My DTV was Approved!
Boyfriend’s application pending (he submitted on 18 Sept - later than I).
I included the outline of my portfolio below and added a PDF template in the comment that you can easily copy/paste to replicate.
Yes, I used chatgpt and pasted into google Docs. It didn't transfer well to this post but the PDF makes more sense
Location: Bali
Royal Thai Embassy Jakarta
Visa Type: DTV — Workation
Nationality: USA
Submitted: Mon 15 Sept, 15:34 (Bali time)
Changed to Processing Pending Approval: Tues 23 Sept, appx 17:00 (Bali time)
Approved: Tues 23 Sept, 21:10 (Bali time)
Intended Date of Arrival: 15 Oct
# How I Structured My DTV Workation Portfolio (Jakarta )
This structure covers two common cases:
* Track A – Remote employee / freelancer (you have a contract that explicitly allows remote work)
* Track B – Solo founder / business owner (income from your own company / platforms)
# Required Uploads (from the application)
1. Passport biodata page (JPG)
2. Photo (taken within last 6 months, JPG)
3. Document indicating current location
* (proof of stay/lease, local visa/permit, bank/utility with local address, recent travel tickets; you can add neatly captioned dated selfies/receipts as supplementary)
1. I provided letter from landlord in Bali since I booked directly
2. 2 selfies at 2 different cafes holding receipts
1. Circle cafe logo
2. Highlight date, address on receipt
3. Pics of receipt
3. Highlight date, and address in receipt
4. Financial evidence: ≥ 500,000 THB
* Bank statements for last 3 months (showing ending balance ≥ THB 500,000 equivalent) and/or bank balance letter (highlight end balance of each month)
4. I provided 6 months
5. I was missing Aug and Sept bank statements since there were no transactions so I included bank letter from my bank
5. Employment contract / employment certificate OR Professional portfolio (to prove digital nomad / remote worker / foreign talent / freelancer status)
* Freelancer
6. Employment/Service Contract (must state remote work allowed)
7. Invoices / payslips (last 3–6 months)
4. I provided 8 months
8. Bank statement highlights showing matching deposits (same amounts/dates)
5. I provided 8 months
9. Portfolio samples
6. Shared screenshot of my LinkedIn and work that I did for my clients (social media)
* Solo Founder / Business Owner (if this applies)
10. Business proof (company registry extract, Articles of Association showing you as owner)
11. Platform income dashboards (last 3–6 months)
7. I provided 8 months
12. Payout logs (last 3–6 months)
8. I provided 8 months
13. Bank highlights(last 3–6 months)
9. I provided 8 months
14. Portfolio samples (work-related content *→ *GitHub, LinkedIn, Website, reviews of product/site, Store listings, product pages, version history, etc.)
10. Shared Apple connect screenshots
11. Shared screenshot of App website and in App Store
12. Screenshot of Linkedin
# (3) Current Location
Cover Sheet (1 page)
* Header: Name, passport number, purpose of the section
* What’s inside (bullet list)
Order inside the PDF
1. Proof of stay (booking/lease with *your name*, address, and dates)
2. Local visa/permit (if applicable)
3. Recent travel tickets into the current country (not Thailand)
4. Supplementary evidence: one page each, with caption
* Dated selfie + receipt (café)
* Any other dated local activity
Formatting: Put translations right after the original if any item isn’t in English/Thai. Use simple captions: *“Bali Deli — 14 Sep 2025 (receipt date visible).”*
# (4) Financial Evidence - THB 500,000+
Cover Sheet (1 page)
* Header (name, passport) and purpose
* What’s inside (bullet list)
* Summary table (example below)
Summary Table (example)
Month(2025) Ending Balance (USD) ≈ THB (@35 illustrative)
July 16,654.00 500,000
August 16,654.00 500,000
September 16,654.00 500,000
Then include, in this order:
1. Last 3–6 months of bank statements showing ending balance ≥ THB 500,000 equivalent
2. Bank balance confirmation letter (explain missing months if no statement was issued)
3. Highlight only what matters (your name, statement date, month-end balance)
# (5) Employment / Professional Portfolio (≤3 MB)
## Cover
* Header: Name, passport; purpose of this section (to prove legitimate remote work)
* What’s inside (bullet list)
* Name Variation Note (if applicable):
* I did this because I had different name variations on different documents
*“My legal name is [Full Legal Name] (Passport [Number]). I also appear as [Variation 1] / [Variation 2] in some systems. These are my display names and refer to the same person.”*
* Compliance Banner:
*“I understand the DTV requires remote work only. I will not work for Thai companies or receive Thai-sourced salary under this visa. I understand DTV is multiple-entry, valid 5 years, and allows up to 180 days per entry with the option to apply once for a 180-day extension at Immigration; I will comply with all rules.”*
* Mini Table of Contents + Page Numbers so an officer can jump straight to:
* Contract → Invoices → Bank highlights
* Dashboards → Payout logs → Bank highlights
## 1) Status as Remote Worker / Foreign Talent (1 page)
* What you do, who you serve, your remote tool stack, confirm 100% remote
* One explicit line: *“I do not provide services to Thai companies under DTV.”*
## 2) Track A - Remote Employee / Freelancer (if this applies)
* Employment/Service Contract (must state remote work allowed)
* Invoices / payslips (last 3–6 months)
* Bank statement highlights showing matching deposits (same amounts/dates)
* Reconciliation Table (1 page):
Reconciliation — [Track A invoices] / [Track B payouts]
| Ref | Source (Invoice/Payout) | Amount | Bank Post Date | Bank Amount | Evidence Page # |
|-----|----------------|----------|---------------|-----------|
| 001 | Invoice (May) | $xxx.xx | 2025-05-05 | $xxx |
| 002 | Payout (Jun) | $xxx.xx | 2025-07-31 | $xxx |
* Portfolio samples (work-related content *→ *GitHub, LinkedIn, Website, reviews of product/site, Store listings, product pages, version history, etc.)
## 3) Track B - Solo Founder / Business Owner (if this applies)
* Business proof (company registry extract, Articles of Association showing you as owner)
* Platform income dashboards (e.g., Apple/Google/Amazon/Gumroad/Patreon)
* Payout logs (platform → company)
* Bank highlights (company → personal as salary/distribution)
* Reconciliation Table (1 page):
*Platform payout → Company bank line → Personal bank line*
* Portfolio samples (work-related content *→ *GitHub, LinkedIn, Website, reviews of product/site, Store listings, product pages, version history, etc.)
If you have BOTH tracks (e.g., apps + freelance), include both, each with its own 1-page overview and 1-page reconciliation table.
# 3 MB File-Size Tips (each upload ≤ 3 MB)
Recommended tools:
* Merge/Compress: [ilovepdf.com/]([members only]/)
* Ensure not to over-compress evidence with small text or images
iLovePDF workflow (what I do)
1. Compress (before merging)
Text-only docs (bank statements, letters, contracts): use “Extreme compress.”
Image/screenshot-heavy docs (dashboards, app listings, social content): use “Light compress.”
After each compress, open and zoom to 200–300% to confirm:
* Text remains sharp/readable (names, dates, amounts, IDs).
* Stamps/logos remain identifiable.
1. Merge
Use iLovePDF Merge PDF to assemble the final single file for that requirement.
If the merged file > 3 MB, run one more “Light compress” on the merged file, then spot-check again.
1. Final QA checklist
Open the merged PDF on laptop (simulate the reviewer’s view).
Verify all highlights/annotations are visible and not fuzzy.
Confirm page order matches your cover sheet/table of contents.
Re-run compression only if absolutely needed; re-check readability after.
When to re-export instead of over-compress
* If light compression still blurs small text, go back to the source and re-export smaller (crop more; export specific pages only) rather than forcing heavier compression.
# Quick Checklist
* Your contract explicitly allows remote work (Track A)
* Self-employed? Include your business registration showing your name (Track B)
* Reconciliation: every invoice/payout matches a highlighted bank deposit (same amount/date)
* Name consistency across docs (add a one-line name variation note if needed)
* Translations: non-English docs have English translations
* Dates align across tickets, stay proof, invoices, and bank statements
* Compliance statement included (remote work for non-Thai entities; DTV validity & 180-day stays understood)
## Templates
Section Cover Template
SECTION: [e.g., Financial Evidence]
Applicant: [Full Name]
Passport: [Number]
Purpose: [One sentence—what the officer will verify here]
Contents:
1) [Doc name + brief note]
2) [Doc name + brief note]
3) [Doc name + brief note]
Notes:
- [Any special explanation, e.g., “No August statement issued; balance letter attached.”]
Reconciliation Table Template
Reconciliation — [Track A invoices] / [Track B payouts]
| Ref | Source (Invoice/Payout) | Amount | Bank Post Date | Bank Amount | Evidence Page # |
|-----|----------------|---------|----------------|-----------|
| 001 | Invoice (May) | $xxx.xx | 2025-05-05 | $xxx |
| 002 | Payout (Jun) | $xxx.xx | 2025-07-31 | $xxx |
