A Tale Of Two Residences!

[awayego]

Here's a tricky one! I have a Non-Imm 'O' (Retirement) visa for which i've been getting an annual 12 month extension of stay (with 90 day reporting) at Maesai Immig - my wife and I have a house in Chiang Rai province and we have lived there for five years. My 12 month extension renewal is due on 5th May, my 90 day report is due on 30th April.

Here's the quandary. I am going to rent a condo in Chiang Mai and split my time equally between there and the village house in Chiang Rai. I will rent the condo and move in on 1st May. It would be much more convenient for me to renew my 12 month extension and to report every 90 days to Chiang Mai Immigration Office.

What do I have to do on 1st May - get the condo management to complete a form TM30 and I complete a TM28 and take both to CM Imm? What additional documents, other than my usual renewal docs, will I require to renew my 12 month extension? Will I need to report to the local police station and get a form signed by them? Can the 90 day report wait until the 5th (it would still be within 7 days of expiry of exisitng 90 days)? Is living in two places going to create a problem? Should I stay quiet about having two places?

Any informed advice would be most welcome.

[Mario2008]

You report and o the extension where you reside. If you reside in CM, you report there, when in CR you report there. Also do the extension in CM if you stay there at that time.

Yes, best is to have the condo management to have report your stay and you report your own stay at immigration wih mentioned forms (you can use a self addressed envelope).

remember that you can get an extension of stay up to 30 days early and it will still start on the 5th, when your current permission ends. Always apply early in case you need some additional documents.

[Maestro]

awayego, when you go to the Chiang Mai immigration office try not to confuse them with talk about living in two places. You will live (reside) – and work? – in Chiang Mai and that is all they want to hear. The places you go to on your holidays away from Chiang Mai are not places where you reside.

[awayego]

You report and o the extension where you reside. If you reside in CM, you report there, when in CR you report there. Also do the extension in CM if you stay there at that time.

Yes, best is to have the condo management to have report your stay and you report your own stay at immigration wih mentioned forms (you can use a self addressed envelope).

remember that you can get an extension of stay up to 30 days early and it will still start on the 5th, when your current permission ends. Always apply early in case you need some additional documents.

Thanks for the info. I take it that I don't need to go to the nearest police station to register then.

If I go a week or so early to CM Imm to renew my extension, how do I get round the problem of not moving in until 1st May (with forms completed accordingly)? Won't they want to know where I'm staying at that moment?

Also, I understood that you had to do your 90 report to the same immigration office that issued the extension of stay?

"try not to confuse them with talk about living in two places" (Maestro)

Thanks, that was what I was worried about. Be "economical with the truth", I think!

[Mario2008]

Only the house owner can report a foreigner stying with him at the local police station.

In your situaation it would indeed be best to wait till you actually move and apply early next time you ned to go for an extension.

That is normally correct, but strictly speaking you report to the immigration office of where you are staying. You on the otherhand have 2 residences and are not only away for a few days. As Maestro pointed out, it would be esier to just stick to 1 immigration office. In that case I would stick to CM, as the condo manegement is required to report your stay.

[lopburi3]

Actually there are two items involved (section 38 being the home owner) and both police and immigration are by law required to be notified of new residence. In almost all cases section 37 is not actively enforced as with current travel it would mean more time would be spent in police stations than in visits - but by law notification of any stay longer than 24 hours is required to local police. Section 38 homeowner responsibility to notify Immigration Police and this is, for the most past, observed by hotels and commercial house accommodations - but most family type accommodations are not reported (although believe immigration will have wife fill out a report if extension is made) - there is a fine for non reporting but the target is commercial accommodations rather than living with family and most Thai know this.

Section 37 : An alien having received a temporary entry permit into the Kingdom must comply with the

following :

1. Shall not engage in the occupation or temporary or employment unless authorized by the

Director General. or competent official deputized by the Director General . If , in any case , there is a law

concerning alien employment provided hereafter , the granting of work privileges must comply with the

law concerned.

2. Shall stay at the place as indicated to the competent official. Where there is proper reason

that he cannot stay at the place as indicated to the competent official, he shall notify the competent official

of the change in residence , within 24 hours from the time of removing to said place.

3. Shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty

– four hours from the time of arrival. In the case of change in residence in which new residence is not

located the same area with the former police stations , such alien must notify the police official of the

police station for that area within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival.

4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such

alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time

of arrival.

5. If the alien stays in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, such alien must notify the

competent official at the Immigration Division , in writing , concerning his place of stay , as soon as

possible upon expiration of ninety days. The alien is required to do so every ninety days. Where there is

an Immigration Office , the alien may notify a competent Immigration Official of that office.

The provision of ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) shall not apply to any cases under Section 34 by any conditions as

prescribed by the Director General.

In making notification under this Section , the alien may make notification in person or send a

letter of notification to the competent official , in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the

Director General .

Section 38 : The house – master , the owner or the possessor of the residence , or the hotel manager

where the alien , receiving permission to stay temporary in the Kingdom has stayed , must notify the

competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area with that hours , dwelling place or

hotel, within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien concerned. If there is no Immigration Office

located in that area , the local police official for that area must be notified.

In case the house , dwelling place , or hotel where the alien has stayed under provision of Para.1

is located within the Bangkok area , such notification must be reported to the competent official at the

Immigration Division.

Making notification , in reference to the Para 1 and 2 of this Section , must comply with

regulations prescribed by the Director General.

[awayego]

Only the house owner can report a foreigner stying with him at the local police station.

In your situaation it would indeed be best to wait till you actually move and apply early next time you ned to go for an extension.

That is normally correct, but strictly speaking you report to the immigration office of where you are staying. You on the otherhand have 2 residences and are not only away for a few days. As Maestro pointed out, it would be esier to just stick to 1 immigration office. In that case I would stick to CM, as the condo manegement is required to report your stay.

OK, I think all is clear now. Thanks for your help gentlemen!

[moe666]

On my first extension of stay I lived in Chiang Mai but happen to be visiting Bangkok when it was time to extend. I had a address that my mail was sent to. Iused that address in Bangkok and also a income statement from the US Embassy, there was no problem with the extension in Bangkok no questions where asked and I didn't volunteer anything. I now do my extension of stay in Chiang mai.

[denboy]

No need to get all confused and complicated.

I have the 12 month retirement visa issued at Pattaya. We also have a house in Maha Sarakham.

if I am in pattaya when my 90 day reporting is due, I report there, vice-versa at Maha Sarakhan I then report to Khon Kean. No need to tell them anything asit only confuses them.

I will continue to renew my retirement visa in Pattaya.

Cheers