You can apply for the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) only at the Thai embassy or consulate that covers your country of citizenship, or a country where you hold legal residence. A tourist stay in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines or Malaysia no longer qualifies you to apply there, so the "best country to apply for the DTV" is now simply your own.
Since 31 August 2026, the DTV can only be filed from your passport country (or the Thai mission that covers it) or a country where you hold legal residence. Applying as a tourist from a third country such as Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Indonesia or Malaysia is no longer allowed.
Which embassy should you use?
| Your situation | Where you can apply | What you need to show |
|---|---|---|
| You are a citizen, living in your home country | The Thai embassy or consulate covering your country of citizenship | Proof of address there, such as a national ID card (front and back), a driver's licence, or an electricity, gas or water bill |
| You live legally in a country that is not your passport country | Either the post covering your citizenship, or the post covering your country of residence | Proof of your residence status in that country, such as a residence permit or residence card |
| You are visiting a third country as a tourist | Not that country. Apply from your country of citizenship or legal residence | A hotel booking or a friend's lease does not count as an address in the submission country |
| You are in Thailand right now | Nowhere inside Thailand. Leave, go to your country of citizenship or residence, and apply from there | You stay outside Thailand until the DTV is approved, then use it for your next entry |
| Your passport country has no Thai embassy | The Thai mission that covers your country of citizenship from abroad | The same proof of address as any other citizen |
What the embassies themselves say
Each Royal Thai mission publishes its own DTV page, and the wording differs. Three examples show the pattern:
- Singapore grants the DTV only to Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents [1], and applicants must remain in Singapore while the e-Visa is processed [2].
- London asks every DTV applicant for proof of permanent residence in the UK, Ireland or the British Overseas Territories, with extra documents for applicants who are not UK citizens [3].
- Ho Chi Minh City accepts only a Temporary Residence Card or a Permanent Residence Card as proof that a foreigner lives in Vietnam [4].
The rule is the same in substance everywhere we file: the post wants evidence that you belong to its jurisdiction, either by passport or by residence status. Requirements for proving residence vary by post, so check the exact document list for the embassy you will use before you book anything.
Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam: can you still use them?
Only if you are a citizen or a legal resident of that country. For years, a short trip to Vientiane, Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City was the standard way to lodge a DTV. That route is closed for tourists. If your plan was to fly to a neighbouring country purely to apply, cancel or move that travel and redirect the application to your own country.
If you do live in one of these countries legally, they remain open to you. Vietnam has two posts, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and each covers a set list of provinces, so the post you use depends on the province where you live.
What counts as legal residence?
Legal residence means a documented right to live in the country, not simply being there. In practice that is a residence permit, residence card, long-stay visa or permanent residence. A tourist entry stamp, a visa exemption, a hotel booking or someone else's lease or utility bill will not satisfy it. Some posts set a narrower list: Ho Chi Minh City, for example, accepts only the two residence cards named above [4].
Before you apply: three checks that save weeks
- Withdraw any pending application elsewhere. A DTV or other Thai visa application already pending at another embassy must be withdrawn, cancelled or finally rejected before a new DTV application can start. Get written confirmation from that post.
- Book your flight after the processing window. Your inbound flight to Thailand has to depart after the visa would realistically be issued. Processing generally takes two to eight weeks depending on the post.
- Check the post's own document list. Several posts ask for extras. Rome, The Hague, Los Angeles and Ho Chi Minh City, for example, each ask for a criminal record certificate in a specific format.
How we help
We check your submission country before anything is filed. If the post you had in mind will not accept you, we tell you which one will, and we prepare the proof-of-address and residence documents that post asks for. Where you file also decides whether our money-back guarantee applies. If Issa Compass files a pre-qualified Full Service application for you and the Thai government does not approve it, Issa refunds its service fee. Government and embassy fees are never refundable. For the DTV, the refund also covers an eligible partner course or gym fee. It applies when you apply from your country of citizenship or permanent residence, have a clean criminal record, and are not reapplying after an earlier Thai visa rejection.
Not sure which embassy covers you? Book a consultation and we will confirm your post and its document list. For the full requirements, see our DTV guide, and for the background to the change, our August 2026 update.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best country to apply for the DTV?
Your country of citizenship, or the country where you hold legal residence. Choosing a post for its speed or reputation is no longer possible unless you belong to that post's jurisdiction.
Can I apply for the DTV from Vietnam as a UK citizen?
Only if you live in Vietnam legally. Ho Chi Minh City accepts a Temporary Residence Card or Permanent Residence Card as proof of residence for foreigners [4]. If you are in Vietnam as a tourist, apply through London instead, which covers residents of the UK, Ireland and the British Overseas Territories [3].
Can I still do a DTV visa run to Laos or Cambodia?
No, not as a tourist. A short trip to Vientiane or Phnom Penh to lodge a DTV is not accepted unless you are a citizen or legal resident there.
Can I apply for the DTV while I am in Thailand?
No. The DTV has no in-country application path. You leave Thailand, apply from your country of citizenship or residence, wait there for approval, and use the visa on your next entry.
I hold two passports. Which embassy do I use?
Either country of citizenship works in principle. Choose the post where your proof of address and supporting documents are strongest.
Does this affect a DTV I already hold?
No. A DTV that has already been issued stays valid. The rule is about where new applications are filed.
Does Issa Compass guarantee visa approval?
No. Only the Thai government decides on a visa. Issa offers a money-back guarantee instead: If Issa Compass files a pre-qualified Full Service application for you and the Thai government does not approve it, Issa refunds its service fee. Government and embassy fees are never refundable.
References
- DTV Visa Workcation (singapore.thaiembassy.org)
- Visa to Thailand: Prepare Documents (singapore.thaiembassy.org)
- Destination Thailand Visa (london.thaiembassy.org)
- Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) (hochiminh.thaiembassy.org)