90 Day Reporting - Beware, They're Finally Getting Their Act Together

[Mobi]

On Tuesday I went to immigration in Pattaya for my 90 day notification. This is usually a 2 minute operation whereby the officer completes the bottom part of my hand written form, tears it off and clips into my passport and puts my submitted details onto a pile, where it is probably taken away and stored.

This time, she swiped my passport and looked up my details on her computer. It took quite a while, and I thought for a while that I was in trouble as she kept humming and 'harr-ing' and looked puzzled.

Eventually she read out aloud my address in Thai from the details in the computer and compared it to the address I had submitted on the form. Then she smiled and said everything was fine. But instead of tearing off the slip from my form, she pressed 'print' and a computer generated slip was produced, which she then attached to my passport.

Now the details on the computer were either those that I had submitted at my last 90 day notification (unlikely IMO), or those I submitted on my arrival card, back in August, which was the last time I had left Thailand. This is the most likely, but maybe someone knows better.

The point is - don't be cavalier with your address details - and if you move - notify them straight away - don't wait for your next 90 day notification or you may have a problem.

They are catching up to the computer age - so be warned.

I am also putting this info on Pattaya forum , as the folk in Pattaya may not read this forum and it may only apply to them.

[Somtamnication]

Strange. The new Phuket Migra office is full of computers.. They guy took my passport, stamped the little paper that was attached to the passport and then gave it back to me.

Must have been the position of the moon....

[Mobi]

Strange. The new Phuket Migra office is full of computers.. They guy took my passport, stamped the little paper that was attached to the passport and then gave it back to me.

Must have been the position of the moon....

They've always had computers there. This is the first time, to my knowledge, they have put them to use in respect of the 90 day reporting requirement.

[wca01]

Do the reporting by mail.

WCA

[Thanyaburi Mac]

On Tuesday I went to immigration in Pattaya for my 90 day notification. This is usually a 2 minute operation whereby the officer completes the bottom part of my hand written form, tears it off and clips into my passport and puts my submitted details onto a pile, where it is probably taken away and stored.

This time, she swiped my passport and looked up my details on her computer. It took quite a while, and I thought for a while that I was in trouble as she kept humming and 'harr-ing' and looked puzzled.

Eventually she read out aloud my address in Thai from the details in the computer and compared it to the address I had submitted on the form. Then she smiled and said everything was fine. But instead of tearing off the slip from my form, she pressed 'print' and a computer generated slip was produced, which she then attached to my passport.

Now the details on the computer were either those that I had submitted at my last 90 day notification (unlikely IMO), or those I submitted on my arrival card, back in August, which was the last time I had left Thailand. This is the most likely, but maybe someone knows better.

The point is - don't be cavalier with your address details - and if you move - notify them straight away - don't wait for your next 90 day notification or you may have a problem.

They are catching up to the computer age - so be warned.

I am also putting this info on Pattaya forum , as the folk in Pattaya may not read this forum and it may only apply to them.

And some day the computers in the 90-day reporting sections will be tied together with the other Immigration offices and some day after that they'll be tied into Departure Control at Swampyboom and the other international air and border points. Won't that be fun? Sire, we note that you've been here on a retirement or marriage extension and have not made the required 90-day report for 10 years. Please step over to the cashier before you leave.

At least on the fomer Arrival & Departure card the requirement for the 90-day report was explicitly stated, item #5 as I remember. Anyone have a copy of one of these old cards they could scan and post?

Mac

[opalhort]

here is a copy of the old TM6 card:

opalhort

[twschw]

Just got back from Suan Plu immigration office in Bangkok. The officer took my passport and completed TM.47 and entered my address into the computer, it has changed since my last entry, it took all of 3 minutes. Next she asked me to wait, I waited about a minute and was given back my passprt with a computer generated notification of when I am due to return. All very painless and there was no problem with the fact that I did not report my new address to them before my 90 day report.

[gpdjohn]

Mine looks nothng like that and is only listed as a "Departure Card"..

I do my 90 day next week and have moved since I arrived..

Should I take some money with me on this one here in Chiang Mai ????

[mopenyang]

Right. Did my 90 day thing at Suan Plu yesterday and it was incredibly fast with no waiting line and extremely efficient. The only slight delay was in getting your application to fill out and then going back to get your ticket. By the time I walked to Counter 3, my number was being called. Couldn't believe it. The officer took all my stuff and returned it to me within a matter of a couple of minutes. Great!

[PeaceBlondie]

I was once told that you do not have to report changes of address until your next 90-day date. The Chiang Mai office changed its location to the main building for aliens (right side of car park, covered pavillion), with a designated window for 90 day (near the end, right side). You submit your form and they call your name shortly thereafter, but it was the old style receipt last time I went (March).

[Thanyaburi Mac]

here is a copy of the old TM6 card:

opalhort

That's it!!  Thanks, and saved to my computer for future reference.  Reckon it'd be a good idea if they had item #5 on the new arrival card, just as a reminder of the law.

Mac

[lopburi3]

Suspect para 5 was removed because the only visa entry that would allow more than a 90 day stay is the special non immigrant OA for retirement. People obtaining one year extensions of stay should be informed of the 90 day reporting requirement.

Nobody wants to enforce para 4 (the place of stay reports that - indeed "hotel" was an acceptable response to place of stay) and para 6 has not been enforced for several decades.

[opalhort]

...........para 6 has not been enforced for several decades.

I think this requirement was cancelled in '87 or '88. my last tax clearance certificate is from late '87

But para 5 should be stated on the new TM6 cards. This way nobody can claim ignorance in case an Imm officer failed to inform the applicant for extension of stay of this reporting requirement.

opalhort

[PeaceBlondie]

But para 5 should be stated on the new TM6 cards. This way nobody can claim ignorance in case an Imm officer failed to inform the applicant for extension of stay of this reporting requirement.

opalhort

That would be nice, but ignorance of the law is not even a defense in the Western courts. I recall how well my immigratoin officer in Hua Hin nicely explained the 90-day reporting rule and the reentry permit when he gave me my first extension.

[Patriciachas]

Mine looks nothng like that and is only listed as a "Departure Card"..

I do my 90 day next week and have moved since I arrived..

Should I take some money with me on this one here in Chiang Mai ????

Ours is same as yours we did our 90 day reporting this week no problems took 5 mins here in chiang mai.

[Bertil]

Mine looks nothing like that and is only listed as a "Departure Card"..

gpdjohn: As stated by opalhort, this was the OLD departure card. That is why yours isn't the same, and it shouldn't be!