Immigration warns homeowners they have 24hrs to report foreign guests

[Sutty]

Very few seem to have read the original article and are commenting on false wording from a management company bet there reading this with a big grin on there faces.

[Derek JM]

B'jesus!

Immigrated to Spain, years back visited Immigration (national police) 3 times. Once to fill in forms, Second time for finger printing. Third time to pick up residence card. Five years later..filled out a form when said residence card expired..got permanent residence card mailed to home address.

No address reporting by homeowners. No 90 day reporting. Nothing! Plane and simple! far easier to control foreigners when they have a government issued ID card and number that has to be used to open bank accounts, purchase things via credit card / Visa Electron, Obtain employment, hire vehicles, rent apartments, get medical care and so on!

Get with it Thailand.

Oh on the off topic, how many Thai nationals report their change of address withing 24hrs (or 24 months/years) when heading to Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phucket or where ever in search of work? erm exactly....none! Sounds like do as we say but not as we do!

[sweatalot]

Upon showing my Girlfriend the form 30 minutes ago and explaining the procedure she was having none of it and reckons the local police won't know what she's on about,I say I'd have to agree with her,she also said its to late now it's 5pm they will of all gone home,I pointed out that it's a police station and will be manned 24 /7.

She's now up the arse about the whole thing and has done one to her friends house leaving me to sit here alone,I think she thinks I'm pulling her leg (joking) having explained that her wonderful leader is now implementing such ludicrous rules which have been around for years but rarely enforced.

explained that her wonderful leader is now implementing such ludicrous rules which have been around for years but rarely enforced.

I wouldn't blame it on the "wonderful leader"

The law was made when other "wonderful leaders" were in office

they were just too busy robbing the country to enforce any law

[Maybole]

The last time I was in Thailand, I very carefully filled out a TM28 and ensured thatmy sister-in-law, as "housemaster" filled out in a TM30.

We went together to the police station for the ampeunan saw a young lieutenant, who had no idea what we wanted and sent us to the tourist police office in the city. they sent us, with a flea in the ea,r to immigration. After trying 4 offices in the immigration complex and meeting total incomprehension, we left with mission unfulfilled.

[chumpy]

They sure ain't aiming to bring happiness back to the farang.

[Sutty]

They sure ain't aiming to bring happiness back to the farang.

I'm a happy Farang can't see any problem here. Just a lot of negative vibes from Farang bah humbug control

[dhream]

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.

I can only offer my own interpretation of this if i was in your shoes, as I think we're all a bit unclear on this.

I'm assuming you arrive here on a tourist visa each time, or do you have a Non-O extension?

If tourist, then you've correctly observed that it usually falls to the residence manager (your wife) to report your presence.

If you're on any other permission, eg retiree, marriage, etc. then your 90 day report OR your annual extension, if you don't do a 90 day due to extended absence, would cover your coming and going. You may be unaware that the 90 day report is now available as an online option, and I do believe that in the last few days the 90 day report can be done at any 7/11, however, I have not followed that info up to confirm yet.

The third option, of course, is to ignore it!

Up to you to decide if they are ever going to be so 'granular' as to check on every single person staying at where they said they would, on the Arrivals Card.

I think not.

[thaihome]

The last time I was in Thailand, I very carefully filled out a TM28 and ensured thatmy sister-in-law, as "housemaster" filled out in a TM30.

We went together to the police station for the ampeunan saw a young lieutenant, who had no idea what we wanted and sent us to the tourist police office in the city. they sent us, with a flea in the ea,r to immigration. After trying 4 offices in the immigration complex and meeting total incomprehension, we left with mission unfulfilled.

Why would you wold do this, much less, post on the internet.

This entire thread is such a waste.

TH

[tomacht8]

For foreigners who married for examle with thais and live in a shared house, it is quite inconvenient.
- Normally on the arrivalcard the address is already documented by Immigration.
- If someone applies for a one-year stay, they also write down the address, often with pictures of the house and location maps.
- In the 90 days reporting the address is then for the third time detected.

And now, whenever someone leave his domestic home for a few days, must fill out this form over and over again?
That's paranoid.

[thaihome]

Some nonsense posts and inflammatory replies have been removed.

Could have done that to the entire thread.

TH

[Fookhaht]

Like most immigration issues, I think it depends on the office you report to and how they interpret the laws and rules.

Example:

I will be moving into a new home next month.

After all I read here on TV, I am willing to follow the rules about changing my address as soon as i relocate.

I did my 90 day report last week and informed the officers (2 ) at my office that I would be moving soon and asked for confirmation about what documents and forms I needed to submit when I relocate.

I was told by the information officer to talk to the officer I would see for my 90 day report about it..

The officer I did my 90 day with just smiled ( almost laughed ) and told me, " Do not worry about it, you don't need any forms. Just tell me your new address the next time you do a 90 day report, or when you file for your next extension if that comes first."

As I stated above, where you report and the officers you deal with seem to make a huge difference.

Tonight I am happy not to live in Hau Hin.

That's exactly what happened with me at the Khon Kaen office. I filed a new one-year visa extension with my new address and it was excepted as an address change notification.

[sendintheclowns]

Do I sense an over-reaction.?

As pointed out elsewhere

- these regulations have been in place and and ignored for years. Maybe this country is moving forward, one step at a time ( previously one step forward, steal the money, one step back....one step forward, etc).?

- check other ASEAN countries laws and, I believe you will find that they are more strict about keeping track of visitors and foreign residents.

- It's Asia, guys. They don't give you the same respect as in the West (555).

- don't ask me to describe my experience in the tsunami. On top of that tragedy was another, afterwards. If all the resorts and guest houses HAD complied with this law, there would not have been so many unidentified dead.

As pointed out earlier - IF the piece of crap lady who owned the 55 apartment building, where the Bangkok bombers stayed, had reported her guests according to the law, the BIB would not be ending the investigation with such a poor catch.

As with all regulatory announcements, give it a half year or do to work out the wrinkles, before you decide that "you must obey the law" . I suspect the issue is 'hot' for security reasons only.

[saakura]

Like most immigration issues, I think it depends on the office you report to and how they interpret the laws and rules.

Example:

I will be moving into a new home next month.

After all I read here on TV, I am willing to follow the rules about changing my address as soon as i relocate.

I did my 90 day report last week and informed the officers (2 ) at my office that I would be moving soon and asked for confirmation about what documents and forms I needed to submit when I relocate.

I was told by the information officer to talk to the officer I would see for my 90 day report about it..

The officer I did my 90 day with just smiled ( almost laughed ) and told me, " Do not worry about it, you don't need any forms. Just tell me your new address the next time you do a 90 day report, or when you file for your next extension if that comes first."

As I stated above, where you report and the officers you deal with seem to make a huge difference.

Tonight I am happy not to live in Hau Hin.

That's exactly what happened with me at the Khon Kaen office. I filed a new one-year visa extension with my new address and it was excepted as an address change notification.

"it was excepted as an address change notification"......do you mean to say that it was not accepted?

[silent]

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.

Yes it's the same if you were on a sexual offender list in other countries now anyway, and Thailand's just following suit. No surprise.

[puukao]

This is the beginning....

Fine will soon be raised to 200,000 baht, assets frozen, bank accounts seized as fines are taken.. then 1 million baht fines....

Forget laws on the books, it only matters when they ENFORCE the laws.

Bar girls' activities are likely illegal....but that's not really enforced so nobody cares...

Now wait for the backpackers to blackmail all homeowners by saying they are there for over 24 hours and not reported...

[cmsally]

An awful amount of the immigration website not working today. Just try clicking on those side banners - "under construction"

[dhream]

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.

I am sorry I can only click "like" one time.

This is so true.

Are you saying that we have to do this on top of the 90 report? I find that a stretch. For the record, I filled out one of these when i first moved from a hotel into a girlfriends house, and everyone thought I was anally retentive, but it's what the website asked for. Now, I'm as cynical as everyone else here, and find it hard to believe, may i ask how immigration came to threaten your wife two weeks ago, and why haven't thye warned anyone else (apart from this article?)

[dhream]

This is the beginning....

Fine will soon be raised to 200,000 baht, assets frozen, bank accounts seized as fines are taken.. then 1 million baht fines....

Forget laws on the books, it only matters when they ENFORCE the laws.

Bar girls' activities are likely illegal....but that's not really enforced so nobody cares...

Now wait for the backpackers to blackmail all homeowners by saying they are there for over 24 hours and not reported...

If we don't know what the hell is going on i doubt backpackers would be able to join the dots, much less get into the blackmail game. Have you considered writing crime fiction?

[onionluke]

I , with my wife went to report at the town police station a few years back, the dear fellows had no idea what, and just big shruggy smiles.The nearest immigration office is about 85 kn away . Issan.

[GoNavy]

This is absolutely paper making BS. As I read this, even after reporting my living address......and I decide to visit someone in a village for a few days then I need to report it again! Does immigration like making busy work, confusing their staff, causing extra bureaucratic work or not? So, if one wants to take a trip going from place to place in Thailand they are requiring one to report each one night or 24 hour move. Why not just put a GPS chip on us as we enter the country? One could be down the road and at different places before Immigration gets the first notice.

Talk about clogging any immigration station more then it is now, this out to really make us bite our lips. Minding laws is every person's duty, but lets make them reasonable and not unduly hard on the person. Or fly under the radar and hope one doesn't get randomly caught for lack of paperwork. Get out the photocopy machines to fill in those papers. Several times over.

[Prbkk]

To be fair, the requirement is not unreasonable and nor is it onerous. To know who is living where is pretty standard around the world and does make sense from a security perspective.

[willyumiii]

Thai Immigration is just reacting ( in some offices ) to the bad press they received after the bombings in Bangkok.

It was all over the international press about how so many get into the country with a bribe and how they had no idea where foreigners were after entering the country.

Tightening up like this looks good in the press.

Like all things in Thailand, this too will pass.

[ozyjon]

Will they serve sandwiches and coffee at immigration offices

as it will get very busy.

Visa runs,, now this,, what next.

Could it be, as in some parts of Europe to see who is renting

and not paying tax?

Edited October 29, 2015 by ozyjon

[willyumiii]

Will they serve sandwiches and coffee at immigration offices

as it will get very busy.

Visa runs,, now this,, what next.

Next?

Overstays are next.

Haven't you heard?

[ToS2014]

The world, minus a few developing states, changed drastically after 9/11. While the LoS had reporting requirements for us strangers...errr farangs, they are now seemingly being forced to enforce old rules on the books. Behind the scenes the government....errr military is ramping up security in light of bombings by foreigners and cyber threats. The world has indeed changed; Thailand is becoming developed albeit at their own pace. Oh and if you don't like the increased cost of bplah products (fish?) blame that on the LoS attempting to meet international standards. Soon many will experience discomfort as they adapt to laws and international norms that many left behind in their home states.

[DavisH]

Thailand - "Oh let's make up stupid BS unenforceable rules, then not enforce them. Then we have a crackdown for...a week or two here and there.

And reporting to police when you are out of the Province for more than 24 hours is just ludicrous. Anyone who does 90-day reports should be free of any of that crap. Seriously can't immigration get their shit together?

[onthemoon]

Will they serve sandwiches and coffee at immigration offices

as it will get very busy.

Visa runs,, now this,, what next.

Could it be, as in some parts of Europe to see who is renting

and not paying tax?

What next? To take it to the extreme (and I know I am exaggerating to the ludicrous), next they might want us to follow ALL the laws!

That will be the last nail into the coffin for sure.

[Just1Voice]

I asked my wife, what are they gonna do when I get a bike in January and start doing my 3-6 day "road trips", going through 4-5-6 provinces.

I loved her comment - "Flock 'em!". Yeah, she's married to a former Marine Lifer. lol

Edited October 29, 2015 by Just1Voice

[ddavidovsky]

So if I go camping in Khao Yai for the weekend I am supposed to physically go to Korat immigration office to report my presence in the province for more than 24 hours? And when I get back I have to spend Monday morning at the immigration office in my own province to report that I've returned?

And if I go to Pattaya to stay with friends every weekend, they have to physically go to the immigration office every time to report my presence there for more than 24 hours? And then every Monday morning I have to go to the immigration office to report that I've returned?

And if I travel around Thailand but spend less than 24 hours in each province, I still have to go to the immigration office when I get back to report that I've returned?

And every time I leave Thailand and return, I have to go to the immigration office next day to report that I have returned, even though I just filled in the immigration form with my address on it when I arrived???????

There must be a lot of foreigners living in Thailand who have no idea of all this - not everyone reads ThaiVisa. And judging by this thread, plenty of those who do know either don't believe it or don't comply because it's ridiculously draconian or, as others have shown, simply impracticable.

[puukao]

They now stamp a TIME on my passport.....I then have 24 hours to report where i am.....but i tell them, "i'm living in the Jungle." (in fluent Thai, of course). They respond, "Have the monkeys report you." So I do that now...

Once my homeowner went to report me at the 22nd hour...he waited in line for 3 hours....

I also run to each house and yell, "i'm your guest now!!!" they all panic........lol

Once I had 121 dinner guests........that was rough explaining...

I am in my closet crying now!!!!! Oh wait, I'm in my neighbor's closet....he has 24 hours!!!!!!