Thread: TM 30?

I'm told this morning that at Buriram Immigration, for one, when doing an annual extension my wife now has to fill out a TM 30 for me. I've yet to find out if she has to report with me or I just take it. Anyone else know about this new procedure?

I've been Google-ing and it appears the law has been in force since 2005.

The law has actually been in effect for many years now and works along with the hotel act of 2005.

TM30 Explained! You Must Register Any Non Thai National Living In Your Property!

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I've been Google-ing and it appears the law has been in force since 2005

Indeed it has. Wife did one few years back. Your immigration office has the TM30 on computer. Take the wife. All she needs is her blue book and Thai ID. Immigration will input address from blue book, spit out a printed copy and have the wife sign affirming you live there.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

So after 11 years they decide to enforce the law?

Started enforcing it when the new gov decided time to enforce.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I'll have to get the missus to phone to see how long she's got to register me

Yep. She "should be" told to show up with you when you do your extension. That's the Roiet process.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

1,600 Baht fine

Don't know what they may come up with in Buriram.

Take her, they have to be useful for something

Originally Posted by toddaniels

My advice to anyone would be down-load the form (print it on 2 pages), take it with you to the immigration office the next time you're there. Also take along signed copies of the land owners thai i/d and their listing on the thai house book of that address and FILE the form.

Thank you for your input Tod. Always appreciated.
I've done as as you said. But I'm going to try and get it done by a third party as I can't be bothered to go the distance for a 10 minute procedure. From my reading of the TM30 reporting it appears it's doable. I'll report back next week.

Things should be fun at Pattaya immigration office if the law is enforced. How many tourist per year go through there?

My missus went to Immigration today to register having a farang at the house using a TM30 form. They charged her 500 Baht. It's a fcuking scam.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

They charged her 500 Baht. It's a fcuking scam.

Just curious, did she get a receipt?

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Just curious, did she get a receipt?

No, they did not offer one. I blew my top with the missus. How many times I've told her that if a receipt is not offered then there is no payment?

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

How many times I've told her that if a receipt is not offered then there is no payment?

I've no idea, are we supposed to guess?

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Okay, this TM.30 <- a form with the oh-so long name of "Notification From For House-Master, Owner Or The Possessor Of The Residence Where Alien Has Stayed" has been on the books a good while now.

It was designed for thai landlords (hotels & guest houses) to report foreigners living at their properties. In fact until Dec 17th there was an online program where hotels & guest houses could file the TM.30 online. <- FWIW: Dec 17th was the day that the thai immigration dept in their finite wisdom pulled down ALL their extranet online programs; 90 day reporting, online re-entry permit appointment booking & online TM.30. They did this because the computer crimes bill passed and they were afraid the sites would be hacked.

Now no immigration office EVER cared about this form until Chiang Mai started fining people 1600baht for failure to have filed it. In fact up there you can't even apply for an extension of stay, file a 90 day report OR get a re-entry permit up until you were fined and filed it.

The rule is written where the landowner must report a foreigner within 24 hours of them taking up residence. Needless to say many people who'd been getting yearly extensions of stays from the same immigration office using the same address year after year were vexed that this old rule was being enforced. Especially that the foreigner was being fined for what is in reality the property owner's responsibility.

Right now Bangkok doesn't care a bit if you've ever filed on, but more and more immigration offices do. I think Bangkok IS gonna start caring because when I was out at Chaengwattana last week there were two big stand-up placards right where you walk into the 90 day reporting room which outlined the TM.30 filing procedure.

My advice to anyone would be down-load the form (print it on 2 pages), take it with you to the immigration office the next time you're there. Also take along signed copies of the land owners thai i/d and their listing on the thai house book of that address and FILE the form.

There is some debate if it has to be re-filed every time you come back even if you travel inside thailand, OR if it's just if you come back from outta country..

It's a cluster fuck right now, BUT the fines people are getting are real and they add up to a TON of money.. I would say if you try to file it and get fined, MAKE them write you a receipt..

good luck..

I filed for and received an extension of stay in Dec. based on retirement, today I did my first 90 day report and bought a rentry permit, neither time was the TM 30 mentioned. This was done at the Nakhon Sawan immigration office.

Originally Posted by RPETER65

I filed for and received an extension of stay in Dec. based on retirement, today I did my first 90 day report and bought a rentry permit, neither time was the TM 30 mentioned. This was done at the Nakhon Sawan immigration office.

The TM30 is not your responsibility. It's down to the owner of the residence you reside at. The owner is liable for a 1600 Baht fine if not done. Plenty about it on other forums.

The rule is written where the landowner must report a foreigner within 24 hours of them taking up residence.

Quote from Tod.

Well it would certainly be interesting if Jomtien pulls that silly stunt with us. A copy of my wife's tabien baan and confirmation of my residence by the managing company of our building already appear on my file. But the real problem will emerge when we publicly disclose the number of units in our condo that have been rented out on a hotel basis contrary to the law - the Thai owners and their agents are not completing the TM30 but I daresay they will enjoy the publicity.

It's been the law for individuals to declare their residence since 1979. Commercial properties since 2005. Correct me if I'm wrong.
How many tourists book into hotels around Pattaya every year? The online reporting of the TM30 is no longer available. That Pattaya office is going to be one busy place IMO.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Pragmatic
1,600 Baht fine
Don't know what they may come up with in Buriram

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

They charged her 500 Baht

Now I know. Discounted fine with no receipt.

I think when they first started doing the TM30 online the commercial businesses were charged 500 Baht initially as a first time one off charge. Thereafter free. May be Tod can confirm that? I think that's why my missus was charged the 500. The office didn't/doesn't know the rule.

The online TM.30 filing program for hotels & guest houses has been down since Dec 17th (along with all the other thai immigration extranet sites; 90 day online, re-entry permit appointment booking)..

When it was online it was free to register, even your thai g/f or wife could go online, register, get a login, password and use the site to "file" when you showed up.

The "fines" seem pretty standard in Jomtien & Chiang Mai at 1600baht a pop. However those are the fines for a foreigner who didn't have a TM.30 done by their property owner.. At least they were issuing receipts though.

Bangkok immigration's told me it's totally the property owner's responsibility, NOT the tenant. I think the way the form is titled in thai leads to the "open to interpretation" at the different offices.It uses the term possessor of the residence, which you as a renter become once you sign the lease..

It looks like it's gonna become a "thing" in Bangkok too. These are the big banners in front of the 90 day reporting room out at Chaengwattana..

Kinda stupid they wrote them in thai seeing as ONLY foreigners use the thai immigration office. Then again IF it's for the property owner, it'd make sense although I don't know how they'd ever see them.

I have to report that from several applications made this week by retirees personally known to me renewing their extensions at Jomtien, none was asked about any TM30 registration or reporting despite recent travel outside the LoS.