The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a 5-year, multiple-entry visa with up to 180 days per entry and one 180-day extension inside Thailand. Since 31 August 2026 you can apply only where you are a national or permanent resident, with a police certificate and proof of at least THB 500,000 (about USD 14,900 or GBP 11,100). We check your file against your mission's rules and handle the filing with you. Rules are as of 6 October 2026.
In short
- The DTV lasts 5 years, with up to 180 days per entry. One 180-day extension in Thailand costs THB 1,900 (about USD 57 or GBP 42), for up to 360 days in a row. The visa fee is THB 10,000, charged in the mission's currency (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
- Since 31 August 2026 you apply only where you are a national or permanent resident, and every applicant needs a police certificate (Royal Thai Embassy London, 8 September 2026). Applications filed and paid before that date are decided under the old rules (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
- You must show at least THB 500,000 or the equivalent. The statement period depends on the mission: Washington asks for three months, London names none (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
- The DTV does not allow work for Thai companies or clients and gives no tax relief. Spend 180 days or more in a calendar year and you are a Thai tax resident (ThaiLawOnline; PwC, 24 August 2026).
- Inside Thailand you file a report every 90 days, your landlord files your TM30, and you complete a TDAC before each arrival. You need no re-entry permit (ThaiLawOnline).
Who is the DTV for, and what does it allow?
The DTV suits people who work remotely for a foreign employer or foreign clients, and people who come for "soft power" activities: Muay Thai, cooking courses, sports training, treatment, seminars. You must be 20 or older. A spouse and unmarried children under 20 apply as dependants, and each pays the full fee (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
You cannot get a DTV, or convert another status into one, inside Thailand: the application goes through the e-visa system, mandatory since 1 January 2025 (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026). If you live in Phuket on a retirement or marriage extension, a DTV means a new application at your own mission.
Which documents does the DTV need since 31 August 2026?
The core set is a passport, proof of at least THB 500,000, a police certificate (from your home country or the country where you apply) and documents that show your purpose. Each mission decides the exact list, the certificate's validity and the statement period, so we build your file from your mission's announcement (Royal Thai Embassy London, 8 September 2026).
- Funds: statements for THB 500,000 or the equivalent. The account need not be Thai, and some missions accept joint or sponsored accounts. Many guides advise three months of statements with the balance at or above the threshold (Thaiger, 3 July 2026).
- Purpose: for remote work, an employment or client contract plus evidence that the employer or clients are foreign; for soft power, a provider letter covering the activity, duration, schedule and fees (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
UK and US applicants
Missions differ more than the headline rules suggest, and our DTV guide compares them. London also asks for proof of permanent residence in the UK, Ireland or a British Overseas Territory (Royal Thai Embassy London, 8 September 2026). Guides give indefinite leave to remain as an example, and we confirm with the embassy whether the requirement applies to your passport.
| Mission | Police certificate | Residence proof and funds |
|---|---|---|
| London | Issued within 6 months: ACRO or an Irish police certificate | Proof of permanent residence in the UK, Ireland or a British Overseas Territory; no statement period named |
| Washington | FBI check issued within 3 months | Bank statements for 3 months |
| Los Angeles | FBI check issued within 3 months | A valid US visa, driving licence or green card is accepted as proof of residence (Thaiger, September 2026) |
Missions posted their own wording between 1 and 12 September 2026, so check the date on your mission's announcement.
What does the DTV cost, and how long does it last?
The government fee is THB 10,000, and each mission charges it in local currency: GBP 300 in London, USD 400 in Washington, EUR 350 in Helsinki and about NZD 2,000 in Wellington. The extension inside Thailand costs THB 1,900, once, for 180 days (Thaiger, 30 July 2026; ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026).
| What | Length | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| The visa | 5 years, multiple entry | Not renewable: after 5 years you file a new application |
| One entry | Up to 180 days | Then leave or extend |
| The extension | Another 180 days, once | Up to 360 days in a row, then leave and re-enter |
Dollar and pound figures are approximate (THB 33.6 per USD, Federal Reserve, 2 October 2026; THB 45 per GBP, late July 2026). Most missions decide within 5 to 15 business days, sometimes after follow-up questions, and the fee is not refunded on a refusal (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026), so book nothing non-refundable before the decision.
What the DTV does not give you, and where the risks are
The DTV does not allow work for Thai companies or clients, gives no tax relief and does not guarantee a bank account. At 180 days or more in a calendar year you are a tax resident, and foreign income earned from 2024 is taxed when you bring it into Thailand (ThaiLawOnline, 5 October 2026; PwC, 24 August 2026).
US citizens remain taxable in the US on worldwide income, because the treaty has a savings clause (HLB Thailand); see Two tax residencies: a US citizen on a DTV and Thailand's 180-day rule. A typical refusal over a short statement: A DTV refused over a bank statement.
What we do
We run the DTV from the first check of your mission's rules to the extension in Phuket, and go with you to the immigration office. Our lawyers hold Lawyers Council of Thailand licences and work in English, Russian and Thai. The mission decides, and we cannot guarantee the outcome.
- We match your passport, residence, money and purpose to the announcement of the mission where you may apply.
- We check the statements (amount, period, currency) and the certificate: validity and legalisation.
- We prepare and translate the documents and list what is missing.
- We fill in the e-visa application with you and review it before you pay the fee.
- In Thailand we support the 180-day extension in Phuket and run your 90-day reports: how that works.
- If the DTV does not fit, we propose another status: your options for staying longer.
What to check yourself before you apply
Four questions you can answer on your own before a consultation. If one answer is "no" or "I don't know", the file is not ready. Find out before you pay the fee or book flights, because the mission alone makes the decision.
- You are a national of the mission's country or hold permanent residence there.
- You have read your mission's rules on statements and the certificate.
- Your balance stays at or above THB 500,000 for the whole statement period.
- Your work is for clients or an employer abroad, not a Thai company.
Describe your situation in the form below: your passport, where you live, the money in your account and why you are coming. Within 24 hours we tell you whether the DTV fits.
