Approved visa in Hanoi Vietnam! ✅🎉

Applied for the Soft Power DTV with Arun Thai cooking

Application submitted: Friday 16/10

Changed to Pending approval 17/10

No document requests.

Approval received: Wednesday 29/10

What I submitted:

Bio data page of US passport

Passport photo

Proof of current address:

- Hanoi evisa document

- 1 passport page with Vietnam stamp

- Agoda bill recent for apartment in Hanoi

- Confirmed booking for flight from HAN to DMK for 25/11

- a picture of me holding apartment keys and a grocery receipt showing the date on the receipt as 14/10

- A close up of the keys and receipt together.

- Agoda page with address of serviced apartment

Three months of bank statements from a HYSA

- September, August, July statements

- The tenth of August had the full amount 500k baht amount and September the entire month. July had like 200k baht.

Arun Thai Cooking school documents.

I wrote a cover letter in English explaining that I will write a small letter in Thai explaining why I choose soft power cooking. I explained why in Thai because I had previously studied Thai getting an ED visa for 18 months and wanted to show that I actually studied and am continuing to learn Thai. The letter was basic and just said Thai food is famous and listed some of my favorites and that I want to learn.

Last time I went Bangkok in January 2025 after spending a month in Japan, I got grilled by the IOs for trying to come back without a proper visa. Because I had basically lived in Thailand for a little over two years. Mostly with ED visa. So an hour later they agreed to let me in but they left a note on my file that said I would apply for the dtv visa.

Huge thanks to the group for all the help. I'm excited to go back! Happy to answer any questions!

A second question: A friend, South African, is currently in Laos applying for a tourist visa after 2 consecutive ED visas. He has all the docs, the 20K in cash, a plane ticket to Malaysia, up to date bank statements, you name it, but he is still worried that even if the visa is granted, he will be denied entry at Phuket Airport. Does anyone have any idea how likely this is considering the fact that he is from SA and has two ED visas in his passport? Thanks again.