Mark Friedman:
Now that applications are being accepted for the DTV visa, we wanted to give you an update on the program’s rollout and confirm some good news about this opportunity to make Thailand your home base. Before we get started, let me briefly recap the DTV’s qualifications.
This visa is for anyone over the age of 20 wanting to work remotely from Thailand or immerse yourself in the kingdom’s culture, such as attending cooking school. It can also be used for extended wellness or medical treatments. The visa stamp is valid for five years and you’ll need to show financial capability of 500,000 Thai Baht or about 14,000 US dollars.
So let me share six important bits of information as you consider whether the DTV visa is right for you. First, folks are reporting DTV visa approvals, and the approval period is about the same as for other e visas. Now, this may depend on your home country’s Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate’s workload, but e visas are typically processed within about 15 working days.
Second, this is truly a multiple entry visa that allows for stays up to 180 days at a time. You can leave and re-enter Thailand as often as you wish, and each time you re-enter, your six month stay period starts again. So, for example, let’s say you’ve been working remotely here for five months.
You then leave the country for a brief holiday, maybe to Singapore or Luang Prabang, Laos. When you return to Thailand and get stamped in an immigration, you can stay for up to another six months. But do keep track of your 180 day stay period because overstays can result in fines or more severe penalties for lengthy or repeated violations.
Third, you can extend any of your stays for up to another 180 days at any immigration office by paying an extension fee. So, if a trip outside of the country during your initial stay isn’t ideal, you can remain in Thailand for up to 360 days on your DTV visa. Fourth, if you’re working here remotely as a freelancer or self-employed consultant, you can establish your professional credentials a number of ways including with examples of your creative portfolio, online marketing presence such as website or Instagram page, client remittances and the like.
If you’re working remotely for an overseas company, a letter confirming your employment will be accepted. Fifth, you can show your financial capability with funds on hand in a foreign or Thai bank account. Again, this is about 14,000 U.S. dollars, although the amount varies a bit by Royal Thai Embassy.
You may also establish this through payslips, for instance, showing year to date earnings. We think the first option will be more easily accepted if this works for you. Finally, just remember that if you stay more than 180 days, you may find yourself tax domiciled or paying tax on your foreign income in Thailand.
So keeping your eye on the 180 day stay limit will benefit you both from an overstay and tax perspective. If you’d like to learn more about the DTV program or speak with someone on our Thai legal team, there’s a link in the description below. Thank you for watching.
