AteVChiang Mai border run to Chiang Khong/Huayxai completer. We found a private car service for about half the price of the organized Van trip. That way we could stop for snack and smoke breaks on the way. Fast exit and entry into Laos. We had Lao e-visas but still had to fill out an arrival and departure card. We waited about 20 minutes for the bus across the friendship bridge, ฿25 a person entering into Laos was smooth, but there was another ฿20 charge after we cleared immigration. We turned right back around and went back in. The Lao immigration person was very friendly, asked several times if we were sure we didn’t have to stay two days. We assured her that was not the case, hoping we were right, as we had been informed in this forum. It was a short wait for the bus back across the friendship, bridge, and our entry into Thailand was smooth and easy. The Thai immigration officer took our DTV’s, asked us where we lived, which was Chiang Mai, and stamped us back in through January 8, 2026. We had filled out the TDAC online and were prepared with the digital downloads I saved to my phone. However, just like the last time we came in at Chiang Mai airport, we were never asked for it. I imagine they just looked it up on the computer and saw that we had it, but no one ever mentioned it. thanks for all your help. 

If I’m currently in Thailand and need to leave after 6 months being on a DTV.

- Do I have to stay abroad for a certain number of days, or can I leave and return on the same day?

Hi everyone, I need some help regarding the DTV Soft Power visa (Cooking category).

We are a group of seven friends from Serbia, and we’re all planning to move to Bangkok.

On July 1st, each of us deposited 500,000 THB into our personal bank accounts, to meet the 3-month financial requirement for the DTV visa.

We plan to fly to Bangkok on October 15th, and were originally thinking of applying for the DTV visa on October 1st at the Thai embassy in Athens, Greece.

Now here’s our concern:

• If we apply on October 1st, we only have 15 days before our flight.

• We’re not sure if that’s enough time for the visa to be processed.

• If it gets delayed or rejected, we might waste the application fee and miss our flight plan.

So our question is:

👉 Is it too risky to apply for the visa in Athens just 15 days before our trip?

👉 Would it be a better option to just fly to Bangkok on a tourist exemption, and then do a visa run to Laos to apply for the DTV visa from there?

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I applied for the DTV (worcation - freelancer) in Phnom Penh on June 22 and it was approved today. No additional documents asked. Thank you everyone for all the information I found here! It was a great help. If anyone has any questions don't hesitate to ask...

Calling all Thailand adventurers and DTV holders! 🇹🇭

I'm currently planning my trip to Thailand on the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) and looking for some wisdom from this fantastic group! 🙏

While the DTV doesn't always have strict health insurance mandates, I definitely want to be prepared for any unexpected bumps in the road.

For those of you who have obtained or are planning to use the DTV, what travel insurance providers have you found to be the best for basic coverage?

Specifically, I'm hoping to hear about plans that effectively cover:

* Medical emergencies (hospitalization, doctor visits)

* Emergency evacuation (just in case!)

* Repatriation of remains (always important to have this covered, even if you hope to never need it)

Bonus points for any providers that are known for good customer service or easy claims processes, especially if you've had to use them while in Thailand.

Your personal experiences and recommendations would be super helpful! Drop your suggestions and any tips you have in the comments below. 👇

#DTVVisa #ThailandTravel #TravelInsurance #DigitalNomad #Thailand #TravelTips #AskTheGroup

Hi everyone!

I have a question for those who’ve had experience with the DTV visa. I’ll need to renew my passport soon, but I’ve been told there’s no official procedure to transfer the DTV visa stamp to a new passport. That means I’ll have to carry both the old and new passports when entering or leaving Thailand.

Has anyone here gone through this situation?

How does it work in practice at immigration?

Any tips or things I should be aware of when traveling with two passports?

Thanks in advance for your help!

The immigration officer didn’t even look at the TDAC or the DTV printout. She didn't even take it from my hands..just the passport.

She simply asked, “What’s your purpose of visit?”

I replied, “Workcation,” and showed her my visa.

Then she signaled someone to close the counter gates and made a phone call. I ended up waiting for about 15 minutes.

During that time, she just kept staring at her screen and eventually asked, “How long will you stay?”

I said, “A month.”

Later, one of her colleagues arrived, and they had a quick exchange. All I could catch was “dai, dai” - which I assume meant “okay” or “can.”

Then the colleague turned to me and asked, “Mister, what work do you do?”

I told her I run a company back home and manage it remotely.

That was it. They stamped me in.

Still, the whole experience felt a bit tense and nerve-wracking.

Hi

I need to do my first border run with DTV

Can I do a round trip flight to Cambodia, stay just 24 hours, and then return to Bangkok?

Or is that too short of a stay?

Printed my DTV Visa with passport size and laminated it so easy to carry and show if needed 😅

Today the first time I enter Thailand via DMK and I will update in the comment section 🙌

Happy Travelling to Thailand everyone!

Hi Everyone,

First post 😊 Thank you for all the great tips!

Planning my first trip to Thailand in December as I prepare for the big move next year under DTV. *birthday trip combo🥳🪷

What is the best method to secure lodging accommodations? 👀

Hotels? Air BnB? Local rentals?