Staying away from home in Thailand

[Pedrogaz]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day who told me that every time I travel away from the address I give on my 90 day report, that when I return home, I must go to the immigration centre and file a form basically telling them I have come back home (a returning home form TM something). He told me I should have done it when I returned recently from a trip back home out of the country. This seems totally inane to me, not to mention a huge waste of time, so I wonder whether he is pulling my leg. Surely when you come into the country the immigration people check you out and you give them your address...they could not possibly want you to go to immigration again the next day???? (I know there are some weird things going on in Thailand....but this seem over the top).

Anyway, I have never done this, I just go away and come back home without reporting it to immigration or anyone else (unless I come through an international airport).

My friend told me that it has been the procedure for a long time and if I do not comply then I will be fined the next time I go to do a visa extension or 90 day report.

 

NB My friend also said it was possible to file this 'returning home' form via the internet, but I have tried filing 90 day reports this was and always when you get to the end of all the form filling, the system tells you they cannot send the form, so I have given up trying.

 

Thank you all.

[Badrabbit]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day who told me that every time I travel away from the address I give on my 90 day report, that when I return home, I must go to the immigration centre and file a form basically telling them I have come back home (a returning home form TM something). He told me I should have done it when I returned recently from a trip back home out of the country. This seems totally inane to me, not to mention a huge waste of time, so I wonder whether he is pulling my leg. Surely when you come into the country the immigration people check you out and you give them your address...they could not possibly want you to go to immigration again the next day???? (I know there are some weird things going on in Thailand....but this seem over the top).
Anyway, I have never done this, I just go away and come back home without reporting it to immigration or anyone else (unless I come through an international airport).
My friend told me that it has been the procedure for a long time and if I do not comply then I will be fined the next time I go to do a visa extension or 90 day report.
 
NB My friend also said it was possible to file this 'returning home' form via the internet, but I have tried filing 90 day reports this was and always when you get to the end of all the form filling, the system tells you they cannot send the form, so I have given up trying.
 
Thank you all.

As far as I know you only need to re-report your address when you leave Thailand then return, don't think you need to do this when traveling within Thailand and return.

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[anon789561]

i think officially by the rules you should report when re-entering as you'd have new departure card so different number from you last tm30. 

 

with regards staying away even just for a few days in country, i believe officially that you are supposed to report when back but i have never bothered in the past and nothing was mentioned but haven't done extensions for the past 2 years so it maybe some offices are enforcing it, i doubt it though

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, Badrabbit said:

As far as I know you only need to re-report your address when you leave Thailand then return, don't think you need to do this when traveling within Thailand and return.

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I think Chiang Mai wants to know every time and returnees' must 'check-in' wherever they've been.

[Andrew Dwyer]

TM 30 is the form.
Different immigration offices enforce the rules in different ways, some want you to report ( and fill a new TM 30 ) every time you leave the country and others every time you leave the province.
Most will require you to fill a TM 30 once only.

Luckily for me Ayutthaya Immigration don’t require repeat TM 30’s .

OP: if you post your location someone will be able to give you clearer information about your Immigration office.

[BritTim]

Every immigration office has its own rules on this. At Jomtien, it even depends on which desk you will use for your next visit to their office! It is best to ask your local office what their rules are, and hope they do not change them. Worst case, you will at some point be hit with an affordable fine.

[gaff]

If you do not do extensions or never have to visit immigration, you do not need to do it as they won't be able to enforce it on you. I prefer to go on a short trip every 3 months rather than having to talk to any of these.... guess the word ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thailand J]

Your friend was talking about TM30, which your local immigration office may or may not enforce. Individuals cannot filed  TM30 via the internet.

[JaiLai]

What are the consequences if you do not tell IO where you're staying?

 

In 19 years i've never once informed them.....

 

I have ME non O.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, JaiLai said:

What are the consequences if you do not tell IO where you're staying?

A 2000 baht fine is possible.

It will not be a problem until you have to do something at immigration.

[PoorSucker]

3 hours ago, Thailand J said:

Your friend was talking about TM30, which your local immigration office may or may not enforce. Individuals cannot filed  TM30 via the internet.

Samui wants you to file the TM30 on the Internet. 

I have an individual account with suratthani immigration website. 

[JaiLai]

50 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A 2000 baht fine is possible.

It will not be a problem until you have to do something at immigration.

Thanks.

[dotpoom]

As the song said..."Don't worry,..be happy"... I cannot count how many holidays around Thailand I have gone on during my 18 yrs. living here....never ever gave a thought to reporting to anybody. I bring my passport (or copy) with me, if the person I am renting a room from asks me for it I let them copy it. Whether they report it or not I see as no concern of mine.

   

Edited August 6, 2018 by dotpoom

[Thailand J]

1 hour ago, PoorSucker said:

Samui wants you to file the TM30 on the Internet. 

I have an individual account with suratthani immigration website. 

interesting..i did not know that. I thought only a company or business such as a hotel can report TM30 online.

Is this something new recently or just me being ignorant... ?

Edited August 6, 2018 by Thailand J

[Denim]

5 hours ago, gaff said:

If you do not do extensions or never have to visit immigration, you do not need to do it as they won't be able to enforce it on you. I prefer to go on a short trip every 3 months rather than having to talk to any of these.... guess the word ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amen to that. We enjoy our little mini breaks too so no hardship at all.

[Vacuum]

10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I think Chiang Mai wants to know every time and returnees' must 'check-in' wherever they've been.

Only if you've left the country.

[ftpjtm]

While being fined 2000 Baht at Jomtiem, I was told that every time I spend a night out of my (wife's) house, whether in a hotel in Thailand or out of Thailand, I (technically my wife) need to re-file a TM 30 form.

Edited August 6, 2018 by ftpjtm

[PoorSucker]

34 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

interesting..i did not know that. I thought only a company or business such as a hotel can report TM30 online.

Is this something new recently or just me being ignorant... ?

Only aviable in suratthani. 

They don't want the TM30 form, just a printout that you have done it online. 

Saves them time. 

[KittenKong]

I have been told several times by several different people at Jomtien that if you have a retirement extension, and if you own your own condo, and if you are returning to that condo after time abroad or away, then you dont need to file a TM30 every time. You only need to file a TM30 if you move to another address.

 

Mileage in other offices and under other circumstances may vary.

[WorriedNoodle]

In Bangkok you can mail the TM30 (on behalf of home owner) into CW and get the TM30 stubs back by post in about 10 days (my experience). I do this because the last time I tried to visit another immigration office upcountry - where I travel often, I was told without TM30 evidence from arrival into Thailand I was subject to a fine before I could proceed with what I went there for - getting an exit/reentry visa in that case for my NonImm O. I wasn't even allowed to submit a TM30 for upcountry stay because I had no TM30 tracking beforehand - another fine risk. It seems like the TM30 issue is becoming more common up and down the country for me and needs covering from day you arrive if there will be need to use Imm O during your stay. I have never been fined yet, but warned by  Imm O to get my TM30 data sorted next time I might need it shown.

Edited August 6, 2018 by WorriedNoodle

[lordblackader]

10 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I think Chiang Mai wants to know every time and returnees' must 'check-in' wherever they've been.

No, they don't. Only if traveling overseas they want to know and even then - if you've still got your previous TM30 slip you can take that alone and they use the details of that (no need for a new TM30 form) and they stamp the slip with a new date. 

[Jiggo]

I understand if you return from a short trip overseas you do not have to visit immigration, only if you have stayed  in another hotel within Thailand or out of the country for some time....but then again that's my only understanding of the procedure at Jomtien....

[SymS]

I called Chiang Mai immigration last week about that. I told them I planned to go to the beach in Thailand on holiday for one or two months, and come back in Chiang Mai after. I asked them whether I needed to tell them when I left, and fill back a TM30 when I come back. They told me if that's temporary, no need.

[Proboscis]

When I retire, I want to do so in a place where I don't want the hassle of having to queue up every time I leave home for a week or so. For me, retirement will mean having the time to travel. So if I obey the regulation I will be spending a lot of time in immigration queues.

 

Of course I can decide not to bother with the tedious regulation and then worry about getting into trouble afterwards. Again, in my retirement I plan not to have that kind of stress. So I guess I will be joining the growing trend of falang who are not including Thailand in their future plans.

[Media1]

14 hours ago, Happy enough said:

i think officially by the rules you should report when re-entering as you'd have new departure card so different number from you last tm30. 

 

with regards staying away even just for a few days in country, i believe officially that you are supposed to report when back but i have never bothered in the past and nothing was mentioned but haven't done extensions for the past 2 years so it maybe some offices are enforcing it, i doubt it though

I have never done it and never been asked. Not enforced at all. Depending on your office of course 

[keeniau96]

Phuket Immigration chief announced a need to report when out of province overnight. That was about 6 months ago but checking with friends here it seems to be ignored with no problems. Will have to do it after my week in VN next month but that's because will have new landing card number.

 

[sumrit]

In Chonburi there's two Immigration offices, the main one at Jomtien and one in Si Racha, which is part of the Jomtien office. I've read and heard several times in the past that if you leave Thailand for a short time you didn't need to complete a TM30 at Jomtien but one person told me they were fined for not completing one there.

 

So after going to the UK recently, because it's closer to me, I went to the Si Racha office on my return to check. I did have to complete a TM30 and the office was literally packed out and queuing outside with others doing the same, with a couple also being fined for not going within 24 hours.

 

Assuming the other reports about Jomtien are correct, it appears that, effectively, even two sections of the same office have different rules.

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Only if you've left the country.

Or been away from you registered address for more than 24 hours.

[Vacuum]

Just now, tryasimight said:

Or been away from you registered address for more than 24 hours.

No, not in CM. Only if you leave the coutry.

[Biker Boy]

I lived in Thailand for 7 years. When I read these postings, I bow down to the sanity that prevails in Cambodia. Logic and order will never rule in Thailand. I have no idea how you guys tolerate the type of dysfunction by the Thai government.