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Will my unemployment affect my application for the Soft Power visa in Thailand if I show sufficient savings?
Soft Power VisaThai Visa RequirementsIncome RequirementsNon-O VisaFreelancing in ThailandBank StatementMuay Thai VisaFinancial Proof for Visa
May 19, 2025
a year ago
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTERI have over 1M baht, unemployed (freelancer but taking time off) will they ask for income
if I apply soft power? Already in da nang.
if I apply soft power? Already in da nang.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation explores the concerns of an expat applying for a soft power visa in Thailand, specifically asking if showing proof of income is necessary when they have over 1 million baht in savings but are currently unemployed. Participants share their experiences, indicating that income proof might not be necessary for the soft power route, but approval can vary by individual circumstances and embassy requirements. Many emphasize the importance of demonstrating financial stability, such as having sufficient funds, while some suggest that showing bank statements with adequate balances can suffice. There are differing opinions on how crucial it is to prove current income, highlighting the inconsistency of requirements across different embassies.
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Oleksandra **********
My friend applied in Vietnam and she was asked to show her income docs (despite applying for Muay Thai and having bank statements). Luckily, she has been renting her house in another country so she was able to provide tax returns from that and got her DTV.
From my understanding, nowadays in Vietnam they have started to ask for income documents for Soft Power too.
From my understanding, nowadays in Vietnam they have started to ask for income documents for Soft Power too.
Luit *****************
@Oleksandra *********
seems quite logical to me, when you do soft power for longer time, how do you pay for living in Thailand?Oleksandra **********
@Luit ****************
I don't really want to discuss whether it is logical or not, to be honest😅 All I wish is that Thai embassies would publish the official list of all the documents they require so we can be prepared. The income docs weren't mentioned among the requirements for Soft Power route in Vietnam so it was not a very pleasant surprise.
Luit *****************
@Oleksandra *********
The fact that you want an official list shows you don't understand the process of visa application.Wherever you are in the world, visa application process is not exact science.
There are basic rules, called requirements, and the rest is a process where humans decide and have to find out if they think the applicant should be accepted.
For this task they have guidelines, and authority to ask anything that might help them to decide.
It is strange that you were surprised by request for income docs.
On the official website is mentioned that all embassies might ask for additional information.
When you want to participate in soft power activitity for a long time, it would be normal you also have realized by yourself how you want to finance your stay in Thailand, so when asked for income documents, it should not be too difficult to show the way you plan to do.
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Michael ********
Just think of something medical, you can do in Thailand.
It can be anything that a beauty or health clinic offers, or book multiple dental appointments for dental cleaning.
1. Contact Clinic (Clinic must have a Doctor at the premises)
2. Book appointments.
3. Ask if they can write you a letter or write the letter yourself to give to the clinic to sign, stamp & return to you.
4. Clinic provides the letter which must include their medical registration licence certificate. (You may likely receive 2 documents, so you then need to convert into a single pdf file)
What to say on the letter.
Option 1:
"Insert Name" is a patient of our clinic, they began their first consultation on "date"
they hold a package with our clinic for treatment which can take up to 2 years to complete.
Option 2:
"Insert Name" is a patient of our clinic, they began their first consultation on "date"
they will be coming in for the purpose of "treatment" & they have appointments scheduled for the following dates.
5th of June 2025
15 July 2025
10th of September 2025
Aim for 3-6 appointments over an 18-24 month period or have the letter state how you need to come in monthly for treatment.
- The consultation date, is the first date you reached out to the clinic to discuss.
- Treatment "package" people often bulk purchase IV drips, Botox, all kinds of various treatments.
Search:
To get a feel of what services may suit you.
- As the treatment is medical related, you have the right to be vague as it's for health - purposes, however you also need to provide enough detail to fill at least half a page.
- Kindly ask the clinic if they can write the letter, or sign & return your letter, informing the clinic, I need the letter for visa purposes as I will be coming & going from Thailand multiple times & your letter will support me when explaining to immigration why I may frequently be exiting & returning to Thailand.
- I deposited the funds into an account I don't use, for the purpose of the visa.
(Unfortunately I didn't remove the funds & got carried away spending it 😅😂)
*The source of my funds was clear enough & I didn't have to elaborate further as it was for soft power.
It can be anything that a beauty or health clinic offers, or book multiple dental appointments for dental cleaning.
1. Contact Clinic (Clinic must have a Doctor at the premises)
2. Book appointments.
3. Ask if they can write you a letter or write the letter yourself to give to the clinic to sign, stamp & return to you.
4. Clinic provides the letter which must include their medical registration licence certificate. (You may likely receive 2 documents, so you then need to convert into a single pdf file)
What to say on the letter.
Option 1:
"Insert Name" is a patient of our clinic, they began their first consultation on "date"
they hold a package with our clinic for treatment which can take up to 2 years to complete.
Option 2:
"Insert Name" is a patient of our clinic, they began their first consultation on "date"
they will be coming in for the purpose of "treatment" & they have appointments scheduled for the following dates.
5th of June 2025
15 July 2025
10th of September 2025
Aim for 3-6 appointments over an 18-24 month period or have the letter state how you need to come in monthly for treatment.
- The consultation date, is the first date you reached out to the clinic to discuss.
- Treatment "package" people often bulk purchase IV drips, Botox, all kinds of various treatments.
Search:
*************************
To get a feel of what services may suit you.
- As the treatment is medical related, you have the right to be vague as it's for health - purposes, however you also need to provide enough detail to fill at least half a page.
- Kindly ask the clinic if they can write the letter, or sign & return your letter, informing the clinic, I need the letter for visa purposes as I will be coming & going from Thailand multiple times & your letter will support me when explaining to immigration why I may frequently be exiting & returning to Thailand.
- I deposited the funds into an account I don't use, for the purpose of the visa.
(Unfortunately I didn't remove the funds & got carried away spending it 😅😂)
*The source of my funds was clear enough & I didn't have to elaborate further as it was for soft power.
Alain ***************
Not needed in bern Switzerland. Just bank balance. I could proof income from embassy in Bangkok but they didn’t ask. Not broke yet lol
Anonymous ******************
I just applied in Laos this morning.
Unemployed, put 1 million baht in my Thai bank account 2 months ago, attached 6 months UK bank statements with more than enough to cover my expenses for life.
Hopefully I'll have an update soon.
I did attach a cover letter.
Unemployed, put 1 million baht in my Thai bank account 2 months ago, attached 6 months UK bank statements with more than enough to cover my expenses for life.
Hopefully I'll have an update soon.
I did attach a cover letter.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTERAnonymous participant 397 why Laos and not Vietnam? I thought Vietnam is easier?
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant Laos is meant to be much faster, a lot of people are waiting 2-4 weeks in Vietnam.
I'd much rather Vietnam as I love it there, Laos is pretty crap, very boring with nothing to do so hoping it doesn't take long or I'll go mental lol
I'd much rather Vietnam as I love it there, Laos is pretty crap, very boring with nothing to do so hoping it doesn't take long or I'll go mental lol
Reply to
Anonymous ******************
Reply
Wayne *******
Freelancing in what?
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Wayne ******
will they ask Me that or are you just curiousWayne *******
Anonymous participant Im asking for myself, on the look out for some edibles 😁
I was told that if I wanted to work online teaching for example, that I need to be currently working as you need to show a live account salary is being paid into. I havent worked for 3 years online because the pay is low and Im in the UK so not worth it. But in Thailand it is. But the agency told me that I would need to be currently working. My thought process on that would be to sart working again say in VN, get my account live again and then apply for the DTV there. Im in no rush though as its summer here haha
I know you're going down the soft power route so the details may differ for the 2 of us but thats my limited experience so far
I was told that if I wanted to work online teaching for example, that I need to be currently working as you need to show a live account salary is being paid into. I havent worked for 3 years online because the pay is low and Im in the UK so not worth it. But in Thailand it is. But the agency told me that I would need to be currently working. My thought process on that would be to sart working again say in VN, get my account live again and then apply for the DTV there. Im in no rush though as its summer here haha
I know you're going down the soft power route so the details may differ for the 2 of us but thats my limited experience so far
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Wayne ******
how long of showing income do you need to have after taking time off work?Wayne *******
Anonymous participant Im not sure about that. I think its a minimum of 500,000 baht that you have in LIQUID assets so no pensions or stocks n shares kinda stuff. Thats got to be in your account at the time you apply. Someone will hopefully add to this as Im sure somewhere I read the money has to be in your account 3 months prior and some time after but not sure how strict that is.
Luit *****************
@Wayne ******
Some time after applying is the time you want to use the visa.The 500K is just a visa requirement.
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Rud *********
ok so you actually do still need an income source based on this site (although that's not what the official site says)Rud **********
Anonym deltaker This is the DTV site.. DTV is a rather new form for Visa .. What is the official site you refer to?
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Rud *********
it's not an official site of the Thai government, it looks like a place called fitfac Muay ThaiRud **********
Anonym deltaker Then you will get the info when applying, but i find it strange that there are no income requirements.. and you need to show the 6 last months income.. Why do they ask about that, if they dont need proof of income.. 🙏🏻 Good luck 🙏🏻
Luit *****************
@Rud *********
There are no income requirements but every embassy has the right to ask anything they need to decide about your application.When you go for soft power they might want to know how you will pay for living in Thailand, the 500K is NOT meant for daily cost of living.
When you apply as freelancer, they might want to assure you have a real job, and not only a dodgy job on paper.
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Steve *******
There is no income requirement. But there is an employment requirement.
Wannikea *********
@Steve ******
no employment requirements for soft power schemeReply to
Wannikea *********
Reply
David ********
No problem
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@David *******
why does it seem like some people are asked while others are not?David ********
Anonymous participant it depends on nationality of passport and also how you present your account details. Mine was 6 months with transactions showing money in and out. Some nationality just show 500k in account like few days before you think embassy stupid they know the money has been borrow from someone. Especially if they have a history in Thailand and border bounce
Darren **************
Anonymous participant Thailand 😜👌
Reply to
Darren **************
Reply
Pete *******
Of course they will ask you to meet the financial requirements. What are you thinking?
Todd *********
@Pete ******
he is likely thinking that over 1M is more money than the 500k requirement. What are you thinking?!Luit *****************
@Todd ********
the 500K extra above the 500K requirement in case of emergencies is by far not enough to stay 5 years in Thailand, especially not when you also have to pay for the soft power activity, so they still might ask for income.Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Luit ****************
actually it's not 1M.. it's "over 1M".. in reality there's more than 5M. Does it make a difference?Luit *****************
Anonieme deelnemer It certainly might make difference. The only reason they sometimes ask for income is that they want to know the chance you want the visa to work in Thailand is low. With 5M it is much more likely you don't need a job in Thailand to survive.
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Pete *******
@Todd ********
I’m thinking the OP is clueless....Reply to
Pete *******
Reply
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pete ******
which financial requirement? I have the savings and want to do Muay ThaiPete *******
Anonymous participant 500k baht is the requirement, show it and you can obtain the visa.
Stéfan ********
@Pete ******
op meant other income… he’s concerned because he’s currently taking time offTim ***********
@Stéfan *******
yes this is likely what he meant but that won’t matter for Muay Thai.Pete *******
@Stéfan *******
income is not a financial requirement to obtain the DTV.Angelo ***********
@Pete ******
It is. If you want a DTV based on remote work.#Dany ********
@Angelo **********
it is not. income is not a requirement. i have a workcation dtv and all i needed was a bank account overview showing the 500k equivalent. didnt even need bank statements in detail 🤷♀️Angelo ***********
@Dany *******
Then you simply had luck. And probably did not read the requirements.Dany ********
@Angelo **********
where exactly does it say that you need income proof? list me the official source for that. we all know that the only things you need is financial proof that shows 500k equivalent + a work contract / certificate of employment or whatever you do for work (freelance with portfolio, etc.)… it isnowhere stated that you need any income. its not part of the official requirements for a DTV. so i will be happy to read your official source for that claim to educate myself in this matter. please send an official link. thank you 🙏
Angelo ***********
@Dany *******
In the "work contract" part. Or do you have a "work contract" without income? Nitpicking very much?Dany ********
@Angelo **********
you just need a certificate of employment from your employer. and mine didnt state an income. correct. it just needs to say that you work for xyz company and are allowed to work remotely. thats it.Employment contract OR employment certificate in their country or professional portfolio showcasing digital nomad, remote worker, foreign talent or freelancer status
income isnt part of the official regulations. that is a fact. whatever some random officer in a random embassy in a random country thinks he wants to see.
Anonymous ******************
@Pe**
has no idea. Once again giving wrong advicePete *******
Anonymous participant 349 show me where income is a requirement to obtain the DTV?
Tim ***********
@Pete ******
if you apply for the dtv under the work / freelance category you absolutely must show income. The requirements state that you must prove you are employed or freelancing and usually that would be through contracts or invoices or payslips. They want to see that you are working online and making an income.Pete *******
@Tim **********
wrong, income is not a requirement, having 500k funds is the only financial hurdle for a DTV. Showing payslips may be asked for to prove employment but there is no other financial requirement other than the 500k.Tim ***********
@Pete ******
so when the officer asked for my payslips and proof of income i was imagining it ? I applied under the remote work category and showing money coming in was absolutely a requirement. They go hand in hand with that category. Are you just here to troll or be helpful ?Dany ********
@Tim **********
just a random officer with a random request from a random thai embassy in a random country… not official requirements. but you can surely link an official source, right???Tim ***********
@Dany *******
All embassy websites are very clear about the requirements. Just visit and check and you will see that you have to prove that you are a remote worker. How you do that is up to you I suppose. They will ask you for some proof (income, contracts, invoices, etc...) I would put as much as possible together.Tim ***********
@Dany *******
Its not random. If you are applying under the Workaction / Remote work category, you will need to show that you are working remotely - can you do that without pay slips ? I suppose but I would guess that 99% of the time proof of income is going to help you greatly.Dany ********
@Tim **********
yes you can proof remote work / eligibility without a payslip. all you need is a certificate of employment from your company that states remote work. sure you can add your contract but its not even officially needed if you have the certificate. it is an OR condition. and a payslip is not in any official requirement at all.Angelo ***********
@Pete ******
That was not the point of the question. If you consider a "payslip" not a "financial requirement" then you have an odd level of English language.Luit *****************
@Tim **********
Income is not a requirement for DTV, certainly not for remote workers, because they just are employed, but also not for the other types.But they might want to know how you will pay for a living in Thailand, and therefore they might ask for proof of income or question you about how you plan to pay for your living.
Remember that embassies are always allowed to ask for other proof than the minimum requirements stated for the visa, just to be able to decide about your application.
Reply to
Luit *****************
Reply
Dom ********
Should be fine, I had less than 1m baht in bank account when I applied for soft power and was not asked about income.
Each application is different though
Each application is different though
Katherine *******
@Dom *******
I am looking into applying for the Muay Thai soft power visa and I have over 700,000 baht in savings, but was seriously concerned that I don’t have any proof of recurring income and was worried I would be asked for this. May I ask which embassy you applied at that they didn’t ask you for proof of recurring income that you got approved. My biggest fear is to get rejected bc of this. 😰Luit *****************
They sometimes want to see how you can get enough money to live in Thailand.
With no income they might suspect you try to work illegally.
I think you also you should answer this question for yourself, living in Thailand is not for free, and you are not allowed to work there to support your living, so somehow you should have income from outside Thailand.
With no income they might suspect you try to work illegally.
I think you also you should answer this question for yourself, living in Thailand is not for free, and you are not allowed to work there to support your living, so somehow you should have income from outside Thailand.
Dom ********
@Katherine ******
I applied from ukAnonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Katherine ******
yeah that's what I'm stuck on as well, I'm seeing different answers for this 🤷♀️Reply to
Anonymous *************
Reply
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER@Dom *******
what did you write in the cover letter?Dom ********
Anonymous participant I didn’t write one and wasn’t asked for one. I just uploaded all info proving my paid-for 3 months of Muay Thai classes (with an approved gym), with 1 months the bank statement (think it showed around 650k thb).
Only request for additional info was my return flight home
Only request for additional info was my return flight home
Trii ****
@Dom *******
Return flight home for 5 year visa? Or it has to be in 6 months? That's a bit silly requestLuit *****************
@Trii ***
The maximum stay is only 180 days, so they can ask for a return flight in 180 days if they are strict. You can extend with an extra 180 days, but there is no guarantee it will be granted.But normally they will not require this, because it is not even possible allways to book flights that far ahead.
Dom ********
@Trii ***
🤷♂️ they wanted to see my actual e-ticket with confirmed seat number as wellDany ********
@Dom *******
how do you get a confirmed seat number when you dont book a seat?Benjamin *********
@Dom *******
strange, for DTV there is no return fly requiredDom ********
@Benjamin ********
sorry actually my bad, just checked the email and they were asking for my flight from uk to Thailand 👍 makes more senseBenjamin *********
@Dom *******
hehe yeah ))Trii ****
@Dom *******
yeah was thinking they like to make things complicated 😀Dom ********
@Benjamin ********
tbh I’d never thought about it but yeah doesn’t rlly make sense, but luckily I already had my return flight bookedReply to
Dom ********
Reply
Marcus ********
Just put unemployed and savings but show the statements with funds available to support your stay
Finn *******
Yeah they probably will ask for income
They wanted an ending balance minimum 500,000 baht for md
They wanted an ending balance minimum 500,000 baht for md
Reply to
Finn *******
Reply
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