Filed TM.30 in Jomtien

[cigar7]

I arrived on 17 Oct. and filed the TM.30 this morning 19 Oct. at Jomtien immigration, second floor. I stay in the condo that I own so the following were required: Original passport, photocopy of passport photo page, photocopy of departure card, copy of chanote. In and out in 10 minutes.

[Pattaya46]

Why?

Do you have other foreigners living in your condo with you ?

Jomtien Immigration said at Pattaya Expat Club

that TM.30 was not required for an only alien in his own condo.

[elviajero]

Why?

Do you have other foreigners living in your condo with you ?

Jomtien Immigration said at Pattaya Expat Club

that TM.30 was not required for an only alien in his own condo.

Not according to the law.

Jomtien might not be enforcing it now, but nothing stops them or an individual officer fine someone later. For the sake of 10 minutes it seems like the sensible thing to do. It can also be posted.

It only needs to be done once.

Edited October 19, 2015 by elviajero

[thaitero]

Next month i am coming to jomtien into condo i own armed with only single touristvisa..

Does this rule apply to me also or is it enough when i put my address to arrival card when coming to country..?

Edited October 19, 2015 by thaitero

[elviajero]

Technically yes you should file a TM30. But if you're not planning on visiting an immigration office it's very unlikely that it would become an issue if you don't.

[Jingthing]

cigar7, thanks very much for that informative information.

As a condo owner who resides in the unit, that's good to know.

However, I don't believe in filing forms that are not yet explicitly required to be filed.

So I won't do that unless/until I have to, which I reckon will probably be never. But I could be wrong.

Cheers!

[roger101]

I live in my ex wifes condo (no rent, no contract) . The last time she was here (she lives in the UK) she did a TM30 for me which I keep in my passport (first one, after 9 years). If I leave the country (on holiday) when I come back my departure card will be different to the one on the form. Will this invalidate my TM30 and if so can I do my own TM30 as possessor as my ex wife wont be here..

[elviajero]

I live in my ex wifes condo (no rent, no contract) . The last time she was here (she lives in the UK) she did a TM30 for me which I keep in my passport (first one, after 9 years). If I leave the country (on holiday) when I come back my departure card will be different to the one on the form. Will this invalidate my TM30 and if so can I do my own TM30 as possessor as my ex wife wont be here..

As you're not changing the address that immigration have you registered at I wouldn't worry about doing it again. I was told by immigration that, technically, a new entry/stay requires a new TM30, but if re-entering with a re-entry permit it isn't required.

Yes you are the possessor so you could complete the TM30 yourself.

Edited October 19, 2015 by elviajero

[mikebell]

Jomtien has n't got a 2nd floor has it?

[johng]

Jomtien has n't got a 2nd floor has it?

Some would call it the first floor others the second floor...but yes it does have an "upstairs"

[roger101]

I live in my ex wifes condo (no rent, no contract) . The last time she was here (she lives in the UK) she did a TM30 for me which I keep in my passport (first one, after 9 years). If I leave the country (on holiday) when I come back my departure card will be different to the one on the form. Will this invalidate my TM30 and if so can I do my own TM30 as possessor as my ex wife wont be here..

As you're not changing the address that immigration have you registered at I wouldn't worry about doing it again. I was told by immigration that, technically, a new entry/stay requires a new TM30, but if re-entering with a re-entry permit it isn't required.

Yes you are the possessor so you could complete the TM30 yourself.

Thanks for that elviajero very helpfull.

[cigar7]

Technically yes you should file a TM30. But if you're not planning on visiting an immigration office it's very unlikely that it would become an issue if you don't.

I just don't want any difficulties when I attempt to renew my extension of stay in December.

[elviajero]

Technically yes you should file a TM30. But if you're not planning on visiting an immigration office it's very unlikely that it would become an issue if you don't.

I just don't want any difficulties when I attempt to renew my extension of stay in December.

I agree it's better to get it done..

FYI. You wouldn't be denied an extension because nobody submitted a TM30. The worst case, and unlikely, would be a fine which is typically 800 baht but could be as much as 2,000 baht. There is no consequence beyond the fine.

[Swiss1960]

Technically yes you should file a TM30. But if you're not planning on visiting an immigration office it's very unlikely that it would become an issue if you don't.

I just don't want any difficulties when I attempt to renew my extension of stay in December.

I agree it's better to get it done..

FYI. You wouldn't be denied an extension because nobody submitted a TM30. The worst case, and unlikely, would be a fine which is typically 800 baht but could be as much as 2,000 baht. There is no consequence beyond the fine.

While you are correct about the fine for not submitting the TM30, as far as I know it applies to the OWNER of the house / condo which rented it to you. Therefore, condo owners living in their own condo would have had to submit the TM30 once when moving in but not anytime after... at least that is what a (in my view reliable and knowledgeable) Thai lawyer told me.

Personally, since I am renting a house, I never bothered submitting the TM30 myself (which I was told I could do as "possessor" of the house while renting it) and I know that the house owner (a Thai company) did not do it either. I put my address on the TM6 arrival card, have been to Jomtien and received residence certificates for that address (in order to get drivers licences and buy a motorbike) and have NOT once been asked about a TM30.

Also never heard of people doing their 90d address reporting to have been bothered with filing a TM30 but only the TM47

EDIT ADD

Since we all know that rules and requirements can change pretty fast in Thailand and information might not be widely available about such changes, what I do - and recommend - is to go to immigration for all my issues as early as possible. That way, if they suddenly need something additional, you still have the time to get the documents and resubmit them while still within the timeframe requested.

When I went to the Land Transportation Office in Banglamung, they told me that my IDL (Int driver licence) is not good enough anymore (which everybody told me it is...) and that I need an official translation for my Swiss DL from the Swiss Embassy in BKK... which meant another trip to get that document and therefore, more time needed.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Swiss1960

[elviajero]

Technically yes you should file a TM30. But if you're not planning on visiting an immigration office it's very unlikely that it would become an issue if you don't.

I just don't want any difficulties when I attempt to renew my extension of stay in December.

I agree it's better to get it done..

FYI. You wouldn't be denied an extension because nobody submitted a TM30. The worst case, and unlikely, would be a fine which is typically 800 baht but could be as much as 2,000 baht. There is no consequence beyond the fine.

While you are correct about the fine for not submitting the TM30, as far as I know it applies to the OWNER of the house / condo which rented it to you. Therefore, condo owners living in their own condo would have had to submit the TM30 once when moving in but not anytime after... at least that is what a (in my view reliable and knowledgeable) Thai lawyer told me.

Personally, since I am renting a house, I never bothered submitting the TM30 myself (which I was told I could do as "possessor" of the house while renting it) and I know that the house owner (a Thai company) did not do it either. I put my address on the TM6 arrival card, have been to Jomtien and received residence certificates for that address (in order to get drivers licences and buy a motorbike) and have NOT once been asked about a TM30.

Also never heard of people doing their 90d address reporting to have been bothered with filing a TM30 but only the TM47

EDIT ADD

Since we all know that rules and requirements can change pretty fast in Thailand and information might not be widely available about such changes, what I do - and recommend - is to go to immigration for all my issues as early as possible. That way, if they suddenly need something additional, you still have the time to get the documents and resubmit them while still within the timeframe requested.

When I went to the Land Transportation Office in Banglamung, they told me that my IDL (Int driver licence) is not good enough anymore (which everybody told me it is...) and that I need an official translation for my Swiss DL from the Swiss Embassy in BKK... which meant another trip to get that document and therefore, more time needed.

No. The person responsible for submitting the TM30 is the House-master or owner or possessor. The owner could be all three or just one. The house-master is named in the blue/yellow tabien baan (head of the household). In most cases the owner is the named house-master but not always. The tabien baan is a register of who lives in the property and not who owns it. Anyone responsible for submitting the TM30 could be fined. If you are a tenant (possessor) you could be fined.

The immigration act is decades old and wasn't written with foreign ownership in mind. Some immigration offices don't want it completed by foreign owners living in their own property, but the law (section 38) doesn't specify nationality so even foreign owners should submit a TM30.

The law dictates that every address where the foreigner is staying is reported to immigration. When the immigration act was written most foreigners stayed in hotels/guesthouses but these days we own property and more live in private residential property. When you stay in a hotel they will report your address and the same rule applies private residences. Technically a TM30 should be submitted every time you return to a property. Of course that isn't practical which is probably why immigration relax the enforcement. Once is enough.

Others haven't been so fortunate. I remember one report of a guy that applied for a residence certificate and the IO fined his wife (house-master) for not submitting the TM30.

TM30 is never needed for a 90 day report as it's not connected.

[Bazle]

Why?

Do you have other foreigners living in your condo with you ?

Jomtien Immigration said at Pattaya Expat Club

that TM.30 was not required for an only alien in his own condo.

Not according to the law.

Jomtien might not be enforcing it now, but nothing stops them or an individual officer fine someone later. For the sake of 10 minutes it seems like the sensible thing to do. It can also be posted.

It only needs to be done once.

Could you clarify: "It only needs to be done once", please.

I own a condo and stay there 4 or 5 times a year for 4 weeks at a time. I use visa exemption.

You have said before that if I have no contact with Immigration, in practical terms, I probably don't need to worry about the TM30. However, I like to do things properly so am minded to complete the form on my next visit.

Does your comment mean that if I complete the form on my next visit, I don't need to do so on subsequent visits?

Thanks.

[elviajero]

Why?

Do you have other foreigners living in your condo with you ?

Jomtien Immigration said at Pattaya Expat Club

that TM.30 was not required for an only alien in his own condo.

Not according to the law.

Jomtien might not be enforcing it now, but nothing stops them or an individual officer fine someone later. For the sake of 10 minutes it seems like the sensible thing to do. It can also be posted.

It only needs to be done once.

Could you clarify: "It only needs to be done once", please.

I own a condo and stay there 4 or 5 times a year for 4 weeks at a time. I use visa exemption.

You have said before that if I have no contact with Immigration, in practical terms, I probably don't need to worry about the TM30. However, I like to do things properly so am minded to complete the form on my next visit.

Does your comment mean that if I complete the form on my next visit, I don't need to do so on subsequent visits?

Thanks.

According to the law it should be done every time you enter the country and move back in to the property. However, the immigration office that you report to will probably not expect you to do that.

My advice would be to do it once and ask your office if you need to do it each time you re-enter. It's reported in this thread that Jomtien don't need it to be done at all, but recently Hua Hin publicly announced that it needs to be done by everyone. If you do it once at least they see you've complied.

[Bazle]

According to the law it should be done every time you enter the country and move back in to the property. However, the immigration office that you report to will probably not expect you to do that.

My advice would be to do it once and ask your office if you need to do it each time you re-enter. It's reported in this thread that Jomtien don't need it to be done at all, but recently Hua Hin publicly announced that it needs to be done by everyone. If you do it once at least they see you've complied.

Thanks, Elviajero. That sounds sensible. I will report back here in a few weeks' time.

[Bazle]

According to the law it should be done every time you enter the country and move back in to the property. However, the immigration office that you report to will probably not expect you to do that.

My advice would be to do it once and ask your office if you need to do it each time you re-enter. It's reported in this thread that Jomtien don't need it to be done at all, but recently Hua Hin publicly announced that it needs to be done by everyone. If you do it once at least they see you've complied.

Thanks, Elviajero. That sounds sensible. I will report back here in a few weeks' time.

OK, here is my promised report.

To recap, I own a condo in Pattaya which I stay at for about 4 weeks, 4 or 5 times a year, using visa exemption.

I filed the TM30 at Chonburi Immigration, Jomtien, this morning. Once the process is known, it is relatively painless - apart from the hassle of getting to and from the office.

I am going to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days next weeks so I asked if I needed to file another TM30 when I got back to Pattaya. I was told that I did - quite simply, I have to do it every time I returned to the condo (I assume a brief departure for shopping is exempted!!). I said that that was an awful lot of hassle which elicited the response that I should stay at a hotel if I didn't like it!!

Now I am reading in another thread that if I stay in a hotel somewhere else (e.g if I go to Bangkok for a couple of days), I have to file the TM30 form when I get back to Pattaya - and that ties in with the comments from the lady at Immigration this morning.

This situation has got out of hand. I'm wondering if TV has any thoughts about taking it up with the higher levels of Thai Immigration?

[elviajero]

OK, here is my promised report.

To recap, I own a condo in Pattaya which I stay at for about 4 weeks, 4 or 5 times a year, using visa exemption.

I filed the TM30 at Chonburi Immigration, Jomtien, this morning. Once the process is known, it is relatively painless - apart from the hassle of getting to and from the office.

I am going to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days next weeks so I asked if I needed to file another TM30 when I got back to Pattaya. I was told that I did - quite simply, I have to do it every time I returned to the condo (I assume a brief departure for shopping is exempted!!). I said that that was an awful lot of hassle which elicited the response that I should stay at a hotel if I didn't like it!!

Now I am reading in another thread that if I stay in a hotel somewhere else (e.g if I go to Bangkok for a couple of days), I have to file the TM30 form when I get back to Pattaya - and that ties in with the comments from the lady at Immigration this morning.

This situation has got out of hand. I'm wondering if TV has any thoughts about taking it up with the higher levels of Thai Immigration?

The TM30 issue has been building momentum for a couple of years. The purpose is to report the movements of foreigners and given the tightened security over terrorism I think the momentum will increase with more and more offices insisting on it being done.

I get the situation if someone leaves the country, but insisting on it when you return to your registered address after a hotel stay is overkill. Maybe they will come up with an online TM30 report for owners etc to use.

Edited December 11, 2015 by elviajero

[Asiantravel]

OK, here is my promised report.

To recap, I own a condo in Pattaya which I stay at for about 4 weeks, 4 or 5 times a year, using visa exemption.

I filed the TM30 at Chonburi Immigration, Jomtien, this morning. Once the process is known, it is relatively painless - apart from the hassle of getting to and from the office.

I am going to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days next weeks so I asked if I needed to file another TM30 when I got back to Pattaya. I was told that I did - quite simply, I have to do it every time I returned to the condo (I assume a brief departure for shopping is exempted!!). I said that that was an awful lot of hassle which elicited the response that I should stay at a hotel if I didn't like it!!

Now I am reading in another thread that if I stay in a hotel somewhere else (e.g if I go to Bangkok for a couple of days), I have to file the TM30 form when I get back to Pattaya - and that ties in with the comments from the lady at Immigration this morning.

This situation has got out of hand. I'm wondering if TV has any thoughts about taking it up with the higher levels of Thai Immigration?

The TM30 issue has been building momentum for a couple of years. The purpose is to report the movements of foreigners and given the tightened security over terrorism I think the momentum will increase with more and more offices insisting on it being done.

I get the situation if someone leaves the country, but insisting on it when you return to your registered address after a hotel stay is overkill. Maybe they will come up with an online TM30 report for owners etc to use.

So where does theTM28 fit into all this crazy bureaucracy?

Form for Aliens to Notify Their Change of Address or Their Stay in the Province over 24 Hours (TM.28)

[elviajero]

OK, here is my promised report.

To recap, I own a condo in Pattaya which I stay at for about 4 weeks, 4 or 5 times a year, using visa exemption.

I filed the TM30 at Chonburi Immigration, Jomtien, this morning. Once the process is known, it is relatively painless - apart from the hassle of getting to and from the office.

I am going to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days next weeks so I asked if I needed to file another TM30 when I got back to Pattaya. I was told that I did - quite simply, I have to do it every time I returned to the condo (I assume a brief departure for shopping is exempted!!). I said that that was an awful lot of hassle which elicited the response that I should stay at a hotel if I didn't like it!!

Now I am reading in another thread that if I stay in a hotel somewhere else (e.g if I go to Bangkok for a couple of days), I have to file the TM30 form when I get back to Pattaya - and that ties in with the comments from the lady at Immigration this morning.

This situation has got out of hand. I'm wondering if TV has any thoughts about taking it up with the higher levels of Thai Immigration?

The TM30 issue has been building momentum for a couple of years. The purpose is to report the movements of foreigners and given the tightened security over terrorism I think the momentum will increase with more and more offices insisting on it being done.

I get the situation if someone leaves the country, but insisting on it when you return to your registered address after a hotel stay is overkill. Maybe they will come up with an online TM30 report for owners etc to use.

So where does theTM28 fit into all this crazy bureaucracy?

Form for Aliens to Notify Their Change of Address or Their Stay in the Province over 24 Hours (TM.28)

It's mainly used for a change of address (COA). If you permanently move address you need to complete a TM28 and give it to the office that cover the area of the address you're moving too.

It can also be used to report stays out of area to the local police, but that is not currently enforced.

Edited December 11, 2015 by elviajero