DTV Thailand·Glossary

The DTV, term by term.

A working reference for the Thailand Destination Thailand Visa - eligibility lanes, financial rules, consulate routing, fees, and post-arrival logistics, set in plain English. Updated when the rules change.

Last updated · 14 May 202654 entries

Government fee by consulate.

From ฿8,450 (India) to ฿38,374 (New Zealand). Non-refundable. Paid by the applicant on their own card at the submission step on thaievisa.go.th - never via DTV Help.

FX rates approximate, current to 14 May 2026. The fee actually charged is the one in effect on the portal at the moment of submission - consulates can change pricing without notice. Source: cross-referenced against the Royal Thai e-Visa portal and dtv.in.th.

Country	Fee	Currency	≈ THB	Note
Albania	350	EUR	฿13,269
Andorra	350	EUR	฿13,269
Australia	600	AUD	฿14,084
Austria	350	EUR	฿13,269
Belgium	350	EUR	฿13,269
Bulgaria	350	EUR	฿13,269
Cambodia	400	USD	฿12,948
Canada	650	CAD	฿15,348
China	10,000	THB	฿10,000
Cyprus	350	EUR	฿13,269
Czech Republic	350	EUR	฿13,269
Denmark	2,500	DKK	฿12,682
Estonia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Finland	350	EUR	฿13,269
France	350	EUR	฿13,269
Georgia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Germany	350	EUR	฿13,269
Greece	350	EUR	฿13,269
Hong Kong	3,000	HKD	฿12,400
Hungary	350	EUR	฿13,269
Iceland	350	EUR	฿13,269
India	25,000	INR	฿8,450	Lowest
Indonesia	5,600,000	IDR	฿10,354
Ireland	350	EUR	฿13,269
Israel	350	EUR	฿13,269
Italy	350	EUR	฿13,269
Japan	52,000	JPY	฿10,657
Kazakhstan	400	USD	฿12,948
Kosovo	350	EUR	฿13,269
Laos	10,000	THB	฿10,000
Latvia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Liechtenstein	350	EUR	฿13,269
Lithuania	350	EUR	฿13,269
Luxembourg	350	EUR	฿13,269
Macao	3,000	HKD	฿12,400
Malaysia	1,600	MYR	฿13,180
Malta	350	EUR	฿13,269
Monaco	350	EUR	฿13,269
Netherlands	350	EUR	฿13,269
New Zealand	2,000	NZD	฿38,374	Highest
Norway	3,500	NOK	฿12,348
Poland	350	EUR	฿13,269
Portugal	350	EUR	฿13,269
Qatar	1,500	QAR	฿14,789
Romania	350	EUR	฿13,269
Russia	350	USD	฿11,329
San Marino	350	EUR	฿13,269
Serbia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Singapore	500	SGD	฿12,713
Slovakia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Slovenia	350	EUR	฿13,269
Spain	350	EUR	฿13,269
Sri Lanka	85,000	LKR	฿8,490
Sweden	350	EUR	฿13,269
Switzerland	350	CHF	฿14,488
Taiwan	11,000	TWD	฿11,285
Ukraine	350	EUR	฿13,269
United Arab Emirates	1,500	AED	฿13,219
United Kingdom	300	GBP	฿13,135
United States	400	USD	฿12,948
Uzbekistan	350	USD	฿11,329
Vietnam	340	USD	฿11,005

Disclosed for guidance, not as a contract. Some consulates surcharge for in-person pickup, courier return, or weekend processing. Some accept multiple currencies (local + USD). Check the consulate’s own page before booking flights.

A

2 entries

Age, minimum

A sole applicant must be at least 20 years old on the date of filing. Below twenty, an applicant can only be added as a dependent on a parent’s principal file - see Dependents.

Application from inside Thailand

Not permitted. The DTV must be filed from outside the Kingdom - either on the e-Visa portal from a country where the applicant is lawfully present, or in person at a Royal Thai consulate abroad. A tourist already in Thailand has to leave first; see Consulate routing for where to go.

B

3 entries

Bank account (post-arrival)

DTV holders may open a Thai bank account, but practice varies by branch - some treat the visa as tourist-equivalent and decline. Most banks now require a Thai Tax Identification Number at the point of opening. Agency-assisted openings exist; they are not part of the visa application itself.

Bank statement

The headline financial document. Must show a balance of at least 500,000 THB(or foreign-currency equivalent) held over the most recent three-month window, in the applicant’s own name, with date and account details legible. See 500,000 THB rule and Source of funds.

Business registration

For applicants who own the entity that pays them: an authenticated copy of the company’s registration in its country of incorporation. Authentication usually means embassy or apostille stamp. Self-employed and freelance applicants without an entity rely on a Portfolio and contracts instead.

C

3 entries

Consulate routing

The choice of which Royal Thai consulate to file with from the country where you are physically present at the moment of submission (see Country-of-submission rule). Practice, processing time, and document expectations differ by post. The common workable routes are Vientiane (if you are in Laos), Jakarta (if you are in Indonesia), your home country, or the Wellington outlier (if you are in New Zealand). See the field note Where to apply from.

Country-of-submission rule

The DTV must be filed from the country where the applicant is physically present at the moment of submission. You cannot pick a consulate at random from a comfortable chair: if you submit a Vientiane application, you must be in Laos when the file is lodged. If you submit a Jakarta application, you must be in Indonesia. The e-Visa portal captures the country of submission via the application form itself, and consulates verify physical presence through visa stamps, travel documents, or proof of address. Filing from inside Thailand is explicitly closed; see Inside Thailand application.

Crypto holders

Crypto balances are not accepted as the 500,000 THB proof on their own. Applicants holding digital assets must liquidate a sufficient portion into fiat currency and hold the equivalent in a regulated bank account across the three-month window. The consulate looks at the bank statement, not the exchange screenshot.

D

2 entries

Dependents

A DTV principal may bring a legal spouse and biological or legally adopted children under twenty on linked files. Each dependent needs proof of relationship - marriage certificate, birth certificate, or adoption order - and the principal must satisfy the financial test on their behalf. Above twenty, the child files independently or not at all.

Documents

A complete DTV dossier typically includes the passport biodata page, a recent photograph, the three-month bank statement, source-of-funds evidence, employer or self-employment proof, current-address documentation, and - for the soft-power lane - an acceptance letter from the host institution. Dependent files add civil-status documents.

E

6 entries

E-Visa portal

The official Royal Thai application portal at thaievisa.go.th, used to submit, upload documents, pay the government fee, and track status. The applicant operates their own account on the portal; nobody - agency or otherwise - should be logging in on their behalf.

Elite Visa (DTV vs)

The Thailand Privilege (formerly Elite) Visa is a paid five-year-plus residency programme costing several hundred thousand baht in membership fees. The DTV reaches similar duration for a fraction of the cost - useful when the applicant qualifies via remote work or soft power and does not need Privilege-tier services.

Embassy practice variability

Royal Thai consulates set their own document expectations, processing times, and queue protocols within the framework issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. What clears in four working days in one post can take three weeks in another. Plan around the post, not the published guidance.

Employment contract

For the workation lane: the contract or employment letter from a non-Thai employer, typically authenticated by that country’s embassy or by apostille where applicable. Freelance and contractor files substitute multiple contracts or invoices for the same purpose - proof that the applicant’s income comes from outside Thailand.

Extension (in-country)

One 180-day extension per entry is permitted at a Thai immigration office, paid in cash at the immigration window. After the extension is used, the applicant must leave the Kingdom and re-enter to reset the clock; see Re-entry.

Eligibility lanes

Three published lanes: the workation lane (remote workers for non-Thai employers), the soft-power lane (Muay Thai, Thai cookery, traditional medicine, sport, cultural events), and the dependent lane (spouse and minor children of a principal). An applicant qualifies under exactly one lane.

F

2 entries

500,000 THB rule

The financial test. The applicant must show at least 500,000 THB (or foreign-currency equivalent) liquid and held for the three months preceding submission, in their own name. The figure does not need to be parked in Thailand - a bank statement from the applicant’s home country is standard practice.

Five-year validity

The visa is valid for five years from the date of issue, with multiple entries. Each entry permits up to 180 days in the Kingdom; see Re-entry and Extension.

G

1 entry

Government fee

The consulate fee, set in local currency and varying by post. $380-$475 USD at most consulates, with a lower band ($260-$340) at several Asian posts, paid by the applicant on the e-Visa portal at the submission step. Non-refundable regardless of outcome - a feature of the Thai consulate system, not of any concierge or agency. Wellington is the documented outlier at NZD 2,000. The full table of fees per consulate is above.

H

2 entries

Health insurance

Not a mandatory DTV requirement at issue, unlike some other Thai visa categories. Strongly recommended in practice, because public healthcare in Thailand is not accessible to DTV holders and private medical bills add up quickly.

Home-country option

Filing from your country of nationality or principal residence is one option among several, and often the simplest - the Country-of-submission rule is satisfied by definition because you are already there. For workation applicants in particular, the consulate of the country where the employer or principal income source is registered tends to ask fewer follow-up questions. The other workable routes (Vientiane, Jakarta, etc.) require travelling to the country first and being physically present at submission.

I

2 entries

Inside Thailand application

See Application from inside Thailand.

Investment income

Dividends, bond coupons, and other investment income are accepted as a source of funds, provided the underlying portfolio is documented and the distributions land in the applicant’s bank account during the proof window.

J

1 entry

Jakarta (Royal Thai Embassy)

The Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta - the route for DTV applicants physically present in Indonesia at the moment of submission. A common alternative to Vientiane. Government fee charged in IDR; see Government fee.

M

3 entries

Marriage certificate

Required to add a legal spouse as a dependent. Most consulates accept the home-country certificate; some require translation into Thai or English and notarisation. Civil-partnership documents are treated case by case. See Dependents.

Muay Thai (soft-power lane)

Training at a registered Muay Thai gym qualifies under the soft-power lane, with an acceptance letter from the gym and proof of programme duration. Course duration is not fixed - a two-week intensive can suffice if the gym is registered with the relevant Thai sport authority.

Multiple-entry

The DTV is a multiple-entry visa for its full five-year validity. Exits and re-entries are not capped in number; what is capped is the time spent inside the Kingdom per entry (180 days, extendable once). See Re-entry.

N

3 entries

Nationality, eligible

The DTV is open to passport holders of roughly 93 countries including most of the European Union, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and others. Filing on the e-Visa portal is available to most of these nationalities.

Nationality, restricted

A list of nationalities - Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Iranian, Syrian, and others - must file from their country of citizenship (and in some cases from a small list of designated consulates), with additional documents requested at the post’s discretion. Pre-check the home consulate’s requirements before assembling the file.

Ninety-day report

A standing obligation for long-stay foreign residents: report the current address to Thai Immigration every 90 days of continuous stay. The report can usually be filed online or in person. Leaving the country and re-entering resets the counter. Also known by the form name TM.47.

O

1 entry

Overstay history

A prior record of significant overstay on any Thai visa is disqualifying. The threshold is interpreter-dependent - a single late departure resolved with a fine is usually survivable; repeat or extended overstays are not. Flag this up front; it cannot be hidden from the consulate.

P

3 entries

Passport

The applicant’s passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the intended date of entry, with at least two blank visa pages. A passport that renews during the DTV validity is fine - both documents are presented at Thai immigration so the existing visa can be carried forward.

Photograph

A recent passport-style photograph, taken within the past six months, on a plain background, conforming to international biometric standards (face fills the frame, neutral expression, no headwear unless religious). The e-Visa portal rejects casual selfies.

Portfolio

For freelance or self-employed workation applicants: documentary evidence of remote-work activity over the past 6 to 12 months. Client invoices, project deliverables, a public professional profile, or a directors’ certificate all count. The consulate is testing whether the income claim is real, not the polish of the portfolio.

R

4 entries

Re-entry

Leaving Thailand and returning during the five-year validity resets the 180-day stay counter on the new entry. There is no minimum time required outside the Kingdom, but consecutive no-substance border bounces draw scrutiny - Thai immigration officers can and do refuse entry to applicants who appear to be using the DTV as a tourist roll-over.

Refusal reasons

The top three documented refusal reasons in 2026: an incomplete or inconsistent bank statement, a wrongly categorised lane (e.g. claiming soft power without an institutional anchor), and a missing home-country link for the workation lane. Most refusals are fixable on a re-file at a different consulate.

Residency Certificate (TRC)

A short document issued by Thai immigration confirming current address. Required for buying a vehicle, obtaining a Thai driving licence, and certain bank operations. DTV holders can usually obtain a TRC in person at the local immigration office once they have a registered address (see TM.30).

Retirement Visa (DTV vs)

The Non-Immigrant O-A (Retirement) visa requires age 50+, a higher financial test parked in Thailand, and annual renewals. The DTV is age-neutral, has a lower financial threshold, and renews entries by border-crossing rather than paperwork - but does not extend the same family-stay rights.

S

4 entries

Soft-power lane

The eligibility route for applicants studying or practising a recognised Thai cultural activity: Muay Thai, Thai cookery, traditional medicine and massage, festivals, sport competitions, medical treatment. The qualifying anchor is an acceptance letter from a registered institution or sponsor.

Acceptance letter (soft power)

The institutional document that anchors a soft-power application: a signed, stamped letter from the gym, school, festival, hospital, or sponsor confirming the applicant’s admission, dates, and the nature of the activity. The institution must be a registered Thai entity.

Source of funds

Evidence of where the 500,000 THB came from: payslips, employer letters, dividend statements, a sponsor letter naming the applicant, or a documented inheritance. The consulate looks at the six months preceding the bank-statement window, not just the closing balance.

Submission window

The roughly fifteen-minute session on the e-Visa portal during which the applicant uploads the prepared dossier, pays the government fee on their own card, and presses submit. The account, the card, and the press of submit belong to the applicant, not to any third party.

T

6 entries

Tax Identification Number (TIN)

The thirteen-digit number issued by the Thai Revenue Department to a foreigner who registers as a Thai tax resident or who needs one for banking. Required at most banks for new account openings and for the TRC route. Registration is at a Revenue Department office, free of charge.

Tax residency

A foreigner becomes a Thai tax resident on accumulating more than 180 days of physical presence inside the Kingdom in a calendar year. Tax residency triggers an obligation to declare worldwide income remitted into Thailand. Specific tax planning sits outside the visa work - speak to a Thai tax adviser.

TDAC (Thai Digital Arrival Card)

The electronic arrival declaration required of all foreigners entering Thailand since May 2024. Replaces the old paper arrival slip. Completed online before or on arrival; a QR code is presented at the immigration counter. Not a visa requirement, but a routine arrival step DTV holders pass through every entry.

TM.30

The address-notification form. The landlord, hotel, or host is responsible for notifying Thai immigration of the foreigner’s address within 24 hours of arrival at a new address. In practice the foreigner often submits the form themselves. Without a current TM.30, the Residency Certificate and certain banking operations are blocked.

Tourist Visa (DTV vs)

For stays under 60 days, the standard Tourist Visa (or visa exemption for many nationalities) is faster, cheaper, and sufficient. The DTV is the right tool for repeated 180-day stays across years, not for a one-off holiday - see the field note DTV or Tourist Visa.

Translation

Civil-status documents (marriage, birth, adoption) in languages other than English typically need certified translation into English or Thai for the dependent file. Financial documents in major languages are usually accepted as issued. Consulate practice varies - confirm before paying for translation.

U

1 entry

Underage dependents

A child under 20 filing as a dependent on a parent’s file needs the birth certificate or adoption order. A minor travelling without both biological parents needs a notarised consent letter from the non-present parent, and, in sole-custody situations, a notarised copy of the custody order.

V

2 entries

Vientiane (Royal Thai Embassy, Laos)

The workhorse route. The Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane processes the highest weekly DTV volume in the region, with typical turnaround of five to ten working days. Document expectations track the published MFA guidance closely; the Mekong crossing makes it the most operationally efficient consulate for applicants already in Southeast Asia.

Visa types - DTV in context

The DTV sits between the short-stay Tourist routes and the long-stay programmes like the Elite or Retirement visas. It is longer than tourist, cheaper than Elite, age-neutral unlike Retirement, and not work-permit-bearing - see Work permit.

W

3 entries

Wellington (the outlier)

The Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand charges a documented outlier fee of approximately NZD 2,000 against the $380-$475 USD typical elsewhere. The processing itself is comparable to other posts - the fee is the anomaly. Flag the cost in advance for NZ-routed applications.

Work permit

DTV holders do not need a Thai work permit to perform remote work for a non-Thai employer. The same DTV holder cannot accept salaried work from a Thai entity without converting to a different visa class and obtaining a separate work permit. The line is the employer, not the laptop.

Workcation lane

The most common eligibility route: a remote worker, freelancer, or contractor whose income comes from a non-Thai employer or client base. Documented through employment contract, portfolio, and the standard financial test.

Missing something?

If a term is missing, it’s because we have not yet seen it enough.

Write to us. Every clarification we field in the inbox lands here within the week.

Start my eligibility check Read the field notes

Informational only. Royal Thai consulate practice changes without notice; the version of any rule in effect on your submission date is the one that governs your file.