Why was my DTV application replaced with a METV visa after my interview in Savannakhet, Laos?

@Marcus *****

This is very different. With this visa, I can only stay in Thailand for two months. Of course, I can pay to extend it for one more month, but after that I have to leave the country and re-enter. Compared with the DTV, which allows you to stay in Thailand continuously for up to six months, I think it's a huge difference.

@Illya *******

Right now, the only explanation I can think of is that I have too much money in my bank account. My balance has consistently been more than seven times the required amount, and I also have a fixed passive monthly income of around USD 4,000. Maybe they found that unusual and wondered why I have so much cash available.

And during the conversation, there were quite a few details where I wasn’t sure whether he truly understood what I meant, and I also wasn’t sure whether I fully understood what he meant either. So I would still recommend that if someone wants to apply in Laos, it’s better to do it in Vientiane.

@Tahani ****

I can’t remember everything clearly now because it was extremely hot that day, and my interview was at 2PM. I was sweating the whole time.

But I could clearly feel that I was the only person being interviewed.

Regarding my bank statements, I had already submitted three months online. He then asked to see six months on my phone, which I also showed him. After that, he asked to see one year of records. However, my mobile app could not display a full year; it can only be sent via email.

The problem was that accessing the email requires a verification code, and the code is linked to my overseas phone number. I couldn’t receive the SMS in Laos, so in the end I wasn’t able to show him the one-year statement.

But I think this probably shouldn’t be a major issue.

IndigoStrawberry3658 thanks

@James *******

wildcat

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

Thank you for your detailed explanation. Today, I also spoke with someone who has experience with DTV application in Savanakhet. He told me that in Savannakhet, a 9-month course is generally required, while in Vientiane, a 6-month course can still be approved.

I believe my financial documents were not a problem. During the interview, they asked me a lot of detailed questions, and I provided plenty of supporting evidence.

Looking back, I think my main weaknesses were that I chose the wrong location—I should have applied in Vientiane. If I wanted to apply in Savannakhet, I should have prepared a 9-month course instead.

Thank you again for your help. Perhaps I will apply again in the future.

DTV_BegPecker

Looking back on the interview, I feel there were few things that were a little unusual.

At the very beginning, the officer spoke to me in Thai. I was caught off guard because my Thai isn't good enough to answer interview questions, so I asked if we could speak in English. He then asked me, "What do you do in Thailand?"

At that moment, I wasn't sure whether he was asking what I had been doing during the past three months in Thailand or what I was planning to do in the future. So I answered that I had spent the past three months traveling in Thailand, and that over the next few months I planned to study Muay Thai.

Overall, he didn't ask many questions about Muay Thai. He only asked which gym I had chosen and how I found it. I don't think there were any obvious problems with my answers. Throughout the interview, he didn't repeatedly question any particular point.

He did examine my bank statements quite carefully, but there didn't seem to be any issues with them.

I think the language may have been an important factor. Many of his questions didn't clearly indicate what he was asking for. Since it was my first DTV interview, I also didn't really understand the underlying logic of the application process. From my perspective, the questions seemed to jump from one topic to another without a clear connection. Perhaps there was actually a very clear logic behind them, but I simply couldn't recognize it during the interview.

Because of that, my answers may have made it sound as though my main purpose was tourism. Of course, that's only my guess. It's also entirely possible that this had nothing to do with the final decision. The real reason may simply have been that a six-month Muay Thai course was considered more appropriate for a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa than for a DTV.

To be honest, the interview environment itself was also quite uncomfortable.

I had to stand outside the building while the officer was inside, and we communicated through a small service window. It was extremely hot that day. There was no fan or air conditioning outside, and my back was covered in sweat throughout the interview.

Because of the small window, I couldn't see anything inside. Every time I wanted to hear him better or make sure he could see and understand my responses, I had to bend down and tilt my head up to look at him.

It felt as though he was standing above me, looking down, while I had to lean forward and look up at him through the window. I think that physical setup also made our communication less smooth and natural.

@Zafer ****

thanks

@John *********

Yes, next time I will probably try applying under the workation category.

The reason I didn't choose that option this time was, first, that I already had sufficient proof of stable passive income and enough money in my bank account. I didn't want to complicate my application by submitting too many documents.

Second, I didn't have enough time to prepare.

My original plan was to enter Thailand using the visa exemption scheme. In fact, I haven't entered Thailand by land under the visa exemption program at all this year.