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Why was my Thai Culinary Course application for a DTV visa rejected by the Warsaw embassy?

Oct 2, 2025
5 days ago
Andrzej *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just got my DTV application rejected by the Warsaw embassy. The reason was "

* The Thai Culinary Course, with a total duration of 6 months and only 20 hours of culinary training, does not meet the requirements for the DTV visa. The limited course frequency and intensity are insufficient to support an application*.*
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The applicant's DTV visa application was rejected by the Warsaw embassy due to the culinary course being deemed insufficient—only 20 hours of training over 6 months did not meet the embassy's visa requirements. Multiple commenters suggested alternate visa options, including retirement visas and workation visas. Comments also raised concerns about the leniency of DTV visa regulations and shared experiences of successful applications with more intensive courses.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Anonymous ******************
Polish people are not allowed to get DTV
Heinz ***********
I know of people getting the DTV for a cooking class that lasted one single afternoon.
Greg ********
Did the school indicate which embassies have been successful with this course and timing for applicants?
Christopher ***********
Andrzej has reason to feel pained. Did Warsaw embassy publish course minimum frequency and intensity? There are reports of DTV’s granted for half a dozen medical or dental appointments. Total time involved may well be less than 20 hours. If Warsaw embassy didn’t state their application criteria they have committed fraud. Andrzej should ask his bank/credit card company for their intervention.
Anonymous ******************
That’s actually great they rejected it. It is a huge red flag waving to see 20h in 6 months of course. Want more “freedom”? Just apply for workation visa.
Anonymous ******************
20 hrs over 6 months 😂

What do you expect?
Tang *****
You gave them a reason to reject you. Simply research what other people are choosing who are successful and copy.
Anonymous ******************
They can’t just keep giving out 5-year visas without proper restrictions. Look at how other visa types are much stricter/expensive in comparison. A bunch of cooking class hours over months is a joke. I think the DTV is a great option, but it needs to be more regulated to ensure its long-term viability. The problem is that some people are now misusing it as a backup plan after their tourist exemptions or ED visas are no longer feasible. For genuine DTV holders, stricter rules would actually be in your best interest.
Jon **********
How about signing up for a genuine course? 3 hours per month is a pisstake 😅
Anonymous ******************
I heard the same in the Netherlands :(
Don *******
Should show that you’re pumping more $ into their economy. The time spent and money spent to get a 5 year visa makes zero sense for them to approve. They have skewed towards wealthier visa holders.
Anonymous ******************
My cooking class that was accepted was 25 hours per week
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 272 Not even sure if that one would still be accepted as its for a month only.
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 984 is it the number of hours needed or the number of days, or how it's spread out? I divided my 4 weeks across 4 months, 2 weeks in March, 2 weeks in May
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 272 for 4 weeks*
Anonymous ******************
Issa compass
Andrzej *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anonym deltagare 636 ?
Kurt *************
I sent you a dm
Andrzej *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kurt ************
didn't get it.
Kurt *************
try sending me one then 🙂 it might have ended up in your requests
Łukasz ****************
20h a week/month ?
Andi ***********
@Łukasz ***************
20 hrs over 6 mths
Łukasz ****************
@Andi **********
maybe a day ?
Andi ***********
@Łukasz ***************
The course is 6 classes over 6 mths, 2.5 hrs each class.
Łukasz ****************
@Andi **********
so one class 2.5h every month? Its like 15h all together maybe that's why they declined your visa ?
Andi ***********
@Łukasz ***************
Yeah, not enough hours. Others have been rejected by this course too. Embassies are more strict giving SP DTVs now.
Łukasz ****************
@Andi **********
yes I'm not expert but something like 10h a week seems more legit. Good luck 👍
Andi ***********
@Łukasz ***************
It is not me who applied for this course though, it is the OP. I have my DTV- Workcation. Yep 10hrs or so a week is much better
Kungnang **************
You can Apply again with another country p
Elías ********
What the embassy said does make sense, tho. Especially, if you're Polish, you can enter visa free.
Andrzej *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Elías *******
for two month...
Luit *****************
@Andrzej ******
then find a cooking course that puts the 20 hours in those 2 months, problem solved. 20 hours in 6 months sounds as a trick to get DTV and I think embassies also see it that way.
Elías ********
@Andrzej ******
can make it three, without leaving the country, and five or six if you go out and enter one more time.
Maarten *******
I'm sorry that this happened to you. I think it's always a bit risk to apply at an embassy that not many people have reported success at. You might not want to hear this, but I think their stance is actually very reasonable.
Peter ********
Also it’s a bit insane to get a 5 year visa for cooking a few hours. I’m sure this will be changed in the future.

You are also over 50. I would go for the retirement visa 🙂
Andrew *********
@Peter *******
Almost as if the whole thing was a joke.
Peter ********
@Andrew ********
Not sure what you mean, but I don’t think DTV in general is joke. It’s a good visa for by example remote workers.
Andrew *********
@Peter *******
Well remote workers have even less reason for being in Thailand than a few hours of cooking.
Jagoda ************
What was the school?
Andrzej *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jagoda ***********
Arun in Bangkok