Answered2 months ago
What happens if you finish your course in Thailand on a DTV and try to re-enter?
Been seeing a few posts lately about people apparently being refused re-entry into Thailand on a DTV2 after their course has finished.
What’s confusing me is there doesn’t seem to be any clear written rule saying you have to continue the original course for the full 5 years. At the same time, I’ve seen people saying they’ve finished their course, left Thailand, come back in and had absolutely no problems.
So just wondering, how many people are actually in Thailand now in this position?
If you’ve finished your course and you’re still using your DTV:
Have you left and re-entered?
Did immigration ask you anything?
Did you have any issues at all?
I’m looking at doing the same thing towards the end of the year and honestly it’s stressing me out trying to work out the best route 😂
Would be good to hear from people who are actually doing it rather than all the hearsay. Is this genuinely becoming a problem, or are we just seeing a handful of cases getting blown up online?
What’s confusing me is there doesn’t seem to be any clear written rule saying you have to continue the original course for the full 5 years. At the same time, I’ve seen people saying they’ve finished their course, left Thailand, come back in and had absolutely no problems.
So just wondering, how many people are actually in Thailand now in this position?
If you’ve finished your course and you’re still using your DTV:
Have you left and re-entered?
Did immigration ask you anything?
Did you have any issues at all?
I’m looking at doing the same thing towards the end of the year and honestly it’s stressing me out trying to work out the best route 😂
Would be good to hear from people who are actually doing it rather than all the hearsay. Is this genuinely becoming a problem, or are we just seeing a handful of cases getting blown up online?
Answer summary
The discussion revolves around concerns regarding re-entry into Thailand under the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) after completing a course. Many expats have reported no issues when returning to Thailand post-course completion, while some have expressed worries based on anecdotal accounts of entry refusals. There is no clear written rule that mandates the continuation of a course for the full duration of the 5-year DTV. Community members share experiences that highlight a lack of consistency in how immigration officers handle such cases, emphasizing the importance of being prepared to demonstrate the purpose of visit that aligns with the visa.
72 repliesnewest first
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Mick *****
In another month I will do exit number 5. Usually leave for 3-10 days and return. never once been asked for anything on return. There may be no clear rule on this but there is this clear rule: Having a valid visa does not guarantee entry into Thailand. A visa simply allows you to travel to a Thai port of entry and request permission to enter; the final decision is always made by the immigration officer at the border or airport.
Zess ********
Thailand and clear written rules on immigration don’t go in the same sentence.
Anonymous ******************
I have entered 3 times (including once via Phuket) on my Soft Power DTV since last year, staying close to half a year each entry and have had no problem. If questioned by an IO I am confident there should be no issue as I am not engaged in any work or other illegal activity and I can meaningfully demonstrate that I am sufficiently well set up financially with a passive income and only here for a very long vacation, which is exactly what the DTV is for.
Sonny ********
Some services do guaranteed dtv whilst remaining in thailand
BraveS*******
Dont believe in any anonymous posts, they are just jealous becaude they cant get DTV
Steve *******
Yes, those posts are paid for by agents who want to push their vip fast track bs service, when no one on a DTV needs it.
Jake ******
@Steve ******
or muay thai gym operators who want to sign up people for more lengthy courses... Personally never had an issue
David ********
If the DTV was granted for a course and that course has finished, common sense would suggest that the visa terminates 🤔
Adrian ********
@David *******
Thats a very dumb way to think about it. Its a 5 year visa, u dont get it terminated after the couse is finish.I have like 5 friends with DTV visa(Muay Thai courses), every single one of them the course has been finished for more than a year, no problem for any of them coming into the Kingdom. (Some of them got ask to show some proof like pictures or videos of them training and also proof of funds, but other than that no problems at all)
David ********
@Adrian *******
maybe its not automatically terminated but if I was on a visa specifically to undertake a course and that course had finished, I would not be confident in the validity of my visa. No wonder a lot of people are saying the DTV will be fazed out.
Greg ******
@Adrian *******
That's not that dumb. You can lose a marriage or a business 1 year visa here if you get divorced or fired after a month. And you mentioned it yourself: some of your friends were asked to show proof. If so what was the point? The question is whether termination/denial, when there is no ongoing course, will apply to the DTV as it does to other visas. Let's see.David ********
@Greg *****
I agree with you. Getting a visa for a course and expecting that visa to be valid after the course is finished is a bit strange.
GiftedPa********
One thing I learned is not to believe all the fairy tales that posted here. I don't know why people keeping doing that, maybe just to scare Or out of boredom.
Steven ************
There is so many bad answers in this group
Michael ********
Do not believe everything you read
Many times someone is trying to scare you
Many times someone is trying to scare you
Rich ****
Better continue enrollment and not leave the country for months when you are supposed to be studying.
BravePers*********
The confusion is due to the fact that law in Thailand is loose and it depends on who's looking. Nobody knows what will happen because they can't know who you're dealing with. That's Thailand.
Chris **********
I've been in and out over 20 times since my original course finished at the start of 2025 and I haven't had a single issue, because it is not an ongoing criteria. If that changes, sure I'll comply with the updated rules and sign up for another course.
bubblep*******
Thailand is so tricky‼️
They have implemented dtv visa for 5 years but why decline the re entry?.after they 've benifited money so that was it?.
They have implemented dtv visa for 5 years but why decline the re entry?.after they 've benifited money so that was it?.
Christopher ***********
bubblepearl124 No verifiable report of anybody with a DTV being declined entry to Thailand.
bubblep*******
@Christopher **********
ah so no one experienced it yet being declined for re entry ?bubblep*******
@Christopher **********
so many follow up question for dtv holder sir?Christopher ***********
bubblepearl124 I've no way of knowing that, same as you. In the same way, when I see someone in the immigration queue ahead of me at Suvarnabhumi Airport taking a long time speaking with the IO and then another IO appears and leads them away I don't know what happens to them. Maybe supplied further information and then let in, let in with a warning or possibly negotiated a bribe. Who knows? One thing for sure, if a DTV holder complying with all requirements was denied entry we would be hearing all about it.
George **********
Just go train muay thai once in a while and get pics and vids
Wannikea *********
No there is no rule that you have to continue the course, but your entry purpose must coincide with the purpose of the visa that was issued to you. So you better have a pretty good spiel ready if questioned.
Optimistic***********
Avoid Phuket airport. The immigration officers there are awful and are on a power trip denying entry and bragging about it to your face.
Christopher ***********
OptimisticPeacock6692 No DTV holder has been denied entry.
Zess ********
@Christopher **********
dude even without reports it would be more surprising and irregular that zero dtv holders have never been denied entry.Christopher ***********
@Zess *******
Only immigration know who they've denied entry to and why. Even then, we know they use Section 12 (9) 'Having no money or bond' (lack of 20,000 THB cash or equivalent) as the reason to deny entry when they're really looking at something else. The argument is that to be permitted entry you must currently be participating in the activity for which your DTV was issued. However, no such requirement is published anywhere. If DTV holders were being denied entry for that reason we would be reading regular reports.Optimistic***********
@Christopher **********
Chris, you look old and sad. Why do you have the DTV instead of a retirement VISA? Judging from how you look, you should qualify for the age requirement. Are you too broke for the retirement VISA?
James ********
@Christopher **********
read the posts of today and yesterday
Oleg ***********
@Christopher **********
that’s a lie. Do all the time.Christopher ***********
@Oleg **********
Yet the only reports we see are full of discrepancies and posted by anonymous participants. If a DTV holder meeting all requirements was denied entry why wouldn't they complain?
Anonymous ******************
Three of us here had no issues at all last week
Chris ***********
I assume their course was for Thai language? In that case, did they speak Thai? Because I do know that they can test you to see if you actually speak Thai. And if you don't, then they probably didn't attend their school. And they deserve to be refused back in.
Marcus ******
That’s ED Visa, DTV is for soft power like Muay Thai or Cooking.
Chris ***********
@Marcus *****
oh yeah, my bad.
Za *******
It’s all about how lucky or unlucky you are. If you apply for Soft Power, means you come to Thailand to do Muay Thai or Cooking, once your course is over practically you have no reason anymore to enter on DTV unless you book a new course. Otherwise you are not fulfilling the visa requirements and if they question you at the airport you might get denied entry or even your visa cancelled. Now it’s up to you if you want to risk it or not
krazye******
@Za ******
they cannot cancel the visa at airportZa *******
krazyeyez999 oh yes they can, the immigration from any country on this planet can cancel your visa directly at the airport if they have reasons to do it
Christopher ***********
@Za ******
Nothing to do with luck. No risk involved either. No verifiable reports of a DTV holder being denied entry. Even if that happened, your DTV would remain valid for the remainder of it's five year term. It wouldn't be cancelled.Za *******
@Christopher **********
oh, grandpa woke up from his midday nap? Any visa can be cancelled and will be cancelled as soon as the requirements are no longer fulfilled
Asso ******
@Za ******
You are forgetting the "tiny insignificant detail" that there is no such requirement that you are referring to... Nothing says that you must sign up for a new course. And definitely there is no rule that you cannot, for example, take a 1 month break after your initial course endsChris **********
@Za ******
we can explain it to you, but we can't help you understand it
Khun ******
@Za ******
Avoid Phuket and you will be fine bud don't worry
Martin *********
I hope not cookery course was
*****
bht alone
idiots******
Just avoid coming in Phuket. It is an odds game
Christopher ***********
idiotsomchai The odds of being questioned at any entry point are very low. As DTV is a tourist visa, if requested, stating purpose of visit as 'tourism' avoids any further questions.
krazye******
You can always use safe entry. See it as a tax. Every 6 months 4000 baht to grease the palm should not ruin you should it?
Asso ******
I suspect that a wish to promote these "safe entry" services might be the main reason we keep seeing the anonymous scaremongering
John_Do********
krazyeyez999 those are exactly the visitors nobody wants.
John*****
John_Doe_Da_2nd you should be on the immigration booth turning them away
Oleg ***********
krazyeyez999 there is no safe entry at the moment in Bangkok. Only Phuket and Samui and little more than 4000.
Mathieu **********
@Oleg **********
9500 atm in phuketkrazye******
@Oleg **********
I got quoted 6000John*****
krazyeyez999 safe entry not operating at the moment it hasn’t since June
Incognia **********
Johnooo22 except suvarmabhumi and don mueang other operating
krazye******
Johnooo22 you have any source for it as I still see the adds from agents
John*****
krazyeyez999 trust me it’s common knowledge that safe entry not operating hence all the denials 😂.
The ads you see will be fast track ads .
Message them yourself and ask for (safe entry) it’s shut down due to the big shake up
The ads you see will be fast track ads .
Message them yourself and ask for (safe entry) it’s shut down due to the big shake up
Alex ****
Till no name post talks about it nothing to worry
Christer *****
Alex Ni Soooooo much better with nickname
Welsh******
Don’t fly into Phuket. By the looks
Guy ******
For Phuket your work or enrollment has to be ongoing. If they see you have been here for a couple of years they will check.
Khun ******
There is no DTV2 only the Destination Thailand Visa. I have no problems so far
Khun ******
DTV_BegPecker Yes but it's just a remark and the visa type is still Destination Thailand Visa
DTV_Be*******
@Khun *****
on many people’s DTV paperwork, it says in the remarks section the basis for the DTV (not all though, only some embassies add it)
A. ************
I have been in and out a couple of times since my course finished. Where are you hearing/reading these tales of entry denial?
Asso ******
There are plenty of stories from guys/gals, whose first name is Anonymous...
Christopher ***********
@Asso *****
Top observation!bubblep*******
A. Nony Mous so how many years uve been staying in thailand after.ur issued DTV VISA?
A. ************
bubblepearl124 Ive had my DTV for about a year, and been in and out 3 times since the first 6 months past (which was how long my cooking course was for).
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