Peter Denis

When reading the posts on TM-30 I find that they are often based on personal opinion/experience.  This adds to the confusion as one of the main problems is that the law is not consistently enforced by the Immigration Offices, so what is true and OK in one place is not necessarily so in other places.

Therefore in simple language my attempt to explain what TM-30 is all about and whether it applies to you:

1. When you enter Thailand and every time you make an overnight trip to another location, a TM-30 has to be made and reported to the provincial Immigration Office of the location you stayed/are staying.

2. The person that should do the reporting is the owner of the location you are staying.  That can be the Hotel owner, a friend you are visiting, or yourself/your partner if you are the owner of the place you stay.

3. The above means that for every trip at least 2 TM-30s need to be reported, one per location where you stayed and one when you 'return back home'.

4. Reporting can be done in person at the provincial Immigration Office of the location, or alternatively by mail or on-line.

5. Obviously this law when correctly applied creates an enormous amount of administration, hence the huge differences in how the IO's enforce it, ranging from 'don't bother' to fining in case of non full compliance.

6. Regardless of the degree of enforcement in your local province, if you are staying in Thailand on a Non-Imm type visa and need to do 90-day reporting it is recommended to ensure your TM-30 reporting has been done, or bring the required TM-30 documents with you, when you do your TM-28 90-day reporting.

Hope this provides some clarity.

NOTE: Every of the 6 topics could easily be expanded with additional info/clarification, but tried to keep it as simple as possible.

19 hours ago, keith101 said:

I am going to Pattaya next month and asked my local office if I had to report to immigration there and was told no as the hotel has to do that .

As I understand it, the law says that every time you move to a different location it has to be reported to the local provincial Immigration Office.

Which means that when 'coming back home' after a trip has to be reported too. And the person reporting should be the owner of the location you are staying (which can be a Hotel, a friend where you are staying, yourself if you are the owner). 

Obviously this is a very unpractical law for all concerned, hence the considerable leeway in its enforcement by the IOs.

28 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Interesting interview in English language from a German news magazine.

https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2019-08/boris-johnson-fintan-otoole-brexit-nodeal

Yes indeed, very interesting interview with Fintan O'Toole on Boris Johnson and the whole Brexit mess.

As he states ' When things are too serious to be contemplated in sobriety, send in the clown.'

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

OP - it would probably be advisable to take along a completed TM30 form with you (in addition to a completed TM47 form for the 90-day report), unless you (or your housemaster) have already provided your local immigration office with this following your recent entry into Thailand.

Hi OJAS, thanks for the advice.  I will surely do so, even though it is confirmed that my provincial Immigration Office in SiSaKet does not enforce TM-30 reporting for foreigners living in the province.  But to be on the safe side, I already submitted a request for receiving a username:password which would enable me to do my TM-30 reporting on-line.

Just realized that I have one additional question.

My 90-day reporting is due October 19.  Should I report in person on the due date itself, or what is the period that you are eligible to report before actual due date?

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

1. You will need to your first report in person to get set up in their system.

2. You would mail the report to Sisaket immigration. Only those living in Bangkok can mail them to immigration there.

3. There is no english version of the manual that I have seen. Not really needed since it is fairly clear what is needed as to through the four pages of the online application.

Hi UbonJoe > Many thanks for quick and crystal clear response as always, super!

I recently got my Non-Imm OA visa and entered Thailand on July 22.  So my 90-day reporting is due October 19.

On the Immigration website I read that there are 3 options for doing the reporting:

- Reporting in person at your provincial Immigration Office;

- Reporting by sending the required documents 15 days before renewal date to the Immigration Office;

- Reporting on-line between 15 and 7 days before renewal date.

As this is my first 90-day report I need to do, I have some questions which are not addressed on the Immigration website:

1. Are those 3 options also available for first time reporting, or would it )be wiser to present myself in person for this first time?

2. If I choose to report by registered mail, the address where to send the documents is in Bangkok.  Is that correct, as my Immigration Office is located in SiSaKet province?

3. For the on-line reporting option an extensive User-guideline can be downloaded.  Although the title of that guideline and the screenshots are in english, the text is in Thai, so I wonder if there is no full-english language version available (after all it is meant for foreigners).

Thanks in advance for any help/advice with the above.

16 hours ago, MartinL said:

... and that's the way it should be. Udon Immi. sounds sensible in this matter, as Khon Kaen has been.

 

Your local cops and immigration are all parts of the Thai Police - it should be mandatory that the local police station accepts TM30 reports and issues receipts that are then accepted by Immigration. In addition to the obvious advantages to us - police stations are usually MUCH closer than Immi. offices (300m v. 70+ km in my case) and so making the report within 24 hours is fairly easy - it'd also mean the local cops are aware of foreigners living locally and perhaps lead to the home visits that are sometimes mentioned becoming a thing of the past.

As I live 70+ kilometer from my provincial Immigration Office (SiSaKet), I filled in a TM-30 and went with it to a near-by police station.  They date-stamped and signed the report and handed it back to me, done in 3 minutes.  No copies were made and I am pretty sure they did not record it anywhere.  Obviously that's not the intent of the whole TM-30 procedure, but fine for me as I have proof that I reported my stay.  Since SiSaKet provincial Immigration Office does not enforce TM-30 reporting (yet) I shouldn't bother anyway, but to be on the safe side I submitted a request last week for a username:password to be able to do my TM-30 reporting online.  Now waiting for the username:password.

On 7/27/2019 at 4:38 AM, jackdd said:

I use such a True sim card, currently being sold for 1790 THB.

So i pay 1790 THB for one year unlimited 4mbps.

Not as cheap as JackDD's option, but I use a Dtack 4Mbps unlimited data package, which is to be renewed each month and costs 500 THB/month + VAT (so approx 540 THB per month). 

Note: In the settings of my smartphone I set it as portable WiFi-Hotspot, which allows me to have internet access on my laptop via my phone.  Also my girlfriend and friends visiting me don't need to buy a SIM-card and internet package, as they can simply connect to my smartphone and thus also have free internet. 

On 6/12/2019 at 8:09 AM, Skeptic7 said:

Actually think your mobile data is on and consuming your balance, as mtls2005 said above. To turn off at the source...not just on your device...you need to enter the proper code. For AIS, it is *129*1#. Call DTAC for their "data off" code. 

I am on the DTAC subscription for unlimited data (as I use my mobile as hub to access the web on my laptop).  So my credit is only affected when I make regular phonecalls or send SMS, which I very seldom do.  That's why I noticed that my credit was eaten slowly by these unwanted SMS's.  If you are not on an unlimited data subscription like I am, chances are high you will not notice that your credit goes down due to this scam.  That's why I posted the warning and how I finally got rid of it, as mentioned blocking the sender or using #137 did not help.

16 minutes ago, fishtank said:

The reasoning is perfectly logical.

O-A applicants have no money in Thailand.

Extension applicants do.

Thanks Fishtank, it took me a while to understand WHY it would only apply for those applying for an O-A visa, and NOT for those on extension of stay.

But indeed, the logic is that those applying for an O-A visa (at the Thai embassy of their home-country) need to demonstrate that they have enough funds, but the money is NOT in Thailand,

When you apply for an extension of stay (at the Immigration Office of the province you are residing) you need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds or regular influx of money from abroad  So, in case of need, there is already some proof of money in Thailand to pay potential hospital bills.

Obviously, there will aslo be a 'twilight zone', those who did got an O-A visa before the new requirement will become official (july?).  Most probably, it will not apply for them (as that would require enforcement by IO).  And in max 2 years time all the 'twilighters' will need to go for extension of stay anyway (where they have to proof that they have sufficient funds or regular influx of money from abroad).

CONCLUSION > It does NOT apply for almost all people reacting on this topic as they already living on Thailand on an O-A visa or extension of stay.

You might have your reasons (e.g. not meeting the requirements) but why not apply for an METV when you are in your home country.  When approved it allows you to stay up to 9 months in Thailand (9 months stay would require 3 border crossings and 1 extension).

18 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Just found the link for online registration.

https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn24online/FilterNoLogonServlet?nodeId=24&programId=FNHOTELREG

 

Once registered you'll be advised of a username and password for further TM30 filing online.

Thanks a heap!  If I understand it correctly having registered using this link (first step) and filing of actual TM30 online later after having received username:password, will avoid having to visit the Immigration Office.  In my case that would be very handy as the IO is +70 km away (I had my TM30 stamped at the local police-station instead).

Two days overstay will cost your friend 1.000 THB (2 times 500 THB) which can be paid in cash at the desk after he passes immigration.

The immigration officer will check him out normally like any other individual leaving the country, but will ask another officer to take him to the overstay desk.

Paying the overstay and getting the overstay stamp in your passport only takes 5 max 10 minutes, I am speaking of experience as I had this twice before when visiting thailand on visa-exempt.

But indeed the overstay stamp in his passport might cause trouble later when he wants to visit Thailand, although I should not exagerate that as we are only talking 2 days overstay.

Note: depending on when his flight leaves he might dodge the overstay-stamp and fine completely.  If his plane leaves after midnight (e.g. between 1 and 3 AM), it is just a matter of making sure that he passes the immigration counter before midnight, so that he is technically only on 1 day overstay.  And - once again according to my own experience - a 1 day overstay is accepted without fine or stamp in your passport.

As previous posters already pointed out, preparing the paperwork needed for the application is not so difficult so there is little need for a Visa Agency.  An agency will merely tell you what is needed and you have to provide it to them instead of directly to the Visa office.  The difficult part will be demonstrating that your girlfriend has good reasons for coming back (e.g. small children / a job / a house / financial means in Thailand).  What could be helpful is that together with your 'invitation letter' you provide a detailed day-to-day schedule of what you are going to do in UK, e.g. visiting relatives, tourist attractions, etc.

In case you  are interested, I can provide you with a copy of the application I made for my girlfriend, which was approved without any problems.

Good luck!    

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

lol if you're using Transferwise all you need to do is view any of the live interbank rates and instigate the transfer locking in that rate immediately 

That's indeed what I do.  By clicking

1 EUR to THB - TransferWise

and that gives you the rate you will get NOW as well as a graph with the day rates of the last 30 or 90 days.

But I also now check https://walletinvestor.com/forex-forecast/eur-thb-prediction to see what's the short-term prediction.

If they predict UP I just wait - it they predict DOWN I do my transferral.

The short-term prediction is - as far as I have seen till now - fairly accurate.

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

lol if you're using Transferwise all you need to do is view any of the live interbank rates and instigate the transfer locking in that rate immediately 

That's indeed what I do.  By clicking

1 EUR to THB - TransferWise

HI, might be useful for some TV members regularly changing Euro in THB.

Every 1-2 months I am transmitting approx 2000 Euro to THB with TransferWise.

But with the volatility of both the Euro and the THB, picking the right moment to transfer the money can save you quite some money.

Last month the rate was 35,2 and today it's 36,2.

On top of regularly checking the rate to determine when to transfer, I also make use of the following website

> https://walletinvestor.com/forex-forecast/eur-thb-prediction

It features graphs with short- and long-term predictions of the rate, and the short-term predictions are quite accurate.

According to that site, the rate is going up and should be approx 36,4 in 1 week.

I recently bought the HATARI 'air cooler' (HT-AC10R1). It's a movable device (approx 40cm on 15cm on 1 meter) with wheels.  It comes with a remote control, which is not really needed, and 2 plastic ice-blocks which you can store in the deepfreezer compartiment of your fridge before use.

Basically it works same as a fan but you have a recipient at the bottom which allows you to put water and ice.  The air coming from the machine is thus cooled.  It also works without doing so, but then you can as well use a fan.

I read on the forum that it is not recommended to use it in a closed space as it increases the humidity, which would make you feel actually more hot.  But I use it when working on my desk outside, and it works fine there. 

Price was just under 3.000 THB, and I consider it a good buy for that price. 

20 hours ago, SEtonal said:

Option 1:  When in the UK or Italy, borrow enough money from a friend or relative to qualify for an Non-Immigrant OA visa.  Once the visa is granted, return the borrowed money.   The Non-Immigrant OA visa will last two years if timed right. 

When the OP is over 50 years of age, the option 1 suggested by SEtonal is most probably your best option.

Long-time staying on tourist visas is getting increasingly risky for being denied entrance on arrival.

I am somewhat in same situation as OP > living in Thailand for 1.5 year already on 3 back-to-back METVs.

Instead of risking to be denied access because too many entries on tourist visa, you could apply for a Non-Immigrant O-A visa (often referred to as retirement visa) in your home country.  That would allow you to stay 1 year in Thailand (with 3 monthly reports at local IO).  In order to get that visa you need to demonstrate a.o. that you are financially sound (more than equivalent of 800.000 THB on your home country bank account).  When you want to extend your stay after 1 year you need to have transfered the funds to a thai bank account 2 months before application for extension.  

With such a non-immigrant O-A visa you don't have to worry about being denied entrance.

9 minutes ago, Date Masamune said:

Can you apply in another European country with less draconian and ridiculous requirements that effectively double the financial requirements ？


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's not possible, as you need to apply in your home country for such an A-O retirement visa.

But in my previous post, I explained how I will 'dodge' that ridiculous rule.