I applied for my DTV visa on March 10 and submitted additional documents on March 11.

Now I’ve been scheduled for an interview on March 30.

Is this normal?What should I do? Why did it take so long

“Hi, I received an email today saying my DTV interview in Vientiane is scheduled for March 23. Is it normal to have to wait over ten days? Is there any way to contact the consulate to request an earlier interview? Thanks in advance for any advice! 🙏🏻

Approved in Vientiane / Laos. Freelancer category.

Timeline:

Application submitted: 14/09

Request for further documents: 15/09

Interview: 23/09 10am (seen at 11am)

Approved: less than 15 minutes after my interview.

Entered Thailand: 23/09 (the evening of approval).

So it was 9 days from submitting and paying for the application to then physically being in Thailand 🇹🇭 very fast. I believe it was fast because I was extremely thorough in my application.

The only request for further documents I received was a clearer photo.

This group helped me a LOT!!!! And I mean, A LOT. So thank you to the admins and also all the members 🙏

My experience:

I own an events and entertainment company in Australia. It’s only small. I have zero staff and run it entirely online alone. I employ entertainment contractors for private events, parties and pub / club events.

I supplied a bunch of invoices and a bunch of remittance notices (payment confirmation slips).

I also supplied screenshots of my website and also a copy of my Australia business registry page from their website with my company name and Australian Business number, which matched all of my invoices.

Nothing more for proof of income.

I uploaded screenshots of my bank balance.

I did also upload 3 screenshots of my bank statements but only the opening and closing balances of each month. Not the whole 3 months of every transaction.

I wrote cover letters on every single document page and wrote as much information as possible.

I specifically wrote on page one of my employment documents specifically that my work was 100% Australian only and I had zero intention to bring that work to the kingdom (I referred to the Thailand as the kingdom of Thailand each time it was mentioned).

I explained that my intention of staying in Thailand was to immerse myself in thailands rich culture, nature and to learn about Buddhist culture whilst travelling and boosting the Thai economy through my remote income.

My 500,000THB had only been in my account 2.5 months. Not 3.

During the interview the staff were very kind. My interviewer was lovely. I was in there for under 10 minutes. He just asked to look at my bank balance on my phone app and also to see my website and asked me 1 or 2 questions about what my business actually did and how I was paid.

I found that the process was EXTREMELY easy (thanks to the knowledge acquired from this group) but quite time consuming. I uploaded so many documents because I just absolutely did not want to risk any chance of rejection and I did not rush.

I used Canva to create documents that were multiple pages long so I could upload around 4-6 screenshots / documents per page and also write notes on things if needed and circle things etc. then exported as a PDF and compressed the files before I uploaded. Because as you will see, there is only the option to upload 1 document per section, but of course we need to upload so many more, so this was the easiest way for me and it worked very well.

Thank you to everyone who helped with my questions during this time I will always appreciate you.

I would definitely recommend Vientiane / Laos for applying for DTV because I believe if there’s any small issues or mistakes in your application you’re going to be able to explain these in the interview. Laos is the ONLY destination that do interviews. This is why I chose it.

Please feel free to ask any questions if you would like some help! I’m happy to pay forward what everyone in the group (except the trolls) did to help me.

🫶

Hi, has anyone here applied for the DTV visa in Vientiane?​

The rule says you need 500,000 THB in your bank account, but do they check if it’s there for 3–6 months, or is it OK if the money was deposited recently?​

Would love to hear any recent experiences. Thanks! 🙏

I applied for DTV in Vientiane and got interview date about two weeks ago for June 5th. I have just received an email a few minutes ago saying the interview has been cancelled and to reschedule without any information. The Evisa portal has changed back from “request for interview” to “pending approval.” Has anyone experienced the same thing? There’s no option to reschedule that I can find in the portal or on the email.

Advice pls!

Applied in Vientane 14/5

Paid 14/5

Emailed with interview set for.... 28/5

Anyone else in Vientiane just get shafted?

Is it worth a shot going back in person to the consulate to see if anything can be done?

I've already made bookings hosting my parents for 6 days in Thailand thinking I'd given myself plenty of time from everything I'd read about the Vientiane consulate, and this is... a bit of a clusterf*ck.

Thank goodness my DTV approved using soft power cooking class.

23 March 2025 - Applied the visa online at Laos

24 March 2025

9.00am - Make the payment at the Consulate.

4.26pm - Ask for the Laos Stamp

28 March 2025

9.00am - Went to Consulate and asking my application

10.42am - Email (Ask about the DBD and Owner ID for the Cooking - must signed by the owner). Few round email.

5.00pm - Sent the right documents from the school.

31 March 2025

9.10am - Went to Consulate and asking my application

10.00am - Change status from Checking to Waiting for Approval

3.00pm - Went to Thailand and waiting for the bus

4.55pm - Email (Interview on 2 April 2025 after lunch)

5.30pm - Back to Laos

1 April 2025

2.10pm - Interview

2.15pm - DTV Visa Approval

When I crossed the border, I showed Thai Immigration my visa via phone. But she never bothered to look, because their system already showed DTV.

Im planning my first visa run to vientiane, what would be the things i need to consider?

Do i need to make an appointment in advance, do i just go to the consulate in Vientiane, or how does it work? what are the documents i need to apply for a tourist visa?

Quick note, i cannot get thai visa on arrival so please consider that

Thank you very much!

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to apply for a DTV visa in Vientiane, Laos. I have all the documents ready. As a Korean citizen, I know the visa fee (10,000 THB) should be waived when applying online.

But I heard that in Vientiane, they don’t accept online processing and still charge 10,000 THB — even for countries that are supposed to be exempt.

I also watch some Korean YouTubers paid 10,000 THB there last year.(just after dtv visa appears)

So I’m wondering — did they pay by mistake, or does Vientiane charge everyone regardless of exemption?

For people from visa fee-exempt countries, do you think it's better to avoid applying in Vientiane?

Thanks in advance.

Visa approved in Vientiane.

Yesterday I got an email for an interview scheduled for Monday morning the 17th. I muttered under my breath having to stay the weekend. The standard form email invitation for an interview was missing text and cut off mid sentence. So I hatched a plan to go to the consulate this morning and ask the staff about the missing information in the email in case it was important to prepare for the interview, with the hope that since I was there with my documents that somehow I'd be granted an interview regardless. The young man behind the counter called me up and I showed him the email and tried to explain that there is some missing context in the email, Even though it clearly stated that my appointment was for Monday he gave me a queue number and I waited. About 30 minutes later I was called into the consular and he carefully reviewed my application I showed him some of my supporting medical documents, he looked at my passport opened my bank apps and told me I was approved and expect an email soon. (Jedi mind trick level 2 achievement). I never got a chance to explain why I was there according to the email and by the time I got back to my hotel right now it was approved, so tada. I saved a weekend of waiting. The consul was very clear in instructing me to print out the DTV to be shown in case there was any mistaken visa exempt stamp given at the border.

Submitted March 11th, pending document check 12th, pending approval 13th, interview request 13th, cutting in line 14th, unleashed Jedi mind trick, visa issued 10:30am 14th.