90 Day Address Reporting Online

[steveflor]

I have suggested several times to Suanplu immigration that it would be helpful to have an online facility for 90 day address reporting. There's really no reason why it shouldn't be possible if they put work into making it secure (especially if there's no change to the details from the previous report). It would save a lot of time for a lot of people. Perhaps if enough of us request an online service when we next report our address (and the next time... and the next time!!!) they will do something about it.

[Krub]

I have suggested several times to Suanplu immigration that it would be helpful to have an online facility for 90 day address reporting. There's really no reason why it shouldn't be possible if they put work into making it secure (especially if there's no change to the details from the previous report). It would save a lot of time for a lot of people. Perhaps if enough of us request an online service when we next report our address (and the next time... and the next time!!!) they will do something about it.

Reporting online would mean less work for immigration and therefore less staff needed. Not a good prospect for them

Edited April 27, 2007 by Krub

[JohnC]

Reporting online would mean less work for immigration and therefore less staff needed. Not a good prospect for them

I disagree, in Pattaya Immigration one officer deals with all 90 day reporting, if the reporting online facility were introduced one officer would still need to collect, colate and update records therefore there would be no loss of jobs. The stumbling blocks however might be lack of training on IT, plus purchase of equipment as a response to your notification would be needed to prove you had reported in.

There has been some talk of introducing this facility in Pattaya but as of yet I have seen nothing but it obviousley makes sense as it would help to reduce numbers queing in the office and provide an electronic link to foreign residents.

[Krub]

Reporting online would mean less work for immigration and therefore less staff needed. Not a good prospect for them

I disagree, in Pattaya Immigration one officer deals with all 90 day reporting, if the reporting online facility were introduced one officer would still need to collect, colate and update records therefore there would be no loss of jobs. The stumbling blocks however might be lack of training on IT, plus purchase of equipment as a response to your notification would be needed to prove you had reported in.

There has been some talk of introducing this facility in Pattaya but as of yet I have seen nothing but it obviousley makes sense as it would help to reduce numbers queing in the office and provide an electronic link to foreign residents.

Any wind of a possibility to use a computer for manual work WILL be met by huge breaks

I was talking from the point of view of the officers

You are talking from the point of view of the user and maybe manager !

[Tony Clifton]

How about your privacy after handing them out your ip address?

[mouse]

I will even go as far to donate a free domain name and free unlimited hosting just for this specific purpose. Surely someone can deisgn a website for them and let someone at hteir office take credit. Let them know. For what I would save in gasoline costs alone would more than justify it. Naturally this would also be good for the enviroment. Yes I could have snail mailed all those 90 day renewals, but, am not trusting enough to leave it up to Postal Authorities whether I will remain a free man or not.

[Tony Clifton]

I'd send two separate ones by snail mail, an original and also another one clearly marked '' COPYl, indicating the purpose of the copy. Cover your a55.

[ProThaiExpat]

The pregnant question is: Why is 90 day reporting necessary at all,if the requirement is that one reports only upon change of location?????

[bdenner]

..............Yes I could have snail mailed all those 90 day renewals, but, am not trusting enough to leave it up to Postal Authorities whether I will remain a free man or not.

32 Baht will get you the EMS service and they (the Nong Khai office and I assume others) will accept the receipt as proof that the form was sent.

AND I'm all in favour of an online approach but it won't happen until at least half past 2015. TIT

[lopburi3]

The pregnant question is: Why is 90 day reporting necessary at all,if the requirement is that one reports only upon change of location?????

Because the Immigration Act clearly says 90 day address reporting is required. This is in addition to any change of locations.

[Krub]

The pregnant question is: Why is 90 day reporting necessary at all,if the requirement is that one reports only upon change of location?????

Because the Immigration Act clearly says 90 day address reporting is required. This is in addition to any change of locations.

This is standard practice for non permanant resident in most countries

[markg]

The pregnant question is: Why is 90 day reporting necessary at all,if the requirement is that one reports only upon change of location?????

Because the Immigration Act clearly says 90 day address reporting is required. This is in addition to any change of locations.

That doesnt answer the question. Thats like saying "because it is"

A better question might be, what is the point of 90 day address reporting.

It's not like EVERYONE gives their real address ALL the time is it. SO it's not like you can easily be traced.

I have just read that the fines for being one day late are now 2000 baht.

My beefs are these.

1. They dont make any check. I used an old lease on a place that i had moved out of 12 months before. No one questioned it.

2. We have had teachers at our school who were staying with friends and didnt have a lease. Thats ok said the immigration man, bring someone elses lease in who you know.

Eh?

So...............what is the point?

There is none. TIT.

[ProThaiExpat]

markg: Thanks for you post. I began to think I was losing it when I was asking a question in a thread where the premise was changing the current procedure by adding internet reporting, which is clearly not the law now.

Yes, many immigration rules are retaliatory in nature, a kinder way to say it is reciprocal, where one country does it a certain way because another country won't budge to change it to make it more sane and requires it.

By asking my question, I was inferentially asking others what is the point or reason for reporting every 90 days if you are at the same address previously reported????

Since retirees report every year anyway and all others report that often or more often, what is magical about 90 days. With the entry and exit computers in full swing, they should know if your in the country or not, so going to your last reported address would find you if that is what the point is.

Surely there must be a reason as it is a costly procedure for everyone. Anyone have a clue?

If it was copied from an international common practice, so be it, but maybe other countries could take the lead and made sense of the practice.

The thread on abolishing the mandatory insurance sticker in the windshield makes so much sense and it is going to save the government substantial money. How about immigration getting on the ball and doing likewise to the 90 day reporting rule???

[MarkBKK]

The pregnant question is: Why is 90 day reporting necessary at all,if the requirement is that one reports only upon change of location?????

Because the Immigration Act clearly says 90 day address reporting is required. This is in addition to any change of locations.

That doesnt answer the question. Thats like saying "because it is"

A better question might be, what is the point of 90 day address reporting.

It's not like EVERYONE gives their real address ALL the time is it. SO it's not like you can easily be traced.

I have just read that the fines for being one day late are now 2000 baht.

My beefs are these.

1. They dont make any check. I used an old lease on a place that i had moved out of 12 months before. No one questioned it.

2. We have had teachers at our school who were staying with friends and didnt have a lease. Thats ok said the immigration man, bring someone elses lease in who you know.

Eh?

So...............what is the point?

There is none. TIT.

That doesnt answer the question. Thats like saying "because it is"

So...............what is the point?

There is none. TIT.

Kinda answered your own question there.

One question though. Why do you need a lease?

[Firefan]

There IS a "semi-online" 90 day reporting function actually. At least in Bangkok. One fills in the info online - but STILL has to go to Suan Plu emmigration after that. One then gets "fast tracked". I.e. they managed to ADD more workers to the process I guess. Can' find the link but am sure someone here can. Cheers!

[lopburi3]

The semi on-line procedure is for re-entry permit applications.

[wpcoe]

There has been some talk of introducing this facility in Pattaya but as of yet I have seen nothing but it obviousley makes sense as it would help to reduce numbers queing in the office and provide an electronic link to foreign residents.

You mean this online form: http://www.pattaya-immigration.org/dform/form_tm47.php ?

There was a thread on this (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=110957), but there has been no feedbck from anyone using it.

Since address reporting can be done at any Immigrations office in Thailand, I guess anybody living in any part of Thailand could use this online TM-47?

I also wonder what acknowledgement Pattaya Immigrations sends so that you can prove you reported.

[steveflor]

There IS a "semi-online" 90 day reporting function actually. At least in Bangkok. One fills in the info online - but STILL has to go to Suan Plu emmigration after that. One then gets "fast tracked". I.e. they managed to ADD more workers to the process I guess. Can' find the link but am sure someone here can. Cheers!

Bye the way - has anyone know of anyone ever being fined at the airport for NOT having reported?

If one accidentally goes over the 90 days and hasn't reported and either has to face a fine or risk waiting till leave the country and start a new 90 day cycle - would it be worthwhile just to wait? I know they say the fine is higher - but does anyone really get fined at the airport?

[lekatai]

In reply to two of the earlier posters,firstly in reply to "markg" I can confirm that the fine for not reporting is in fact 2000THB,as I got caught this month.I forgot to go to Jomtien,and was three weeks late in reporting I went down there and explained what had happened.The immigration officer didn't seem that concerned, and even filled out the form for me,stapled the form into the front of the passport and smiled as he relieved me of the 2000THB They didn't put any sort of stamp in my passport,although I suppose the fact that I was late will be on their computer.Also,to reply to "Steveflor"last year I flew to Phnom Penh,I was one day over the 90 days,and they didn't say anything at passport control.I am due to renew my retirement visa in July, so maybe they will spot this then.I hope not

Edited April 29, 2007 by lekatai

[lopburi3]

You are not late until more than 7 days after your reporting date. There is a reporting window of plus/minus 7. And once you leave country the clock starts again when you fill out your TM.6 arrival form.

[markg]

One question though. Why do you need a lease?

Well it's address reporting so i guess they need some proof as to where you are living.

In phuket, it's your rental agreement (for a hotel) or lease (if you are renting a house)

I'm not really sure in Phuket what proof they need if you buy your own house.

I was told by immigration that the teacher who didnt have a lease, could put down my address and use my lease - even though its all in my name - which completely makes the system useless as they dont know where that teacher lives.

Maybe its different in other provinces.

[DrDave]

What lease? I just did my 90 day reporting last week at the Patong branch of Phuket immigration. Was never asked for any sort of proof of address - just the completed TM47 reporting form and my passport. This was my first time to report.

Interesting to note that the officer would not accept the electronic version of the TM47 form which I filled-in online and printed from the Thai Immigration website, according to their instructions. He claimed that the print was too small (the size of which cannot be controlled on the online form) - so I had to manually fill out another copy.

[chatette]

Someone was asking about the point of the 90-day reporting rule, Actually, it was not enforced for many years. Then, after the July 97 currency collapse, the head of immigration reintroduced it without any prior warning and began fining people for having failed to notify they still were in the same place. So, the point of it is clearly simply to raise revenue.

Someone also said it was common in other countries. I've lived in several countries and have never had to report to authorities that I am still living in the same place.

[Dakhar]

When I lived in Taiwan I had to report if I moved from town to town. No real hassles about it. You would go to the police station, and let them know... no biggie. NO FINES no threats... just wake some fellow up at a desk, and let him know.

[MarkBKK]

One question though. Why do you need a lease?

Well it's address reporting so i guess they need some proof as to where you are living.

In phuket, it's your rental agreement (for a hotel) or lease (if you are renting a house)

I'm not really sure in Phuket what proof they need if you buy your own house.

I was told by immigration that the teacher who didnt have a lease, could put down my address and use my lease - even though its all in my name - which completely makes the system useless as they dont know where that teacher lives.

Maybe its different in other provinces.

Weird -- obviously YMMV ... been doing it for a few years in Bangkok and never been asked for anything.

[markg]

What lease? I just did my 90 day reporting last week at the Patong branch of Phuket immigration. Was never asked for any sort of proof of address - just the completed TM47 reporting form and my passport. This was my first time to report.

Thats interesting. Ok to clarify - i was talking about the Phuket Town branch of immigration.

I dont understand why 90 day address reporting doesnt need some proof of the address.

Otherwise we could all say we lived at Pink Lady Mansions and be done with it.

It would be pointless !

[PeaceBlondie]

I don't have a lease in Chiang Mai. The only time I recall they wanted to see a lease was when I was going to register a recently purchased motor vehicle. The landlady did send a photocopy of her ID card. I just keep going in and filling out the form and they haven't asked me for a lease.

[ProThaiExpat]

Someone was asking about the point of the 90-day reporting rule, Actually, it was not enforced for many years. Then, after the July 97 currency collapse, the head of immigration reintroduced it without any prior warning and began fining people for having failed to notify they still were in the same place. So, the point of it is clearly simply to raise revenue.

Someone also said it was common in other countries. I've lived in several countries and have never had to report to authorities that I am still living in the same place.

Thanks chatette: Any explanation that makes sense makes me happy. I was talking to the former "boss" of Chiang Mai Immigration a couple years ago and she was lamenting how poorly she was being payed for running an office that was taking in 400K Baht a month in revenue.

When I arrived here five years ago there was never a mention of the 90 day rule and it was only after a couple of years that they started to clamp down. I am sure the revenue from immigration matters more than pays for all the costs of operating the department. Now, if they would only do the same for road traffic law enforcement!!! Fat chance, since it would be Thais paying most of those fines.

They have started to be more enforcement minded lately, at lest in the last couple of years, in the area of proof of residence in CM. Four years ago, just filled in the application, now they give you a list of proofs required, ie. landlord ID etc.

Edited April 30, 2007 by ProThaiExpat

[grahamhc]

In reply to two of the earlier posters,firstly in reply to "markg" I can confirm that the fine for not reporting is in fact 2000THB,as I got caught this month.I forgot to go to Jomtien,and was three weeks late in reporting I went down there and explained what had happened.The immigration officer didn't seem that concerned, and even filled out the form for me,stapled the form into the front of the passport and smiled as he relieved me of the 2000THB They didn't put any sort of stamp in my passport,although I suppose the fact that I was late will be on their computer.

Last year I was 8 days over on reporting to the old Soi 8 Immigration in Pattaya. I had a 2,000 Baht fine, a STAMP in my passort and was made to sign a blank page in a big ledger, plus another sheet of paper!

I also read somewhere on an Immigratiin website - I think BKK - that if they find you outside while checking passports and you have not reported, it was a 4,000 Baht fine. I cannot find the reference now, so maybe now withdrawn and the new higher one (Fine+200 pd) replaces it.