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.

DTV MANILA APPROVAL —

Applied on 9th November for Workcation, Requested documents on 14th November, Approved 17th November.

I was initially quite surprised that they requested more documents as I sent over more than what I thought was required. The initial submission was about 80 pages including bank statements being about half of that. I included message logs from me and my team, business registration documents, messages to and from suppliers, invoices from suppliers, invoices from 3rd party businesses, messages to and from 3rd party businesses, 4 month statements from all accounts (business, personal and savings account), then proof that I was in PH (Airbnb receipt, stamp and flight details)

The additional requested documents included 6 months statements from business and personal - I submitted a years worth.

wanted to see sales dashboards from my business for the year

Wanted to see orders going through and who they were going to

Listings online for my products

And payment confirmations from e-commerce sites to my business bank.

I reckon with the new changes, they are possibly going to tighten down as I thought that I submitted more than enough details business wise but my recommendation is to submit everything you would feel is necessary to prove that your business is legitimate, even going over board.

Question: Just trying to find out how majority when about the visa process. 🤔

Did you wait until you got to Thailand to apply for your long-term visa?

Laos embassy DTV approval

Hello I got my DTV approved in Vientiane a few days ago through a Muay Thai course.

I went to pay the 10.000 baht one day. Went there 10 mins before the embassy opened and I was out in like 10 mins. The same day I paid the fee I got the email with the date for the interview, it took 5 days.

The interview was very fast, 5 mins. They asked to see my bank account app, to see the payment for the DTV course ( I paid with credit card so I showed the receipt). I brought a letter from the Muay Thai gym as well.

The same day I got an email with the DTV approved.

I stayed in Vientiane for a week for the visa but I'd recommend just paying for the visa and going to other parts of laos (vang vieng or luang prabang) and to go back with the train for the interview, Vientiane is kinda boring for 7 days.

Other than that all good

I applied for a DTV visa at the Tokyo embassy at the end of last month and had an interview in Tokyo on the 4th of this month. Today, the visa was approved and sent to me. However, it was labeled "Tourist TR VISA". The validity period is only about 6 months.What could be the problem? Has anyone else experienced a similar situation?

- Approved - Vientiane -

This group was super a great support, I owe a lot to it. Happy to help if anyone has any questions

Citizenship: Indian

Background: 7 years on WP and Non-B visa, until this July

Category: Muay Thai soft power

Documents submitted: Thai bank statement, Muay Thai invitation letter, Laos entry stamp

Timeline:

10/27 - Entered Vientiane, submitted online application and paid visa fee same day

10/28 - Received an email to resubmit a clearer copy of bank statement. Submitted same day and received interview invitation almost immediately

11/3 - Attended interview. Officer asked to show online banking and the payment transaction made to Muay Thai gym. They also asked for the reason for quitting my job in Thailand and switching to DTV.

11/3 - Received approval email after 2 hours of interviews.

11/3 - Entered Thailand via Nong Khai border. No questions asked at immigration and stamped in less than 30 seconds

Thanks everyone again 🙏

I applied for DTV in Malaysia(kuala Lumpur) provided all document they needed but still got rejected is it maybe because I had previous visa runs or anything else I showed a proof with the requested amount my working contract from Cyprus that clarify that I can work from anywhere but instead of providing proof of prolonged residence I put the address of my Thai girl friend with a paper that include her name and ID number and also others documents is there a way to find out why it was rejected ?

Has anyone experienced seeing their application status already set to "Pending Approval" and the following day, received another Document Request (status moved back as well)?

Hi. Thanks for your help in advance.

I am currently applying e-visa online in NZ for the

“Pensioner aged 50 plus with pension for 3 months only “ which I am guessing is the Non -O ?

The thing is I only see a few visa questions at a time so I don’t really know all the things I have to do for the whole application

1. Does anyone have all the questions or somewhere I could go to see them all.

2. I dont have a pension so I hoping this is not a questions cos I’m not 65 yet.

3. When you get to the date of departure and return it says intended but then the next question says what are the days you are flying etc

Do you have to like book a ticket and pay for it even before you know if your application is successful ?

4. Do you need to show a utility bill for where you live ?

5. Do I need a flight out of Thailand on the 59 th day as I think NZ airlines ask if you when you depart NZ

5. Any other advise welcome as the visa here is $800 NZ so I definitely need to pass it .

Hi Folks

Just received approval non o Visa

Do I need to have a printeed copy to show

Immigration or will they accept on my my mobile phone as I have no printer where I am staying in Vietnam