5 year multiple entry DTV visa (Destination Thailand) from 2024-xx-xx

[BrandonJT]

52 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Anyone have definitive info on how it works when you try enter on a new passport # that does not match the # listed on the DTV eVisa?  I am about to do this and don't want any surprises.  Yes, I will be bringing my old passport with me.  No, the DTV is not a sticker in my old passport.  It's a one page electronic document that I print out and lists my old passport # on it.

 

Nobody seems to know how it officially works. I suspect I may even get conflicting info from Immigration agents about it.  Some seem to think I may only get a 30 day waiver on arrival and will need to go into Jomtien immigration and get the eVisa updated in their database, at which point they may try make me jump through other hoops, like presenting a TM30, which I will not have.  They may also ask for a bank statement again showing the minimum amount required and who knows what else.  Others seem to think I will be stamped in for 6 months after showing my old passport and can just travel around like that for the next 4 years.  It may even be one of those things where it's a grey area and some immigration agents will stamp me in and others will try make me jump through hoops. 

 

They will look at your visa, ensure the passport number on your visa matches your old passport, and then they will stamp you in on your new passport with your 180 day DTV stamp.  This is the process.

 

You can then either continue to use both passports for the remainder of the 5 years of your visa, or you can go to your immigration office in Thailand and have them put a notation in your new passport that will reference your old passport number.  This will remove the need to carry your old passport with you, since the number is now embedded in your new passport.

[shdmn]

On 8/9/2025 at 10:07 AM, BrandonJT said:

 

They will look at your visa, ensure the passport number on your visa matches your old passport, and then they will stamp you in on your new passport with your 180 day DTV stamp.  This is the process.

 

You can then either continue to use both passports for the remainder of the 5 years of your visa, or you can go to your immigration office in Thailand and have them put a notation in your new passport that will reference your old passport number.  This will remove the need to carry your old passport with you, since the number is now embedded in your new passport.

In an ideal world it should be that simple.  We shall see.

[JDangle]

Does anyone have experience with the Washington DC embassy?

My main question is about the 500,000 seasoning policy. The site says "A copy of a recent saving or checking bank statement for the last three months with an ending balance of no less than 500,000 THB or ($16,000 USD)..."

Question 1: How strictly do they adhere to this wording?

Question 2: What else do they look for in the statements? What's the point of requesting 3 months worth?

Question 3: Anyone have info on the current visa processing times for this embassy?

Question 4: Anything else I should know or be cautious of before submitting my application?

[Mark1969]

1 hour ago, JDangle said:

Does anyone have experience with the Washington DC embassy?

My main question is about the 500,000 seasoning policy. The site says "A copy of a recent saving or checking bank statement for the last three months with an ending balance of no less than 500,000 THB or ($16,000 USD)..."

Question 1: How strictly do they adhere to this wording?

Question 2: What else do they look for in the statements? What's the point of requesting 3 months worth?

Question 3: Anyone have info on the current visa processing times for this embassy?

Question 4: Anything else I should know or be cautious of before submitting my application?

The requirements tend to be strict. The reason why they want 3 months worth is because they don't want people just borrowing money, dumping it in, then withdrawing it. They want it to really be your money.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post about extensions.

[howlee101]

11 hours ago, JDangle said:

Does anyone have experience with the Washington DC embassy?

My main question is about the 500,000 seasoning policy. The site says "A copy of a recent saving or checking bank statement for the last three months with an ending balance of no less than 500,000 THB or ($16,000 USD)..."

Question 1: How strictly do they adhere to this wording?

Question 2: What else do they look for in the statements? What's the point of requesting 3 months worth?

Question 3: Anyone have info on the current visa processing times for this embassy?

Question 4: Anything else I should know or be cautious of before submitting my application?

I downloaded 3 monthly statements showing I had the required amount each month. I combined my 3 statements into a single PDF file, along with the other required documents. I was approved in about two weeks.

[JDangle]

On 8/16/2025 at 9:46 PM, howlee101 said:

I downloaded 3 monthly statements showing I had the required amount each month. I combined my 3 statements into a single PDF file, along with the other required documents. I was approved in about two weeks.

ok, thanks for the info

 

 

On 8/16/2025 at 11:05 AM, Mark1969 said:

The requirements tend to be strict. The reason why they want 3 months worth is because they don't want people just borrowing money, dumping it in, then withdrawing it. They want it to really be your money.

yeah, I'm sure I'm just over thinking things... just trying to lawyer the wording of the requirement. 🤷‍♂️

 

It sucks having to season the cash- oh well

[Mark1969]

2 hours ago, JDangle said:

ok, thanks for the info

 

 

yeah, I'm sure I'm just over thinking things... just trying to lawyer the wording of the requirement. 🤷‍♂️

 

It sucks having to season the cash- oh well

You seem kind of flakey. Do you meet the requirements or not?

[Rob Browder]

On 8/19/2025 at 11:11 PM, Mark1969 said:

You seem kind of flakey. Do you meet the requirements or not?

"Seasoning Cash" = taking that money out of getting "Return on Investment" and putting it into an account with a crappy return for an extended-time. 

This not an issue with smaller amounts needed for Tourist visas (SETV, METV), for which that requirement makes sense, if/when the applicant is coming from a low-wage country, and might be financially-incentivized to work in Thailand illegally.

[Chalky0w]

6 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

"Seasoning Cash" = taking that money out of getting "Return on Investment" and putting it into an account with a crappy return for an extended-time. 

This not an issue with smaller amounts needed for Tourist visas (SETV, METV), for which that requirement makes sense, if/when the applicant is coming from a low-wage country, and might be financially-incentivized to work in Thailand illegally.

I normally find your posts very informative and useful but this is a bit of an odd one.

 

500k seasoned for 3 months is a very low bar for a 5 year visa! 
 

Assuming a very reasonable 7% a year return on investment and that you don’t earn anything for those 3 months, it would be a “loss” of under 9k (500k x 0.07% x 0.25 year).

 

If you add on the cost of the visa at 10k, you get 19k so 3,800 a year.  

 

Anyone that struggles to afford that shouldn’t be here for 5 years and visa exempt for 2 months would be a better fit for them in my opinion.

 

[Rob Browder]

On 8/21/2025 at 10:41 PM, Chalky0w said:

I normally find your posts very informative and useful but this is a bit of an odd one.

 

500k seasoned for 3 months is a very low bar for a 5 year visa! 
 

Assuming a very reasonable 7% a year return on investment and that you don’t earn anything for those 3 months, it would be a “loss” of under 9k (500k x 0.07% x 0.25 year).

 

If you add on the cost of the visa at 10k, you get 19k so 3,800 a year.  

 

Anyone that struggles to afford that shouldn’t be here for 5 years and visa exempt for 2 months would be a better fit for them in my opinion.

 

It isn't the "cost" as much as it is not normal to have that much cash in a low-yield account.  So, you decide to get a DTV, and - oops, I don't qualify because I don't (stupidly) keep a pile of money in a low-yield account.  The goal should be to make this process easy - to maximize those spending money here - so, allow use of brokerage accounts, etc for this application - or, even better, just show the balance was there for a week or so. 

[Briggsy]

4 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

It isn't the "cost" as much as it is not normal to have that much cash in a low-yield account.  So, you decide to get a DTV, and - oops, I don't qualify because I don't (stupidly) keep a pile of money in a low-yield account.  The goal should be to make this process easy - to maximize those spending money here - so, allow use of brokerage accounts, etc for this application - or, even better, just show the balance was there for a week or so. 

The need to season for 3 months may vary by embassy and even depend on the consular officer and the stage of the application.

 

When I applied and successfully received my DTV from the London Embassy, my initial application led to a standard template reply that the £13,000 or 500,000 Baht equivalent needed to be in an account that issued monthly statements. In the UK, this is going to be a standard non-interest-bearing current account.

 

I wrote a polite explanation with attached statements from savings accounts. Savings accounts in the UK typically provide statements annually. I stated I would be happy to move the money to a current account but would require further time to wait for the next monthly statement from the current account. The application was approved without the need to do this.

 

Embassies have their requirements but they also consider applications with a degree of interpretative leeway.

[Chalky0w]

6 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

or, even better, just show the balance was there for a week or so.

I think the purpose of “seasoning” is to prevent people borrowing the money (and then working illegally).

 

I maintain that 500k for 3 months is a very low bar for a 5 year visa. 

[Rob Browder]

On 8/23/2025 at 10:11 PM, Chalky0w said:

I think the purpose of “seasoning” is to prevent people borrowing the money (and then working illegally).

 

I maintain that 500k for 3 months is a very low bar for a 5 year visa. 

Yes, if coming from a country where wages are lower than Thailand, working illegally could be a valid concern.  The idea that Westerners are coming here to work "under the table" (illegally) for less than McDonalds pays back home is ridiculous, though.