What are the regulations regarding the multiple-entry Non-O visa for Brits in Thailand?

@Ken *******

The terminology surrounding visas and extensions is confusing, sometimes ambiguous, and inconsistently used.

What you reference in your first paragraph is indeed an extension of stay (marriage). An extension of stay does not allow you to re-enter the country unless you purchase a single or multi-entry re-entry permit. So it sounds like you purchased a multi-entry re-entry permit (3,800 baht) which would work exactly as you say. If you leave the country before you reach 90 consecutive days in Thailand you don't need to file a 90-Day Report (because you would not have been in Thailand for 90 consecutive days).

With your last two extensions, it sounds like you have decided not to purchase any re-entry permits and thereby save the costs of those re-entry permits. So every 90 days you do a 90 Day report to the immigration office.

What I think the author is talking about having is an actual Non-O visa (rather than an extension thereof). An actual visa can be single or multiple-entry and it sounds like the author has a multi-entry one. As long as his visa is valid he does not need to purchase a re-entry permit. He merely enters Thailand on his multi-entry visa and gets 90-day permission to stay. This happens every time he enters Thailand as long as his visa is valid. He is never required to file a 90-day report because he isn't supposed to ever be in Thailand for more than 90 days. That would only change if he were to apply for an extension of his Non-O visa and then we would be in the realm of your first paragraph.

Visa and extensions are sometimes used interchangeably (even by immigration) but it obscures their fundamentally different natures. Visas get you into a country and result in you being given certain permission to stay a number of days. Extensions do not get you into a country. You need a separately purchased re-entry permit to do that. People on visas that result in 90-day permission to stay never have to provide 90 Day Reports (because they're not supposed to be in Thailand for more than 90 consecutive days) while people on extensions of stay do need to do this. So it's important to determine if you are here on a visa (e.g., Non-O) or an extension of stay derived from entering on a visa (e.g., marriage or retirement extension). The rules for visas and extensions of stay are different. However, given human nature, it's easy to refer to anything as a visa because it's a nice short word, but it fails the capture the distinction between visas and extensions.

If the author is here in Thailand on an actual visa (Non-O), not an extension derived from a visa (say marriage or retirement extension) he will never need to file a 90-day report nor will he need to purchase a re-entry permit. If he applies for an extension of stay then those two things will come into play, 90-day reports, and needing a re-entry permit to re-enter Thailand.

@George ************

my first 2 marriage extensions were multi entry because we traveled was either leave for a trip or do a 90 day report my choice just had to do the 90 day report 90 days after I entered the country.

Last 2 just extensions because of Covid we didn't or couldn't travel so I save the reentry permit costs

@Ken *******

Original Poster, author of the question.

@Steve ******

Yes, it seems to have reappeared towards the end of August.

@David ******

That's new then, it wasnt avaliable for over 50's earlier this year and hasnt been since around 2015. I was told by the RTE London single only and extend in Thailand or get the OA visa.

@Steve ******

it is now available for over 50. I applied for the single entry recently and had the option of the multiple. I know someone that was issued the multiple yesterday.

The current page on the website shows both the fees and the visa types:

-visa-fees?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bddd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b2c562

@David ******

I dont think it's avaliable for over 50(retirement) and it's not avaliable for marriage. Maybe avaliable for volunteering or dependancy.