Everyone was so helpful in this group, I wanted to share my experience getting approval on my workcation/freelance DTV in Vientiane, Laos. It’s long, but hopefully helpful!

In advance of my arrival, I prepared all my documents.

Here’s everything I submitted, and I also submitted a cover page for each, explaining what I was including.

Financial Documents

1/ Bank Statement Summaries for three months (includes ending balance).

(I also offered them full bank statements (17 pages!) with all transactions, but they didn’t request them)

2/ Payments from clients (past three months)

3/ Client letters confirming self-employment status and that none of them were based in Thailand or had any offices there, along with 1099s (independent contractor tax form)

4/ Tax Return from 2024 (to show business income)

Professional Portfolio

1/ Cover letter explaining why I wanted to be in Thailand. Again, I mentioned I had no clients with business in Thailand, that I would be working remotely. I also mentioned wanting to immerse myself in the culture.

2/ Portfolio (I’m a freelance copywriter, so it was samples of client work, and an explanation of my role in the project)

3/ Resume

Proof that I was in Laos:

1/ Photo of plane ticket with arrival in Laos

2/ Photo of passport page with Laos entry stamp

3/ Hotel receipt

Tuesday, 11/11, arrived in Laos and submitted all documents online. PRINT OUT the payment voucher.

Wednesday 11/12, I went to the Embassy of Thailand (15 Rue Bourichane) to pay the $10,000 baht.

They open at 9am, but get there early! I was there at 8:45am and there were already 5 people in front of me. Go to the bank window, present your payment voucher and baht. They’ll stamp your voucher, but you don’t get any receipt.

Thursday, 11/13, they asked for a clearer passport page, and the full page of the passport page with entry stamp (I’d only sent the entry stamp). Respond quickly to any requests for additional information.

Friday, 11/14. I received my request for interview for Monday, 11/17! Just to be on the safe side, I printed out all my bank statements, and everything else I’d submitted.

Monday, 11/17. Interview at 10am. Again, go EARLY. They give the same time slot to multiple people.

The interview was 10 minutes at most: What are your plans while you’re in Thailand, wanted to see online bank balance, and again see client payments. I showed my website, explained my business, and where I’d be living in Thailand. I was told if I’d been approved, I’d hear by 2pm, and the answer was yes!

So amazingly, the whole process took less than a week!

I should mention that I applied before in August (Washington, DC Embassy) and was denied because my 500,000 baht had only been in my account for 2, not 3 months. I was offered the Multiple Entry Visa, which I declined. Having applied and been rejected before had no impact on this application in Laos.

I'm getting started as a freelancer and I have about 700,000 Baht in the bank. Do you think if I have a registered business, portfolio, website, but not much freelance income, I would be denied the DTV for the freelance path? Or should I go the soft power route?

Hey, is anyone able to help me just to make sure I have what’s needed for the DTV. I think I have everything, but just from people’s personal experiences, any tips would be amazing!

I will have (at the time of applying)

- 500,000 baht in my account for 3/4 months

- 6 months of invoices and matching bank statements

- a freelance contract (I freelance for a uk company)

- a letter stating I can work remotely and no Thai connections

- cover letters.

I will also have the usual passport/accomodation/flights etc.

In terms of preparing now, does anyone know if I need anything else? I’ll be applying in London next year.

Thanks for the help!

I'm applying from Vietnam soon. I work teaching English for Italki HK Limited. I'm not an employee but considered a freelance worker. When they ask for: Professional portfolio showcasing digital nomad, remote worker, foreign talent or freelancer status, what exactly does that entail? Would screenshots of my profile page showing the number of students and lessons, my picture, my teaching style and methods be enough? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Has anyone recently been approved from Ottawa (Canada)? If yes, when did you apply? Thank you!

Hello I'm applying in Hanoi in 2 weeks.

I’m a remote software engineer and self-employed, should I apply through the freelance or business owner pathway ?

I don’t have a salary or employment contract per se, since I pay myself through dividends and cash compensations.

However, I do have a tax return showing a good income (under a different tax/company structure last year).

I’d appreciate any guidance on how to best structure or present my application.

I only stay 6 days in Hanoi before moving back in Thailand by the way, hope it's enough...

Are there any types of dt-visas for creatives or artists?

I've recently applied for a DTV from Singapore. I'm a Singapore citizen.

I applied under the freelance/digital nomad route.

I have income from my online and in-person (only in Singapore, fly in couple of times a year) work, but the rest is mostly from passive income (rental and dividends)

My big issue is with the interview. I applied on 29 September, and I'm flying out of the country to Korea on the 20th of October. I assumed that I would be able to defer the interview should it be scheduled after I leave, to after I come back from Korea but I read somewhere that one has to reschedule their interview within 7 days of the requested interview day/time or the application gets rejected.

Does anyone else have such an experience before? I have another 18 days left for additional documents/interview, and I know that every country is different. Just feeling a little anxious and wanted to get some perspectives. Losing $500 is a lot of money.

I am currently applying for a DTV (Freelance Visa) from the U.K.

I have bought a flight and entered the date and flight details, now I must add an "intended date of departure"

-It is a five year visa that I am applying for, so should I put in a date five years from my initial arrival?

Or should I enter a date that is within 180 days or my arrival?

It is a bit unclear.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you kindly.

DTV Approved in Fukuoka, Japan 🇯🇵

9/9 - Submitted online application for workcation (freelance)

* Passport Page

* Visa Photo (I used the same as my passport as my passport is brand new)

* Page screenshots from my professional website and digital portfolio showing my work (I'm a creative)

* Contract with one client + screenshot of an email where I had an agreement with another client

* Official bank statement from the bank showing my current balance + digital banking screenshot to show 3 months worth

* Payslips from clients as well as corresponding deposits highlighted from my bank statement just to show that I'm actually getting paid (different bank so different screenshot to above)

9/10 - Additional documents requested (flight ticket proof & accommodation in Bangkok)

* I am staying with my mother who is a Japanese national with a work permit in Thailand for the past 20 years

* I submitted a copy of her rental agreement with the landlord that covers the duration of my stay, her passport copy and her Thai work permit copy just in case

9/11 - Approved!

I was quite worried I wouldn't get it after reading so many posts about rejections + people getting a METV instead but I didn't think I would get it this fast🥹 For reference, I'm a Japanese national living in Tokyo. I chose the Fukuoka consulate as I read that the Tokyo consulate is one of the most difficult consulates.

*Edit: Added more details in case it helps any future applicants. *