reader Posted September 29 Posted September 29 From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon DTV has got off to a splendid start according to the Thai foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa. Whilst there are no official statistics, social media bloggers suggest that between 1,500 and 2,500 have been issued in the 10 weeks since the launching. The question on the horizon is what happens to DTV holders when their initial six months are exhausted, that is assuming they want to stay in Thailand. Tod Daniels, top contributor to the popular Facebook group destinationthailandvisa, sums up the problem. “How about we wait until December or January when the first people who got a DTV start reporting on how it will actually work and what is required?” he wrote. There will be, of course, two choices: to quit the country and return or to seek an extension at local immigration, both offering a further 180 days. Either route has issues. As Integrity Legal’s popular videos on YouTube often remind us, DTV is not actually a guaranteed entry five-year visa. The validity of the visa – when you can use it – is five years and it’s true the visa is marked “multiple”. Last July, the Tourist Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) spokesman at the launch said that subsequent entries and extensions would not require more documentation as far as TAT was concerned, but it was open to immigration officers to request more paperwork at local offices (for extensions) or at airports and border posts (for subsequent entries to Thailand). The silence of the immigration bureau, which controls entries and extensions, has been truly deafening during the DTV post-launch period. There is little doubt that there is the potential for abuse in DTV applications. Some digital nomads, technically working for an overseas company, are believed to have Thai customers contrary to work permit legislation. Soft power has been stretched very far, as instanced by the fact that attending pop concerts or having a dental appointment could qualify for long visa status. In theory anyway. Dozens of Thai embassies worldwide are currently issuing DTVs, but the paper requirements vary. Some but not all require a bank account of at least three months standing. Others require the naming of a Thai guarantor and the evidence of the applicant’s work-related activity in the past. Some embassies require the cookery classes to last up to six months, others three, whilst the documents needed for the registration of the Thai boxing academy are far from uniform. There are lots of embassy-related discrepancies detailed by members of the Facebook group. Yet the likelihood is that nothing much of significance will happen soon. The prospect of DTV holders at immigration offices, airports and border posts being quizzed by officers about fresh paperwork is a recipe for daily, chaotic delays for the queuing public. Meanwhile, the government says it is working to combine different immigration data bases which will likely take most of next year to finalize. There is also an ongoing inter-departmental working party on reducing the number of non-immigrant visas which could impact DTV. There is no doubt DTV will be reformed, and likely restricted, in the light of experience. But perhaps not in 2025. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/what-will-the-destination-thailand-visa-look-like-in-2025-473891 TMax and KeepItReal 1 1 Quote
KeepItReal Posted September 29 Posted September 29 5 minutes ago, reader said: From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon DTV has got off to a splendid start according to the Thai foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa. Whilst there are no official statistics, social media bloggers suggest that between 1,500 and 2,500 have been issued in the 10 weeks since the launching. The question on the horizon is what happens to DTV holders when their initial six months are exhausted, that is assuming they want to stay in Thailand. Tod Daniels, top contributor to the popular Facebook group destinationthailandvisa, sums up the problem. “How about we wait until December or January when the first people who got a DTV start reporting on how it will actually work and what is required?” he wrote. There will be, of course, two choices: to quit the country and return or to seek an extension at local immigration, both offering a further 180 days. Either route has issues. As Integrity Legal’s popular videos on YouTube often remind us, DTV is not actually a guaranteed entry five-year visa. The validity of the visa – when you can use it – is five years and it’s true the visa is marked “multiple”. Last July, the Tourist Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) spokesman at the launch said that subsequent entries and extensions would not require more documentation as far as TAT was concerned, but it was open to immigration officers to request more paperwork at local offices (for extensions) or at airports and border posts (for subsequent entries to Thailand). The silence of the immigration bureau, which controls entries and extensions, has been truly deafening during the DTV post-launch period. There is little doubt that there is the potential for abuse in DTV applications. Some digital nomads, technically working for an overseas company, are believed to have Thai customers contrary to work permit legislation. Soft power has been stretched very far, as instanced by the fact that attending pop concerts or having a dental appointment could qualify for long visa status. In theory anyway. Dozens of Thai embassies worldwide are currently issuing DTVs, but the paper requirements vary. Some but not all require a bank account of at least three months standing. Others require the naming of a Thai guarantor and the evidence of the applicant’s work-related activity in the past. Some embassies require the cookery classes to last up to six months, others three, whilst the documents needed for the registration of the Thai boxing academy are far from uniform. There are lots of embassy-related discrepancies detailed by members of the Facebook group. Yet the likelihood is that nothing much of significance will happen soon. The prospect of DTV holders at immigration offices, airports and border posts being quizzed by officers about fresh paperwork is a recipe for daily, chaotic delays for the queuing public. Meanwhile, the government says it is working to combine different immigration data bases which will likely take most of next year to finalize. There is also an ongoing inter-departmental working party on reducing the number of non-immigrant visas which could impact DTV. There is no doubt DTV will be reformed, and likely restricted, in the light of experience. But perhaps not in 2025. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/what-will-the-destination-thailand-visa-look-like-in-2025-473891 Is the cooking class and boxing academy references an inside joke? I think I miss the context... Quote
reader Posted September 29 Author Posted September 29 9 minutes ago, KeepItReal said: Is the cooking class and boxing academy references an inside joke? I think I miss the context... Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) The Ultimate Digital Nomad Visa Last Updated: September 29th, 2024 6:07 PM Good news for digital nomads and remote workers who want to live in Thailand legally! Thailand has just announced the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), aimed specifically at digital nomads and remote workers. This new visa is part of Thailand's efforts to boost tourism and attract more visitors. Thai soft power related activities For Thai soft power related activities Eligible Activities Muay Thai Thai cuisine Education and seminars Sports Medical treatment Foreign talent Events related to art and music Continues at https://dtv.in.th/en Quote
KeepItReal Posted September 29 Posted September 29 6 hours ago, reader said: Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) The Ultimate Digital Nomad Visa Last Updated: September 29th, 2024 6:07 PM Good news for digital nomads and remote workers who want to live in Thailand legally! Thailand has just announced the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), aimed specifically at digital nomads and remote workers. This new visa is part of Thailand's efforts to boost tourism and attract more visitors. Thai soft power related activities For Thai soft power related activities Eligible Activities Muay Thai Thai cuisine Education and seminars Sports Medical treatment Foreign talent Events related to art and music Continues at https://dtv.in.th/en Ah! Now I am caught up - thanks! Some of the men I meet are pieces of art, so I feel fully covered! 😉😉 vinapu and reader 2 Quote
vinapu Posted September 30 Posted September 30 8 hours ago, KeepItReal said: Some of the men I meet are pieces of art, so I feel fully covered! 😉😉 make sure they are not con artists omega and KeepItReal 2 Quote
KeepItReal Posted September 30 Posted September 30 18 hours ago, vinapu said: make sure they are not con artists The art of the chase is half the fun! 😆 Quote
reader Posted October 3 Author Posted October 3 From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Visa agencies in tourist-orientated cities throughout Thailand are offering to help Destination Thailand Visa hopefuls cut the pain out of the bureaucracy when dealing with overseas embassies. DTV cannot be granted to foreigners present in Thailand but must leave the country to lodge an application. Since the introduction of DTV last July, some foreigners have demonstrated on social media that Thai diplomatic posts do not have uniform documentary requirements. Some aspirants say they have been refused, others delayed or told to resubmit. The areas of ambiguity include what exactly counts as a cash bond, the precise evidence for a digital nomad working for overseas clients and the detailed proof about being a soft-power applicant. What the Thai visa agencies, widely advertised on Facebook in particular, are offering is a visa run to a neighboring country and assistance in preparing the specific documentation tailored to that Thai embassy. Other services cover air or road transport to the destination, hotel accommodation (usually on a bed and breakfast only basis) and a pickup facility at the Thai diplomatic post. The inclusive costs vary company-by-company but are generally in the 75,000 baht to 150,000 baht range (from US$ 2,400), dependent on the level of assistance given. Most agencies require applicants to fill in a pre- application form to check DTV eligibility which isn’t usually a problem as the soft power categories are non-specific on detail. Applicants who have trouble proving the cash or income bond requirement may be offered a third-party guarantee by the host company. https://www.pattayamail.com/news/visa-companies-offer-trouble-free-dtv-applications-474522 TMax and bkkmfj2648 2 Quote
