@Jim **********

Yes, he's claiming extensions won't be possible. I don't know where he and Barry Kenyon (his buddy from the Pattaya Mail) get their alternative facts. Unless he has some sort of insider knowledge, he's speculating and much of what he talks about with respect to the DTV can be safely ignored.

@Charles *********

You can get an emergency visa on arrival if flying in to Vietnam. Can be issued with the aid of a travel agency and with less than 24 hours before you arrive, but not recommended. This visa is a traditional sticker, same as the ones that Vietnamese embassies and consulates used to issue.

Otherwise, for non-visa exempt nationalities (several European nationals are visa-exempt) you have to get an e-visa. Like Thailand, which is phasing out traditional visa stickers, Vietnam no longer issues ordinary tourist and business visas in person at consulates and embassies anymore. Only certain types of work and spousal visas might still be issued through embassies and consulates in person.

It takes 3 working days to be issued with a Vietnamese e-visa.

To apply in Ho Chi Minh, you'll want an entry stamp that says "Tan Son Nhat Airport", "Moc Bai" (border with Bavet, Cambodia), "Xa Xia" (border with Prek Chak, Cambodia), or several others all with Cambodia, "Ngoc Hoi" (southernmost border with Laos) as well as any entry points from Danang and south of there. Anything north of there is associated with the Hanoi embassy.

Another way of proving you're in Vietnam is with a hotel booking. In that case, the province/city you're in will determine whether Saigon or Hanoi handles your application.

@Elías *******

A marriage visa issued outside of Thailand (a 1 year one) does not require a re-entry permit as it's a multiple entry visa.

A one year extension of stay for the purposes of marriage does require a re-entry permit (obtainable at the same time you obtain the extension).

The DTV is a better deal, until such time that 5-year or longer marriage visas or extensions become available (sadly, that has yet to be proposed).

With a marriage visa, you only get 1 year at a time (90 days per entry if using a multiple entry marriage visa obtained abroad) but you are work authorized once you apply for a work permit.

With a DTV, you can't work for a Thai company.

However, unless you're expecting to receive a job offer for working in Thailand soon, you might as well apply for a DTV and then, should you get a job in Thailand, you can always convert it to a non-B plus work permit or go out of the country for one, in order to ensure you are able to work legally in Thailand.

Thus, a DTV is better, provided you don't have a need to work in Thailand for a Thai company.

A marriage visa is better, if you do have that need.

@Oliver *******

100%. It still requires border runs, even if they're not as frequent as with existing/previous multiple entry visas. That alone makes it less attractive to many people.

I also agree that they might tighten up or even scrap the soft power category.

@Anon*****

That's a good point. I'm sure the MFA know what they're doing and his constant criticism of them, as if they were a completely incompetent agency for creating this visa is another thing that completely confuses and annoys me. I mean, they're a branch of the Thai government that deals with external affairs, including issuing Thai passports to Thai citizens and visas...they seem pretty competent to me.

@Andi **********

It also seems like he wants to keep Thailand for himself, as in not wanting any other foreigners to live here.

@Ray ****

Exactly and thus it's more than absurd to think they would create a visa class that suddenly can't be used over the course of 5 years as intended for no reason.

@Steve **************

What annoys me the most is how he's adamant he knows Thai immigration better than Thai immigration itself.

@Anon*****

Actually, he is a naturalized Thai citizen, but the rest or your comment is spot on. He's definitely spreading fear and misinformation.