DTV Approved HANOI - BUSINESS OWNER- AMERICAN
Hello! This group has been super helpful and I wanted to share my experience. I applied in Hanoi and before i came to Vietnam I read multiple posts to make sure i would not make any mistakes
Was going to Apply June 1st but there were still some issues on my application when i checked all the documents. PLEASE BEFORE YOU APPLY MAKE SURE YOU FILL ALL THE INFO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID IS NEEDED OR REQUESTED. Because of this delay i applied next day Monday June the 2nd. What is requested varies by embassy so always check before you submit . They might be requiring something now that maybe was not needed last month
Timeline
06/01. Ready to applied but postponed due to document check was missing info
06/02 applied late at night around 9 pm Hanoi time
06/04 received an email to resubmit my picture as it was blurry per their standards
06/05 sent a nice email asking for an update ( later the email came back undelivered ) emails do not work at Hanoi tried 2 emails none work
06/08 visa approval ( Monday and tuesday embassy was closed ) so 3 working days it took for me the fastest i have seen in this forum . If you are thinking about applying HANOI is your best best as i write this post
Couple of reminders.
The DTV is so broad that there are many ways to have a succesful application. Find the easiest one “ the one you have more documentation and you will be fine.
I went with the Business owner route and on the last page before submitting i had 3 folders or pdf files
Please find a website to lower the resolution of the docs . I had like 26 mb at some point and you can only do 3 MB per file ( REALLY LIMITED)
1) Location file . Here i included my ticket out of thailand. my vietnam visa and my arrival stamp . I also included a copy of the reservation of my airbnb showing the dates and the address and my long term contract in bangkok . YOU HAVE TO APPLY OUTSIDE OF THAILAND FOR THIS VISA. Do not go back to thailand while you are waiting and do not travel outside . Thechnically you can but i would not risk it in case they call you for an interview
2) personal file. Here i did an index with all the info i thought would help me in the application.
*cover later ( why i thought the dtv was a good fit for me i reinforce tha idea MY INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT WERE OUTSIDE OF THAILAND
* CV put emphasis on what you do Digital Nomad etc
* contract ( since this was my own company i have been with this format since i left the us in 2020 i hired myself this is good for us taxes )
* paystubs 6 months
*bank statements ( BIG ONE SHOW 500k bath and they want to see continous flow) I read some people deposit money right before they apply . Some were fine but i would not apply in such terms . They want to see you can support yourself.
* wise bank statements for local usage. Here i told them i was aware that i would not qualify for a normal bank account in thailand as this was a tourist visa after all so they could see i was already used to having this restrictions
3) business file
* letter of recomendation ( yes i recomend it myself and specifically stated that as an employee of this company i was authorized to work from abroad and i would not seek local employment . Company must have a seal and make it professional . They really care about formality in asian countries
* company registration ( my company is registered in florida so took a screenshot of the website where they can verify this and included the incorporation papers
* bank statements ( business ) here you have to show the payments going from the business to your personal account . I included 6 of thoses and HIGHTLATED THE MONTHLY PAYMENTS to my personal account
* taxes and invoices from some clients
If you follow this structure and apply as a business owner you should be good to go. PLEASE CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION. I spent 1 hr yes i checked 10 times if all the info was correct names address etc . Do not trust the passport scanner CHECK NUMBER BY NUMBER if you miss one they will reject the application. When they ask you where was your passport issued ( put the country that issued it) they dont care if it was an embassy abroad … embassies are considered part of those countries so please dont make that mistake. I saw at least 20 people that put thailand as they got their passports at their embassies there and were rejected NO REFUNDS if your application is rejected
I want to thank everyone here as i would not have done this without the help i got from this forum . As of last week i was still really lost in the process. For me it took 3 days to prepare everything and there was A LOT of info to be put into those 3 files . Good luck to everyone
Feel free to ask any questions.
TLDR : Answer Summary
A member of an expat community shared their successful experience applying for a DTV visa in Hanoi as a business owner. They advised thoroughly checking all required documentation before submission to avoid delays. After some initial issues, the application was submitted on June 2nd, and approval was received just six days later. They emphasized the importance of formality and completeness in the application, sharing detailed categories of necessary documents, including personal and business files. The user highlighted issues with email communication with the embassy and cautioned applicants against applying from within Thailand. They encouraged checking every detail meticulously to avoid rejection.
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