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

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, Chalky0w said:

Thanks Mike! This is useful!
 

You’re correct that I’m not married or over 50.

 

I’m not too worried about 80k for tax but if I had to pay tax on total income it might get a bit knarly especially since paid UK taxes already.

 

Appreciate the advice!

Sorry I should have mentioned that these are worse case numbers, it's possible (Depending on your country's DTA with Thailand) that you'll be able to claim a Tax Credit for Tax you've already paid on the income.

 

E.g. lets say £1=50THB so you're remitting £20,000, 1st £12,570 has been taxed in the UK at 0% & the remaining £7,430 taxed at 20% so you've paid £1,486 (74,300 THB) tax on it already which (assuming it's covered by the DTA) you should be able to get a Tax Credit in Thailand for and only pay the difference (If there is any)

 

Unfortunately you cannot use this to claim back any tax if the Tax in Thailand is lower. 

 

 

Edited July 17 by Mike Teavee

[anrcaccount]

34 minutes ago, Caldera said:

While everyone is busy moaning about wannabe digital nomads (as per usual), the real "floodgate opener" with the DTV appears to be the "Thai soft power" category.

 

Reading the requirements on Thai embassy and eVisa websites, an appointment at a Thai hospital or a certificate of enrollment into a cooking class seems to be sufficient documentation, which sounds a lot easier than faking a digital nomad portfolio. I mean you can literally make a bona fide appointment with one of Thailand's top hospitals with just a few clicks.

 

Yes. You get it.

 

The soft power definition as written, is extremely broad and could include a music concert, a single medical appointment, a single thai cooking class, and many, many other things  Time will tell if these are accepted.

 

IMO what the DTV really is, is a 5 year Multiple Entry Tourist Visa, allowing stays of up to 180 days each entry, easily extendible or rest on re entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

43 minutes ago, Caldera said:

While everyone is busy moaning about wannabe digital nomads (as per usual), the real "floodgate opener" with the DTV appears to be the "Thai soft power" category.

 

Reading the requirements on Thai embassy and eVisa websites, an appointment at a Thai hospital or a certificate of enrollment into a cooking class seems to be sufficient documentation, which sounds a lot easier than faking a digital nomad portfolio. I mean you can literally make a bona fide appointment with one of Thailand's top hospitals with just a few clicks.

 

In todays day and age it's absolutely pointless asking for documents. I have been in India and China, and on most high street printing shops you can get a copy of literally any document you want - be it bank statements, letters, anything. 

[Phillip9]

2 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Nonsense. 

 

You could have easily flown to nearby Combodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, etc for a day trip every few months. You never done a day trip before? 

 

I enjoyed my little trips. It would have been less than the cost of the visa. 

 

I don't do day trips in and out of the country.  Its way too much hassle for me.  If I fly somewhere, its for at least a week. 

 

The cost of the visa is not significant to me, and I'd much rather pay for it than do a border bounce.

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

Sorry I should have mentioned that these are worse case numbers, it's possible (Depending on your country's DTA with Thailand) that you'll be able to claim a Tax Credit for Tax you've already paid on the income.

 

E.g. lets say £1=50THB so you're remitting £20,000, 1st £12,570 has been taxed in the UK at 0% & the remaining £7,430 taxed at 20% so you've paid £1,486 (74,300 THB) tax on it already which (assuming it's covered by the DTA) you should be able to get a Tax Credit in Thailand for and only pay the difference (If there is any)

 

Unfortunately you cannot use this to claim back any tax if the Tax in Thailand is lower. 

 

 

@Chalky0w This post from the main Tax thread might be of interest to you 

 

 

Edited July 17 by Mike Teavee

[Pickwick]

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

In todays day and age it's absolutely pointless asking for documents. I have been in India and China, and on most high street printing shops you can get a copy of literally any document you want - be it bank statements, letters, anything. 

Exactly - though you don't have to go to India or China or even a shop. Anyone with basic software and a printer can produce pretty much any 'document'.

[mokwit]

500k in a Thai bank. So enter on another visa, open a Thai bank account (not easy), and then traipse to Imm with your bankbook. Presumably no seasoning so the same 500k can support half the Punjab/agents can get busy.

Edited July 17 by mokwit

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

In todays day and age it's absolutely pointless asking for documents. I have been in India and China, and on most high street printing shops you can get a copy of literally any document you want - be it bank statements, letters, anything. 

If you want to risk being blacklisted from Thailand for life for forgery/fraud be my guest.

Edited July 17 by shdmn

[Caldera]

25 minutes ago, mokwit said:

500k in a Thai bank. So enter on another visa, open a Thai bank account (not easy), and then traipse to Imm with your bankbook. Presumably no seasoning so the same 500k can support half the Punjab/agents can get busy.

 

You need to apply for the DTV at a Thai embassy or consulate outside of Thailand.

 

A Thai bank account isn't a requirement. 

[mokwit]

Just now, Caldera said:

 

You need to apply for the DTV at a Thai embassy or consulate outside of Thailand.

 

A Thai bank account isn't a requirement. 

OK thanks, I read somewhere official that it had to be in a Thai bank - would be out of line with other MoFA visas like OA

[mokwit]

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

And probably cancel it just as easily after your visa gets approved.  It does sound like a rather low bar to be sure.

These bars sound too low. Unless Thailand is turning over a new page. It has always been excruciating proof.

[littlesquirrel]

16 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

With thousands more job and business opportunities?  How will they "suffer more"?  

 

Ok - then they should cancel all L "work visas" and bust those hiring foreigners illegally in a massive crackdown. 

Also, require all Non-B foreign-workers in skilled-jobs to be training a Thai who then replaces them at their job.

You're probably talking about those job such as delivering food, taxis, cooking pad thai, maid or special massage? What an opportunity for the locals indeed! Such a big change from now.

[roobaa01]

Gday

Just watching Thai expat daily news

explaining the new DTV rules it is claimed 180 days per entry thus within 5 years . Hence I move out to Cambodia after 179 days re-enter next day thus easily gives me 1 year.

Is this true ?

 

Wbr

Roobaa01

[anrcaccount]

1 hour ago, roobaa01 said:

Gday

Just watching Thai expat daily news

explaining the new DTV rules it is claimed 180 days per entry thus within 5 years . Hence I move out to Cambodia after 179 days re-enter next day thus easily gives me 1 year.

Is this true ?

 

Wbr

Roobaa01

 

Yes, that's how it works.

 

Unlimited entries in 5 years. 180 days stay each entry.

 

[AreYouGerman]

7 hours ago, anrcaccount said:

 

Yes. You get it.

 

The soft power definition as written, is extremely broad and could include a music concert, a single medical appointment, a single thai cooking class, and many, many other things  Time will tell if these are accepted.

 

IMO what the DTV really is, is a 5 year Multiple Entry Tourist Visa, allowing stays of up to 180 days each entry, easily extendible or rest on re entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And essential it means Visa Agent.

[Phillip9]

44 minutes ago, AreYouGerman said:

And essential it means Visa Agent

 

You need to apply at a consulate or embassy outside Thailand, or through the evisa website, so I don't think an agent could help you get this visa.

[save the frogs]

got this response from a visa agency:

What happens once my visa is approved: We will send you a PDF of your visa, which you will present to Immigration upon arrival into Thailand. The Immigration officer will then stamp your passport with your 5-year DTV visa. Then, enjoy your stay in Thailand for up to six months at a time.

 

But  will try asking for more details about how the visa works ... up to 6 months at a time is still vague ... and I'm not even sure I can trust what this visa agency says

 

 

Edited July 17 by save the frogs

[Tim K]

Sounds like they will apply for e-Visa which you can do yourself

[blastah]

Does anyone know if it can be applied in person from a country neighboring Thailand without being a resident in that country? For example at the embassy in Vientiane or Hanoi.
Thanks

[Rob Browder]

15 hours ago, hydraides said:

Thailand was perfect the way it was 10 years ago

It was better 20 years ago, with the unlimited border-bounce system + triple-entry Tourist-Visas from Vientiane + 1-year-Non-O ME for having a Thai friend.  That did work very well. 

When that was stopped, things got much more difficult for many local business owners and their employees - entire streets boarded up / all jobs lost.

The Chinese were bought-in en-masse, but they were taken on "tours" to certain places (still are) so did not help many small businesses.   Ask any Thai worker what nationalities tip well, and treat them with respect.

[sampson]

13 hours ago, anrcaccount said:

 

I think this will be a free for all. Time will tell. 

 

Initial applications have been filed with a single hospital appointment under the "soft power" provisons. We'll see if they are accepted. 

 

Once the visa is granted, it's granted and valid for 5 years. There is no mention of any ongoing checks or validity requirements. The only practical time these would occur is upon extensions, which can be avoided by re entry. 

 

 

That's not true.

They can ask you on re-entry why you are coming back and ask for proof. Just like they do with ad-hoc Thai language tests for ED visa.

[anrcaccount]

16 minutes ago, sampson said:

That's not true.

They can ask you on re-entry why you are coming back and ask for proof. Just like they do with ad-hoc Thai language tests for ED visa.

 

Sure, they could, if you take that assumption ( although I would argue that was due to Immigration having a 'sometime' policy that Ed visas were/are being "abused", which isn't relevant for the DTV - given it seems to exist for the purpose of opening the floodgates to many types of new visitors ) , however as I said, there is no mention of any ongoing checks or validity requirements. 

 

Time will tell, if that's actually the case.

 

 

[Rob Browder]

10 hours ago, mokwit said:

OK thanks, I read somewhere official that it had to be in a Thai bank - would be out of line with other MoFA visas like OA

My speculation is a Thai account might work for applications in Laos (if they let us apply there) - because Thai accounts are accepted there for marriage-based Non-O-ME Visa applications.  But, this would not needed to apply in one's home-country.

 

2 hours ago, blastah said:

Does anyone know if it can be applied in person from a country neighboring Thailand without being a resident in that country? For example at the embassy in Vientiane or Hanoi.
Thanks

The docs I saw here yesterday did not list the requirement for being a Laos resident or citizen (as with the METV) - but, wait to see what people report when they try, which is the only way to know for sure.

[Rob Browder]

15 hours ago, JoeyMac said:

What's more annoying is the lunacy of some posters here rejoicing here because it saves them a little time going to get an extension

If you are under 50 and not married to a Thai + a foreign-sourced income, it makes it possible to stay here longer-term at all - unless you count the crazy-priced "elite" visa, or maybe a year on an "ED" visa/extension.

 

I am over 50, and prefer my 1900 Baht annual extension on "retirement."  The only incentive for me to consider the DTV, is freeing up the 800K to invest and get a decent ROI.

 

15 hours ago, JoeyMac said:

Digital nomad is just going to be a backpacker with a laptop. Get real. 

 

And, some source of foreign-income they spend here, which is the point, given no handouts here.

 

14 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

I enjoyed my little trips. It would have been less than the cost of the visa. 

I enjoyed the trips, also - but not wondering if the IO would "let me" to go home to my condo - to spite having the required money, flight-booking, etc. 

 

Border-bouncing through known-safe (for now) land entry-points is only permitted 2x / year - unless you fly, then get randomly-booted by airport immigration, unless you pay their agent $100+ per-entry - I would still be nervous. 

 

Imagine if agent rackets and "crackdowns" on tourists who "stay too long" didn't break what worked before?  If they simply required the flight out, 20K cash, and hotel-booking, per the written rules, then it COULD have worked, and none of this would be necessary at all - like it was 20 years ago.

[blorg]

On 7/16/2024 at 6:19 PM, a3tsw said:

This 5yr multiple entry visa may be stretched out to close on to 6 years if one were to make an entry in to Thailand close to the expiration date on the visa , then applying for another 180 days extension at the end of that 180 days , if an extension had not been applied for during the validity of the visa to that point.. 

 

I don't think that will work as the announcement in the Royal Gazette specifically states stamps are not to exceed the visa validity period. They tightened this up with other visas as well, used be you could get an extra year on Elite if you did your last re-entry just before it expired, you'd get stamped in for 1 year even if it was the last day of the visa. But now with Elite they will only stamp/extend you up to the end of the visa.

 

Quote

Clause 4: Competent officials under the law on immigration shall stamp permits on foreigners. and the dependents stay in the Kingdom for not more than one hundred and eighty days at a time. For use unlimited number of times without having to apply for a visa to re-enter the Kingdom
Article: In the case that an alien and his dependents wish to stay in the Kingdom temporarily. Next, after the time for permission has expired according to item 4, before the time for permission has expired. give to foreigners Apply for an extension of the permit period in accordance with the criteria and conditions specified by the Immigration Bureau. In this case, the official under the immigration law shall stamp the extension of the permit period for the foreigner. and the dependents can continue to stay in the kingdom for not more than one hundred and eighty days. Can be used an unlimited number of times. However, the said period when combined with the period of permission to stay in the Kingdom according to Section 4 must not exceed. Visa validity period according to item 3

 

[shdmn]

1 hour ago, sampson said:

That's not true.

They can ask you on re-entry why you are coming back and ask for proof. Just like they do with ad-hoc Thai language tests for ED visa.

The rules for this visa do not say that your soft power or workcation documents need to remain valid for 5 years.  The only mention of showing documents again is the bank statement if you extend. Yet another reason to just leave the country and re-enter instead and avoid all that.

Edited July 17 by shdmn

[save the frogs]

10 hours ago, Tim K said:

Sounds like they will apply for e-Visa which you can do yourself

 

visa agencies will likely charge an additional fee for securing it to people who dont realize they can do it themselves.

I contacted them for details on the visa, but then realized they cannot be trusted with accurate information anyway.

 

also contacted an embassy online and they sent me the diagram that has already been posted here. 

 

 

Edited July 17 by save the frogs

[Tod Daniels]

Okay people there is some confusion about the extension, I am out at the main immigration office in Bangkok as we speak and have just spoken to the officers about the DTV Visa.

They said you get the visa at a Thai consulate/embassy outside the country, you enter the country and get 180 days, then you can come to the immigration office and get one 180 day extension.

 

In Bangkok you do that at the main immigration office at Chaengwattana.

 

The officer told me you do it in section j which is the section for tourist visa extensions and the extension cost 1,900 baht.

 

There are some documents floating around that show that the extension is 10,000 baht, but the two girls I spoke to, one at the main counter and one in section J said that is not correct the extensions are 1900.

[Jack1988]

54 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

Okay people there is some confusion about the extension, I am out at the main immigration office in Bangkok as we speak and have just spoken to the officers about the DTV Visa.

They said you get the visa at a Thai consulate/embassy outside the country, you enter the country and get 180 days, then you can come to the immigration office and get one 180 day extension.

 

In Bangkok you do that at the main immigration office at Chaengwattana.

 

The officer told me you do it in section j which is the section for tourist visa extensions and the extension cost 1,900 baht.

 

There are some documents floating around that show that the extension is 10,000 baht, but the two girls I spoke to, one at the main counter and one in section J said that is not correct the extensions are 1900.

Well, if the extension is only 1900 then no need to do a border bounce and pay for a van or for a ticket flight 

[Liquorice]

I think a lot of folk are misunderstanding exactly how this multiple entry DTV will work in practice.

IMO, it will not allow continuous stays of 5 years, with 180 day border runs for new entries as suggested.

 

The UK as one example, have 2,5 and 10 year multiple entry Tourist visas, but each period of stay is limited to 6 months in a year.

I believe that is the model on which Thai Immigration have based this visa type.

 

It will allow a period of stay of 180 days on entry, which can then be extended for a further 180 days at Immigration.
Exit the Country for a few days, then repeat.

180 day border runs for a new 180-day entry will not be permitted.
Why would they offer 180-day extensions, if you could simply cross a border and re-enter for a further 180 days.

 

From TAT.

https://www.tatnews.org/2024/07/thailand-announces-longer-visa-stays-to-boost-economy/ 

 

Quote

DTV holders, together with spouses and dependent children, will be entitled to a five-year stay with multiple entries for cumulative stays not exceeding 180 days, which can be extended for another 180 days.