Immigration warns homeowners they have 24hrs to report foreign guests

[webfact]

Immigration warns homeowners they have 24hrs to report foreign guests

HUA HIN:-- Immigration officials in Hua Hin have today issued a warning to homeowners about the requirement to report any foreigners who might be staying at their property.

Failure to supply Immigration with details of foreign guests will result in the owner of the property being subjected to penalties and fines.

The information comes via a the management of a leading property development in Hua Hin who has been told to inform its tenants of the requirement by officials from Hua Hin Immigration.

The noticed, which was distributed to property owners earlier today reads:

Dear Residents

Re: Immigration Notification

This morning, we have been informed by Hua Hin Immigration Office that

ALL RESIDENTS RETURNING TO HUA HIN MUST REPORT TO THE LOCAL IMMIGRATION OFFICE
WITHIN 24hrs OF ARRIVAL

We are led to believe that anyone not following the new regulations will be subject to penalties and fines.

Please also note that any owners who are renting their properties – either long- or short-term - have a legal obligation to inform their tenants of the same.

Kindly note that we are informing residents as a courtesy and have no further information regarding the requirements. Should you have any further questions, kindly contact the Immigration Office directly.

Yours sincerely
The Management Team

The requirement for homeowners (or the house master) to report foreign tenants is nothing new and is stated on the Immigration Bureau’s website. It is also highlighted under point 2 on the FAQ page of the site.

However, this latest news suggests that officials in Hua Hin could be stepping up their efforts to ensure that homeowners report foreigners who may be staying in their property - both short and long term.

It is unclear if this is part of a nationwide crackdown on homeowners reporting foreign guests.

-- 2015-10-29

Downloads

NOTIFICATION FROM FOR HOUSE-MASTER, OWNER OR THE POSSESSOR WHERE ALIEN HAS STAYED

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

[elviajero]

The fact that they are enforcing this law more and more it's about time they actually informed the people responsible of their obligation.

[NickJ]

I see that the large immigration machine is slowly moving in the direction in all aspects.....Now they are starting to enforce existing laws. It's when they start to change them that things will start really heating up.

[trogers]

If only such reporting can be done online...

[pinkpanther99]

This would then also suggest that there is not only a requirement for the property owner but also for the guest to report themselves to immigration should they stay outside of the province for more than 24 hours.

So I'm expected to report to Immigration every time i go from Hua Hin to Bangkok?

I'm beginning to think it would easier if I was an expat in North Korea.

[strawpanda]

I used to be quite keen to visit Thailand and was nearly ready to live there with my Thai wife, but times change. I now prefer to stay in the UK with the possibility of living in France. And I now prefer it if my wife makes trips home without me.

[flyingdoc]

Extraordinary !

[animalmagic]

Sorry to be a bit dim on this but I am still not clear on my requirements. My wife and I married several lifetimes ago in Hong Kong and registered in Thailand. I presently live and work in Hong Kong and my wife lives at our house in Thailand; she does allow me to visit regularly but I suspect it's just because the dogs like me!

I arrive at swampy and always fill in the address on the form handed to Immigration, is my wife still required to report my arrival at the house on the TM 28 & 30? If so, is there any way we can avoid this?

Kind informative replies offering insight and good advice will receive a 'like' from me.

Cynical, mickey taking and cruel replies will be read and chuckled at.

[khunano]

ALL RESIDENTS RETURNING TO HUA HIN MUST REPORT TO THE LOCAL IMMIGRATION OFFICE
WITHIN 24hrs OF ARRIVAL

Does this mean that people who live in Hua Hin and are returning from an overseas trip also have to report themselves to the Immigration Office each time they come back from abroad?!?

[jspill]

Land of announcements. Then nothing actually happens.

Will this be a 35 page thread like the July 2014 one, with the exact same announcement from Hua Hin, along with us carrying ID (which then quickly changed).

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/747147-immigration-foreigners-must-now-carry-valid-id-at-all-times-report-within-24-hours/

Edited October 29, 2015 by jspill

[cyberfarang]

ALL RESIDENTS RETURNING TO HUA HIN MUST REPORT TO THE LOCAL IMMIGRATION OFFICE
WITHIN 24hrs OF ARRIVAL

This is dreadful news. I have no doubts this will be extended nationwide at sometime.

My happiness levels for living in Thailand is wearing thin.

[KonKorat]

Does this mean when i visit Thailand and i stay at my gilfriend's home in Korat,as i guess would be the same law there.i would have to report to immigration or police and let them know i am staying there?

[Just1Voice]

Chiang Mai Immigration notified my wife of this 2 weeks ago, saying she could be "in trouble" if she didn't come and report me living here. We both went, and she wasn't polite. She asked them how stupid they had to be, seeing as we have been living here as husband and wife, originally with a Marriage Extension, which was later changed to Retirement, for the past 7 damn years, with me reporting every 90 days, and with them originally coming to the house to verify it. They told her it was "policy", to which she replied - "Policy is fine, but you're all a bunch of idiots!"

I was even shocked, as my wife is normally a very polite, very soft spoken woman, but this touched a nerve somewhere inside of her that set her off. They finally filled out the forms, with a receipt for me to place in my passport, stating that without it, I would not be able to renew my yearly again. Needless to say, they were happy to see us leave.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Just1Voice

[elviajero]

Sorry to be a bit dim on this but I am still not clear on my requirements. My wife and I married several lifetimes ago in Hong Kong and registered in Thailand. I presently live and work in Hong Kong and my wife lives at our house in Thailand; she does allow me to visit regularly but I suspect it's just because the dogs like me!

I arrive at swampy and always fill in the address on the form handed to Immigration, is my wife still required to report my arrival at the house on the TM 28 & 30? If so, is there any way we can avoid this?

Kind informative replies offering insight and good advice will receive a 'like' from me.

Cynical, mickey taking and cruel replies will be read and chuckled at.

Yes, she is supposed to submit form TM30 to immigration every time she lets you visit. It can be done by post.

[sandmike]

^^ AM, I too have a permanent address in Thailand, and visit 2 or 3 tines a year. Last time I visited Jomtien immigration with my Thai wife (2 years ago)we were told that we didn't need to report me again until any address change ... YMMV

Sent by carrier pigeon

[Guitar God]

I'd like to know if I have t check in twice when I return to Thailand too. Once at immigration and another by driving an hour to the closest immigration office where I do my 90 day reporting.

I don't see the point. When I land in Bkk and fill out the immigration card I put my home address on it. I don't see why I need to take three hours out of my day, within 24 hours of getting off a 12+ hour flight to repeat the notification.

The immigration office already asked me once why I didn't stop by to say hi the last time I returned. I told them I informed immigration the day I arrived.

If they just want me to stop in to the local cop shop in the city I live and show my passport that's fine. But to take a half day for nothing is senseless.

[bluweyze]

This would then also suggest that there is not only a requirement for the property owner but also for the guest to report themselves to immigration should they stay outside of the province for more than 24 hours.

So I'm expected to report to Immigration every time i go from Hua Hin to Bangkok?

I'm beginning to think it would easier if I was an expat in North Korea.

Actually your assumption is incorrect. You only have to do the 90 day report or report a permanent change of address but a home owner or a hotel or guest house has to report that you live there. This would include your Thai wife if she was the home owner. You only do it once unless you stay away such as in a hotel on holiday and then it has to be done again when you return because the hotel might (should) have reported you as staying with them. My Thai wife picked up a 1500 Baht fins from local immigration

By the way try North Korea and see how you like it if such minor regulations wear you down so easily.

[OnTheRun]

Will the time soon be upon us where we report to immigration after returning from 711?

As mentioned earlier in the thread you give immigration your address details on the arrival form, surely any requirement after this is if you then move location (for more than 24 hours).

[Your Thainess]

I'm not a homeowner in Thailand (eff that) and neither is my wife the owner of our dwelling. We rent, own property and tabien bahn in another province. Same with our daughter. I'm on yearly work visas. Does any of this confusing BS apply to us? Thanks for any insights.

[thailanddogerator]

The BS show goes on...

[terryp]

so a property shop in HH has had a visit ..is it connected to the ex- guy from TV by any chance

what aload of ......

as high season is almost on us it normal for IMM to do this.. man alive talk about making headlines

[cyberfarang]

Chiang Mai Immigration notified my wife of this 2 weeks ago, saying she could be "in trouble" if she didn't come and report me living here. We both went, and she wasn't polite. She asked them how stupid they had to be, seeing as we have been living here as husband and wife, originally with a Marriage Extension, which was later changed to Retirement, for the past 7 damn years, with me reporting every 90 days, and with them originally coming to the house to verify it. They told her it was "policy", to which she replied - "Policy is fine, but you're all a bunch of idiots!"

I was even shocked, as my wife is normally a very polite, very soft spoken woman, but this touched a nerve somewhere inside of her that set her off. They finally filled out the forms, with a receipt for me to place in my passport, stating that without it, I would not be able to renew my yearly again. Needless to say, they were happy to see us leave.

How was your wife notified by immigration? What forms did they fill out? Because this is the first I have heard of this requirement in Chiang Mai.

[Mrjlh]

This has been the law for years. Nothing new. I may be wrong but this has been my experience.

If it's the average "Tourist" usually they check into a Hotel, right?. The hotel reports them as required by law, the Tourist does nothing.

If the Tourist comes to your house then you as the owner must report their visit not necessarily the tourist. This does not apply if they have listed your address on their Arrival Card.

If you are here on any type of long term extension of stay, you must report within 24 hrs any change of address (if longer than 24hrs) as the law states in the article, even if it's just visiting over night and longer than one day. Don't yell at me I didnt write the stupid law. It's also ambigious.

But look at TM 28. It clearly says you report to the local Police not Immigration.

I like to confuse them, I do exactly what the form says. I some times kill a half a day but it's fun when the BiB can't figure out what to do. I go to Bangkok for a couple of days . The hotel does the report. Then upon returning, I run down to local station and give them my TM-28. What they do with their copy,,,,I don't really care because I have my copy in my Passport to prove it. Now they have gotten to know me so it's not as much fun as before when they all had blank looks on the their faces. But I followed the law per "the" form. I'm not driving 200 kms round trip to just to say "I'm Back".

[spermwhale]

The fact that they are enforcing this law more and more it's about time they actually informed the people responsible of their obligation.

Sounds like gestapo crap to me.

[Boatfreak]

Imagine what a chaos if everybody would follow and apply this rule.

[RichinThailand]

What a great way to encourage tourism....with threats of fines, etc.

[Alration]

Will the time soon be upon us where we report to immigration after returning from 711?

As mentioned earlier in the thread you give immigration your address details on the arrival form, surely any requirement after this is if you then move location (for more than 24 hours).

That depend on which country the 7/11 was in.

[Suradit69]

5 or more years ago there was a notice in my condo building lobby (in Pattaya) that foreign residents had to supply photocopies of passport and current immigrations stamps to management so that they could report to immigrations with the added comment that if we failed to do so, the next time we applied for an extension it could be refused.

Since then I've never even been asked for proof of my address when renewing my annual extension.

[ghworker2010]

Immigration are cracking down on us for sure. My employer was requested to fill out a form from immigration. They wanted me to give them

an up to date address.

[empireboy]

Do they even have a Public Relations person in this government?

I have never heard so many ridiculous and poorly thought out ideas from one source....