This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Why should expats avoid extensions on the Thai DTV visa?

Mar 11, 2025
4 days ago
Christopher ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I would encourage people to not go for extensions and stop asking about them and I’ll tell you why.

This is a special five year tourist visa and for some reason the Thai government does not want you staying there for a year straight whatever the reason may be, there’s a reason to make it so difficult to get an extension and when you applied for this you knew that you had to fly out every six months and you should’ve planned for that.

I know that the expats in Thailand are notorious for finding ways around the rules of the country and it’s almost kind of like an achievement to them, but the thing is you’re going to ruin this visa for us if you keep trying to push for things like bank accounts on this visa that you’re not supposed to have or extensions that they don’t want to grant you quite clearly, because you are not a resident you are a tourist that’s why we don’t get a residence card.

Yeah, you can kind of treat it like a five year residency, but there is a reason an unwritten reason why they want you to leave every six months and it was baked into the visa and the more people who go for extensions and find ways to get them are going to piss off the people in the ministry and the immigration to where they might just stop letting us in one day , they can do whatever they want with this visa, they can tell us to leave, so you know, pushing the envelope all the time isn’t always the greatest thing and there’s no gain in getting extension except for you save a little bit of money and a little bit of time But in all reality you should’ve planned to leave every six months anyways, so I really get tired of seeing the extension post over and over and over again because I know that it’s going to put an end into this visa and possibly our time on it because even though it says it’s granted for five years, they don’t have to honor it.
6,086
views
53
likes
137
all likes
26
replies
3
images
22
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
A user strongly advises against seeking extensions for the Thai DTV visa, emphasizing that it's essential to comply with the requirement of leaving the country every six months. They argue that frequent attempts to circumvent these rules could jeopardize the visa's future availability and irritate immigration officials. The thread captures a mix of opinions, with some agreeing that adhering to the exit requirement is necessary for preserving the visa, while others highlight the practicality of extensions depending on individual circumstances.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Sergey *********
Bank accounts should be available to anyone legally entering the country without any visa requirements. Banks can (and do) conduct screening from their side and may reject opening account on case-by-case basis, but blanket restriction by visa type is retarded.
Lauren *******
Well said. I’ve come to this conclusion as well. It’s a reasonable thought and those who appreciate this Tourist DTV option will take heed.
Lee ***********
Some truth in what your saying, but not due to extensions although can be problematic depending upon the immigration office, moreover, it's the rest of the ways around this visa that may cause its demise.
Jimmy ******
Exactly....Quit asking for extensions and do what u agreed to.
Cliff *********
A little long winded but you nailed it!

Just come for a while and then go out every NINETY days. No reporting, no extension.

There are lots of nice places nearby.

Please don’t wreck it for the rest of us…..
Biff *******
You dreamt all this up by yourself, right? You read tea leaves as well?
마리오 ***
Danny *******
The reason is tax, no idea why this keeps being misunderstood. They will never take on the burden of tax hence every 180 days 99% will be pushed out
Andrew ********
And also, go explore. SE asia is great and you have a lot of short ( and cheap) flights to get you there. Everyone should be leaving every 6 months anyway, considering how much effort is involved.
Tim *********
🤡
Thomas ********
Bro that last paragraph is a single (very long) sentence.

Also — why do you sound so irritated and pissed off?

Also also — you have no idea what everyone's circumstances are. "Encouraging" them to not do extensions could be more expensive, less logistical, or in my case both (a family of five — airfare, hotel, traveling with young kids) is *WAY* less practical. I'd much rather go for an extension, assuming they'll have me.
Quincy *******
Tim ***********
The government knows exactly what happens if they introduce such a visa. They want that
Tim ********
This kid is a joke. Right?
Tim ********
Just. Go.
Tim ********
Add some facts.
Daniel *********
I find it strange that it’s a visa to target digital nomads and those “nomads” don’t want to travel once every 6 months
Tod *********
You are allowed to apply for ONE 180 day extension per entry on a DTV. At most offices you can do that when you have 30 days or less left on your current 180 day entry stamp (Chiang Mai, Phuket, Bangkok, Samut Prakan and a few others you can do it when you have 45 days or less left on your stamp) There's NO reason to burn a stamp down to the end before you go to your office to see what the requirements are for your extension because the 180 days is added to your current expiration date.

It's not brain science or rocket surgery here people. it boils down to; meet the requirements at the immigration office that serves the area where you stay, you get the extension and don't meet them, you don't get it

I think the process will be more understandable, easier to navigate once more people start applying for the extensions, and that's when you're likely to see (at least the bigger offices) get really consistent as far as what they want for each category of extension on a DTV
Tod *********
𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲,

Where did you get that nonsense? IN fact most of what you went on about is not correct.

It's not that the immigration office cares in the least if you people get extensions on your 180 day entry stamp from your DTV or not. It's that at this time (seeing as people just started coming up to be eligible FOR extensions, there's some back and forth as far as what the requirements are)

Bangkok is following pretty close to the sheets I posted about AND I know more than a dozen people who've got their 180 day extension based on originally holding "work-cation", soft power Muay Thai, soft power medical,

I mean you either meet them or you don't. The rule that you show 500K baht or the equivalent in a bank account for 30 days before you apply is cut pretty much in stone. You also have to still be attending what ever soft power thing you signed up for initially to get the DTV issued to get the extension.

I don't think they are trying to stop people from getting extensions, I think they are trying to hold people to the terms that they had when they got the visa issued AND meet the requirements inside the country to get an extension (TM30, lease, 90 day report, etc)
Kevin **********
@Tod ********
Which is reasonable
Raed ****
they might file for a motion to suspend the DTV visa program as well
Patrick ********
2 month ago he received his visa and now he is what? The Visa Police? Things can change quickly here so be prepared for anything including you!
Bruno ***********
@Patrick *******
lol an other active member of ASEANOW forum here 😆
Simon *******
It’s cute that you think there might be any consistency in the Thai visa policy, it can change any moment. People will always try to find ways around rules, if the rules are completely stupid.
Tod *********
@Simon ******
it doesn't "change at any moment" and people who say that know very little about the visa/extension policies and rules to thailand

I will agree with the fact that given there are OVER 80 immigration offices in the country the amount of leeway and latitude each office has over requirements can indeed be frustrating to people 😕
Simon *******
@Tod ********
bla bla … how long have you stayed? I was there 25 years.