the visa at the border. The cost of the visa is circa ฿*****
depending on where you get it. As with other multi-entry visas, you don’t pay the cost of the visa again when you’re using it. You buy it once, it’s valid for as long as it’s valid, then you buy another one, if you want another one.Dan ***********
@Biff ******
this visa is getting better by the day then. I thought it was gonna be 20K a year so less than half what I've been paying on ED visas. But 10k for 5 years, sounds too good to be true. Amazing 👏Reply to
Dan ***********
Reply
John *******
It is very straight forward. You have a 5 year, multi-entry visa. Every time you enter the country you will receive a 180 day entry stamp. If you stay that long and want to stay longer, you can extend it for an additional 180 days at the Immigration Office. At that point you must leave the country and you can renter if you want. However, every time you exit the country and re-enter, you receive a new/fresh 180 day stamp, regardless if prior you were in country 5 days or 175 days. (In addition, when in country for 90+ days consecutively you need to do a report/check in with Immigration.
Bill *****
@John ******
apart from the 10k application fee, what are the other costs for immigration?John *******
@Bill ****
- There will be a fee when extending your stay from 180 days to 360 days. Most people believe it will be the standard 1,900(I believe), but others have fretted (without evidence) that it will be greater.Reply to
John *******
Reply
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John ******
you are totally wright. I believe most visas throughout the rest of the world works differently. For example, if you have a 6 month multi entry visa, you can leave and come back as you wish during this 6 month period, but the end date of your visa does not change. With this visa, the end date changes with your entries. If you have already dealt with this type of visa, you realise that the DTV has unusual rules compared to other countries.Robin *********
@Hugo **********
stupid question maybe, but I read somewhe that the visa fee is due every 180 days. Is that true or BS?Angelo ***********
@Hugo **********
The end date does not change. The entry stamps change.Sylvia ********
Reply to
Sylvia ********
Reply
John *******
@Hugo **********
- The end date of your visa doesn't change, as your visa expires in 5 years.Reply to
John *******
Reply
James ********
@John ******
Correct ✅Yuriy ************
@John ******
this is the best DTV summary I've seen 💪🏼Reply to
Yuriy ************
Reply
Romain ****
No one has ever told you that you can stay a year. You can stay 180+180 by extending. If you need the whole year, just visa run on day 180 and visa run on day 360
Stephan ***********
The rule is "one extension per entry", not "per year". There is no way to stay a complete year here with this visa.
Hugo ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Stephan **********
well, yes we can stay a whole year in Thailand with this visa ( minus a few days out travelling). This was the point of this post...I was sharing my experience in line with this goal. But if you mean not staying 365 consecutive day in Thailand, you're totally spot on. But that was not the topic of this post.Stephan ***********
@Hugo **********
Well... you asked about the 5 remaining days to "complete" a full year stay without leaving, no? If this wasn't your question, what was it then?Reply to
Stephan ***********
Reply
Roberto *********
@Stephan **********
You can stay the full year by continually bouncingWannikea *********
@Roberto ********
Uhm, you can't be staying if you have to leave to bounceRoberto *********
@Wannikea ********
Uhm, you could stay 365 nights a year in Thailand, so it depends how pedantic you want to be. 😂😂Reply to
Roberto *********
Reply
Benjamin *********
@Roberto ********
right, which would mean you're not technically in the country the entire yearRoberto *********
@Benjamin ********
Jesus! There's some bored people around!! 😂. Technically, yes, you leave the country for an hour or so. Big deal. You still stay 365 nights in ThailandBenjamin *********
Reply to
Benjamin *********
Reply
Roberto *********
They're not missing. You get 180 days each time you enter
Anna *****************
It multiple, ever time you go out coming back they count new 180, if you don’t stay up to 180 days is fine, but if you do then you will just need to go out and back and restart new 180 again
Anna *****************
At the end 5 years will expire on date ending on visa sticker on your passport
Luit *****************
@Anna ****************
I think that is not certain at the moment. When you arrive at the last day of the 5 years you might get another 180 days, just like you get a full stay with the METV when you enter at the last day.Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Steve ********
Border bounce and you'll get them
Reply to
Steve ********
Reply
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