Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing multi-entry visas and we could be talking about any category here. So this is B, this is O, in theory it could be O-A Retirement Visas. Let me just preface this by saying, unlike the other categories we are going to talk about, an O-A Retirement Visa when you stamp into the country you get as much as a year depending on your insurance coverage, you get almost a year. Before the insurance requirement, you got a year upon entry. So when you see an O-A that is issued with a one-year validity, there actually is some purpose to that. Presently, unfortunately the B and the O Visa, I think the multi-entry visa if anything, especially the last 18 months all it really does is kind of create confusion. Let me explain what I am talking about.

When you see a Visa sticker, that is an O multi-entry Visa or B multi-entry Visa, that is going to be issued with a one year validity. Now most people look at that and say "oh I go into Thailand, I got my year." Not true. You come into Thailand and upon entry you are given a 90-day stamp at entry, this is a big difference and you only have 90 days of lawful status under that Visa. So one of the things to take away from this video is a multiple entry Visa, in the past these were really useful. A lot of folks used them especially like 10 years ago, I knew many people that liked using the multi-entry Visa. They would get one abroad; they get a B or an O and they would come into Thailand; they do 80/85 days, they usually take a trip somewhere, do a border run and return. They would come back to Thailand within a couple of days and they would get another 90 days as long as they are within that one year validity of the sticker. So they get a stamp for 90 days and you can get 4 and even 5 stamps if you time it right at 90 days a stamp if you come in under the validity of the Visa sticker. But this is the confusing part. People from abroad don't really understand this overall system because quite frankly, it is a little bit confusing. In fact it is very confusing if you don't know how to deal with it. But yeah no that validity only is the validity of the sticker; it is not of one's status in the country. So, in B or O status, multiple entry visa you are coming in and you are getting 90-day stamp at entry, not a one year stamp at entry. 

So it does beg the question, what is the purpose in this current situation we are in under the Emergency Decree where it is effectively impossible to do border runs and Visa runs, at least impossible to do it in a really relatively straightforward manner or has been up to this point. There is talk especially with regard to vaccinated entrants to Thailand, that there may be some relaxation starting in October allowing folks to come in who have vaccinations and not having to undergo the prolonged quarantine or the prolonged presence strictly in Phuket or Samui. It may open up to Bangkok, it may open up to some other places including Pattaya, possible Hua Hin. 

But long story short, up to this point or at least during this Emergency Decree, yes it is a good question. I have had people ask me that especially folks that got dangerously close to overstay unwittingly or in certain situations did overstay and they had to deal with the ramifications of that. Yeah that sticker validity is a little bit I hesitate to say it is misleading, but it is definitely confusing and it is different from your stamp validity of 90 days. I would say it does kind of call in the question the usefulness of a one-year multi-entry Visa in the COVID era.