What Will Happen to the DTV in Thailand After Five Years?

@Ivan ***********

well I know the relative prices so I was checking on his claim about saving money somehow.

@Ro***

I read it as him saying you could save money as in, save up the money and then buy Elite. Not that you pay less for it.

@Ivan ***********

lol, actually yes that interpretation does make sense. But - the OP didn't mention cost was an issue, so the comment could've been simply to get the Elite. Anyway.

@Manuel ********

it’s not. But it functions as one. And getting an actual immigrant or residency visa to Thailand is a major endeavour. The best option is LTR, DTV or elite. All of which allow full time residency

@Todd ********

and still all of the 3 are tourist visa 😁 non of the 3 open you the route for PR requirements. Believe me I’m shocked how often I need to show my WP to get a simple service. The struggle with that on a TR going to be annoying as hell

@Manuel ********

and yet you are mistaken. The words LTR stands for are a bit of a giveaway. Long term residency. Not long term tourism. And so far, haven’t had to show it for anything in the first two years. I doubt Thailand will ever open a gateway to easy PR or citizenship which is a smarter move than western countries are making.

@Jet *******

That's incorrect. There are more foreign workers in Japan than ever. And that's not counting the illegal workers who went there on a tourist visa for the purpose of finding work. Immigration there knows this but they know small and medium companies there are starved for labor so they look the other way. Same in Korea.

@Joseph ***

Yeah lots of farms, rural firms desperate for workers. Care homes too.

@Andi **********

Yep. And all hotels, restaurants. Even many of the combini's in Tokyo are staffed by South and Southeast Asians, these days.

@Jet *******

I have lived in Tokyo 15+yrs and it is easier to live there as a foreigner, than ever before, I think. Lots more foreigners have their own business in Japan and the range of jobs available to foreigners is the most it's ever been. Renting an apartment is not that hard anymore. The visa regulations for long term stays have relaxed. The Japan digi nomad visa though is very, very difficult to obtain unlike in Thailand.

@Andi **********

You beat me to it. You're correct.

@Jet *******

The US constantly reviews immigration practices. Just a day ago, Canada announced changes to cut work permits by 30% this year and 10% in successive years. A lot of the time immigration rules are driven by reciprocity, and the US drives a lot of this. But 2 out of 3 countries you named have political climates that are generally anti-immigration, and that's driving legislative changes. You are surely aware of the recent fallout of the French elections, plus upcoming US elections where it's looking increasingly likely the challenger will win the electoral college vote. All these things will drive churn in legislation that you claim has hardly changed.

@Janelle ****

if you want to live here long term you either buy Elite or find a way to be eligible for a non-immigrant visa. Personally, I wouldn’t trust this DTV for the long haul, but that’s just me. I have a non-immigrant visa.

@Janelle ****

are you an American musician? Do you have representation?

@Janelle ****

Dan and I are friends.