Need to multiple branches too. Some branches are stricter

I don’t think anyone can definitively answer it, but as long as you weren’t staying ILLEGALLY then I think you should be fine to apply for DTV…

I’m headed to Thailand now and the airline in America had a self-check-in kiosk and it wouldn’t let me select a date within 6 months lol… I just selected a date in 2 weeks, instead of having to wait in line to explain my situation to an employee. I reckon in any case you could just show someone your visa.

Not sure about the DTV but I renewed my passport on a tourist visa once and I just presented both passports to immigration when I left- this is if the passport renewal is done within Thailand. You just let the officer know that you renewed your passport and they handle the rest.

In this case though you might want to present yourself to immigration, i think they would be able to copy the DTV over to the new passport, or give instructions on what to do.

All that being said, the best idea might be just making sure that you still have 6 years of validity left on your passport when you apply so that this won’t become an issue for you later. At least for me it was more easy than I realized to renew my passport.

@Luit ****************

yes there is a necessity to switch to DTV. Those legally in Thailand now have visas that do expire. Education visas are year by year for example. Also an actual Thai government official confirmed that you can stay in Thailand 180+180 days then border run and reset no problem, so yeah it’s great for people that want to live in Thailand for a period of time. It’s very hard for remote workers to qualify for other visas because they aren’t seeking local employment or don’t yet have enough capital for incorporation and hiring 4 thai employees. The other options get expensive and time consuming. So the DTV is perfect for remote workers that want to live in Thailand that don’t yet qualify for other visas. Later they can get married, start a local business, etc. not everyone wants to do those things IMMEDIATELY just to live in Thailand. The DTV is a great stepping stone.

Not everything is so cookie cutter and simply logical like you make it out to seem. I know so many people that don’t fit into that perfect mold you’re trying to describe. The fact is it is more complicated than what you’ve previously described and the DTV is great for those living in Thailand that work online that aren’t ready to start a local business, get local employment, or get married.

Anonymous participant then DTV isn’t for you. DTV doesn’t allow working in Thailand. You need a marriage visa and apply for work permit or business visa, not exactly sure but definitely not a DTV.

@Luit ****************

well there’s so many more cases than those few you’ve seen, and plenty of people have legally lived in Thailand and need to get a new visa and qualify and would prefer getting it asap so it’s kind of annoying spending weeks and weeks in a random country… hence why this group exists. People want to get it done fast and easy and naturally so. Many people don’t want to go to their home country or elsewhere for a month when they have friends, vehicles, girlfriend, etc in Thailand.

Not everything can be so perfectly done like applying 1-2 months beforehand, and the visa that this group targets (remote workers) is exactly the group that is having to spend time out of Thailand and waiting in random countries for their visas.

I could go on but there really are more cases and nuances to this than just following the ultra logical and basic path of being in your home country and applying there 2 months prior to deciding to travel to Thailand as a tourist.

Also, it being “normal” to wait for a visa doesn’t mean people won’t want it asap. Why get it in a month when you can get it in 3 days?

And many of these remote workers were in Thailand legally and studying, so they perfectly got this visa but prior visas were okay but not perfect. Thailand has known about remote workers visiting and living in Thailand and they have welcomed it as evidenced by this visa. Also in the past they did not arrest people working remotely on tourist or education visas as long as there work wasn’t local.

There are so so many cases and I’m not gonna go into details but not everything works out so perfectly and organized that you apply for a visa months prior in your home country and then come visit.

Also, there are many problems people report in the target group. Many. Depending on place.

@Luit ****************

the problem is getting the visa for some not about problems in Thailand after getting the visa. And yes there are problems plenty reported in this group. For example some people go somewhere to apply then suddenly they switch to e visa and they have to wait a long time. Other people have issues and need to re apply over very minor details losing time and money. Etc. I don’t think it’s gonna get easier to Get this visa just harder

@Paul ******

Yeah and that’s why DTV is great. You have to fulfill a narrow set of requirements to set yourself up for PR, which is hard for those of us working online that aren’t large enough to incorporate in Thailand and hire 4 Thai staff yet. There are many alternatives, if you’re cash rich then elite visa, otherwise people would do education and learn thai or Muay Thai. This DTV is the best middle ground of easy living in Thailand for remote workers.

I know a friend that did it and got approved but it was like right after the visa launched. He did e visa from his country. I think I read somewhere that your country of residence counts, so it might be okay. However, I’ve also read on there that you must be out of Thailand. Anyways, the friend came back to Thailand no problem.

Personally I lean towards caution here because this visa is so awesome. 5 years of easy living in Thailand is worth it spending a week out. For example in Taiwan where I applied it and got it it’s a 2 business day turn around time but I spent a week there.

I’ve also read and heard you must be out of Thailand, but obviously some people have not done that.

Also I err to the side of caution because if it turns out they don’t like people applying within Thailand then there’s a paper trail proving you were in Thailand when you approved. And this could happen with some immigration officer in a bad mood.

Ultimately, with it taking <1 week in so many other places currently I decided to do that and be safe rather than risk it, but I do know one friend that applied and received the e visa within Thailand and returned no problem.