Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Smart Visas. For those who are unaware, Smart Visas were created back I believe in 2018. It kind of operates in parallel if you will with the standard Immigration system. I had somebody send me an email the other day and they were asking me about various things associated with Smart Visas. Depending on your circumstances, Smart Visas may or may not have different attributes.  

A recent article from the Bangkok Post, that is bangkokpost.com, it is sponsored content FYI but I did think it was relevant and useful. The article is titled: Smart Visa Attracts International Talents. Quoting directly: "The Thailand Board of Investment is granting its Smart Visa to qualified professionals. Since 2018, the professionals and their family members who pass the evaluation set by the BOI and the National Innovation Agency (NIA) have been granted permission to stay in Thailand up to a maximum of four years with exemption from the need to acquire a Work Permit."

So as we have noted in other videos Smart Visas kind of have a Work Permit built in and depending on the circumstances, if it is a startup that ends up you know "having legs" and going for a long period of time, one might end up with a Visa for a prolonged period of time, notably four years as noted in that article. 

So the thing to take away from this is you really should probably try to gain some insight from a professional who deals with Smart Visas rather frequently into the dynamics as to how they work and the eligibility criteria associated therewith. It can be a really solid, and depending on one's circumstances, especially if one fits into one of the neat little categories that the Smart Visa has out there, it can be really beneficial in a way that other visas just really can't compete with.