What were the steps and requirements for getting a DTV visa approved while applying from HCMC?

Very happy to get DTV approved yesterday and thanks to all those who helped me when I had some uploading glitches, much appreciated. And of course I read others' updates on here regularly to help me prepare, hence I'm giving my update in the hope of helping others.

Here’s details of my application and what else I was asked to supply, and I hope the information can help anyone applying from HCMC under workation.

NZ passport

I have lived in HCMC for the past 10 years and applied in HCMC

Remote worker – Online teacher

Friday 1st August – Completed online application

Monday 4th August – requested 3 more documents

Tuesday 5th August – uploaded new information requested.

Thursday 7th August – Approved

I thought I had been very thorough and uploaded everything with cover letters/summaries, explanations etc. but still got asked for 3 extra documents:

1.Proof of current location – they asked for a photo of every page of my passport, including blank pages and with time and date stamp.

I was surprised because I have already uploaded by apartment contract (In Vietnamese and English) signed by landlady and with my address, my bank account with the same address, and my passport page with the last entry stamp into Vietnam.

2.Proof of payslips matching bank account – It simply said show proof of monthly payslips matching bank deposits. (They didn’t question the 500,000 THB, but my balance was significantly more.)

I thought this was odd too as I had already uploaded 6 months of bank statements showing salary, 6 months of payslips with company stamp and a little table on the cover page explaining it all.

The covering table listed the months, amount earned in GBP, amount deposited in NZD in bank account and a Thai conversion.

I couldn’t think of any way to make it simpler or more obvious so I just uploaded the same 6 payslips and the same bank statements again but put coloured highlights over the amounts and inserted a comment box saying – January payslip and January salary deposit.

3.Samples of work or portfolio – I had already sent my linkedIn link and a letter of recommendation from the organization I freelance to, stating what I do; tutor students, write course curriculum etc.

So, I decided to upload my CV, some lesson plans, a course I wrote, some IELTS speaking and writing marking templates I’d developed. I honestly thought this might be way off the mark, but didn't know what else could be relevant, and anyway it worked.

And of course I had already supplied all the company stuff; business registration, letter of recommendation, letter stating my work was all remote and no Thai clients and my work contract – all stamped with company stamp.

So, that was the screening process I experienced this week in HCMC. Now, you might get a different officer who checks different things, and they may get stricter or more lenient over time, but that was the state of play this week. I hope it’s helpful for someone thinking of applying in HCMC.