What is this talk of “extend the 189 days?” I thought it’s 180 days + extend 180?

@Greg *******

I figured the same thing. I know some people that got it on soft power Muay Thai but gyms are helping people get that left and right. Better to do it on workcation so you don’t HAVE a to be proving you’re doing something…. You’re working online anyways

Taiwan is legit too- 2 day business turn around time as of 1-2 weeks ago. Check the recent posts and see what the reports are and discussion is. It’s changing week by week in some cases due to the rollout of e-visa so each month can definitely be different. See which country works best for your passport and where is fast or easy or whatever it is you want and also consider where you want to spend a week or two in case it is delayed or there’s issues.

@Jimmie ******

Taipei Taiwan took 2 business days

I’ve heard that the Evisa takes longer. Also, they may request more documents. Furthermore, several people have reported that their money is NOT taken if rejected in person, they are simply told to fix the problem/bring more documents so then they only pay the fee once instead of twice. Combine these two issues and it’s really frustrating. Imagine waiting a week just to have your application rejected due to a small mistake, and then needing to wait another week and pay another fee to get approved.

People here would rather be living in or visiting Thailand, so it makes sense to bite the bullet now and get it ASAP so that you get it in reasonable time with one payment. So you see many people here cancelling their education and other visas for example because this visa will sort them. My education visa was to expire in December, but I figured better apply sooner in October instead of optimizing for 2 more months.

Finally, because this is a new visa it seems like a good idea to get it early while you can. In fact it’s a great visa, so many people might apply, so it’s better to apply early to guarantee getting it before they add more requirements like higher income or make it more of a hassle to get. Things can change, but I expect that if it did the current visas issued would be honored or the visa holders allowed to apply for another visa cost free.

In short things could change and many people want to be in Thailand so people are applying quickly to get it while it’s going good and fast.

@Steve ********

depends on each country

@Deepak ******

because they don’t want to be stuck in a random country for weeks on end waiting for e visa they want to be in Thailand.

Well as with anything there are pros and cons. Unlike other visa types, this TOURIST visa doesn’t count towards permanent residence. However, many remote workers and self employed internet freelancers/entrepreneurs struggle to qualify for those other kinds of visas.

Education type visas have a limit, and you should actually study what you claim to (Muay Thai, Thai language, etc.). However, those visas can restrict your freedom to travel abroad because you need a re entry permit and extended time out of Thailand can open you up to questioning.

Normal tourist visas don’t work longer term safely. Then business visas are too difficult and complicated to get for your typical remote worker making under $10k usd a month- I’d even say under $15k usd a month. Starting a whole new business I’m Thailand and hiring employees is a whole new endeavor, or seeking employment…

So while I would generally prefer some kind of business visa that opens up a path to longer term living, I’m also quite satisfied with the DTV. I did spend 3.5 years straight in Thailand but moving forward I think I’ll be out of Thailand once per year anyways. The fee is super cheap, the visa was relatively easy to obtain, and extensions if necessary (180+ days after entry) aren’t too difficult or time consuming either.

And of course it’s nice to finally have a visa where it’s publicly known you’re working online… in my opinion they didn’t care too much about working online before (see: punspace raid, no one got fined or punished except one guy that overstayed), but still that extra openness is a relief.

I think it’s a great visa so far and we will see how it goes moving forward. I’m happy that it lets me come and go as I please without worrying about re entry permits and so effectively gives 5 years! At the same time, it would be great to have residence on the tables after getting fluent in Thai, but for now that path still requires employment or business in Thailand.

Long story short I’m satisfied. It’s got pros and a few minor cons, but ultimately it’s the best visa for where I’m at in life right now: making some money online but not enough to want to start a business or hire 4 Thai employees just yet. I think they did a great job of learning the trends in the world and creating this to catch it.

@Arya ****

it says the authority is the consulate general of P.R. China in chiang mai. So the issuing country is china because the Chinese consulate is a part of the Chinese government and not the Thai government.

Your passport was issued in Thailand, but by china.

Try re-applying for DTV with this change.

@Ko ****************

If when she looks at her passport it says “china” or wherever, it’s extremely likely issued by china. She probably went to the Chinese consulate, which means china issued her passport, not Thailand.