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.

I have a question regarding changing my visa-exempt stamp to Non O based on marriage. Has anyone had experience doing this within Thailand?

I have read mixed reviews on this, but it seems like this can be done at Chaeng Wattana.

I meet the requirements on documentation, but have also read that it’s not as plain sailing as it seems and can just be down to officer desecration on the day 🤔

I want to apply for a DTV visa. Could you tell me what documents are required and how much it costs if I have someone handle the application for me?

hello, question for all experts 🙂 if i arrive in bkk, take over my baggage and recheck with local airline and fly to cambodia, can i reenter under same visa exemption which i get on first “entry”? my country is visa free in thailand..? or could this be a problem and i need to apply for METV? flight would not be connected so i need to go through imigration tho..

planing 14 days of cambodia and than thailand..

thanks!

Does anyone know roughly for the dependents on a dtv visa eg spouse or kids how long it takes from your approval as the main dtv holder, to there’s please. Thanks

Hi guys, anyone recently came in with new passport and DTV visa on old passport? Any issue?

Will it be an issue to do the 90 day reporting with a temporary hotel address in another province than I normally stay? I’ve been traveling around and cannot return ‘home’ until the day I’ve been here 90 days. (Otherwise, does anyone know if it is it still ok to file it up to 7 days ‘late’)?

Hello, seeking for advice. My Boyfriend just got his DTV approved and he's going to stay at my house in Bangkok on his first arrival using DTV entry. Do I have to do TM30?

Thank you in advance.

Question please. As a dtv holder planning to do our first border run soon after the 180 days is done. Is it possible to do my own border run without using a visa agency or would immigration be harder on us if we don’t use a agency? Planning to use the Wang Kelian Border for Malaysia.

🙏

I'm seeing to apply for non O in your own Country. I'm seeing apply online. You can set the location of your lap top to anywhere? So why pay for a trip to your native country.