Seems like it. At least in Germany, when your passport is full and you apply for a new one for that reason, it will have the same passport number and expiration date, so an eVisa will still be valid. The others said you can ask immigration to transfer the sticker if no eVisa, which makes sense.

Holy **** that's expensive.

I can recommend thaifreu.de - they offer a money back guarantee and you will end up paying way less. Website is in German, but they speak English as well.

Reason why they don't offer their service in English is probably b/c they think everyone who speaks English can do it themselves. 🤣

@Stephen *******

what are you referring to? No path to permanent residency?

Would have put me off a few years ago. With a new nomadic mindset, I don't care. Anyway: It's no good idea to buy property in Thailand as a farang. So if they really decide not to give me some similar or better visa after my DTV expires (which I doubt), I just pack my Macbook and spend my money in a country that is more appreciating.

It's entertaining you brought up Taiwan in this group, but it's not for me. Climate much colder than Thailand and takeover by China is just a matter of time. How much value does permanent residency in a country have that may no longer exist 5 years from now?

@Angelo **********

disagree. Simple tax considerations can have huge effects and are very predictable. If you invest your time and energy into an additional business, it could go either way.

I consider the current state of taxes in Thailand okay for me, because they only tax money that is 'remitted', I can live with that. This system has many advantages, e.g. allows tax deference similar but better than a 401k to non-US residents.

If they want to slap me with full taxes on worldwide income, I'm out after 180 days.

Anonymous participant exactly. It's very much up to the embassy or consulate processing your application (also via eVisa). So your reasonable options are:

1. Research and visit in person an embassy that still works without the e-Visa system and has lax requirements

2. Find reports of an embassy with lax requirements and use exactly the same documentation that was successful for others on the eVisa site.

3. Work with the eVisa embassy that is most convenient for your travel schedule and provide a more secure activity (e.g. long term)

Nothing is certain and with the eVisa you are gambling 350 EUR if they reject it.

I had a hard time getting nicely documented treatment plans from hospitals I have never visited, they all insisted on an initial consultation and as I was not in Thailand it wasn't an option. My mistake was maybe that I looked for serious institutions that I could actually trust enough to visit.

If you sign up for Botox at some shady cosmetic clinic, they might provide documents.

The herbal people James mentioned (discoverthainature.com) are very nice and responsive, they even promise to give you a partial refund if your application is rejected.

It's an online course over at least a year, so you have good reasons for extending your stay.

I went for an even cheaper route, but it's risky if you do the eVisa.

Depends on the embassy. I wouldn't risk it with eVisa unless you know for sure it works.

@Piotr ********

Wise isn't a bank, but a money services provider (MSB)

Still good enough, apparently. I take that away from my poll here. 🙏

@Thomas *******

that's how it is described on the e visa website and how it probably works with many first world embassies.

The embassies/consulates near Thailand have seen the problem that "agents" offer to deposit the 500k THB for a day or two in the client's name to get completely broke travelers a DTV and I can see why they are now asking for 3-6 months.

@Kelly *******

I second that. From reading other Thai visa requirements, they seem to be very focused on "bank statements" and often explicitly state that a stock portfolio does not count. I also let go of the idea that cash is a good way to keep your money, but for one, the stock market could crash and you'd find yourself in Thailand without funds, so theres some logic behind the Thai requirement. Also consider that the average Thai consular worker cannot distinguish the risk between a conservative all world ETF portfolio and some gambler with CFDs, Memecoins, and leveraged options. Also, the Thai government probably has some influence from banks that want to profiteer from the visa business just like language schools, muaithai schools, cooking teachers, etc.