New web site for TM-30 notification

[Gaybutton]

Thank you daleinpattaya for letting us know.

This is NOT the online notification site for submitting the 90-day address report. The TM-30 is the notification of residence normally submitted by your hotel, rather than yourself. If your hotel doesn't do it (that's rare), or if you are staying somewhere other than a hotel, then you may need to submit the notification yourself.

Here is the new URL: https://tm30.immigration.go.th/tm30/#/login

For details about the TM-30 and what you might need to do, see: https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=14721

Normally, if you are staying in a hotel or some other rental facility such as a condo, you don't have to do anything at all. But always best to make sure.

[2lz2p]

It seems that if you want Pattaya Immigration service, you will need to show your receipt for having filed a TM.30 - I rec'd this from Barry Kenyon this morning - so it will probably be published soon in the Pattaya Mail:

Chonburi immigration bureau tightens address reporting

by Barry Kenyon

A recent change in procedure at Pattaya-Jomtien immigration (and Sri Racha) means that all foreigners requiring a service must have a TM30 form receipt in their passport dated since their last arrival in Thailand. This bureaucracy is quite separate from the 90 days reporting for expats which remains intact.

In the past been used mainly when short-term tourists apply for an extension of their 30 days visa exempt entry. It should be completed within 24 hours (72 hours in practice) after arrival in the country.

The change in procedure means that the requirement is now extended to any foreigner seeking a re-entry permit, a renewal of a one year extension of stay (including retirement and marriage visas), extension of Elite, certificates of residence for driving licences, opening bank accounts etc. All these categories must now have a TM30 immigration receipt in their passport issued after their most recent entry to Thailand by air or land or sea. A TM30 receipt issued before the last entry to Thailand will be regarded as out-of-date and no longer acceptable.

It is recommended that all foreigners check in their passports that they have a TM30 receipt issued since their most recent arrival in the country. This now applies to long-term expats as well as short-term tourists. Updating records now could save inconvenience later when applying for an immigration service. Foreigners in other areas of Thailand need to check the specific regulations of TM30 in operation there.

The new building on the left is now open (Building B). The building to the right of the main building is now called Building A. Except for 90 day address reporting, you are now required to obtain a queue number from a desk in Building B. Barry tells me he did a TM.30 report this morning; first, getting his queue ticket in Building B, then going to Building A to do the report, and yes, they asked for his queue ticket.

[Gaybutton]

In other words, more wasteful totally useless paperwork.

[Gaybutton]

[Gaybutton]

Since I was unable to do the TM-30 form via the online site, today I went to immigration to submit mine. First, the hype about how much more efficient immigration is now that they've opened their new buildings - all I can say is today (Thursday) it did not apply to my experience. It was a madhouse zoo and I had to wait well over 90 minutes before my number was called.

What they want is the filled out form (easy to find online), whatever proof of your residence you may have, a copy of your passport main page, and a copy of your visa page - with your signature on all pages. They also asked for "house book", which I don't have and not even sure what it is. If you need it, you can get it at immigration, but the clerk told me to get it next time and she went ahead and approved my form and stapled the receipt into my passport (don't forget to take your passport with you).

Fortunately for me, there may not be a next time. If you are a long term resident, such as those expats on the retirement visa, you only need to file another TM-30 if your permanent residence address changes (which makes me wonder what the point is of the 90-day address reports).

There used to be law saying if you travel to any other city, you have to report your address there, even if it's just a day or two. Many thought that was the TM-30 form, but it was actually the TM-28 form, which has since been dropped. If you travel to another city you don't have to do anything. If you stay in a hotel, let them worry with it. If you stay at a friend's residence, such as a Thai boy, you also don't need to do anything unless you're going to be there more than 30 days - and even then, who is really going to check (unless, of course you are staying next door to the Thai equivalent of Madame Defarge)?

If you are in Thailand for a holiday, you don't have to file a TM-30 if you are staying a month or less. However, it becomes a matter of law if you are staying longer at the same address, hotel, or whatever. Whoever you are renting from is supposed to file the TM-30 for you, but legally it is ultimately your responsibility, so if you are staying longer than 30 days make sure it was done. Otherwise you'll have to do it yourself. Of course, do you really think anyone is actually going to check?

If you don't want the hassle of a trip to immigration, you might try the visa services. I don't know if they can do those for you, but my guess is that they can. I have no idea what their fee might be.

I did verify that people such as expats staying long term in Thailand, at least at Pattaya immigration, are now required to have the TM-30 receipt in your passport. That's why I went. Otherwise, immigration services will be denied. So, if you are among those of us on the retirement visa, you will need the receipt, which means you'll have to file the TM-30 online or go to immigration yourself. You won't be able to extend your visa without it. You also won't be able to get a reentry permit without it. The same applies if you need a residence certificate. I don't know what else you might need, but if you don't want any problems, then you better have the receipt.

I don't know if other immigration offices are also requiring it, but if you use other offices, I suggest checking and finding out. And if you do, please post and tell us.

[billyhouston]

As we all know, Immigration Offices in different regions have different requirements. Here in Chiang Mai a currect TM30 is required for 90-day reporting, extensions and re-entry permits.The trouble is that they will not accept the TM30 form if you are 'renewing', that is not changing address. The form, at least the one used here, has on it dates of arrival and dates (projected) of leaving. A consequence of this is that whenever you go away for a night or two you need to get a fresh TM30, as has been made very plain to me!

On the other hand, 90-day reporting is 'Drive Through' and usually takes just a few minutes. Immigration here has for some time had an appointment system but has recently changed the manner in which they release dates and times. As I recall they previously released appointments a month at a time (?) but now release them on a rolling 90 days ahead basis. Under the old system all the appointments were immediately captured by the bl**dy agents and individuals stood very little chance. Under the new system, provided you plan ahead, it's pretty easy to get an appointment. Extension appointments are for 20 minutes with other services providing different lengths of time.

It annoys me that these Agents openly advertise that they can 'get around' the financial requirements. The danger is that in a crackdown on this we, who do things legally, might end up being collateral damage. An ad. which passed in front of me today wanted Bht 82,000 to convert from Tourist to Non-O extension while not requiring any income or Bht 800,000. They wanted absurd sums for other 'services' one was, I think, Bht 35,000 for a re-entry permit. There must be a lot of fools out there!

[Gaybutton]

It annoys me that these Agents openly advertise that they can 'get around' the financial requirements.

For me that would be a good reason never to use agents who do that. It's one thing when you use an agent for minor problems and inconveniences, such as taking care of the most annoying problems about getting a Thai driving license or opening a Thai bank account. They'll save you the trouble of having to show up at the driving license office around 5:00am if you want a chance of getting in that day.

But it's a different story if they are doing shady things or even illegal things. If there is ever a truly serious crackdown I would imagine not only will the agent be investigated, but also the clients and what they paid the agent to do. If they did something illegal in the client's behalf, I don't know what the consequences would be for the client, and I wouldn't want to find out the hard way.

[Jun]

For me that would be a good reason never to use agents who do that. It's one thing when you use an agent for minor problems and inconveniences, such as taking care of the most annoying problems about getting a Thai driving license or opening a Thai bank account. They'll save you the trouble of having to show up at the driving license office around 5:00am if you want a chance of getting in that day.

But it's a different story if they are doing shady things or even illegal things. If there is ever a truly serious crackdown I would imagine not only will the agent be investigated, but also the clients and what they paid the agent to do. If they did something illegal in the client's behalf, I don't know what the consequences would be for the client, and I wouldn't want to find out the hard way.

Surely you're talking about shades of grey with the corruption here ?
Having an agent pay a bribe to avoid queuing for a driving license is presumably illegal.
Presumably the reason you have to be there at 5:00 am is them creating a deliberately poor service in order to ensure people use the agents, who pay tea money.

Paying a bribe to circumvent some residency requirement that you don't approve of is only a fraction worse, although perhaps with worse consequences in the unlikely event that you're caught ?

[Gaybutton]

Surely you're talking about shades of grey with the corruption here ?

That's right.

[Gaybutton]

Apparently filing the TM-30 via the online app is not good enough for immigration for everybody. Going to immigration personally to file the TM-30 may be required for many of you. Watch the video to see where you fit in.