Based on our experience assisting DTV applicants. In most cases, sponsorship letters or showing a parent’s bank account are not accepted. Embassies generally require the 500,000 THB to be in your own personal account.

That said, some embassies are more flexible with how long the funds have been held, as long as the full amount is clearly in your name at the time of application. So even if it’s a recent transfer, it may still be accepted depending on the country you apply from.

Hi Natalie! From our experience assisting DTV applicants:

Yes, you can enter Thailand as a tourist on since your work visa would have expired before your return.

Many of our DTV applicants have followed a similar route.. cancelling, exiting and then re-entering on a tourist stamp before applying from a neighboring country.

We've successfully assisted over 110 applicants in the past 3 months with their DTV visa application so we are quite familiar with the process, feel free to ask anymore questions you have!

From our experience assisting applicants, the Thai embassies in Indonesia (including Jakarta) have accepted bank accounts with funds held for a shorter period than the official 3-month guideline in some cases.

That said, other factors can play an important role, such as having funds above the 500,000 THB minimum, and showing some form of regular or passive income. These can help strengthen the application even if the seasoning period is shorter.

Each embassy still has discretion, so it’s best to prepare as strong a financial profile as possible.

Sorry I wasn't clear earlier! It is ok to travel between cities in Vietnam. Just not to exit the country

Yes, the DTV visa must be applied from outside Thailand — popular options are Vietnam (Da Nang, HCMC), Philippines (Manila), or Indonesia (Bali, Jakarta).

Flying in and out on visa on arrival can work short term, but immigration is getting stricter with people doing it too frequently.

There are 2 main ways to apply for the DTV visa:

1. Workation – for remote workers or business owners. You’ll need:

- Client contracts / employment letter

- Business registration or freelance proof

- Income documentation

2. Thai Soft Power – for those joining cultural programs in Thailand like:

- Muay Thai

- Thai Cooking Classes

*This option has been easier and faster for many applicants, and less scrutiny of documents than applying under Workation

Happy to share that we've supported over 90+ DTV applicants through our cooking school and partner with some of the leading visa agencies and law firms. So feel free to ask more questions as we're quite familiar with the process.

Yes, you can absolutely be in Bali and apply via the Jakarta embassy - everything is done online, so you don’t need to be physically in Jakarta.

The only small risk is if the embassy requests an in-person interview, but that has been very rare so far in Indonesia. Most applicants complete the process without needing to appear in person. Just make sure your documents are complete and you remain reachable in case of any follow-up.

We wouldn’t recommend leaving right away, as embassies have become more strict recently. In several cases, they’ve followed up a few days after submission asking for additional documents like:

- Photos of all passport pages with stamps/visas

- Updated hotel receipts or proof of stay

It’s best to stay around longer or throughout just in case you’re asked to provide extra documents or clarification. Interview requests are still rare, but additional checks are becoming more common.

The official guideline is to have 500,000 THB or equivalent in your personal bank account for at least 3 months.

However, we’ve also noticed that some embassies (like in Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia) may accept applications even if the funds were recently deposited — especially if all other documents are strong, including remote job proof and clear income flow.

Still, it’s a bit risky, so if you apply with only a recent deposit, just be prepared for the possibility that they may ask for additional info or reject it.

It is not advisable to use sponsorship letters and bank statements. From our experience assisting other applicants, it is generally much harder or not accepted by some embassies.

Sorry to hear about your case.. must be frustrating, especially with such a small detail causing the rejection.

If it's not convenient to remain in the U.S. for the process, applying from Hanoi is definitely a reasonable alternative. It's very common for applicants who are rejected in one country to try again from another and get approved successfully.. as long as the rest of your documents and financial requirements are in order.

Wishing you all the best for the next attempt!