DTV Cooking - Approved in Vientiane Laos!

Timeline:

* Landed April 8 Wednesday afternoon, uploaded final docs (visa stamp in passport and visa) and submitted online

* April 9 Thursday - Went to Vientiane Laos embassy at 9am, paid 10,000 THB in person

* April 10 Friday - Nothing

* Songkran Holiday 13 Monday to 15 Wednesday

* 15 Wednesday - Got an email for interview

* 22 Wednesday 10am - Interview. Where is your cooking school? Where will you stay nearby the school (show hotel booking, can book and cancel if needed)? Open your banking app -- BE AWARE they scroll through it and click on it themselves, so no hiding anything or deceit. What will do you after your course is finished (take another course)?

* 22 Wednesday 12pm - DTV sent in my email! Printed out at my guesthouse

* 23 Thursday - Flight to Don Mueng Airport, showed them the DTV paper, I looked in my passport to make sure they stamp correctly. Took less than 30 seconds with the immigration agent (go to one with a man, they go fast and don't ask questions).

Cooking course: Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy They were soooo helpful, fast, responsive. If you get rejected for DTV, they give partial refund.

Agent: Yes, I did use an agent. I used an agent that has a full money-back guarantee, INCLUDING the Visa fee. Message me for their details.

Alternate Soft Power Cooking Schools Bangkok

1.) What are some alternate soft power cooking schools in Bangkok to apply with apart from Arun Cooking & House of Taste ?

2.) Between Hanoi, HCMC & Bali, who has had success applying there from which city ?

Yes, I’ve used the search bar of this group religiously. Just good to collect additional data. Thanks

Approved through Wash DC

Really appreciate all the information I’ve read here over the months. Soft power was Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy. Their DTV package consisting of 10 classes over 6 months.

I submitted one month of financials because I had seen that’s all Washington DC really required, but they requested the full three months.  Approved the day after I sent them. 

There is no spot for a cover letter when applying, so I added one to the top of my bank statement. 

Then added an additional cover letter when I submitted the rest of the bank statements. 

The whole process was eight days. 

Woohoo!

I would like to express my gratitude to this group for the valuable information provided, which has been extremely helpful. I submitted my application in Hanoi, arriving last Wednesday, and lodged it early Thursday morning at 2 AM. Later that day, I received an email from the embassy requesting additional documents, specifically the entry stamp from Vietnam in my passport, along with the school's registration and the director's ID, which I promptly sent. This morning, I received my e-visa and am now prepared to return to Bangkok tomorrow. I was initially concerned about the possibility of needing to rebook my flight and extending my stay, so I am relieved to have received it today. 🙏😊

The documents I submitted included my passport bio page, a photo, a six-month bank statement, an acceptance letter from the Thai Cooking Academy, and my boarding pass. Additionally, I noted on the application form that I previously held an ED visa from 2021 to 2022.

Update:

Arrived yesterday evening, presented my DTV e-visa, no question asked just stamped.

Hi All hope this helps,

So I applied on the 3rd Feb but uploaded all the documents prior arriving accept for the proof of current location where I submitted Airbnb reservation and photo of my passport stamp from the day of entry along with the rest of the uploaded documents. I applied for Soft Power DTV in Vietnam HCM. The soft power was cooking academy course in bangkok.

I have been asked. For additional 6 months bank statements after I only given 4 months and proof of employment while I ticked not employed and no salary. This took 4 days.

When I re-uploaded additional docs I have been asked 4 days later for more info about my cooking course. I provided initially document from the academy saying I paid, and the length letter saying its 6 months course with 20 lessons spread over the 6 months, company details and some Thai document from the academy. I have added photos from their website and the cooking timetable of all the cooking lessons for the the whole year which I asked from the academy and they were very responsive. This took also 4 days from my previous re-submition as mention.

Then on Valentines day 2 days later I received approval.

I was stressed but i stayed put, I have been just hanging around very good cheap airbnbs in Saigon and having tinder dates which kept me occupied 😀.

Good luck and ask for more details if anything.

Any known cooking institute eligible for DTV? Bangkok or Chiang Mai