Destination Thailand Visa (DTV): Explained
I recently applied for the DTV and wanted to share my experiences in this blog post as well as some other information about this really attractive visa that Thailand currently offers (at the time of writing).
I applied for the visa last September and got it fairly quickly!
Read below more details on what you need, who is eligible and how to apply for the Destination Thailand Visa.
Quicklinks:
What is it?
The Destination Thailand Visa is a visa tailored for remote workers and digital nomads that let’s you stay in Thailand for up to 5 years. Also people looking to study in Thailand (e.g. Muay Thai, culinary school, other educational activities and also arts and events) can apply for this visa type.
Note that you can’t find work in Thailand with this type of visa (e.g. getting a job at a Thai company). You need to work for an overseas company.
When you enter Thailand with this visa, you can stay 180 days, which you can then extend for another 180 days. After that, you need to get out of the country and come back in. All of this you can do for up to 5 years.
The visa costs vary per country, but for most European countries it’s around 350 euros. You can see the prices for all the different, eligible countries here.
Who is eligible?
There are three scenario’s where a DTV can be requested:
As a remote worker, freelancer or digital nomad, wanting to work from Thailand for a longer period of time.
As a student (e.g. Muay Thai, Cooking school, other education or studies, arts and events or similar), wanting to come to Thailand to study a topic.
If you need to be in Thailand for medical treatment and need to stay longer in Thailand to complete the medical treatment.
Additionally, there are a few countries where this visa is restricted or not applicable. You can find the full list here: https://dtv.in.th/en.
Digital Nomad requirements
Here are the eligibility requirements for this kind of visa for a digital nomad/remote worker are the following:
You have a remote job or have your own business that enables you to work from anywhere. You need to show a letter from your employer or employment contract that shows you are able to work remotely.
You have a minimum of 500,000 TBH (around 13,800 euros) in your bank account. You need to show a bank statement to prove this.
“Soft power” related activites (e.g. student/medical) - requirements
Proof or confirmation that you are attending whatever course or training you are doing in Thailand OR letter of appointment from the medical facility
You have a minimum of 500,000 TBH (around 13,800 euros) in your bank account. You need to show a bank statement to prove this.
What about taxes?
As with most countries, you are a tax resident if you reside in the country for more than 6 months in a year, which means you will need to pay taxes in Thailand if you stay more than 6 months.
Currently, only remitted income into Thailand will be taxed, meaning that all income that you don’t remit, is not taxed, which is great! It means that most likely, you would only need to pay tax on for example, the rent that you pay in Thailand, as this likely needs to be paid from a Thai bank account (or any other money that you would send to your Thai bank account).
As I’m not a tax advisor, if you wish you have more clarity regarding taxation laws in Thailand with the DTV, I would suggest to seek out a tax specialist who can help you with any questions you may have.
How to apply for this visa?
Most people can easily apply via the online portal here: https://www.thaievisa.go.th/
You will need a few documents that you need to upload to the portal, including:
Proof that you have at least 500,000 TBH in your bank account or assets (e.g. a bank statement)
Proof that your job can be done remotely. Sometimes this is a letter from your employer or your contract, stating that you can do your job from anywhere.
Proof of current residency in your country of residence
Once you submit, the embassy of your country of residence might ask you for some additional documents. In my case that was a statement of what I wanted to do in Thailand as well as some more detailed bank statements.
As I live in Spain, the Thai embassy in Madrid was taking care of the application. This might be different for another country, so check to make sure that you are able to apply online. If it’s not possible, you can likely go in person to the Thai embassy in your country to apply for it.
What is important to note is that you should make sure your documents are correct and valid before you submit them via the online platform or the embassy, because the visa fee is non-refundable. After you submit, the embassy may ask for additional documents when needed, so they aren’t super strict I would say, but it’s always good to make sure all the materials and documents you send are valid.
Can my family apply too?
Yes, if you have a spouse and kids (under 20 years old), they can also apply for the visa. You will need to have the visa of the DTV holder as well as proof of relationship to the DTV holder (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate).
You may need some other documents too, like proof of prolonged stay in Thailand (e.g. Rental agreement) and some documents that the main DTV holders needs to submit in their original request (e.g. financial statements, etc).
How long does it take to get the visa?
For me, it took under 3 weeks to get the application submitted and approved, which I thought was super fast! But from what I read online, it can range anywhere between 1 week to a month, so it really depends on the embassy, the country you’re applying from and the amount of applications they receive.
What’s it like being a digital nomad in Thailand?
Thailand is probably one of the best countries for digital nomads, as it’s cheap, the country landscapes are beautiful, the cuisine is outstanding, the people are super friendly and the internet is very fast almost anywhere you go.
Some hotspots in Thailand for digital nomads are Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Koh Phangan, Phuket and Koh Lanta.
I’ve been to Thailand already for a few months and each time I love it more! There is something for everyone: If you are a city person, then Bangkok is the place to be. If you are a beach bum then you can choose from the multitude of tropical islands: Koh Phangan is more of a party island, whereas Koh Lanta is more for those that seek peace and quiet. If you’re more into mountains and yoga, then Chiang Mai might be more your thing.
There are of course, many other places and islands that I haven’t mentioned here.
🌴 Want to know more about what it’s like being a digital nomad in Thailand? You can read my Digital Nomad Guide for Phuket here
You can also check out all my other travel and digital nomad guides on Thailand.
Private Health Insurance
When you do get to Thailand with the DTV, it’s important to have a health insurance that covers you.
My favourite health insurance when I travel for a few months is Safety Wing. They have health insurances specifically for nomads, and are also valid for more years - which you need in case you would move to Thailand for all the 5 years.
Safety Wing has a specific health insurance that is a good fit for anyone wanting to live abroad for a while, which is called Nomad Health. It is a fully-equipped health insurance that includes access to routine and preventive healthcare, mental health and complementary therapies. It is specifically made for remote workers and freelancers that live in another country for extended periods of time.
