Yes, people have tried and some have been successful in fraudulently obtaining the DTV but most would be smart enough not to post about it... though with this group you never know. The only thing the Thailand e-visa system does is change the method of sending in your information. It's still processed by the local Thai embassy or consulate based on where you are. The embassy can and has asked for proof you are in the country like passport pages and proof of fully paid hotel bookings. They can also ask people to come in for interviews. Put in your current location and what embassy you want to apply through and the system will tell you if you can apply. There is also this little note under current location "Your current location is a country or territory in which you remain at the time that you lodge an application" that everyone seems to ignore.

If you lie about your current location and proceed with the application you are technically" violating the terms and conditions of the visa you applied for by providing false information. That page you agree to just before submitting the application states that the information provided is accurate... saying you are somewhere you aren't would be considered false. You do you, but you do risk losing the fee if they determine you lied on the application.

@Allnew *******

you are referring to December 6? It changes to online January 1.

It's all online through the e-visa site from January 1 on. Most nearby embassies have switched or are switching over in January. This has been commented on numerous times in the group.

Anonymous participant the only person who can answer which is better is you since it's based entirely on your personal circumstances.

How much is the guardian visa compared to the DTV? What's the paperwork requirement? DTV for freelancers can require a lot of paperwork and proof of portfolio, etc. If you want the DTV you need to leave Thailand and apply in a nearby country, if following the actual requirements. Depending where you go and how complete your application is will determine the length of time but could take 7 business days... longer if they ask for additional info. Not sure if you have to leave to get the guardian visa, but the school can answer that for you. If you are only planning on staying 6 months paying for a 5 year visa doesn't make sense unless you are planning on coming back and forth before it expires.

What Embassy did you apply at? Some state on the site that you must remain in country until the DTV is issued. Check to see if the one you applied at shows this. Some people had success, others were called in for an interview, some were questioned at immigration when they noticed the stamps and date visa was issued. Impossible to say if this will work for you or not.

$650 CAD. NZ is the most expensive at $2000 NZD.

@Alma **************

consider Phu Quoc, still in Vietnam but is visa free for under 30 days. You'd need to look into if that applies since you are coming from the mainland but it might work.

If online, you apply and receive yours first. Then they apply, providing proof of your DTV as part of the requirements for theirs.

If you can go right away, try Taipei. It's walk in and you can do all dependents in one go.

@George ************

@Todd ********

is right about the looking at the LTR first, if you qualify it is the best option. Just two small notes: 1) Currently the Non O 90 day in Canada no longer requires proof of insurance, even though it still shows on the embassy site. We went back and forth on this with the Vancouver Consulate in August and got the Non O without insurance. 2) To get the affidavit of income you can use multiple methods to prove you can support yourself, it doesn't just have to be proof of pension.

If you do plan on traveling a lot or don't qualify for the LTR, the DTV might be an option to consider. It's multi entry, 180 days/entry and valid for 5 years. You can do an in country extension for another 180 days but no one knows what that will actually entail. It's only been around for 5 months so people will only be starting the process in the next few weeks. Embassies are getting stricter and putting in all sorts of extra requirements recently so it's impossible to know what the requirements will look like or if it will even be around in your time frame.

Once you've figured out what visa works for you, it's easy to do yourself just a matter of getting your paperwork together and applying. Even in country extensions are easy but a lot of people use agents since spending 4 hours in a crowded immigration office isn't the most fun use of time. Join the Canadians in Thailand | Canadiens en Thaïlande group for some Canada specific info.