DTV visa: from August 31, 2026, you must apply from France

Confirmed by several embassies: what changes on August 31, 2026

After Vientiane (Laos), the Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka (Bangladesh) published the same guidance: from August 31, 2026, two additional documents are required for every Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) application, and the rule is announced as applying worldwide:

• proof of permanent residence in the country where the application is submitted (unless you are a national of that country);
• a police clearance certificate from your country of nationality or permanent residence — submitted in the original language and with an English translation.

Embassy pages are being updated progressively; the official e-Visa portal remains the reference for the full document list.

For French citizens: applications now go through France

Until now, many French nomads filed their DTV application at a regional embassy — Vientiane above all — without living there. That door is closing. Unless you are a permanent resident of a third country, your DTV application must be filed from France, online, on the official Thai e-Visa portal.

In practice: a French national already based in Southeast Asia without permanent resident status will no longer be able to "do a DTV run" to Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia. The application must be made from France.

Criminal record: the bulletin n°3, plus an English translation

On the French side, the document to produce is the bulletin n°3 (criminal record extract): free, requested online on the Ministry of Justice website. One caveat: it is issued in French, while embassies require an English translation — foreign documents must be translated into English (or Thai) and certified. Budget for a certified translation, and the time it takes, before filing.

What does not change

The core DTV conditions are unchanged: financial evidence of 500,000 baht on bank statements, and the visa fee (10,000 baht in Vientiane, amounts vary by embassy). For the full conditions and eligible categories, our DTV visa guide remains the reference.

What we recommend

• Application ready? If you are already in the region and can file before August 31, 2026 at a regional embassy, this is the last window.
• Filing after August 31: request your bulletin n°3 and its English translation now, and plan to apply from France.
• Permanent resident in Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia? You can still apply locally, with a certificate from your country of nationality or residence.

Guidance is being published embassy by embassy: before booking anything, check the page of the embassy where you plan to apply.

Sources

• Royal Thai Embassy, Vientiane announcement (August 28, 2026)
• "Updated document requirements" — Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka (August 2026)
• Official e-Visa portal — DTV page
• Conditions, fees and document translation rule — Vientiane embassy
• DTV financial evidence — Oslo embassy
• French criminal record (bulletin n°3) request (Ministry of Justice)