Hi, I didn't apply from HCMC although I was planning to, earlier. However, my visa agency suggested Manila, Philippines, so, I did it from there. My interview process was cumbersome and quite detailed. I applied in the soft power category and they asked for all the documentation and financial proofs, so it's better to be thorough. Also, they asked to show the financial proof in real time by logging into my bank account via the phone. However, once your documents and responses are satisfactory, they process the visa within a day or two. Overall, you need to be thorough with your documents and application. I had applied through an agency 'Isaa Compass' who were extremely supportive throughout the process. Although you can apply by yourself, I just wanted to play it safe by using an agent as they also give a money back guarantee. Additionally they communicate with the embassy on your behalf throughout the process (except during the interview) and draft your application in an extremely professional way. So, I found it to be a safer approach. Just make sure to have everything in order along with a good reason to travel to Thailand and you should be ok. Good luck. 😊

Anonymous participant 777

You can try the Charles Schwab visa debit card which can be acquired if you have a Schwab brokerage account (available to International customers). They reimburse your ATM withdrawal fees.

@Pete ******

oh really! I didn't know that. Every time I would buy a return ticket to fill all the fields in the TDAC. I thought it won't let me proceed 😄😄😅. Thanks..

When you arrive in Thailand, you have to fill up the TDAC- Thailand digital arrival card. The TDAC requires you to fill your return flight information, duration of stay, purpose of stay, etc. No matter what visa you currently have, you need to fill out the TDAC every time you travel to Thailand. So, ideally you need to have a return flight ticket OR an onward flight ticket out of Thailand whenever you're traveling there.

Check for more info on TDAC here:

Hope it helps

Congratulations and welcome to Thailand. I hope you find the remote job you're looking for in the long term. Until then, enjoy your Muay Thai training...🎉🎉🥳

Its really strange that different embassies have different approaches for the same visa type. I just got approved for the DTV soft power category from Manila and they did not ask anything about my current source of income. I'm currently not working and my bank statements were sufficient. Good to know that the document regarding your freelance work was accepted. Good luck to you..

Different embassies may have different reasons for rejection. But just to let you know that my application from Mumbai, India was rejected because of a lack of current source of income. I had applied under the soft power category and had more than sufficient balance in my bank account. In my understanding , soft power application does not require you to have a current employment or business. However they did not consider my soft power activity as a valid reason and simply rejected it. I'm just sharing my story about the Mumbai consulate. If you're applying from another region, you may consider researching or reading comments about the specific embassy you're applying to. Hope it helps..