Thailand quietly made a game-changing update for digital nomads since our last text about you visa options when traveling to the Nomad Summit: the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) can now be applied for 100% online, with zero paperwork or embassy visits required. So if you’re planning to stay longer in Thailand to work remotely and explore the country before and after the event in Chiang Mai – here’s my full experience going through the process as a location-independent entrepreneur, plus answers to common questions from the digital nomad community.
1. Thailand DTV Visa: 100% Digital Process
The whole application is online via the Thai government’s official portal (thaievisa.go.th). You submit your documents, pay the fee (differs in each currency – in my case it was 350 EUR), and communicate over email. For Thailand, notorious for slow bureaucracy, this feels like a leap into the future.
2. So… What’s the Catch? Third-Country Applications
I applied from Estonia while being officially resident in Portugal. The first question on the form is not your country of residence, but your current location. Selecting Estonia assigned my case to the Thai Embassy in Helsinki – with no way to pick Lisbon or “where you are resident”.
What followed was a few emails: first, the Helsinki embassy asked for proof linking me to Estonia (I provided Bolt and Wolt receipts with my name/address), later an official address extract. I explained I was just visiting, but the process was flexible: after checking with Lisbon, Helsinki handled my visa, showing embassies will coordinate in reasonable cases. If you’re a true nomad, be ready for a couple of clarification emails. Or interpret the question for your “current location” right away as one for a registered address (and not where you happen to be right now).
Thai Visa Application. Question for the current location
3. Timeline: What To Expect
Here’s how long it took, step by step:
- Application and Fee: Submitted Sunday night
- Embassy Reply: Monday afternoon (request for bills) – I had provided the requested documents within less than one hour
- Additional Requests: Tuesday & Wednesday (utilities, address register) – I had again provided the requested documents within less than one hour
- Coordination with Lisbon: Final decision Thursday the week after, then approval
Total time: 18 days. Without the address confusion, “normal” cases are reportedly resolved in 3-4 working days. So, apply well ahead of travel but expect speed!
Thai Visa Application: Email request for further documents
4. Required Documents & Common Questions
Essentials:
- Proof of remote job/business (in my case as an entrepreneur: company register file, no income proof required but salaries can show in bank statements)
- Last 3 months of bank statements, showing minimum balance of 500,000 THB (~15,000 EUR)
- Personal info
- No criminal record or health insurance required at the application stage
- Flight bookings & accommodation in Thailand (already needed for visa start, even if it’s 5 years!)
- Visa fee: 350 EUR, paid online by card
How to prove net worth:
I uploaded a single PDF (as you can only share one file per step): first page summarizing all accounts (bank, investment, crypto), then statements for each. The embassy was fine with seeing assets across a diversified portfolio.
Can I use brokerage or crypto accounts?
It seems to depend on the embassy. Some require “bank accounts only”, in my case they accepted brokerage/crypto as part of my asset picture – especially if it’s a healthy part of a diversified portfolio.
How fast do you need to show the minimum balance, and how long?
The form asks for the last 3 months.
5. Frequently Asked Community Questions
Does my spouse get the visa automatically?
No, but your spouse and children under 20 can apply for dependent DTV visas. See this official embassy info.
Does the visa expire if not used?
No, it’s a 5-year multi-entry visa. You can enter for up to 180 days per visit, and the visa doesn’t have a deadline until when you need to show up in Thailand.
Do I need to leave Thailand every 180 days?
Technically, yes – unless you go to immigration for a 180-day extension (which could make you a tax resident). Most nomads simply travel for a while, return, and explore the region.
What’s the tax situation?
You owe Thai tax after 180 days physically in Thailand. As Thailand has a very interesting way of taxing only income that is being brought into the country (be remitting or spending it there through foreign cards) this can be an attractive option of digital nomads from certain countries.
My Final Thoughts
Thailand’s DTV is a leap forward for nomads, but the process still lags in accounting for truly borderless lifestyles. The embassies, in my experience, treat cases with flexibility and common sense if you’re transparent.
If you plan to winter around the Nomad Summit in Chiang Mai or explore the islands, Thailand has made it easier than ever to get your nomad visa. Nomad Summit is the premier international gathering for nomads, remote workers, and location-independent professionals. Stay tuned for the next event, and share your own visa experiences for the community!
Questions? Drop a comment below or reach out to the Nomad Summit team!
This story was first shared on Reddit, this blog article is distilled from the text and the answers to the questions asked there.
