# DTV Update: HCMC Approved!

I'm in HCMC right now and just picked up my DTV today.

Here's what I did to prepare:

- Scheduled my appt at the HCMC Thail consulate 3 weeks ahead of my trip

- Pre-filled the visa app from HCMC Thai consulate

- Printed out my American business license/LLC paperwork

- Printed out 2 client contracts with my American biz name/address shown (matched LLC paperwork)

- Printed out 6mos of bank statements with 500k+ baht showing for all 6 mos

- Printed out my HCMC hotel confirmation

- Had visa pics printed and ready

- Had precisely $340 USD in crisp bills

What they did when I arrived that you can do ahead of time:

- Had me glue my picture to my visa app

- Highlighted the ending bank account summary amount for each month

What issue I ran into:

- One of my USD bills had a tiny bit of ink on it - they asked me to exchange it for a "clean" one. I popped over to a currency converter shop and exchanged it, and was able to get back in line without an appointment.

Visa approval + pickup

- They processed all the paperwork with the "clean" bills in 5 minutes and gave me a slip to pick up my passport with the new DTV in 48 hours. (This means you're officially "approved")

- Two days later, I returned the slip and instantly picked up my passport, which included DTV.

*NOTE: The HCMC Thai Consulate visa center is a tiny container office outside.*

I hope this helps!