I'm staying at a friend's place and need a residency certificate to renew my Thai driving license. My friend is a foreigner, I'm staying on a tourist visa and have not reported where I stay to immigration. The whole process looks quite tricky but wondering if anyone on Thaivisa has any advice, thanks!

3 minutes ago, siamsaint said:

I'm staying on a tourist visa and have not reported where I stay to immigration

why not ?

 

your friend is obligated to report this to IO, you cannot get a RC unless they know where you are staying, it must have an address for your licence

8 minutes ago, siamsaint said:

I'm staying on a tourist visa and have not reported where I stay to immigration.

You could go and report yourself to immigration ( TM30 or 28 cant remember which form it is)

pay the fine then ask for a certificate or go get a certificate from your embassy.

 

(edit) reporting to immigration may or may not get your friend in a little bit of trouble and/or they might want your friend to do it.

Edited March 4, 20197 yr by johng

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

why not ?

Because I move around a lot and only became aware of the requirement recently.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will ask at immigration about this as well, cheers.

What is needed to get a certificate of residency can dependent upon which immigration office you go to.

Some will not do one if on a tourist visa. For example Chaeng Watana immigration in Bangkok requires you to be doing 90 day report to them to get one.

3 minutes ago, johng said:

You could go and report yourself to immigration ( TM30 or 28 cant remember which form it is)

pay the fine then ask for a certificate or go get a certificate from your embassy.

 

(edit) reporting to immigration may or may not get your friend in a little bit of trouble and/or they might want your friend to do it.

Okay, I'll look at getting the certificate from my embassy. I'll probably have an official tenancy agreement with a Thai landlord on my next trip to Thailand so I may leave it until then. Thanks for the advice!

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What is needed to get a certificate of residency can dependent upon which immigration office you go to.

Some will not do one if on a tourist visa. For example Chaeng Watana immigration in Bangkok requires you to be doing 90 day report to them to get one.

Hi ubonjoe, my province gives residency certificates if you are on a tourist visa. I went through the same process two years ago but had an official tenancy agreement then. I've got caught out staying at my friend's place this time. Thanks for the info. 

i got one at Jomtien last week, i had copies of passport relevant pages, 2 photos, Apartment agreement with business card, TM7 and Alien notification form.

 

They usher you into room 10 to see if they've received notification for TM30, if not, your application goes no further, i saw one guy being rejected and he was told that the owner had to report his TM30. So you or your friend owner will be fined.

 

Once they have got the notification you join the residence certificate queue once you get a number

 

 

 

 

 

 

OP if you oz, be aware that au embassy has stopped providing this service.

11 minutes ago, siamsaint said:

my next trip to Thailand so I may leave it until then

After a year expiry they might make you do the driving licence theory test again... or not  deepening on which  Department of Land Transportation office you go to,the alignment of the stars and if the employee is having a

"bad hair day"

Hi ubonjoe, my province gives residency certificates if you are on a tourist visa. I went through the same process two years ago but had an official tenancy agreement then. I've got caught out staying at my friend's place this time. Thanks for the info. 

Yes that might be sensible to leave it until next trip, if Jomtien they could fine you 2000 baht. If and its a big if you get stopped by police its 400 baht

31 minutes ago, siamsaint said:

 

 

I didn't know that immigration could issue residence certificate on tourist visa?

 

Visa aside, you need a TM30 to apply and TM30 need a tenancy agreement.

 
I didn't know that immigration could issue residence certificate on tourist visa?
 
Visa aside, you need a TM30 to apply and TM30 need a tenancy agreement.

I've had several residence certs on tourist visas.

I also a few years ago used a hotel bill and card and that was enough, no agreement. It depends on the office and perhaps what mood they are in

no chance of getting RC from bangkok on a tourist visa. depends on which office you use but my friend who has a years property contract and is married on a 1 year non immigrant multiple entry visa went to CW in january. they would not supply him RC. they will only issue a RC if on an extension of stay and they want to see a 90 day report has been done. 

he also went in order to get a driving licence (and to open a bank account), CW told him he doesn't need a thai licence as he doesn't stay in the country for more than 90 days at a time and told him he can use his home licence, (what the insurers etc think of that i don't know).

I am not sure how long it has been like that but if those are Bangkoks rules I would imagine others may follow suit in due course.

BTW he ended up getting a letter from his home embassy at a cost and used that for both the licence and opening an account with no problems

no chance of getting RC from bangkok on a tourist visa. depends on which office you use but my friend who has a years property contract and is married on a 1 year non immigrant multiple entry visa went to CW in january. they would not supply him RC. they will only issue a RC if on an extension of stay and they want to see a 90 day report has been done. 
he also went in order to get a driving licence (and to open a bank account), CW told him he doesn't need a thai licence as he doesn't stay in the country for more than 90 days at a time and told him he can use his home licence, (what the insurers etc think of that i don't know).
I am not sure how long it has been like that but if those are Bangkoks rules I would imagine others may follow suit in due course.
BTW he ended up getting a letter from his home embassy at a cost and used that for both the licence and opening an account with no problems

Its true an Intl driving licence will be ok if he leaves the country every 90 days. I can't imagine the police check the passport to ensure you've left. Maybe insurers will if you claim