Do I need to report to local immigration within 24 hours of arrival?

[Liquorice]

Where? I see no mention of Thailand. It states "time of arrival of the alien " which means arrival at the residence.

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

A person on an extension would be on the same permit to stay that they got when they entered the country using a visa that allowed them the permit stay they have been extending when they enter the country with a re-entry permit.

Why is it called a re-entry permit?

Section 39 : After having received permission for temporary entry into the Kingdom , if the alien leaves the Kingdom it is considered that his temporary entry permit has expired. But , if prior to leaving the alien is granted permission to return by the competent official , and the alien returning is not excluded from entry under Section 12.and the period of time previously authorized has not expired , the alien shall be authorized to stay in the Kingdom for the rest of the authorized time.

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

The re-entry permit is to keep the temporary extension alive, but your still entering on a temporary entry permit.

The need to report is from taking up residency after entering Thailand.

The law is there in black and white and it's for each individual to read and make there own interpretation.

It's up to you to follow or not follow the rules.

So for those who have been fined for not submitting a TM30 after the alien has left, re entered and taken up residence at the same address again...............your saying Immigration have got the intent of the Act wrong?

[stgrhe]

OP, yes you do need to report your arrival unless you stay in a hotel, but the reporting can be done at the nearest police station.

Section 37.3 of the Immigration Act states: "[The Ailian] 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."

There is also an obligation for the house-master to report the arrival of an ailian: "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."

Whether others do report their arrivals or not, most don't, should not be your concern really so the decission is entierely yours. It is, however, worth mentioning, that this is law whereas the Police Orders are Government rules.

[Liquorice]

It also has to remembered that it is primarily for hotels and etc. How would they report somebody within 24 hours of arrival of the county if they had been here for weeks staying in other places.

Wouldn't it have been the responsibility of the previous places they stayed to report their whereabouts?

I have to disagree with you Joe that it is primarily for hotels etc, it's for anyone entering Thailand who is not of Thai nationality and is therefore classed as an alien.

[Liquorice]

Foreigner: must report to immirgation with form TM 28.

Houseowner/Hotel, etc: must report to immigration with form TM 30, but alternatively can report with form TM 30 to the local police station if there is no local immigration office.

The nearest police station to me is either the tiny one man office 2 km away but I may have to wake him up, the one in Klong Lan 6 km away, the amphur police station 15km away or immigration 125km away down in Nakhon Sawan and they are not interested.

I shouldn't think that the local police stations will be interested either even if they did know anything about it.

That's a common problem in some areas Bill.

Just get them to sign and stamp the receipts then it's not your problem.

Tell them your complying with the Immigration Act and if they have a problem to ring your Immigration office.

If all else fails, ask for them for a written report.

[MosMing]

Thai bureaucracy, don't you just love it. It isn't rocket science; it's much more difficult than that.

[onionluke]

Last year I went to Det Udom police station to report and they had no interest . Phibun is a 140km round trip, don't think i will bother this year.

[khunPer]

Excuse my ignorance, but when arriving we fill in our address on the Arrival Card. When staying long term, i.e. for example on retirement extension and returning after a trip on a re-entry permit/visa, the re-entry with arrival card counts for the first 90-day period, and only 90 days after entry, an address report shall be done at the local Immigration Office (or online now). I thought, that the Arrival Card would do for the first address report, when staying at that already given address only.

At my local Immigration I have never had problems when reporting only 90 days after an entry, and they always said, that I shall not come and report address before 90 days after an entry.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it did make sense – also according to what the local Immigration says, but they may have their rules, like never using a proper form when doing 90-day address reporting, but just hand a little tiny paper slip to write the address on.

Edited July 8, 2015 by khunPer

[mirage]

I stay in Thailand for 100 days each year. I had a problem last year as my wife had not reported me as staying. I told the immigration officer that when I filled out the landing card, I put the full address of where I was staying. I stated why do I have to inform you twice. After some time this was accepted.

[BritTim]

I'm with Ubonjoe on this. It says arrival at the residence which leaves open how interpreted i.e. is it a new "arrival" if you take a temporary trip away from a place of permanent residence and then come back home. I rather doubt that was the intent. I think they want to be informed when you first take up residence somewhere. Just my reading but makes far more sense than deluging immigration with notices everytime you have taken even a short trip.

makes far more sense

True, but the law and logic are not always in concert with each other. I think the current rules are a residue of regulations that existed in Thailand long ago. Under those rules, everyone (Thai or foreigner) had to report to the provincial authorities the same day they traveled from one province to another. This was at a time when some Thais had not left their home province in their entire lives, and travel was difficult, time consuming and expensive. When this regulation was abolished for Thais, they decided to retain it in a different form for foreigners. Intelligent immigration offices ignore these obsolete, arcane regulations. For whatever reason, they are occasionally still enforced by some offices.

[Liquorice]

Excuse my ignorance, but when arriving we fill in our address on the Arrival Card. When staying long term, i.e. for example on retirement extension and returning after a trip on a re-entry permit/visa, the re-entry with arrival card counts for the first 90-day period, and only 90 days after entry, an address report shall be done at the local Immigration Office (or online now). I thought, that the Arrival Card would do for the first address report, when staying at that already given address only.

At my local Immigration I have never had problems when reporting only 90 days after an entry, and they always said, that I shall not come and report address before 90 days after an entry.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it did make sense – also according to what the local Immigration says, but they may have their rules, like never using a proper form when doing 90-day address reporting, but just hand a little tiny paper slip to write the address on.

Your totally correct khunPer with your actions and procedures to follow as a foreigner.

But wherever you stay the hotel owner or the house owner has a duty to report a foreigner staying at that address.

That is the form TM30.

In many cases it will be a Thai, landlady, wife, girlfriend, but it could be yourself if you own the property.

It is the house or property owner who could be fined for not reporting an alien residing at that address, not the alien, unless they are the house owner.

[Liquorice]

Ironic, but read the new topic:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/839005-immigration-failure-to-comply-with-24-hour-foreign-guest-registration-carries-b8000-fine/?utm_source=newsletter-20150708-2017&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking

Hotels have the facility to report an alien residing at their accommodation online.

Private home owners use the TM30 form to report an alien residing at their accommodation.

[merijn]

Ironic, but read the new topic:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/839005-immigration-failure-to-comply-with-24-hour-foreign-guest-registration-carries-b8000-fine/?utm_source=newsletter-20150708-2017&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking

Hotels have the facility to report an alien residing at their accommodation online.

Private home owners use the TM30 form to report an alien residing at their accommodation.

Hotels can also use the TM30 form if they are not registered for online registration.

Phuket immigration doesn't use the TM30 form for private owners (but it will be accepted) as they have their own simplified form for private registration.

[Guitar God]

Funny coincidence that I post a question about if I have to report in person to a fairly distant immigration office every time I fly to Singapore or Toyko for the weekend, spend a day in Cambodia or Laos or fly to Europe for a week, and the next day there's a similar news story about hotel requirements for reporting vacationers location within 24 hours of checking in.

A coincidence but not at all the same situation in my opinion.

I'm here on a 1 year, previously renewed, renewable visa. I have already reported my permanent address in Thailand to immigration and gave copies of blue and yellow tambien ban books, I'm married, I live here, I own the house (not the land but the house), my permanent address is on both my car and motorcycle license. When I leave for a few days, this where I come back to. When I return to Thailand I fill out an arrival card which lists my address, which matches all the other immigration and government records that has the same address.

I've report to immigration on arrival, reconfirm with them my address that's on record.

The only reasons I see to make a separate trip to restate the information within 24 hours that I've already just submitted at BKK airport to the office in Phibun, especially after a 12 hour flight, is to; waste my time, deprive me of sleep, put more miles on my car and make a gas station owner 400 baht richer.

Next time I'm here 100 days without leaving (like what happened this time) I'm going to do the online reporting 14 days before the 90 days is up and then, if and only it does not work, then go to Phibun and waste their time explaining it to me, translating laws and politely debating it's applicability to persons in my situation until they decide I don't need to race over there to fulfill some outdated, obsolete requirement that probably doesn't apply to me anyway.

I've always found here that the longer you drag out the discussion, the more higher-ranking employees involved, the more likely they will be to agree with you and give you whatever you want to get you out of there.

Fifteen-twenty minutes without being able to check their Facebook or Line account, or not being able to play Candy Krush seems to makes Thais much more accommodating.

[merijn]

Funny coincidence that I post a question about if I have to report in person to a fairly distant immigration office every time I fly to Singapore or Toyko for the weekend, spend a day in Cambodia or Laos or fly to Europe for a week, and the next day there's a similar news story about hotel requirements for reporting vacationers location within 24 hours of checking in.

A coincidence but not at all the same situation in my opinion.

I'm here on a 1 year, previously renewed, renewable visa. I have already reported my permanent address in Thailand to immigration and gave copies of blue and yellow tambien ban books, I'm married, I live here, I own the house (not the land but the house), my permanent address is on both my car and motorcycle license. When I leave for a few days, this where I come back to. When I return to Thailand I fill out an arrival card which lists my address, which matches all the other immigration and government records that has the same address.

I've report to immigration on arrival, reconfirm with them my address that's on record.

The only reasons I see to make a separate trip to restate the information within 24 hours that I've already just submitted at BKK airport to the office in Phibun, especially after a 12 hour flight, is to; waste my time, deprive me of sleep, put more miles on my car and make a gas station owner 400 baht richer.

Next time I'm here 100 days without leaving (like what happened this time) I'm going to do the online reporting 14 days before the 90 days is up and then, if and only it does not work, then go to Phibun and waste their time explaining it to me, translating laws and politely debating it's applicability to persons in my situation until they decide I don't need to race over there to fulfill some outdated, obsolete requirement that probably doesn't apply to me anyway.

I've always found here that the longer you drag out the discussion, the more higher-ranking employees involved, the more likely they will be to agree with you and give you whatever you want to get you out of there.

Fifteen-twenty minutes without being able to check their Facebook or Line account, or not being able to play Candy Krush seems to makes Thais much more accommodating.

As you live here on a yearly extension and you have already done the address registration in the past there is no need anymore to do this again until your move to new PERMANENT address.

[Guitar God]

What problem did you have and with who and where? What it on arrival, departure or during 90 day reporting?

I stay in Thailand for 100 days each year. I had a problem last year as my wife had not reported me as staying. I told the immigration officer that when I filled out the landing card, I put the full address of where I was staying. I stated why do I have to inform you twice. After some time this was accepted.

[Guitar God]

Now that sounds reasonable. Part of the problem is that when I went in for 90 day reporting, I said "90 day reporting" and handed him my passport and tambien ban. The book he handed back without even opening. Maybe he thought I had moved since I arrived. Opening it and reading my address would have cleared that up if that was the issue. He also never explained anything to my fluent in Thai wife about needing to fill out at TM 28 or TM 30. She just said to me that now we have to start all over again (presumably because I didn't make the roadtrip to Phibun 84 days ago after I arrived) She goes out to get her papers, he give me a receipt of reporting and says bye and thanks. It sounds like he didn't even know himself what he was supposed to do. You'd think with 3 bars and at six years on the job he'd know at least that procedure.

Funny coincidence that I post a question about if I have to report in person to a fairly distant immigration office every time I fly to Singapore or Tokyo for the weekend, spend a day in Cambodia or Laos or fly to Europe for a week, and the next day there's a similar news story about hotel requirements for reporting vacationers location within 24 hours of checking in.

A coincidence but not at all the same situation in my opinion.

I'm here on a 1 year, previously renewed, renewable visa. I have already reported my permanent address in Thailand to immigration and gave copies of blue and yellow tambien ban books, I'm married, I live here, I own the house (not the land but the house), my permanent address is on both my car and motorcycle license. When I leave for a few days, this where I come back to. When I return to Thailand I fill out an arrival card which lists my address, which matches all the other immigration and government records that has the same address.

I've report to immigration on arrival, reconfirm with them my address that's on record.

The only reasons I see to make a separate trip to restate the information within 24 hours that I've already just submitted at BKK airport to the office in Phibun, especially after a 12 hour flight, is to; waste my time, deprive me of sleep, put more miles on my car and make a gas station owner 400 baht richer.

Next time I'm here 100 days without leaving (like what happened this time) I'm going to do the online reporting 14 days before the 90 days is up and then, if and only it does not work, then go to Phibun and waste their time explaining it to me, translating laws and politely debating it's applicability to persons in my situation until they decide I don't need to race over there to fulfill some outdated, obsolete requirement that probably doesn't apply to me anyway.

I've always found here that the longer you drag out the discussion, the more higher-ranking employees involved, the more likely they will be to agree with you and give you whatever you want to get you out of there.

Fifteen-twenty minutes without being able to check their Facebook or Line account, or not being able to play Candy Krush seems to makes Thais much more accommodating.

As you live here on a yearly extension and you have already done the address registration in the past there is no need anymore to do this again until your move to new PERMANENT address.

[merijn]

What problem did you have and with who and where? What it on arrival, departure or during 90 day reporting?

I stay in Thailand for 100 days each year. I had a problem last year as my wife had not reported me as staying. I told the immigration officer that when I filled out the landing card, I put the full address of where I was staying. I stated why do I have to inform you twice. After some time this was accepted.

And was this before or after you did your address registration ?

[mirage]

Guitar God................... It was when I had to get proof of address to renew my driving licence in Nakom Phanom. After 6 weeks when we move to Krabi I iust pop into Krabi immigration and they staple I small paper into my passport. This takes about 5 minutes.

[Liquorice]

@guitar god.

There are two different sections in the Act for address reporting.

One is the responsibility of the foreigner to report his address

The other one is for the home owner, hotelier etc to report a foreigner staying at his residence.

A foreigner would on entry to Thailand complete a TM6 notifying his intended residence.

If that foreigner stays longer than 90 days he must report again using a TM47.

If he is staying longer than a year he must get an annual extension and again this is reporting using a TM7.

The foreigner has no requirement to address report at any other time unless he moves to a new permanent residence and he then uses a TM28 to report his new address.

If you leave the Country, you complete a TM6 again and your next report date is 90 days from the date of re-entry, when you complete another TM47, and so the circle continues.

The second requirement is for the house owner/hotelier to report the presence of a foreign staying at that address.

In your case, as you are the owner, each time you return to take up residence from being out of the Country you should complete a TM30 which notifies of a foreigner taking up residence at that address.

In most cases this would be a landlord, hotel owner, wife or girlfriend, unless the foreigner is the house owner.

You don't have to do this in person, you can post it just the same as you would a TM47 with a return pre paid envelope for them to return the acknowledgement receipt.

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.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Faz

[khunPer]

Excuse my ignorance, but when arriving we fill in our address on the Arrival Card. When staying long term, i.e. for example on retirement extension and returning after a trip on a re-entry permit/visa, the re-entry with arrival card counts for the first 90-day period, and only 90 days after entry, an address report shall be done at the local Immigration Office (or online now). I thought, that the Arrival Card would do for the first address report, when staying at that already given address only.

At my local Immigration I have never had problems when reporting only 90 days after an entry, and they always said, that I shall not come and report address before 90 days after an entry.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it did make sense – also according to what the local Immigration says, but they may have their rules, like never using a proper form when doing 90-day address reporting, but just hand a little tiny paper slip to write the address on.

Your totally correct khunPer with your actions and procedures to follow as a foreigner.

But wherever you stay the hotel owner or the house owner has a duty to report a foreigner staying at that address.

That is the form TM30.

In many cases it will be a Thai, landlady, wife, girlfriend, but it could be yourself if you own the property.

It is the house or property owner who could be fined for not reporting an alien residing at that address, not the alien, unless they are the house owner.

Thanks Faz,

The first some 6 years I stayed here in Thailand, it was in rented bungalows (two different) and the owners never asked for or saw my passport, so I presume they did not reported anything on TM30.

The last 5 years I’ve been the house owner (Yellow Book for address proof), but never used TM30, just the normal 90 days reporting – however did ask for the form at local Immigration, as I’ve read about here in the forum, but they looked at me as if I was talking nonsense; ended up with Ms Big Boss (a lady), who found a TM30, if I insisted to use one...