The initial success of DTV has been truly amazing with over 50,000 issued in just five months by Thai embassies and consulates abroad. As ever, they are fiercely independent and have their own documentary requirements within a broad framework established nationally. We all have to accept that reality like it or not. The whole subject is far too wide to address in detail here, so I propose we take a broad look at some of the pluses and minuses of this unprecedented innovation.
DTV was announced primarily to address the needs of digital nomads or remote workers whose total global number is around 35 million. It cannot be a coincidence that other ASEAN partners, such as Cambodia and the Philippines, are now examining how to include this group within their own immigration agenda. But the point to stress is that digital nomads here cannot have Thai customers nor interact with the Thai economy. Do remember there isn’t any shortage of immigration police or investigators at the Department of Employment.
Soft power or activity is another route to DTV. The bulk of successful applications have been for cookery or Muay Thai classes with the principal alternative being hospital appointments. It is important that, for adult learning, the course should last for several months at least or that medical treatment is prolonged and not just a matter of having a tooth extracted. Schools or academies should be registered with the appropriate government ministry. Some applicants have tried to broaden the activity to include learning the Thai language or the principles of Buddhism, but I don’t know of any successful cases as there are separate visas.
A third route to DTV is family such as a Thai spouse and/or dependent children. Here applicants have to consider whether DTV suits their needs better than, say, the 12-months marriage visa with extensions or the non-immigrant three months visa or even the 60 days visa exempt. There can be no final answer as the foreigner’s status (such as age and whether employed overseas or in retirement) may be factors to consider. Some married foreigners over 50 prefer the annually-renewable extension of stay based on retirement which is, perhaps, the least bureaucratic of all the options.
The question everyone is asking on the internet is whether DTV will survive intact, or be amended or even cancelled. Yes, there are abuses and it’s a question for the Cabinet to consider at a future date. I believe that existing visa holders will be able to enter Thailand by air or land or sea as often as they like for a maximum of six months at a time for the five years validity of their visa. If problems do occur, they are likely to be person-specific: for example arguing with the officer, seeming to be disrespectful to authority etc.
The thorny question of a further six months extension at local immigration (up to 360 days total before leaving Thailand) will be tested in the first and second quarters of 2025. However, I have to stress that the decision again is in the hands of individual immigration officers. I’m afraid that the “one size fits all” expectation just isn’t on the cards. Sooner or later, the extensions at local immigration may indeed be dependent on showing more recent documentation than originally presented to the embassy or consulate.
I conclude with a word about agents who are now offering a door-to-door service for those who are willing to pay for a personal and qualified experience. This can include all transport including taxis and airfares, hotel accommodation and a knowledge of exactly what documents are required at a particular embassy. The most popular venues for those currently in Thailand are Vientiane, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City, but much of the application can be processed in advance of the journey. DTV is a great expat visa but it can be complex. I wish you the best of luck.
