Thailand DTV visa for Pakistanis: 2026 fee, funds and documents

Yes, Pakistani passport holders can get the Thailand DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) from Pakistan. You apply online at thaievisa.go.th, the Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad lists the fee as PKR 130,000, and you need bank statements showing at least 500,000 baht. Since 31 August 2026 you must also upload proof of residence and a police certificate. Here is the full process as of October 2026.

What is the Thailand DTV visa?

The Destination Thailand Visa is a 5 year, multiple entry visa for people who want long stays in Thailand without taking a Thai job. The official e-Visa portal lists two purposes and a family category:

• Workcation: digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent and freelancers who work for employers or clients outside Thailand.
• Thai soft power activities: for example Muay Thai courses, Thai cooking classes, sports training, seminars, music festivals and medical treatment.
• Family: the spouse and children under 20 of a DTV holder.

For most Pakistani applicants the workcation category is the relevant one. The DTV is unusual among nomad visas because it tests savings, not monthly income, which suits freelancers whose earnings are good but uneven. Our comparison of digital nomad visas for Pakistanis shows how it compares with the alternatives.

Can Pakistanis apply for the DTV from Pakistan?

Yes. The Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad published its own DTV announcement on 15 July 2024, and since 1 January 2025 Thai visas for applicants in Pakistan are handled through the online system at thaievisa.go.th. The embassy's e-Visa notice sets three ground rules:

• your application goes to the Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad or the Royal Thai Consulate General in Karachi, depending on where you are located;
• you must stay physically in Pakistan for the whole application process;
• you may apply yourself or through a representative.

If your application would go to Karachi, confirm with the Consulate General that it handles the DTV, because the only Pakistan DTV notice we found was published by Islamabad.

Workcation or soft power: which category fits you?

Workcation asks for an employment contract or employment certificate, or a professional portfolio showing that you work as a digital nomad, remote worker, foreign talent or freelancer. For a freelancer, that means a portfolio tying your name to real, paid work: client contracts, invoices, your Upwork or Fiverr profile and a website, all in the same name as your passport.

Soft power asks for confirmation that you will attend the activity, such as a Muay Thai camp or a cooking course, or an appointment letter from a hospital or medical centre. Pick it only if the course or treatment is genuinely the reason for your trip.

How much money do you need for a DTV?

The portal accepts financial evidence in one of two forms:

1. bank statements for the last 3 months, from any bank, showing a minimum balance of 500,000 THB or the equivalent; or
2. a sponsorship letter.

At market exchange rates on 14 October 2026, 500,000 baht is roughly PKR 4.1 million, or about USD 15,000. The rupee figure moves with the exchange rate, so check it again on the day you download your statements and keep a margin above the minimum.

Requirements differ a little between Thai missions. The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest, for example, asks for 6 months of statements. Follow the list the portal shows for your mission.

Practical points, as general guidance rather than official rules:

• Keep the balance at or above the minimum for all three months, not only on the last day.
• Use an account in your own name. A large deposit just before you apply invites questions about where the money came from.
• If your earnings sit in Payoneer or Wise, move them to your own bank account well before you apply. Our guide on how to prove freelance income explains how to build a clean money trail.

What changed for DTV applicants on 31 August 2026?

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs changed the DTV document list in an announcement dated 28 August 2026, in force from midnight Thai time on 31 August 2026:

• Proof of permanent residence replaced the old document showing your current location. You must now show that you are a permanent resident of the country where you apply.
• A certificate of criminal record clearance became mandatory, from your country of nationality or the country where you apply.

Applications submitted on the e-Visa system before 31 August 2026 continue under the old list. Anything filed now must meet the new one.

For a Pakistani citizen living in Pakistan, both rules point to Pakistani documents: a police character certificate from Pakistan and evidence of your residence here. The notice does not say how old the police certificate may be. The Royal Thai Embassy in London asks for one issued within 6 months of submission, so a recent certificate is the safe choice. The portal also does not define which residence documents it accepts, so ask the Islamabad embassy before you upload.

DTV documents checklist for Pakistani applicants

The Islamabad embassy also warns that fake documents, especially airline tickets and hotel bookings, lead to immediate rejection and possible blacklisting of the applicant and any agent involved.

How much is the DTV fee in Pakistan?

The Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad's DTV announcement of 15 July 2024 gives the fee as 130,000 rupees. On 14 October 2026 we found no newer Islamabad notice, and the embassy's general fee page, last updated in 2022, does not list the DTV. Confirm the amount with the embassy before you pay.

In Islamabad the fee is paid in cash at the embassy's Visa Gate with your application confirmation, from 9:30 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 3:30 pm on working days, with shorter hours in Ramadan. Fees are not refunded under any circumstances, even if you withdraw. For Karachi, check the Consulate General's own payment instructions.

How long can you stay on a DTV?

• The visa is valid for 5 years with multiple entries.
• Each entry allows a stay of up to 180 days.
• You can extend once, for another 180 days, at the Thai Immigration Bureau.
• After 180 plus 180 days, the Islamabad announcement says you must leave Thailand and enter again within the visa's validity.

Long stays can change your tax position in Thailand and in Pakistan, so speak to a qualified tax adviser before you plan a year away.

What the DTV does not allow

The DTV is not a Thai work visa. The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest's DTV guidance says holders may not obtain a Thai work permit, work for companies in Thailand or do freelance work for Thai clients. In practice:

• you can keep working for your existing Pakistani or foreign employer and clients;
• you cannot take a job with a Thai company or sell your services to Thai clients;
• a child whose purpose is studying in Thailand needs a student visa, not a DTV.

Via Nova does not arrange jobs or job offers. The DTV suits people who already have remote work or enough savings.

How to apply for the DTV from Pakistan, step by step

1. Choose your category and gather every document on the checklist above.
2. Create an account on thaievisa.go.th. One account can hold applications for you and your family, up to 10 at a time.
3. Complete the form and upload your documents, choosing the DTV and the workcation purpose.
4. Pay the fee offline. In Islamabad that means cash at the Visa Gate.
5. Wait about 14 working days while you stay in Pakistan, and track the status in your account.
6. Print the e-Visa that arrives by email. Mobile or electronic copies are not accepted at check in or at Thai immigration.

Can my family come with me on a DTV?

Your spouse and children under 20 can apply in the family category. Each person needs their own application with a passport page, photo, proof of permanent residence, financial evidence of 500,000 THB or a sponsorship letter, a copy of your DTV, proof of the relationship such as a marriage or birth certificate, and a criminal record certificate.

If you want help checking your file, our counsellors at Lake City Meadows (Ex State Life), next to DHA Phase 5, Lahore, also advise online through our digital nomad visa service.