I think I may have posted this to the wrong place before -if so apologies:

My Thai girlfriend has a 10 year tourist visa expiring in 2026 which I believe (subject to the actual immigration officer on arrival) gives her up to a 180 day stay in any 12 month period.

She hasn't been able to use this since 2019 because of Covid restrictions (in Thailand and in the UK) but we are hoping to get back to the UK in May (we are both currently in Thailand - I managed to get back in December after 2 years absence).

The question is:

Has anything changed the validity of the visa she has during the Covid restrictions over the last two years?

She will of course comply with all the other requirements for entry extant at our arrival date.

No nothing has changed, though the advice given by the Border Force Officer wasn't strictly accurate.

 

When your girlfriend presents herself at the UK Border, she will still need to satisfy the Border Force Officer that she's still a genuine visitor who, on the balance of probabilities will leave the UK at the conclusion of her visit.

 

When she was approved for longer term Entry Clearance she would have satisfied the Entry Clearance Officer that she had a need to visit the UK over a longer period of time, she will still need to satisfy the officer of the above on each and every visit, though a refusal of entry would be unlikely unless there was a change of circumstances or the original application was fraudulent. 

 

Whilst she would normally be allowed to remain in the UK for up to 180 days, there is no such rule that says that a person can only remain in the UK for 180 days in a 12 month period.

Thank you for your answer - I have retirement visa extension for Thailand and the purpose of the 10 year visa was so that we could spend time together in the UK and Thailand (and Spain where we have some very good friends - but that needs a Schengen visa each time)

She also has a 10 year US visa.

Being a typical Thai she believes Thailand is the centre of the earth and has no desire to live permanently anywhere else but does enjoy visiting other cultures!