Hi. I'd like to inquire about the 180-day extension process for the Thai Digital Nomad Visa (DTV). For those who have already gone through this extension review, could you share your experience? I'm particularly interested in understanding how rigorous the examination is - is it relatively straightforward to get approved, or is it as stringent as the initial application?
Currently, I'm working as a full remote employee with an indefinite employment contract, which qualified me for the DTV. However, I'm concerned that my contract might potentially end before I need to apply for the extension. If the extension requires the same level of documentation and verification as the initial application, I'm worried my application might be rejected if my contract situation changes.
I'm aware that since the DTV program only launched in July 2024, there might not be many people who have completed the extension process yet. Nevertheless, any insights or experiences would be tremendously helpful.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
This post discusses the 180-day extension process for the Thai Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) and seeks insights from individuals who have gone through the process. The main concern is the strictness of the examination when applying for the extension compared to the initial application. Comments provide useful information including the necessity of maintaining proof of employment, potential issues if the contract ends prior to the extension application, and varying experiences and requirements across different regions in Thailand. The overall sentiment indicates that while extensions are possible, they may be challenging to obtain, often dependent on updated documentation such as recent employment letters and bank statements.
I've spoken to a Phuket immigration volunteer, and he said the success rate for DTV extension applications in that office is about 2%. In Chiang Mai they will not accept a foreign bank account statement even though the official rules say it is okay. Even the immigration officers are recommending people do a border bounce to get a new stamp rather than try to apply for extension. It's possible to get one, but it's not that easy.
There is a recent post about extension application in Phuket on Workaytion. They wanted an update to daye employment letter as the one dated from September 2024 was now out of date. Have a scroll through. There was very good information in the post.
When your contract ends, you do not comply with visa requirements anymore, unless you have a new remote job of course.
That most certainly will cause problems if it is checked.
Normally a employment contract is only provided once by an employer, so the same contract can still be shown as proof, but they might ask for additional info like recent pay slips to prove you still work for the employer.
Chances these things are checked when you do border bounce are much less I think, but it is also a possibility.
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