Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
The DTV (วีซ่า DTV, the Destination Thailand Visa, often called the digital nomad visa or workcation visa) is a five-year multiple-entry visa introduced in July 2024 that admits the holder for 180 days on each entry, extendable once inside Thailand for a further 180 days. It is issued only by Thai embassies through the e-Visa system, for 10,000 baht, to remote workers employed abroad, to participants in Thai soft-power activities such as Muay Thai, cookery and medical treatment, and to their dependants. It carries no work permit and never leads to residency.
Table of Contents
What the visa grants and to whom
The DTV was created by cabinet resolution under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), not as a new category in the Act. It runs for five years from issue, and each arrival earns a stay of 180 days stamped at the border. One extension of 180 days per entry is available at an immigration office on form TM7 for 1,900 baht, giving up to 360 consecutive days, after which the holder leaves and re-enters for a fresh 180.
Three groups qualify. Workcation applicants are remote employees, freelancers or owners of foreign businesses working for clients outside Thailand, evidenced by an employment contract, business registration or portfolio. Soft-power applicants are enrolled in a Thai programme (Muay Thai, cookery, sports training, art courses, or treatment at a licensed hospital), evidenced by an enrolment letter, increasingly for a course of at least six months. The legal spouse and unmarried children under 20 apply as dependants with their own 500,000 baht each.
Applying and living on the DTV
The money test is 500,000 baht (or the equivalent in any currency) held for about three months before the application, some embassies asking for six; a lump sum deposited the week before is the usual reason for refusal. Since 31 August 2026 the application must be made through the Thai embassy responsible for the applicant’s nationality or country of permanent legal residence, with proof of address in that jurisdiction and a police clearance certificate issued within six months. Third-country applications are now rejected. Processing takes 5 to 15 business days.
The visa cannot be applied for or converted inside Thailand. Once here, the holder files the 90-day report like any long-stay foreigner, is covered by the host’s TM30, and files a TDAC before each arrival. No re-entry permit is needed. The common mistake is taking work from a Thai company or Thai clients: the DTV permits remote work for foreign employers only, and a work permit cannot be attached to it.
DTV, tourist entry and the 180-day tax line
| Point | Visa exemption (from 15 September 2026) | DTV |
|---|---|---|
| Stay per entry | 30 days | 180 days |
| Extension | Once, 30 days, 1,900 baht | Once, 180 days, 1,900 baht |
| Validity | Single entry | 5 years, multiple entry |
| Money shown | 10,000 baht at the border | 500,000 baht seasoned three months |
| Work | None | Remote work for foreign employers only |
The DTV became the practical answer when the exemption fell to 30 days. Its cost is fiscal: a holder who spends 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year becomes a Thai tax resident under the Revenue Code, and foreign income earned from 1 January 2024 and remitted to Thailand is taxable at progressive rates up to 35 percent. Time on a DTV does not count towards permanent residency, which requires three years of one-year extensions on a non-immigrant visa.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for the DTV visa?
500,000 baht or its equivalent in another currency, in an account in the applicant’s name, held for about three months before applying; some embassies ask to see six months of statements. Each dependant spouse or child needs a further 500,000 baht. The account does not have to be in Thailand, and the visa fee is 10,000 baht on top.
Can I apply for the DTV inside Thailand?
No. The DTV is issued only by Thai embassies and consulates through the e-Visa system, and since 31 August 2026 only by the embassy responsible for your nationality or your country of permanent legal residence. A tourist entry cannot be converted into a DTV at an immigration office; the holder must leave, apply abroad and return.
Can I work for a Thai company on a DTV?
No. The DTV allows remote work for employers and clients outside Thailand and participation in soft-power activities. Working for a Thai employer or Thai clients requires a work permit, which cannot be issued on a DTV; the foreigner would need a Non-B visa and an employer meeting the work permit conditions.
See also: visa exemption, LTR visa, tax resident, work permit, and the guides to the DTV application and DTV requirements.
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