What should DTV visa holders expect when arriving at Chiang Mai airport?

@Sean ******

they didnt ask for anything? Just show your passport/dtv and then enter with new 180 days? 🙂 i ask because in april my 180 days will finish so I will go vietnam 5 days to get new 180 days when I come back

@Simon ***********

Yep 👍

@Ja***

Not many flights buddy. I'm not going to list all international flights landing in Chiang Mai. Suffice to say it's a tiny number compared to even Don Muang Airport let alone Suvarnabhumi.

@Eva ********

Yes there are flights from there too. You should be OK and in your case makes more sense to fly direct than transit in BKK though you do have far more flight options to Bangkok than CnX

@Greg *******

Could be. OP I think is Burmese and it seems like in the Burmese visa group there are problems. But that’s to be expected that the Burmese are scrutinized a bit more. It’s unfortunate but it’s how it is.

@Michael *******

A very good friend of mine who I worked with is Burmese. He is an acclaimed Oncologist specialising in Immunotherapy. Invited to speak all over the world. He had a nightmare travelling until he became a Singapore citizen. I forgot which country it was but he had to fly to Bangkok from Singapore to apply for a visa at an embassy. They had none in Singaporexand only accepted in person applications and not through agents

@Paul ******

agreed 👍

@Peter *****

it’s peanuts boy.

@Bobby ******

I didn't mean its big money itself Dad , I did mean that in this day of cashless society's, its a rather rather large amount to be carrying around . Paper money is for old people

@Peter *****

it’s one €500 note.

@Bobby ******

Point being that many people these days do not carry cash around , all transactions are done electronically . I often fly door to door without using paper money at all

@Peter *****

Correct. I usually carry some cash, but not a huge amount. I tend to carry a fair amount of cash when departing Thailand for countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, which are more cash based than Thailand. I usually return with minimal cash because I consider myself a resident here returning home. I don't see the need for arriving with tons of cash; in fact, I'd struggle to do so, considering I've just come back from a country where I spent all my cash. When I return to Thailand, I might have 1000 or 2000 Baht left in my wallet and maybe a smattering of foreign currency I'll keep for my next trip to whatever county I just came from.

@Paul ******

i did my 180day border run to cambodia by car, parked, walked 2minutes to border and <10min later i was back in the car no questions asked

@Paul ******

ah yes, I only did that when coming from home country, not border runs... but anyway i think they accept showing balance on bank app or atm, no need to be cash? I have never been asked, have come here 20+ times in the last 4years

@Toni ******

No, cash would be asked for if they request it but except for Ranong, it's not normally asked for at the border.

@John *********

That's not the proper analogy. Yes, each entry is 180 days but you can come and go over 5 years. You don't need to spend 3-6 months outside the country between longer stays as you do if you're on a 10 year tourist/business visa for the USA. With one of those, you can stay 180 days per entry but assuming you've spent 180 days, you better leave for a bare minimum of 180 days before returning and preferably at least 1 year or you could be denied re-entry.

Thailand allows you to come back the same day or certainly within a couple of days of exiting and do this across 5 years.

@Paul ******

they do that for the METV as well but nobody refers to it as a 6 month visa despite the fact you can come and go for 6 months

@John *********

You can get up to 9 months out of an METV.

@Paul ******

it's valid for 6 months from the date of issue

@John *********

You can re-enter just before it expires for another 60 days then extend that for a further 30 days.

@Paul ******

I understand that but your just trying to deflect. You know very well it is valid for 6 months

@John *********

No, it's you trying to deflect actually. You're trying to tell me that a DTV is the same as a tourist visa despite the fact one has to go through a vigorous process to obtain one and the visa is valid for unlimited entries over 5 years, which is far more generous than any other visa Thailand offers with the exception of the LTR and the OX retirement categories, neither of which are very popular due to their stringent application criteria and/or in the case of the OX, the fact very few consulates issue one.

@Paul ******

I am telling you that the DTV IS classed as a tourist visa, that's just a fact. And you can't compare a DTV to long term visas which allow you to stay inside Thailand indefinitely without ever leaving. The DTV does not allow that, it allows you to stay 180 days and you can get ONE extension of 180 days. The only distinction between the DTV and other tourist visas is the number of days you get stamped in for and the reason for it being issued

@John *********

Unless you have a permanent residency visa then you have to renew your permission to stay every year. Exceptions are for OX visa, elite and LTR visa holders who can stay multiple years before needing to do anything.

@Paul ******

still deflecting I see

John Stanners No, you are as you fail to understand how the visa you're on worms. An extension of stay doesn't allow permanent residency. You can only spend one year in Thailand at a time before needing to renew your extension. If you aren't approved, you have to leave. Your retirement visa is in a sense also a tourist visa, even if classified as non-immigrant, you can't work on it and you have NO possibility of being allowed to convert to permanent residency.

At public hospitals, you pay the same rate as tourists do, whereas work permit holders pay less than you do.

@Paul ******

@John *********

the METV is exactly the analogy, they have based it on that, and I’ve had it in the same past. The issue a lot of people trying to stay long term on it is that it’s not a guarantee to get back in just because you have the visa. Imm can still deny entry, which they already are it seems - though there is nuance in every case.

The reps on Friday were surprised but also not surprised to hear of so many extensions and re entries being problematic so early, but expect it to be for many trying to stay long term on it going forward.

I offered the example of someone leaving CM for smoky season and going abroad for 3 months to avoid it as one that would probably be ok, and that seemed to be a situation that would fit the intention of the visa. That said, he wasn’t immigration and this is Thailand which has a rep for being a tad inconsistent at the pointy end.

@Tim ****************

I suspect it's the previous immigration history / nationality causing the issues and maybe...those who spend the entire 180 days and return same day.

Those like me who usually spend under 90 days per entry and then travel abroad for days to weeks on business and for other reasons shouldn't have an issue.

If, it proves that even people like me start facing issues I'll immediately switch to another visa type and tell everyone not to apply for the DTV.

That hasn't happened so far.

@Paul ******

yep, you’ve nailed it there. If you look like you’re a digital nomad and spending a few weeks here and there out of the country you’re likely to have little issue. Almost word for word what they were telling me.

@Michael *******

it must be DESTINATION STAYING VISA not tourist visa.Tourist in a country 5 Years?

@Michael *******

I suggest anyone wanting to find out if how they want to use it will fly goes to a DTV event and speaks to them. I’ve been to 4 (not that I plan on getting one) and spoken to the reps twice afterwards and they will tell you it is based on tourist visas and that it isn’t designed for long term stay. It’s not for remote workers to live here, it’s for digital nomads who will spend time in other places too, even if Thailand is their base. They have the power to manage it how they please because the way they’ve worded it, which they seem quite pleased about.

Anyway, my point being people interested in one should go to an event and speak directly to them about the questions they want answers to as they are not written in the documentation, basically purposely. Most people are choosing to interpret the wording how they want to, rather than consider how immigration will choose to enforce it.

Well worth going along is all I’d say as it would clear up a lot of the different assumptions people are making.

@Tim ****************

and what are these “DTV events” and who are these “reps?”

Here’s my evidence from my last post. An interview with a government official:



If you have an interview with a qualified government official against this, do share please.

But at present this is the best info. You CAN stay long term no problem… According to a government official.

@Tim ****************

MFA said you can do 180+180 then border run to 180+180 no problem. It’s likely a tourist visa so they don’t have to give out permanent residence after 5 years. Instead you must get even more integrated locally (ie start a local business) and switch your visa.

Until I see concrete proof of this like an interview with an immigration officer, this is how it is. The government themselves said it.

Everything that’s happening reads more like immigration is a bit overwhelmed with more work and there weren’t clear guidelines on how to manage extensions, so it’s basically turned into a re-application because immigration doesn’t want to green light a 180 day extension then the person runs out of money… Hence the recheck of 500k baht…

Need to wait for more clear evidence because interpreting it as “you’re supposed to spend several months out of the year away” also isn’t right and it isn’t explicitly stated.

What we KNOW is that MFA said you CAN do 180+180 border bounce again through 5 years. And that’s it.

If there’s an interview of a higher ranking government official saying otherwise do feel free to share.

@Michael *******

as I say, go to a DTV event and have a conversation with them. Watching an interview with generic questions isn’t the same as the answers are being interpreted through an applicants lens, not through how it will be enforced. Just because something isn’t explicitly stated doesn’t mean it’s not how it’s going to be enforced - exactly how it was explained to me on Friday. They - or any country’s visa stipulations really - can’t and won’t cover every eventuality or situation, which I guess is why there are agents.

TAT are running events for people to attend, which most countries wouldn’t, so people can ask the questions they want answered so I would take advantage of it. I report on digital nomad visas, so go to keep up and hear directly from them, not because I plan to get one.

You are correct that it is new for Thailand too - that much they volunteered themselves - so there will be a learning curve for them, but that’s what makes being patient a sensible decision atm.

Anyway, just passing on what answers to my questions were. Honestly, go along to one as the 2 or 3 who were with me that have the DTV were surprised about quite a few answers because they’ve misinterpreted the information - and missing information - that is out there. Plus they put on free food and drink!

@Tim ****************

where does one find these DTV events? I’ve not heard of them. I’m in chiang mai currently I’ve already got the DTV. And who is running it? Actual immigration or random people? Can you send me the link to a “DTV event?”

@Michael *******

there was one in Chiang Mai on Friday at Yellow, and another in January at Alt. They ran several at launch at OneNimman and other venues. TAT run them - they were the authority who developed the visa, which I guess is telling that the tourism authority are the lead.

Just because you haven’t heard of something doesn’t make them a myth, as you seem to be inferring.

I don’t know when the next one will be, maybe contact them or do a Google search.

@Tim ****************

First of all, I did not infer ANYTHING. I asked you directly about these events.

At present the government has said you can do 180 + 180 and border run to stay the duration of the 5 years.

There has been no explicit outward statement that you “must” spend 2-3 months out of Thailand per year.



You mean this? This is NOT high level immigration officers like the YouTube video I shared with you. TAT is here to promote tourism and visas, MFA created the visa. There is a YouTube video where MFA goes on camera to confirm that you can stay 180 days, extend for 180, then border run, and repeat this for 5 years.

There is no official statement otherwise, and these “events” at yellow coworking are not coming from MFA/immigration- if it’s official that we “must spend 2-3 months per year out of Thailand,” it will be made known outwardly, not at small events promoted by TAT.

There are already people that have stayed for around 180 days and extended or border ran with 0 issues.

Until there is a concrete, definitive message that you must spend 2-3 months out of the year, then it’s not the case.

@Michael *******

well it defo read as inference. But anyway I’m not arguing with opinion here, just thought it might be helpful sharing what is currently being said by the authorities in direct response to some of the questions being asked. The response to your 180+180 was that you can apply, but there is no guarantee you will get it. Can is the key word - they don’t say will get.

And yep, this was the one on Friday. Took the opportunity to ask Shiv some questions as it’s the second time I’d met him at one of these.

Again, I’d recommend speaking to them directly at these events as some of the assumptions and interpretations being held by a lot of people on the DTV or hoping to be are misleading and in some cases incorrect.

Anyway, I’m out on this thread. People are welcome to accept or not accept what I’m sharing, it’s social media after all. Some might find it useful as not many will make the effort or be able to go.

@Tim ****************

So far there is no evidence that you can’t stay 180+180 even just doing border runs indefinitely. TAT is a lesser authority than MFA, like I said earlier, so until there is an OFFICIAL announcement I don’t think there’s much point going to some meant to promote the visa. If it’s not allowed to do 180 days + border run + 180 for the period of 5 years then MFA will make it known instead of having it whispered at tiny events.

I recommend watching this video as this is the only video I know of a ranking government official from MFA that talks about this visa in English:

Keep in mind that despite this video there was still blatant wrong information being talked want for MONTHS, such as that the extension will be 10k baht instead of the usual extension amount.

I appreciate you sharing with me what you heard, I just want to recommend that video because whoever is saying that you “can’t” do 180 + 180 for the duration of 5 years is misled.

Again, MFA or immigration (TAT is NOT immigration) themselves will tell us if we can’t.

And yes, individual circumstances do matter (ie in the case of extensions, you must prove 500k baht balance for 30 days prior, etc.).

But I rest my point that there is not one single official indication that we aren’t allowed to be here almost continuously for 5 years besides extensions and border runs as long as we follow the correct procedures.

@Michael *******

Correct. It's similar to a tourist visa but still a separate category. It does not grant you any more rights than a tourist visa does except for a longer stay.