There are some really helpful people in this thread, and I truly appreciate it!

US Passport applied Ho Chi Minh DTV soft power cooking just approved today

* 26 January: Applied for DTV soft power in Ho Chi Minh City

* 3 February: Additional documents requested

* Photos of all pages of my passport next to a device showing the current date and time

* Additional financial information clarifications

* A letter outlining my intentions for the next five years

* 12 February: Application approved

My finances were a bit complicated, as I needed to show funds across four different accounts to meet the required amount and in different currencies. I decided to use an agency (Issa Compass), which helped me with organising and presenting the financial documentation, and they caught a few errors I made in my initial app. For me, using an agency was worth it given these complications and bandwidth issues.

For the activity requirement, I applied under the cooking option and used Arun Thai Cooking. I would recommend taking photos of yourself cooking for the application, as I think this was helpful.

I see that you need to show proof of a boarding pass and accommodation in Thailand , but yet they can still deny your visa ? 😂

Also do people recommend applying direct to the Thai E-visa website or do you have a better chance with an agency like Siam Legal or Issa Compass ?

I am from Ireland but will most likely be applying in Spain

Thanks

Is there anything you can do after rejection?? Also is there a reputable agency that can help?

Hey everyone 👋

I posted a few questions here quite a while ago. As it usually goes in groups like this: I got a lot of genuinely helpful and solid replies — and of course a few… very confident ones 😉

Overall though: great group, thanks a lot, especially to those who also reached out privately with useful tips.

That’s why I’m posting this not anonymously. If anyone has follow-up questions, feel free to message me privately — just like I did back then. I didn’t follow every single suggestion, but I did apply several of them.

Quick update on the visa process, as this seems to be relevant for many:

I submitted my application in Hanoi on Thursday at noon and received the approval email about two hours ago.

👉 Thai E-Visa DTV approved.

Important detail: no follow-up questions at all. No additional documents, no back and forth.

The status already changed to “Pending Approval” on Friday, and after that it simply went through.

Timeline wise:

Thursday submission → Friday working day → Monday working day → approved today.

Whether you count Thursday or not — in total it was around 4 working days in Hanoi.

Honestly: super smooth and very easy process.

For full transparency — before any unnecessary comments come up 😉

I did this through an agency.

Total cost: around €500, including visa + agency fee. That’s it.

Four working days later, DTV approved.

Of course, everyone can (and should) decide for themselves whether they want to do everything on their own.

For me personally, those few hundred euros were 100% worth it — saving time, stress, and potentially extra days in the country.

Hope this helps someone 🙌

Hey anyone ! I’m a freelancer looking into the DTV visa – wondering if anyone’s done it via an agency or on your own? Also curious if anyone here applied in Laos? Any tips would be awesome. Thanks heaps! 😊

Did someone appy in Brazil? Will do in December.

Hi, I am in need of visa extension advice. I came to Bangkok with a Non-B single entry visa and it expires next month. I was told, I can either go for a Visa run to Laos or do the extension here. Is anyone familiar with doing the extension in Bangkok? Any agencies that can help with that? Thank you!