reporting an "alien"

[tropico]

I hope this could help many people and if I am missing out any details, perhaps others could add.

I just went to immigration and did my one year spouse visa and everything was fine. Few days later my wife received a call from immigration saying that she committed a felony by not reporting me while I went out of the country and stayed one night at a hotel outside of Chiang mai (by the way, this is the first time that happened to me in 5 years since I have been travelling around a lot but never had to do this). It might be our fault that we did not know this policy and so we got fined of 2000 baht. It was explained to us that if the Thai wife signed the rental agreement where both live, she is responsible for notifying every movement of her husband. Eg. if husband and wife go for a one night vacation to Chiang rai, she has to notify that to immigration using an online form so that they would know where the "alien" is going.

And yes, the form my wife had to fill in was called something like; "reporting the Alien living in your home".

By the way, it seems that the law was there since a few years but never been enforced. Because of the bombing in Bkk things have changed!!

[masuk]

I can't imagine our Condo office reporting who is leaving the country and when we're back.

[tropico]

I can't imagine our Condo office reporting who is leaving the country and when we're back.

Actually all the places that rents out long terms rooms, apartments, houses etc. to foreigners, should report them. But I think that most of it don't do it.

[MaeJoMTB]

Sounds like a scam.

If you leave the country, departure immigration report you leaving.

If you stay in a hotel elsewhere in Thailand, they are responsible for reporting.

[tropico]

Sounds like a scam.

If you leave the country, departure immigration report you leaving.

If you stay in a hotel elsewhere in Thailand, they are responsible for reporting.

That's exactly what happened. The border immigration reported me and the hotel as well. But they said that also my wife should have reported me for leaving home in Chiang mai and she should have given details of my travel in the online form.

[MaeJoMTB]

Sounds like a scam.

If you leave the country, departure immigration report you leaving.

If you stay in a hotel elsewhere in Thailand, they are responsible for reporting.

That's exactly what happened. The border immigration reported me and the hotel as well. But they said that also my wife should have reported me for leaving home in Chiang mai and she should have given details of my travel in the online form.

Only a business can use the online reporting form.

I would report the incident to the NCPO corruption department.

CM Immigration must now be the most corrupt in the country.

What about all the landlords that don't live with their tenants?

How are they supposed to know where tenants are going each day?

This just doesn't make any sense.

[Thailand]

Did you get a receipt for the fine?

TM30 is the reporting form but it makes little sense to use it like this although it was being pushed in Hua Hin and in Chiangmai a couple of weeks ago.

[Tywais]

I believe there is a communication problem or the OP misunderstood. The requirement is not to report that they have left but to report when they return and have been gone for more then 24 hours. Lots of information on the TM28/TM30 in the Visa forum.

[tropico]

Did you get a receipt for the fine?

TM30 is the reporting form but it makes little sense to use it like this although it was being pushed in Hua Hin and in Chiangmai a couple of weeks ago.

Yes I got the receipt!

[chorizo]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

[tropico]

I believe there is a communication problem or the OP misunderstood. The requirement is not to report that they have left but to report when they return and have been gone for more then 24 hours. Lots of information on the TM28/TM30 in the Visa forum.

There could be a misunderstanding on my part because I could not understand Thai and my wife could have also misunderstood. However this is the first time it happened to me, in 5 years that I am in Chiang mai.

[tropico]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

we are renting but the house contract is signed by my wife. That's why she had to report me within 24 hours, according to the immigration.

[MaeJoMTB]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

we are renting but the house contract is signed by my wife. That's why she had to report me within 24 hours, according to the immigration.

Nope, as a renter she has no obligations to report anything to anyone.

If anyone is at fault, it's the landlord.

Wonder what would have happened if she had told them to 'do one'.

[OneZero]

What a bureaucratic goat rope the Thai government causes themselves & all of us!

[tropico]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

we are renting but the house contract is signed by my wife. That's why she had to report me within 24 hours, according to the immigration.

Nope, as a renter she has no obligations to report anything to anyone.

If anyone is at fault, it's the landlord.

Wonder what would have happened if she had told them to 'do one'.

Thanks for your info

[tropico]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

[Tywais]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

we are renting but the house contract is signed by my wife. That's why she had to report me within 24 hours, according to the immigration.

Nope, as a renter she has no obligations to report anything to anyone.

If anyone is at fault, it's the landlord.

Wonder what would have happened if she had told them to 'do one'.

Not entirely correct based on all the reports in the Visa forum. One of the classes of who are required to report is 'the possessor' which would be the renter. The argument of the landlord being solely responsible has shown to not be the case. This has only been recently enforced vigorously even though the law has been on the books for a long time. So not having had to do it for 5 years has no bearing on the current situation.

[Thailand]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

Interesting. So what would be the case if you had signed the rental agreement, have to report yourself?

[MaeJoMTB]

My misses has a house in MaeJo

I have a condo in CM.

We spend a couple of nights at each address, do I/we/she need to fill out the form 3 times a week?

[tropico]

According to Promenada Immigration: Owner of land - house has to use form T.M.30 to report Alien living there. Does not have to report where u are in Thailand as hotel..Resort where you are staying does this.

If foreigner leaves Thailand, comes back stays in say.. BKK for a few days(hotel reports) and comes back to his residence. Owner has to file TM30 within 24 hours. You do not have to tell them when you are leaving Thailand, as they know this at airport IMM.

Sept. 2015 they started enforcing the Law again. Many people do not know this. And if your Thai wife owns the land and house, she has to file the form TM30. Or if you are renting, the landlord has to..

If you go to Immigration near Airport, they will fine you. Go to Promanada IMM. and they will not. Maybe they are giving some lead-way until all have signed up the first time.??

If you go to visit friends in Thailand to stay a few days( Thai or Farang) they are supposed to report it also...not sure how they would know this one...

However if a friend has come to TH to visit you and stays at your house, you need to report that (TM30) within 24 hours.

we are renting but the house contract is signed by my wife. That's why she had to report me within 24 hours, according to the immigration.

Nope, as a renter she has no obligations to report anything to anyone.

If anyone is at fault, it's the landlord.

Wonder what would have happened if she had told them to 'do one'.

Not entirely correct based on all the reports in the Visa forum. One of the classes of who are required to report is 'the possessor' which would be the renter. The argument of the landlord being solely responsible has shown to not be the case. This has only been recently enforced vigorously even though the law has been on the books for a long time. So not having had to do it for 5 years has no bearing on the current situation.

Sure, I am not excusing myself just because i did not do it the last 5 years. I just thought that it must have been only lately enforced.

I have no problem to comply with the law, however it just felt weird that my wife had to report me!

[tropico]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

Interesting. So what would be the case if you had signed the rental agreement, have to report yourself?

I just asked to the immigration. In this case the owner of the house would have to report you!

[nidieunimaitre]

Suddenly, the idea of a government minister to give us a wristband (or better still, chip all foreigners) became more reasonable: practical and simple.

[nidieunimaitre]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

Interesting. So what would be the case if you had signed the rental agreement, have to report yourself?

I just asked to the immigration. In this case the owner of the house would have to report you!

Call them again!

This time ask about the rules on sublease.

[ThaiPauly]

This law came into force in 1979 but it is only now being enforced it seems.

A member of this forum sent his wife to report him staying with her and was fined 18,000 baht because he had already been there for years.

I asked about this TM30 situation on the Immigration thread a couple of weeks ago but nobody seemed to know much about it, or bother to respond to my question about it, but looks like many of us are in for a nasty surprise.

[Thailand]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

Interesting. So what would be the case if you had signed the rental agreement, have to report yourself?

I just asked to the immigration. In this case the owner of the house would have to report you!

It's nuts isn't it!

Is it your responsibility to tell the owner of the house when you are going to stay somewhere else for x nights and when you return so he/she can make those reports? By post,in person? Does not sound too practical?

[Tywais]

Sure, I am not excusing myself just because i did not do it the last 5 years. I just thought that it must have been only lately enforced.

I have no problem to comply with the law, however it just felt weird that my wife had to report me!

I wasn't pointing any fingers, many members have been caught out on this already and no doubt many more will.

[true blue]

wonder what hoop to jump through they will come up with next.

[tropico]

I just called the Immigration for confirmation, and they told me that since the house contract is signed by my wife, she is basically responsible of reporting me within 24 hours and not the owner of the house.

Interesting. So what would be the case if you had signed the rental agreement, have to report yourself?

I just asked to the immigration. In this case the owner of the house would have to report you!

It's nuts isn't it!

Is it your responsibility to tell the owner of the house when you are going to stay somewhere else for x nights and when you return so he/she can make those reports? By post,in person? Does not sound too practical?

I think he can use on online form. Well, unfortunately I just learned about this policy when i had to pay the fine.

[Tywais]

I think he can use on online form. Well, unfortunately I just learned about this policy when i had to pay the fine.

No, only business such as hotels, guest houses, etc. can do it online. They are supplied with a CD with their codes and software to do it.

[tropico]

My main reason to write this post was to get this issue out to the attention of as many people as possible so hopefully not too many would have to pay as I did. Or at least be aware of what is going on!!