Thailand DTV Visa 2026: Requirements, Duration and Health Insurance

Thailand has launched the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), designed for digital nomads, remote workers and freelancers. It is a 5-year, multiple-entry visa allowing stays of 180 days per entry, extendable once on site (up to 360 continuous days). It is now one of the most flexible ways to live in Thailand while working remotely for foreign clients or an overseas employer.

DTV requirements

• Age: 20 or older.
• Proof of funds: 500,000 THB (around EUR 13,000) in your account.
• Activity: remote worker or freelancer for a company outside Thailand, or a "Soft Power" activity (cooking classes, Muay Thai, medical treatment, etc.).
• Apply from abroad: you cannot apply while inside Thailand. The e-visa system now checks IP address and geolocation.

What about health insurance?

Key point: health insurance is not required to obtain the DTV. But going without it would be a mistake. Thailand has excellent private hospitals, but foreigners pay upfront and in cash. A hospital stay or a repatriation can quickly reach tens of thousands of euros.

The commonly recommended level is health cover of at least USD 50,000 valid in Thailand. For a long stay on a "first euro" basis, with no French social security on site, an international expat health plan is the right fit: hospitalisation, routine care, repatriation.

DTV vs retirement visa: do not mix them up

The DTV targets working people who earn remotely. If you are retired, the Non-OA visa is the one for you, and there insurance is genuinely mandatory. Two visas, two audiences, two insurance logics.

Planning a DTV? Compare international health plans suited to a long stay in Thailand with Aitona.