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What are the misunderstandings surrounding the DTV visa for digital nomads in Thailand?

DTV VisaDigital NomadsVisa ExtensionThai ImmigrationImmigration ChallengesVisa TypesVisa Requirements
Feb 7, 2025
15 days ago
Hanson ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
This short video may clarify why some newly arrived digital nomads encounter challenges at airports, Thai borders, or when attempting to extend their visas at immigration offices.

A Thai legal expert indicates that the concept of the DTV is largely misunderstood by many immigration officers and is, for all intents and purposes, a "made up notion."

Application Denied!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The video discusses how newly arrived digital nomads face challenges regarding the DTV visa due to misunderstandings among immigration officers. A legal expert claims that the DTV concept is 'made up,' leading to confusion and application denials. Comments from viewers criticize this expert's credibility and indicate varying experiences with the DTV visa and its extensions, highlighting the discrepancy between the expert's claims and reality in immigration practices.
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Carmelito *******
Haven't heard of a single person "encountering challenges at airports".
14 days ago
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Alex *******
Off his rocker, we'll see if my comment sticks - but it's unlikely. All content has a bias or an objective, follow the money. Does he gain from DTV being used, or does he gain from selling more overpriced long term stays? You be the judge
15 days ago
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Milo *********
What a terrible take.
15 days ago
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Anonymous ******************
Everyone flag his videos. This guy is always putting out false information.
15 days ago
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마리오 ***
What’s up with his hair?
15 days ago
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Sean *******
As the title of most of his videos suggest. He doesn't like the DTV because it's hurting his profits.
15 days ago
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Jon **********
I enjoy watching him rant now and again. Certainly wouldn’t engage his company for any paid legal services.
15 days ago
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Colin ********
He mustn't make any money with dtv
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
Funny how bangkok have now posted the requirements for extensions for this 'made up notion' 🤣

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15 days ago
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Sefton ********
I will also say they are deleting any comments on the video(s) which show his claims are incorrect, such as the actual requirements published by immigration which he is claiming dont exist, or visa stamps of people obtaining DTV extensions.

If he was actually impartially reporting the facts that would be something to be highlighted not deleted. Opinions should change when presented with counterfactual's if being impartial.
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Sefton *******
 Indeed. Explains why my comments made using 4 different accounts never get published anymore. This only happens on his channel.

I've even specifically opened new accounts just to comment on his channel but after one or two, occasionally 3 or 4 comments, I get shadow banned.

This doesn't happen to me on any other channel. I haven't even been banned from commenting on Tim Newton's channel and that guy is far more cocky and arrogant. Ben's political leanings correlate almost perfectly with mine, but I'm not afraid to set the record straight with him when he gets something wrong.

I agree with 85-90% of his content, but on the DTV he has mostly been wrong or at least, continues to spew out fear mongering, rather than unbiased advice.
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
@Paul ******
 Agreed.. I generally agree with him and find his rants funny and entertaining..

But when it comes to facts you need to remain as impartial as you can, and factually hes just been wrong on wrong on wrong with the DTV. I also think hes been wrong more than right on the tax law thats inbound, Revenue big wigs on the record now stating the opposite of what he has been saying for a year (I admit enforcement is still unknown, but as a lawyer your advice should be the law not what is poorly policed).
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
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Lyle *********
The things people will say for views 🤷🏻‍♂️ immigration is pretty clear on what’s needed & no one is confused lol (besides maybe the first few days of release or when extensions started happening)
15 days ago
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Anonymous ******************
Guy talks rubbish and just trying to promote is legal company, biased against all visas he can't help make commission from,
15 days ago
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Wayne *********
Legal expert 🤣
15 days ago
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Biff *******
Immigration division 1 in Bangkok have produced details about how to do an extension.

And as with any extension, apart from maybe the standard 30 days on a tourist entry, people should go to their immigration office before requesting the extension to find out what that specific office requires.

This YouTube guy is just like all the others; we’re consuming opinion when we watch them.
15 days ago
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Greg ********
@Biff ******
 I read the original post in the Chiang Mai group. His proof of residence was a letter from his Mother in Law. His financial proof were not authorised statements from his USA bank account. They would not be accepted for any visa extension such as an "O". Putting those 2 in order should be easy enough.
15 days ago
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Biff *******
@Greg *******
 That’s what I thought when extensions were first mentioned. I doubted that many immigration offices would accept foreign bank statements as financial proof without some kind of verification. How you go about getting that verification done in Nakhon Nowhere is another matter completely.

I think that’s one reason why many immigration offices will just tell people to bounce out and come back in.

If you turn up with financial evidence in a form they’re accustomed to, Thai bank account, letter confirming the amount from the bank, then that part of it will likely sail through.
15 days ago
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Greg ********
@Biff ******
 Exactly. They would require similar proof as to what they accept for other extensions. People used to use foreign accounts with Embassy ratification for some extensions but most Embassies stopped that service.
15 days ago
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Greg ********
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Tod *********
He sure seems to have an axe to grind with the DTV program as a whole AND the people who get a DTV too 😮

To be completely honest I don't have the slightest idea why that is. 🙁
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Andi **********
 True, although some of his earlier articles were a bit presumptuous.
15 days ago
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Andi ***********
@Tod ********
 loss of income and oftén resorts to fear mongering, stretching of the truth to get the less informed to seek legal advice from you know who..
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Andi **********
 Yes indeed. His friend from the Pattaya Mail, Barry Kenyon is the same - that guy seems to hate the DTV too and has written many fear mongering and in hindsight inaccurate articles on this visa. Only in more recent weeks have DTV articles written by him and published on the Pattaya Mail been less biased and more accurate.
15 days ago
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Andi ***********
@Paul ******
 I have read a couple of P.M articles and yeah, they are not as extreme as his friend. The newspaper though has to be more vigilant on what it publishes to avoid backlash from relative govt agencies.
15 days ago
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Andi ***********
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Anonymous ******************
@Tod ********
 he can't make commission on DTV visa like he does on visa elite he used to promote so much, the guy talks rubbish and only interested in promoting his own business, thanks to groups like DTV and people like yourself Tod we don't need him and DTV is a good way forward
15 days ago
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Anonymous ******************
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Greg ********
I read the original post in the Chiang Mai group. I saw it as an actual positive for DTV extensions in Chiang Mai. Two easily rectified issues. 1) proof of funds 2) proof of residence. In the example the extension was denied due to a Residence and financial proof issue. I am sure the guy in Chiang Mai would get approved once both corrected. It is the same requirement as those extended in Samut Prakan and Krabi. Looks clear to me what Chiang Mai request for a DTV extension. Edit: His proof of residence was a letter from his mother in law. His financial proof was unauthorised statements from a USA bank. This would have had a refusal for other types of visa too such as an "O". This should be easily rectified.
15 days ago
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Dominic ***********
@Greg *******
 How do you provide “authorised” bank statements? As my understanding was he provided bank statements from his home country bank. What extra steps would they require? As I am contemplating getting a DTV but my funds are in a UK bank, so how would I provide what they need on extension instead of having to bounce back in? As I only received bank statements provided by the bank (PDF through my online bank application/desktop site)
15 days ago
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Greg ********
@Dominic **********
 Your initial DTV Visa you can use your funds in UK bank no issue - no worries about that. This was for an extension in the local Immigration Office. Most people will obtain a Thai Bank account , even if it means paying an agent etc.
15 days ago
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Dominic ***********
@Greg *******
 Yes, I just wondered what the actual requirements are currently for an in country extension. It seems bouncing in and out is simplest, but it would be worth knowing the official requirements so an extension could be done if need be in Thailand (Chiang Mai).
14 days ago
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Greg ********
@Dominic **********
 The extension in Chiang Mai looks very similar to the requients a guy posted in here about Samut Prakan. It was for Workaytion and they were not that onerous. Basically same proof as for the first qualification for the visa. It seems extension requirements for Workaytion are more straightforward than those for Soft Power.
14 days ago
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Greg ********
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Sefton ********
Ben is incredibly highly biased ever since inception.
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Sefton *******
 Yes he's definitely been very biased on the DTV ever since it became available just over 6 months ago. Not only that, but some of his concerns have been proven false, though I wouldn't dismiss everything he's said...apparently at least one person has been asked to produce a work contract at immigration when entering the country? Normally, that shouldn't be requested.

I've made 4 entries into the country on DTVs already, 1 via air, the other 3 via land (2 of which used the same land crossing) and without incident.

I was questioned about what I do, which is fine. Mostly, it was to satisfy the curiosity of the officer. The only border where I found officers were familiar with the DTV due to lack of any questions was the one I crossed back to Thailand from twice.
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
@Paul ******
 I pointed out in another deleted comment 😉 so far he has claimed

Its only 1 entry in 5 years validity

Extensions will be 10k THB

Only one extension possible over the 5 years validity

People will have issues border running / multi entry

No extensions incountry

and now hes assuming / guessing that theres going to be some tax issues, when there is zero legal difference on any class of entry to tax residency (LTR is 0 rated). Tax residency is determined by duration incountry not visa class.
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
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Greg ********
@Sefton *******
 He is a strange one. He did say something that is pretty clear though. MFA came up with it and did not consult Immigration I think is obvious. Anyone working in any project knows that not consulting and having all powerful stakeholders on side before implementation is often a recipe for disaster :-) :-)
15 days ago
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Sefton ********
@Greg *******
 MFA came up with it, I struggle to believe that high ups in immigration didnt ok the process though.

I dont find anything about its roll out strange.. It came out, people got visas, there is variation around the world (but seems to be standardising over time).. Extensions became possible, regional offices unclear at first, now as those extensions start to be applied for a standard seems to be coming into focus. As per

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The fact that its all a bit sloppy in communication and some regional variation or IOs are unclear is almost a hallmark of Thai immigration policy. I cant think of a single class that doesnt have some issues somewhere.
15 days ago
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Greg ********
@Sefton *******
 I think we will have to have a different opinion on the consultation process. :-) :-)
15 days ago
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Greg ********
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Chris *****
I'm not a fan of this dude. He's not by any means a Thai legal expert. He's been wrong on immigration matters since Covid, and those of us who were around know this. The guy is rambling all the time, without giving clear answers. Take everything with a grain of salt for whatever this guy says.

If you're wondering why he keeps criticizing DTV and labeling foreigners as invaders, it's because the visa undermines his business. He earns commissions every time he sells LTRs or Elite Visas through his company. This is why he relentlessly targets his competitors, claiming they're operating illegally, in an effort to divert their clients to his legal practice.

He’s also hiding YouTube comments from people who criticize him.. it’s pretty obvious the guy can’t be trusted.
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Chris ****
 I used to like him and still do for most things but I agree with you that he's way off base when it comes to his criticisms of the DTV.

I've noticed the same with my comments on his channel. Over the years, I've used about 4 or 5 different YouTube accounts to make comments and every single time I get shadow banned roughly after my third or fourth comment, usually made over the course of a week or two.

This doesn't happen on other channels, where I can use my main account for comments and most of them appear. Importantly, I'm not banned on any other channel but his, yet most of my past comments at least, were supportive of him.

I just don't get it.

I'm not even banned from commenting on Tim Newton's channel and that guy can be a real jerk. In fact, he would often reply to my comments in his usual, arrogant, know it all style.
15 days ago
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Ethan ***********
@Chris ****
 I started following this guy hoping for some sound legal advice... but I have yet to hear anything other than rambling which is highly confusing when you're trying to know the answers! I commented on the video, yet it's magically dissapeared!
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Ethan **********
 My comments don't appear on his channel anymore. Yet strangely, comments criticizing him are posted (though the ones criticizing him only make up perhaps 10% of all comments). Even scammer comments appear, yet mine won't. Doesn't matter if I change to a different account. Thus, I've stopped commenting because there's no point.
15 days ago
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Greg ********
@Ethan **********
 He often has to backtrack. Lol I have heard similar diatribes during happy hour in Soi 4
15 days ago
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Greg ********
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Hanson ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Chris ****
He's actually quite good with most things, and because he's ahead of the curve, there need to be quite a few twists and turns before his conclusions play out as he explains. As a lawyer, he always seems to separate expert opinion from a hunch.

I was in Hua Hin during COVID and learned a lot from him, as well as from paying attention to the media, which often assaulted the human reasoning process. In the end, I was able to predict what was happening. For example, due to COVID, I ignored the advice to return to my home country and stayed in Thailand, knowing they would grant an extension of stay two days before the visa amnesty was up. Thanks to this man and others, I avoided making a hasty exit.

About 80% of the people I knew rushed out of the country and regretted returning to Europe, where things were quite dim. As with most things, you absorb all the news, distinguish between BS and what makes sense from experience and opinions. Overall, this guy is on point, although I know he can be a bit emotional at times, which may add to the confusion of his assessment.
15 days ago
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Chris *****
@Hanson *****
 You are either lying or totally wrong. Ben constantly made YouTube videos claiming that Immigration would not give COVID extensions, urging people to contact his legal advice to sort out their "legal status" in the country.

However, it turned out that Immigration continued their extensions for a very long time. You can go back to his old videos and see that for yourself if he hasn't deleted them already. Again, he was constantly fear-mongering back then.

Now that the DTV has been introduced, he's losing a large part of the business that provided people with long-term stays without going through his firm. He probably convinced more people to leave the country, believing Thailand wouldn't continue providing extensions for those in the country during COVID.

This is why he is desperate and goes out to attack other firms in an attempt to swing their customers to him, now that he has lost a source of income due to DTV. At this point, the guy is a con artist…
15 days ago
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Hanson ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Take this video as a small example.

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One of many he made regarding amnesty visas.In its he does not suggest visiting him to make your troubles vanish. Instead, he mentions the potential implementation of amnesty visas to aid against the issue of "stranded" foreigners in Thailand. This he repeats over and over again in subsequent videos which led me to make a logical understanding which you appear to have rubbished as non existent.

While some may have found cause to vilify this man and develop a biased dislike towards him, perhaps due to his brute honesty or nuanced arguments, I listen to what he has to say with an objective mindset. I read the comments, log points, and consider the information from mainstream thai media. I then combine all this to make a logical assessment based on the order of information, making a reasonable guess on all facts, falsehoods and inaccuracies.

What I don't do is wholly accept some or all of his recommendations because it fits within my unchecked biases, but I won't go start screaming he is a con man either.

I also won't go through the thousands of other videos he made during COVID, but I repeat—he helped me make the important decisions when it mattered.

Also, is he (Brian) shadow banning comments? Possibly yes, because that is what youtube owners do nowadays either for illegitimate or legitimate reasons which is why I am guessing YouTube enabled the function to mask comments and another way to shape listeners or readers perceptions. It's the world we live in I'm afraid as its more important to be right than correct which is the way things are nowadays.
14 days ago
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Hanson ******
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Paul *******
@Hanson *****
 Depends where you were in Europe, some countries weren't too bad during Covid, particularly Sweden. Switzerland was a case of what part of the country you were in and they generally scrapped rules quickly, moving on from mask wearing even at hospitals in early 2022, half a year before Thailand finally dropped government mask mandates (although many schools and privately operated businesses continued with this madness for another 6-12 months), in some cases into late 2023!

Nevertheless, if you were stuck in Thailand during Covid, in that you have a family and a home here and didn't have any pressing need to return to Europe for work, then Thailand was OKish, especially if you were in Bangkok, Hua Hin and upper middle class, where the authorities didn't bother you at home.

Anyway, a bit off topic but just wanted to make that commentary.

I think you're very right about his advice during those times; I learned a lot too, including the fact the state of emergency could be challenged in terms of some of the mandates it claimed to impose.
15 days ago
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Marvin **********************
@Hanson *****
 his DTV advice can’t be trusted, it’s extremely biased for obvious reasons, blokes a plonker
15 days ago
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Reply to
Marvin **********************
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