TM28: Thai immigration scraps requirement for foreigners to report when they stay away from home for 24 hours

[Swen]

OMG!

Guys, READ THE THAI GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT. This is GOOD NEWS!

Dont try to twist this around.

 

NO MORE REPORTING UNLESS YOU CHANGE ADDRESS!

[lamyai3]

Anyone remember this kerfuffle from a few months ago? I thought it was ironed out at the time that TM30 is under Section 38, and is about reporting residence, whereas TM28 is under Section 37 and is about reporting address (in practice this meant a permanent change of address, and was hardly ever enforced).

 

TM30 reports haven't gone anywhere, and contrary to the misinformation in the OP, reporting of residence is still required after 24 hours away - though as before, some regional offices are stricter about it than others. 

 

 

[lagarto]

Be careful guys, (Chicken George) Immigration scrap the TM.28 not the TM.30...………….?

[Damrongsak]

So now I don't have to tell my wife where I've disappeared to for the last day or so?  Can I do a three day weekend?

[balo]

I never bothered reporting anything, in and out of the country several times, trips up to CM , Bangkok etc. Immigration never asked me about it.

Nothing bad happened to me and here we are. 

[bristolgeoff]

that has got to be a good thing that they cancelled this.along way to go before things change.lets hope it happens before all the expats have had enough and left to stay in the neighbouring countries.this happens everyday and everyone knows it

[Destiny1990]

17 minutes ago, SammyA said:

Yeah me neither I travel all over Thailand all the time. We have for the last 6 years and it’s never been an issue for me. Some of the cabins don’t ask to see my passport but the hotels in Bangkok and downtown Chiangmai definitely will want to see my passport but regardless it’s never been an issue for me either. I don’t understand the hype about this. 

Stop dreaming... For foreigners renting a condo or house longterm its a real hassle submitting TM30’s especially if their landlord isn’t there or doesn’t want to cooperate!!

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by Destiny1990

[Destiny1990]

7 minutes ago, SammyA said:

I do rent a house. I did my own TM-30 years ago my landlord didn’t do it I did it but I had all the paperwork from the landlord. I always make sure I get that. But I rent a house and no problem. I’ve been renting the same house for 6 years. 

Since as its no problem for u does that automatically means  it doesn’t cause problems  for others ??

 

[luckyluke]

1 minute ago, Destiny1990 said:

Since as its no problem for u does that automatically means  it doesn’t cause problems  for others ??

 

That's the case for nearly everything here in Thailand. 

Interesting to read a comment from someone

about the experience he encountered on a certain subject. 

But in no way it is a certitude it will apply in the same way to yourself as well. 

[luckyluke]

SammyA, 

The management of the place I stay usually, do the TM30 on line. 

When I stay somewhere else I stay in places where they do the same thing. 

I never received any proof of a TM30 done, to put in my passport. 

These seems ok for all the Immigration officers I dealt with. 

That is my experience, nothing more. 

 

 

[Odisan]

On 2/20/2020 at 6:17 PM, Yorkie said:

In the 20 years living here I have never completed nor been asked to complete a TM28 form. My wife has once completed a TM30 form (about 5 years ago).

We rarely had immigration visit our home, but they got a new boss at the imm place and he insisted that they visit every foreigner's home. That happened for 2 years and then neither hide nor hair for 2-years now.

Things change.

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, SammyA said:

In fact I recently did my last extension and it didn’t come up and I’ve traveled all over Thailand throughout 2019 into 2020. And no TM-30 or 28 necessary and extension successful. I never did think it was a big deal just like a lot of things. 

Congratulations, you live in an area that doesn't enforce TM30, for the rest of us it is enforced and its a big deal.

 

Where I live, they dont enforce motorbike helmet laws "BUT" I dont carry on that its not an issue, no big deal etc, I am fully aware that its just where I live and for the other 90% of Thailand helmet laws are enforced.

 

 

 

 

[brianthainess]

So it is clear as mud, apart from not having to do a TM 28, i tried reading the whole immigration post but my eyes began to glaze over

Can we now stop the 90 days nonsense please? ridiculous waste of everybody's time.

[TKDfella]

21 hours ago, KKr said:

In the exceptions as I read it relatives do not have to be reported under TM30 ( section.    )

seems like an improvement to me.

Looks like other comments here don'[t agree with you.

[Number 6]

On 2/20/2020 at 5:17 PM, BestB said:

I recall a large number of doom sayers who said that online petition was a waste of time and possibly could get you into trouble for signing . Those who were brave enough to start it and sign it can now laugh in your faces. 
 

well done Isaan lawyers and all who signed to get the attention and for something to change 

This is a totally false assumption made by you and the author of the article.

 

Someone got smart and realized that many like myself were boycotting travel within Thailand unless and until this stupid legal requirement was lifted.

 

Foreigners petitioning the Thai government did exactly nothing. It was realized that money that was right under foot, tourist dollars were being lost.

 

More importantly I bet many of us including myself were mixing tm30 and tm28. I know I did. After returning from South Thailand I reported thru my landlord. They were baffled but processed online. This prolly made a horrible, stupid, complicated tm30 system even worse. The data were very confused and incorrect. Maybe even resulting in conflicting dates for overstay in 90 day reporting.

 

The petition was crudely written and riddled with grammatical errors. It was shockingly poorly written. All those signed evidently semi literate.

 

Most importantly, the petition was about the tm30 NOT this issue.

Edited February 22, 2020 by Number 6

[Don Mega]

5 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

This is a totally false assumption made by you and the author of the article.

 

Someone got smart and realized that many like myself were boycotting travel within Thailand unless and until this stupid legal requirement was lifted.

 

Foreigners petitioning the Thai government did exactly nothing. It was realized that money that was right under foot, tourist dollars were being lost.

 

The petition was crudely written and riddled with grammatical errors. It was shockingly poorly written. All those signed evidently semi literate.

The petition was for the TM.30 which is still active.

[eggers]

On 2/20/2020 at 5:21 PM, Chicken George said:

So.. No more reporting TM30. Which our local IO insisted I do even for one night away from my permanent address? 

Incorrect, still required to do TM 30, the change affects TM 28. As understand from TV article, if away from main address more than 24 hrs , required to submit TM30. 

[Number 6]

3 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

The petition was for the TM.30 which is still active.

Yes, I edited my post quickly but you'd already captured my post.

[Destiny1990]

Always was confusing and apparently it will continue to be confusing!!

[NoshowJones]

On 2/20/2020 at 6:00 PM, Moonlover said:

Is this not official enough for you then?

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/read?content_id=5e468147cf638702b11f9cb9

Nothing will ever be official for me as far as immigration are concerned, I would not trust them as far as I could throw them, I can never see IOs all having the same rules, not ever.

[ronwel]

In reference to 6.15 (attached)

 

 

Under patronage meaning to be supported, in regards to being a spouse does this mean you are exempt only if you are not the main supporter as in the case with say a foreign woman marrying a Thai where the foreign woman's support reliance financially isn't required to get the NON-O visa as the husband is considered the patronage.

Does this make sense or am I getting confused here and or does this matter.

Edited February 22, 2020 by ronwel

[Peter Denis]

The title of the article is misleading and will put anyone not fully versed in the intricacies of thai immigration law on the wrong foot, resulting in almost 250 posts - and still counting - of utterly confused Forum members.

TM28: Thai immigration scraps requirement for foreigners to report when they stay away from home for 24 hours

A short summary of what it means and - more important - whether it will affect you:

1. The TM28 form - to notify IO of a change of 'permanent residence' (move/relocation to a different address than your previous residence) has been scrapped and replaced by the TM27 form.

So in effect no change, as you still need to notify IO when moving/relocating to a different address, but now need a different form to do it. 

2. No changes re 90-day reporting.

3. No changes re TM30 reporting.

 

Wow, no changes at all > that's Big News!

A 'fart in a bottle' as they say in my home-country... ????

 

Edited February 22, 2020 by Peter Denis

[metisdead]

A post containing an inflammatory comment to another member has been removed. 

[raccos21]

I think none of these forms really fit into today’s technology world and also, I have no idea what purpose it serves for. Literally, today everyone is carrying biometric passports, which makes immigration jobs way more easier by just scanning them — all your information will pop up on the screen and tells when and which airport you entered through into this country’s debt. Also, the information is connected to their home countries and can track down their criminal records. The immigration just needs one machine that can scan foreigners’ passports and connect to the immigration system so they can check from the screen what are their statuses, traveling history, and where they reside, without filling a bundle of papers or being inquisitive.

[gamesgplayemail]

oh so sad ! I didn't even have time to submit one of these idiot forms ❤️

 

As most of you can see, it is very smart to be an obedient-scare-by-his-own-shadow-foreigner !

 

you are so funny to follow these stupid laws ! I have never and will never, I have too much pride to follow as a foreigner sheep...

 

 

[jackdd]

43 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

1. The TM28 form - to notify IO of a change of 'permanent residence' (move/relocation to a different address than your previous residence) has been scrapped and replaced by the TM27 form.

This is wrong.

This was never the purpose of the TM28 form

The form TM27 didn't replace TM28, the form TM27 existed at least since 1979, and it's purpose has never been changed.

Edited February 22, 2020 by jackdd

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

This is wrong.

This was never the purpose of the TM28 form

The form TM27 didn't replace TM28, the form TM27 existed at least since 1979.

I am pretty sure you are correct, but does it matter? 

Basically nothing changed, except that they now clarified that a TM27 now has to be used for reporting a change of permanent address and that the TM28 has been made almost redundant.

[jackdd]

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Basically nothing changed

Correct

 

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

except that they now clarified that a TM27 now has to be used for reporting a change of permanent address

This was added by the person who wrote the OP, not by immigration, and is wrong.

[Peter Denis]

7 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Correct

...

This was added by the person who wrote the OP, not by immigration, and is wrong.

Hi Jackdd > We are in agreement that basically nothing changed.

But what is the procedure then now when you move/relocate to a different address and need to notify IO?

The TM-27 title reads < see below >, so to me that looks like the form to use.

 

[DavisH]

They should scrap TM30 because we already report out address every 90 days anyway.