Tourist visa extension now requires the applicants to provide written conformation from the resort they are staying at!

[Tubby]

We just took some friends to Trang immigration to extend their tourist visas, something that has never been an issue in the past. They are refusing them until they get written conformation from the resort they are staying at. Their holiday has just been ruined by a miserable woman that just wants to create problems. I have NEVER heard such BS in the 20 years I have lived here.

 

Is this the way it is now? Tourists wanting extensions have to provide written paperwork from the resort they are staying at? Way to go immigration! 

 

Now they have to leave. Those 2 weeks extra would see money back into the Thai economy and all they do is make it difficult. 

 

Anyone else know about this?

 

update. They told them the resort has to apply for them online. No words on this one. They want people back and they do stupid S""t like this. Luckily we know the resort owners and are now trying to work out how to do this online. What a joke. get the press involved and make them look like the idiots they are!

[TheAppletons]

13 hours ago, Tubby said:

They told them the report has to apply for them online

  From what you've described, this sounds like a TM30 issue.  Don't think that's anything new.  

[Tubby]

I have never heard that tourists need an online application from the resort. This is going to make chaos. 

[Lemsta69]

10 minutes ago, Tubby said:

I have never heard that tourists need an online application from the resort. This is going to make chaos. 

You've been here 20 years and don't know about TM30?

[Olmate]

10 minutes ago, Tubby said:

I have never heard that tourists need an online application from the resort. This is going to make chaos. 

 See screen shot Pattaya Mail today

[Tubby]

Just now, Lemsta69 said:

You've been here 20 years and don't know about TM30?

I did not say that did I!

 

So you telling me that if people move around and the address of their original stay has changed they have to approach the resort and ask them to go online & fill out a bunch or <deleted>. We have taken numerous people to get a tourist visa extension and never had this problem before. 

[Tubby]

5 minutes ago, Olmate said:

 See screen shot Pattaya Mail today

well all I can say is they make it as problematic for tourists as they can . What utter nonsense for people traveling here. Thanks for the post :0)

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Tubby said:

I did not say that did I!

 

So you telling me that if people move around and the address of their original stay has changed they have to approach the resort and ask them to go online & fill out a bunch or <deleted>. We have taken numerous people to get a tourist visa extension and never had this problem before. 

Resorts and hotels know this already (for years), that is why they ask for passports on checking in.  They don't need to be "approached".  Nothing is new here.

[n00dle]

2 minutes ago, Tubby said:

I did not say that did I!

 

So you telling me that if people move around and the address of their original stay has changed they have to approach the resort and ask them to go online & fill out a bunch or <deleted>. We have taken numerous people to get a tourist visa extension and never had this problem before. 

No, what he is telling you is that the resort should have registered your freinds online. If it had, they would not have this issue

[RedArmy]

Seems like a complete misunderstanding of the rules on behalf of the OP.

 

The Immigration officer was trying to tell you that a TM30 is required for an extension - As with all extensions - Nothing new about this.

[Tubby]

6 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Seems like a complete misunderstanding of the rules on behalf of the OP.

 

The Immigration officer was trying to tell you that a TM30 is required for an extension - As with all extensions - Nothing new about this.

they had their tm30. Now the resort owner is online trying to submit the info they want. This has never happened before and is NOT normal

[marin]

Do you always get upset so easily?

18 minutes ago, Tubby said:

They had their tm30.

1 hour ago, Tubby said:

Now they have to leave. Those 2 weeks extra would see money back into the Thai economy and all they do is make it difficult. 

 

They had their tm30.

• So when you took them to immigration they were carrying the completed TM30 forms along with their screenshots from the hotel or resort?

Why do they have to leave?

[foreverlomsak]

54 minutes ago, Tubby said:

I did not say that did I!

 

So you telling me that if people move around and the address of their original stay has changed they have to approach the resort and ask them to go online & fill out a bunch or <deleted>. We have taken numerous people to get a tourist visa extension and never had this problem before. 

It's a legal requirement for the Hotel/Resort/House Owner to report the arrival of foreigners to stay in their premises. Hotels, etc. get periodic inspection by Immigration to ensure that they doing so. This has only been really enforced for a few years, but the legal requirement has been around for a long time.

It is not only people on Tourist Visa's that have to comply, I have been on non-B and non-O visa's and retirement/married extensions for over 17 years living in the same house, and nowadays they check that I still have a valid TM30 report when doing my annual extension.

[timendres]

1 hour ago, Tubby said:

I did not say that did I!

 

So you telling me that if people move around and the address of their original stay has changed they have to approach the resort and ask them to go online & fill out a bunch or <deleted>. We have taken numerous people to get a tourist visa extension and never had this problem before. 

What is different, at the moment, is the huge blow up caused by Chuvit exposing the Chinese triad and immigration abuses. This has put every immigration office on very tight standards - doing everything to the letter. Just bad timing.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Tubby said:

well all I can say is they make it as problematic for tourists as they can . What utter nonsense for people traveling here. Thanks for the post :0)

You are the one posting nonsense.

It's common that to apply for an extension from a tourist visa or visa exempt entry you need to provide TM30.

 

Hotels should file a TM30 as a matter of law and can easily provide screenshot of that for folk to show immigration.

It's standard. 

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Tubby said:

they had their tm30. Now the resort owner is online trying to submit the info they want. This has never happened before and is NOT normal

Anybody staying anywhere has to be reported within 24hrs,

[brianthainess]

Correct me if I'm wrong, when you enter Thailand you no longer need to get a TM30 ( I thought they had done away with them) but when you stay somewhere you need one. <deleted>?

[NoDisplayName]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, when you enter Thailand you no longer need to get a TM30 ( I thought they had done away with them) but when you stay somewhere you need one. <deleted>?

My understanding is that all foreigners staying in Thailand must have a TM30, submitted by their host/landlord/hotel/guesthouse, or by themselves - done online, in person or by mail.  It's the TM6 entry card that was done away with.

 

It's a requirement that's not always enforced.  It's not a problem NOT to have one, unless you have business with immigration.

[brianthainess]

2 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

My understanding is that all foreigners staying in Thailand must have a TM30, submitted by their host/landlord/hotel/guesthouse, or by themselves - done online, in person or by mail.  It's the TM6 entry card that was done away with.

 

It's a requirement that's not always enforced.  It's not a problem NOT to have one, unless you have business with immigration.

Still a very draconian Orwellian law, my daughter is coming to stay in our house for just 10days, and yet by law has to be registered in 24hrs. 

[NoDisplayName]

15 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Still a very draconian Orwellian law, my daughter is coming to stay in our house for just 10days, and yet by law has to be registered in 24hrs. 

No problem, really.

You have your house registered with the Sec.38 application.

Your wife can do your daughter's TM30 on her cellphone during the 30 seconds it takes you to load your daughter's luggage in the trunk of your car at the airport.

[DrJack54]

58 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Still a very draconian Orwellian law, my daughter is coming to stay in our house for just 10days, and yet by law has to be registered in 24hrs. 

A TM30 would not be required unless she has intention of obtaining an extension or dealing with immigration for any reason. 

[dcalaska]

Thais claim to need, want tourism to boost the economy. The reality is they don't want foreigners on Thai soil. They make it very difficult, nearly impossible for the average person to comply with ridicules requirements. Why this is the case I will never understand. TIT.

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, dcalaska said:

The reality is they don't want foreigners on Thai soil.

Today I just returned from Saigon.

To visit there I had to obtain a visa (Oz pp) also the only option was a single entry 30 day tourist visa.

Thailand has a multitude of options including visa exempt, currently 45 days with simple process for 30 day extension.

SETV, METV, NON O, etc etc

Give me a break. 

[Xanthe]

5 hours ago, Tubby said:

I have never heard that tourists need an online application from the resort. This is going to make chaos.

80% tourists stay in hotels or resort type hotels where they do TM30. 20% Tourists stay in dodgy resorts that want to avoid taxes and fail to do TM30. SO it is not big problems. 

[soi3eddie]

59 minutes ago, dcalaska said:

Thais claim to need, want tourism to boost the economy. The reality is they don't want foreigners on Thai soil. They make it very difficult, nearly impossible for the average person to comply with ridicules requirements. Why this is the case I will never understand. TIT.

Not sure that I agree with your sentiment that foreigners are not wanted on Thai soil. I do agree that Thailand can  make it extremely tedious and difficult. Stamped entry in and out in the digital age. A great way of keeping people menially employed.

 

Here's a stark contrast; today, my Cambodian girlfriend and I (British) came here to Singapore. When we arrived at 3:15pm there was zero queue at airport immigration, in fact almost every kiosk was an automatic gate. She was astonished at how different it is to Thailand. She was able to use the electronic gate for entry (as was I). 10 seconds and we had cleared immigration, baggage was just arriving and we were out of the door. Amazing efficiency. Was even able to use our contactless debit/credit cards to pass the gates into (and out of) the MRT train system. Singapore appears to be thriving with tourists and workers.

 

[Elkski]

Sounds like the place the OPs friends stayed at this trip didn't file a tm30.   A few hotels I stayed in in my 7 weeks dec-jan for my passport but over half the time wife was able to check in with me standing there and they didn't ask for my passport.  Does this mean they were saving time not doing the tm30 or not paying taxes?  Small hotels just recovering from the COVID times.  Also 3 weeks staying out in the hood and I don't file tm30s.  Flew to Cambodia for new 45 days. 

 

I think this requirement is so they know tourists address.  Maybe the Chinese stink has imagration crossing all their t and doting their i's

[BritTim]

Everyone is saying that this is a problem with a TM30 notification not being done. However,

14 hours ago, Tubby said:

they had their tm30. Now the resort owner is online trying to submit the info they want. 

I have heard that Trang Immigration can be a little flaky, and I think this is an example of a rogue office. When offices start adding unusual requirements that are often difficult to comply with, I become suspicious about their motives.

[Boomer6969]

Funny, to me is seems pretty normal that tourist visa be extended on the base of proven hotel reservations. Should be an issue for any "real tourist".

[moe666]

9 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Not sure that I agree with your sentiment that foreigners are not wanted on Thai soil. I do agree that Thailand can  make it extremely tedious and difficult. Stamped entry in and out in the digital age. A great way of keeping people menially employed.

 

Here's a stark contrast; today, my Cambodian girlfriend and I (British) came here to Singapore. When we arrived at 3:15pm there was zero queue at airport immigration, in fact almost every kiosk was an automatic gate. She was astonished at how different it is to Thailand. She was able to use the electronic gate for entry (as was I). 10 seconds and we had cleared immigration, baggage was just arriving and we were out of the door. Amazing efficiency. Was even able to use our contactless debit/credit cards to pass the gates into (and out of) the MRT train system. Singapore appears to be thriving with tourists and workers.

 

You have to remember Thailand has a mind set about keeping people working, it is one way for people to have jobs

[chrischronic]

I've been in this situation multiple times. All you have to do is call the resort and tell them immigration needs a tm30 confirmation or letter. The hotel will then email you the letter or proof of Tm30. It takes the hotel a few minutes to do this. You then just show the email to immigration officer.