DTV Approved.
Where: Vientiane, Laos (In person with appointment).
Wait time: Usually 3 working days but I lodged my application on a Friday so I had to wait the weekend for a Tuesday pick-up.
Key points: I promised to make a post because I'm one of the cases where I was on an ED visa when I left Thailand (well, technically, I was on an ED visa extension because my original visa has already been extended twice). I obtained a reentry permit for my ED visa in case my DTV application wasn't successful. This didn't cause me any issues with obtaining the DTV.
Note: I go back to Thailand tomorrow and will make an update on this post if anything needs to be mentioned about the re-entry process ie. if they ask questions or if there is any confusion around the DTV and reentry permit.
My experience: Firstly, I will say that the whole experience was very smooth and quite quick. I read a lot of the posts in this Facebook group, and that definitely helped me have the right documents.
It took me about 5-7 minutes talking with the officer and explaining my documents on the lodgement day, another 15 minutes to print off one extra piece of evidence requested, and literally less than a minute to pick up the passport from the window on collection day (this doesn't count waiting in line on lodgement day of course, which took about an hour - I arrived as the gate opened in the morning. Waiting in the afternoon for collection took a lot less time - ten minutes max).
I'm a freelancer registered as a sole trader in Australia (self-employed contractor/freelancer with a business number but not a company).
Documents I provided:
1. Application form and 2 passport photos.
2. Scanned passport pages - ID Page, exit stamp from Thailand, Laos visa and entry stamp (all scanned pages signed by me).
3. Proof of location - scanned booking and receipt from hotel.
4. Cover letter - outlining the nature of my work. I also explained my business structure (sole trader) and where I am registered and gave my business number. In addition, I explained where I obtain my clients (mostly Fiverr with some private clients), and I emphasised that none of my clients are sourced from Thailand and that I have no business operations within Thailand. I outlined how my clients pay me. I described the payment trail - how the money moves from clients to my bank (since this involves a couple of steps when being paid by Fiverr).
5. Evidence of my business number on ABN Lookup (an Australian government website that lists business numbers and who trades under them).
6. Fiverr Profile with reviews from clients and a screenshot of my Fiverr earnings page.
7. One contract with a private client and an accompanying invoice.
8. Payoneer transaction history (as this is a step in receiving funds from Fiverr)
9. Bank statement showing 500K for six months.
10. Bank statement showing payments from Payoneer (business earnings).
The officer read my letter and asked me questions about the 'payment trail' for my earnings. I explained this with the supporting records.
Finally, the officer asked to see my savings account with the 500K baht on my phone banking app and sent me away to print a screenshot of the app.
I hope this post helps, and thank you to everyone here who has been sharing their experiences so generously. It helped me immensely.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The post shares a detailed personal account of applying for a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) in Vientiane, Laos, highlighting the application process and documentation required for freelancers. The author explains the smooth experience of the application, including the necessary documents such as passport scans, proof of business, and financial statements. Additionally, there are community comments discussing aspects of the application process, questions about documentation requirements, and experiences of others applying under similar conditions.
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