@John ********

yes I agree, i thought it was easy to obtain, and that's supposed to be its point.

there was an earlier comment (can't locate ATM) asking about the cited processing times, here are some examples from the official dtv sites: 📸 Screenshot 1: Thai eVisa Official FAQ

🔗

FAQ Question:

"How long will it take to process my e-Visa application?"

📷 Screenshot (as of June 21, 2025):

Text:

“The processing time for e-Visa is 7 working days after the application and all required documents have been submitted.”

📸 Screenshot 2: Royal Thai Embassy – Washington D.C.

🔗

📷 Key Section:

“Once approved, the e-Visa will be sent to your email address within 7 business days.”

📸 Screenshot 3: Royal Thai Consulate – Sydney

🔗

📷 Key Section (Destination Thailand Visa overview):

“The processing time is 7–10 working days after application.”

✅ Summary of Findings:

Source Processing Time Stated

Thai eVisa Official FAQ 7 working days

Thai Embassy (USA) 7 business days

Thai Consulate (Sydney) 7–10 working days

these estimates were consistent with what I heard in my initial contacts

PS to add more detail, my fallback plan if the DTV were not approved, was to border-bounce and get a 90-day exemption.

@John ******

I don't understand the question...? I booked a round-trip flight to the US so I could be outside and near the consulate while applying for the DTV. I had some communication with them and had seen posts saying processing time was quick, but I added about 2 weeks buffer time to stay in the US. I scheduled my return flight to get back to Chiang Mai.. At no point did anyone suggest, nor did I see instructions requiring me to cancel my valid visa, or not to re-enter on my valid visa. I was stamped back in, no problem. I did message and phone the consulate, from Thailand, because I was worried the DTV would not be approved before my old visa expired. I received the DTV on the same day my retirement visa expired. Nobody mentioned, nor can I find, instructions requiring the passport to be stamped. In fact,it actually says the opposite.. I understood that I should print it and present it when I later needed to enter The Kingdom, but even then no stamp is used. Text on the how-to-apply page:

>>

“The e-Visa will be sent to your email. Please print out the e-Visa and present it to airlines and Thai Immigration officials for entry into Thailand. No visa sticker will be affixed in your passport.” << so it looks like they meant to address this to those who don't already have valid visas, and I just fell through the gap... does that answer :-)

@John ******

all that would have been fine , had I known. Most likely I'd just exit and chill until it got approved, though... no need to enter on an exemption.

@John ******

I like that part, it's one reason I find the DTV more convenient. Except I also thought the 180-day extension was in lieu of the 90-day reporting...

@Greg *******

🙏in this case, I think it could be helpful (not just to myself, judging from some messages I'm getting...) to better document these SOPs. I did my due diligence, spared no expense, but still can't find the official rules I missed. And if I can point out the lack of information, it might help me petition to avoid the worst consequences of what was basically an administrative error.

@John ******

right - that would have helped immensely, if they had simply cancelled my active visa or told me to, at any point before I received the new one. Do you happen to have a link to where officially that policy is explained?

@Greg *******

yeah... well, I wish the US had been as strict with me. I would have been happy to cancel my oA, postpone my flight back, etc. but didn't run into that before -all my visas were granted/stamped in the same visit to Chiang Mai Immigration. I would also have been happy to leave again to get it stamped, had I known in time...

@Greg *******

I do understand what we are 'meant to do' now, but I'm looking for links to the official instructions. For example, does the law really say that existing visas must be cancelled upon *applying* for new DTV - or, only upon *granting* the new visa? I found no instruction to this effect, nobody cancelled my active visa, nobody asked me to cancel it. Cancellation would have been good. So, if I can understand the actual law or official requirement, that would be helpful. Or even the official instructions saying you have to leave to activate it, as I didn't see that, wasn't told either, except the guy at Immigration seemed to suggest that I could go to the airport to get the passport stamped.