Answereda year ago
What was your experience applying for the DTV Soft Power visa in Thailand?
I would like to share my experience. I have received the approval for DTV Soft Power in September from the Thai Embassy in Paris (I am French).
I have applied with Arun Cooking School for their 6 months course. The application was prepared with the help of a visa agency in Bangkok.
Visa was approved by the Embassy. However when entering Thailand to activate it this weekend, they were reluctant at first because I had already spent some time as a tourist before during the year.
Immigration officers in Suvarnabhumi were super nice and calm during the whole process. I had to wait a bit for an 'interview' with them. They were surprised that I was granted DTV for cooking school, and were wondering if I should have an education visa instead...
In the end, they stamped me for 180 days and told me they were going to notify the Embassy about their feedback. I find it weird because they are the one to set the rules for DTV anyway and visa was granted already.
So a bit of a stressful experience but it ended well!
I wonder what will happen in May 2026 when I want to stamp another 180days! Especially if I have not extended my cooking lessons (not sure if I will, I would like to try something else)
I have applied with Arun Cooking School for their 6 months course. The application was prepared with the help of a visa agency in Bangkok.
Visa was approved by the Embassy. However when entering Thailand to activate it this weekend, they were reluctant at first because I had already spent some time as a tourist before during the year.
Immigration officers in Suvarnabhumi were super nice and calm during the whole process. I had to wait a bit for an 'interview' with them. They were surprised that I was granted DTV for cooking school, and were wondering if I should have an education visa instead...
In the end, they stamped me for 180 days and told me they were going to notify the Embassy about their feedback. I find it weird because they are the one to set the rules for DTV anyway and visa was granted already.
So a bit of a stressful experience but it ended well!
I wonder what will happen in May 2026 when I want to stamp another 180days! Especially if I have not extended my cooking lessons (not sure if I will, I would like to try something else)
Answer summary
A French expat shares their experience of obtaining a DTV Soft Power visa from the Thai Embassy in Paris for a cooking course. Despite the approval, the immigration officers in Thailand expressed some surprise upon arrival regarding the visa's purpose, questioning if an education visa would have been more appropriate. After a brief wait and interview, they were granted 180 days stay but were informed that feedback would be sent to the Embassy. The expat expresses concern about future visa extensions if they do not continue their cooking lessons.
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Christopher ***********
What a great cook! All the contentious ingredients in this bake. Colder weather today.
Shandy ********
First of all, great weather this week in BKK. So, if we can rely on this account, the IOs don't have an immediate way of verifying the category of DTV application we're in.
John *********
Just here for the comments, very windy today, unsual weather patterns this year 🙈
Anonymous ******************
They shouldn't make up stupid rules and then harass at the border those who follow the rules and get the visa. It's a scam.
Anonymous *************
OPAnonymous participant 987 to be clear I was not harassed. Immigration officers at the border were polite and professional. They were just surprised and confused about the conditions of this visa. They did not 'detained' me or anything more than reasonable.
אבי ******
משתתפ/ת אנונימי/ת stopping you, questioning you really is harassment, but since you don't see it that way let's see after 6 months when your cooking class is finished how many more classes you'll have to take to keep your DTV
Mike **********
Anonymous participant they are right cooking school is not a DTV. It is an ed visa. But good luck in cooking school.
Anonymous ******************
@Mike *********
then they shouldn't advertise it as an option for dtv on their website. False advertising is a scam, plain and simple.
Oli *********
There is always option of fast track via BKK airport. You can use it via visa agents, there should be no problem there. I also have DTV soft power and had no problem land cross, but I would consider fast track BKK in 180 days if DTV rulez get more stick or so.
Anonymous *************
OP@Oli ********
I was in the fast track lane already because I was travelling with someone with a diplomatic visa. They had no problem having me in fast track, but still got the same questions as I would have in the 'normal' lane
John *****
ผู้มีส่วนร่วมที่ไม่ระบุตัวตนmaybe you got questioned because they're not used to the DTV in the fast lane.
Anonymous ******************
Get ready for the experts criticizing your anonymous status… Anyway, it had to happen. Now that immigration is closing the gap on tourist exemptions, they will start focusing on the easiest and cheapest way for bad actors to stay in Thailand unfortunately, that’s the DTV. You can thank the previous government and the MFA for launching a visa with unrealistic benefits (in comparison to other existing visas) without consulting immigration.
Anonymous *************
OPAnonymous participant 174 geez if I get the 'soi Nana' joke on my anonymous status again 🤣🤣🤣
Harry *********
J’ai pris la même école pas de problème à l’arrivée et j’étais là en avril bon séjour
Greg ********
Immigration did NOT set the rules for the DTV. It was the MFA. Immigration do have final say on right of entry though even with a visa. The MFA website clearly states that.
Anonymous ******************
@Greg *******
and this is our problem how exactly? If they advertise this visa and take money from those who apply and follow the rules (even though the rules are stupid), then they should let the people in. If they don't, they're scammers. Whatever conflicts they have between different govt agencies is not our problem as foreignersAnonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 987 Who advertised what, exactly?
The visa was designed for workation-style digital nomads or people taking part in long term soft power activities, but many have interpreted it as a way to stay in Thailand long-term at a lower cost, with no immigration question and entry guaranteed.
The visa was designed for workation-style digital nomads or people taking part in long term soft power activities, but many have interpreted it as a way to stay in Thailand long-term at a lower cost, with no immigration question and entry guaranteed.
Greg ********
Anonymous participant 987 Whose problem is it then? It is clearly stated having a visa does not guarantee entry.
Andi ***********
@Greg *******
This highlights the rift between Immigration and MFA. Not on the same page with the DTV
Anonymous ******************
@Andi **********
Not on the same page? They're not even in the same bookshop!Andi ***********
Anonymous participant 576 👍 perfect description
Greg ********
@Andi **********
As a key stakeholder I would be miffed too if not consulted . :-) :-)Anonymous ******************
Immigration didn't set the rules, it was MFA. Immigration don't like the visa, and will probably tell the embassy to stop giving five year visas for a six month course
Elías ********
Participante anónimo 576 which in my humble opinion, makes sense. If you're taking a 6-month course, you perfectly could be granted a 1-2 years visa.
Anonymous *************
OP@Elías *******
I agree with you! When I looked for a visa I only needed a year, not 5! But it does not existAnonymous ******************
@Elías *******
A 1 year renewable visa (in-country) would probably be more appropriate indeed. To be honest, the cooking class option shouldn’t even exist. I’m fully in favor of the original workation concept, and if it had stayed that way, it would have been better.
Ian **********
@Elías *******
I agree. I always thought the soft power option should be a different visa and workcation a straight forward Nomad visa
Anonymous ******************
I suspect there might be some underlining collective lie in this country that everyone wants to maintain. 😉 Let us know how it goes.
Mika ********
Anonymous participant 123 what?
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