800 Baht fine for Thai wife not reporting at Korat Immigration

[Happy Grumpy]

No problem, the wives can just take it out of the salary they're paid to live with their husbands.

[Maestro]

I arrived in Thailand last October.on a visa exempt stamp. Went to Korat immigration to extent by 30 days. Immigration officer (older guy in the middle) asked if i had reported. I said that i had reported to the local police. Not good enough he said .Korat was my nearest reporting office. He then send me down to the Immigration police office down the stairs where a lady put all my details on the immigration web site. She then gave me a username and password. Went back to immigration officer who gave me another 30 days stamp. No fine.

Came back in start of Feb.logged in and put my details in.Sorted

Perhaps the 200 baht cakes helped

Hope this helps

regards

Are you saying that Korat immigration signed you up for notifying the arrival of a foreigner at your residence, in this case yourself, online? This is a great service, even simpler than by mail.

[Dogmatix]

This is a great way for Immigration to make money and to remind farangs that it doesn't matter how many houses they pay for or how many Thai family members they may have, they are still foreigners and have no more rights than foreign tourists.

[KittenKong]

Yet another reason not to marry in Thailand.

If you are married and living in your wife's house then she should file this form.

If you are single and/or living in your own house or condo then you should do it yourself.

So it makes no real difference whether you are married or not.

Personally I'm in Jomtien and have lived alone in my own condo for several years. I only leave the country once a year for a week and I never fill in a TM30, though of course I do my 90-day reporting (no proof of address required) and visa extension (electricity bill provided) every year. If everyone in Pattaya who should file their own TM30 did so the queue at Jomtien Immigration would stretch to the airport and back, so I simply cant see it happening there any time soon.

[alexlm]

Try another office.

I got this 800 bahts fine at Sriracha office.

Never at Pattaya.Jomtien.

And Sisaket office did my extension in 3 minutes they don't give a ***. No Fine, no problem at all...

Try another office... They all have their own rules.

[Maestro]

Once would be acceptable, if the foreigner returns to the same address upon returning from abroad.

But after every trip abroad, returning to the same residence? That's just plain stupid.

I can't imagine anyone going through the pain of that. Some of us travel regularly for business.

"Plain stupid" is one one way to describe it, but if your local immigration office chooses to interpret and implement section 38 of the Immigration Act and the regulations issued by the Director General of the Royal Thai Police that way you just have to live with it.

If you do the notification by mail, or online if your immigration office registers you for it, this should reduce "the pain of that" considerably.

When we emigrate to a foreign land we have to acknowledge and accept the bureaucratic rigmarole that comes with it and balance it with the positive aspects of our decision to move to Thailand for work, retirement or whatever reason.

[Williamthe2nd]

My friend telephoned me to tell me about this topic, so I just joined to ask a questions

Ive been married to a Thai for over 15 years now and we have lived in the same house I built 10 years ago , I've not been out of Thailand since 2006 , I currently extend my yearly visa extension using the retirement option .

I don't remember ever filling out a TM30 form , or ever being asked about it while at the immigration office , but I have been getting yearly visits, ( the last one a month ago ) from the local police , who take a copy of my passport and on the last visit the police officer took a photograph of myself and wife standing side by side in our house . The local police when they visit , do not give me any paper work or copies .

My 90 day report is due in a few days time and my yearly visa extension is due at the end of next month at the Korat immigration office .


so my question is

As it looks like Korat immigration are now asking about a TM30 form and I don't remember ever filling that form out , is there any thing I can do before my next yearly visa extension at the end of next month to avoid any possible fine ?

Thanks .

[mca]

I have lived here in 8 years now, always lived at the very same address,, Hasve a yellow book since 7 years back.. NEVER had an issue with neither the immigration nor the form TM28 or TM30.. NEVER,,,

Belong to Khon Kaen immigration.. What is the rules here? Anybody? Joe?

Glegolo

I think KK is interpreting the rule correctly and not wanting a report unless you change address. Having a yellow house book does not change the reporting requirements.

I extended my stay at KK immigration last month and handed over a TM30 and as Joe posted this was exactly what was explained to me by the officer when I asked when I had to provide a new TM30

[SpokaneAl]

Once would be acceptable, if the foreigner returns to the same address upon returning from abroad.

But after every trip abroad, returning to the same residence? That's just plain stupid.

I can't imagine anyone going through the pain of that. Some of us travel regularly for business.

"Plain stupid" is one one way to describe it, but if your local immigration office chooses to interpret and implement section 38 of the Immigration Act and the regulations issued by the Director General of the Royal Thai Police that way you just have to live with it.

If you do the notification by mail, or online if your immigration office registers you for it, this should reduce "the pain of that" considerably.

When we emigrate to a foreign land we have to acknowledge and accept the bureaucratic rigmarole that comes with it and balance it with the positive aspects of our decision to move to Thailand for work, retirement or whatever reason.

Your point is well taken and when an imm officer scolded my sister-in-law for not reporting me we left with a smile.

However, I continue to wonder why, if this is such an important issue, the computer systems are not upgraded for reporting checks and balances. When entering the country our passports are scanned, and that info should be instantly available to police, immigration etc which would stop this manual paperwork silliness.

Edited February 18, 2016 by SpokaneAl

[Balance]

You said that she was fined for not reporting that you were living in HER residence. I lease a house in my name, not my wife's. So, is the issue who owns the house or the lease, or something else? Does it apply if the two people are not registered?

Thanks

[norfolkandchance]

I arrived in Thailand last October.on a visa exempt stamp. Went to Korat immigration to extent by 30 days. Immigration officer (older guy in the middle) asked if i had reported. I said that i had reported to the local police. Not good enough he said .Korat was my nearest reporting office. He then send me down to the Immigration police office down the stairs where a lady put all my details on the immigration web site. She then gave me a username and password. Went back to immigration officer who gave me another 30 days stamp. No fine.

Came back in start of Feb.logged in and put my details in.Sorted

Perhaps the 200 baht cakes helped

Hope this helps

regards

Are you saying that Korat immigration signed you up for notifying the arrival of a foreigner at your residence, in this case yourself, online? This is a great service, even simpler than by mail.

Yes. Took 15 mins. Don't know about other immigration centers

[chris1010]

HI HAS ANYONE DONE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ON LINE? IF SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK TO REPORT ON LINE? THANKS

[Nowisee]

Chiang Mai airport office.

I agree with many posters on here, very broad interpretation and enforcement of Art. 38 as it says "or the possessor" and I stressed that with the IO... but they said to me I was not responsible... Regardless, I completed a TM30 and they processed it.
To have to do this every time I return seems so redundant. I've gathered some info and will give to the juristic person, it seems many others are doing this for the renters in other condos.

Accorrding to the local I/O, under section 38, it is NOT the responsibility of the renter to process a TM-30 upon arrival into Thailand.
You are only responsible to fill out a TM-28 if you move.

As there are differences from one immigration office to the next regarding the interpretation and implementation of the TM.30 requirement it would have been helpful if you had posted the name of your local immigration office.

[manfredtillmann]

you can report your tm30 to your local police station - i know they hate it but that's the law.

i do every time i arrive - no, actually, the girl does. small town, they know us by now.

Why do they hate it? Because they have to process it for free or?

it takes the officer a lot of time filling in a handwritten attachment that both his boss, the girl and i have to sign. i do not know why he does it but i see his shoulders sink when we enter the police station.

Your signature should not be required on the TM.30, but perhaps you are signing another document, not the form TM.30, at the police station.

Just to satisfy my curiosity, could you post why you and 'the girl" – I presume your convivant is an adult – prefer to visit the local police station to the option of your convivant sending a TM.30 to the immigration office by registered mail?

Regarding your comment "that's the law", we know what the law, ie section 38 of the Immigration Act, says. It says that "Making notification , in reference to the Para 1 and 2 of this Section , must comply with regulations prescribed by the Director General." If you have a copy of these regulations issued by the Director General of the Royal Thai Police, would you be so kind as to post a scanned copy of it? I have been unable to find it on the Internet and would be eternally grateful to you if you helped me get my hands on it.

my signature, and the others, are on the bottom of the police officers handwritten report. it is attached to a copy of the tm30 that my gf (what is a convivant, please?) has filled in. i believe there is a 'receipt' section on the bottom of page 1 of tm30 but for reasons unknown it is not being used.

we file at the police station, 2 km away, because the nearest immigration office is 55 km away in nakhon phanom and we don't have a car. filing it in person rather than by mail is cheap and convenient, i can buy beer on the way home, and the only way to end up with a physical proof that we HAVE filed. that prevents my gf being fine thb 800 when i go for visa extension.

my reference to the 'law' stems from the wording on the tm30 itself - a copy is attached. if i states: 'you must...' than that seems like law to me.

tried to attach but it did not. here is the link instead.: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=download

Edited February 18, 2016 by manfredtillmann

[manfredtillmann]

i noticed a lot of ops question if you have to do tm30 or tm28 every time you leave home for a few days. my criteria is: has anyone filed a new tm30 about you while you where away? i.e., if you stayed in a hotel, they would have filed, so you have to notify immigration once you are back home. if you go and visit friends and they do not bother filing than it would be futile to lodge another tm30 seeing immigration beliefs you have never left home.

[novo58]

This whole topic has been raised many times previously. I have lived in Thailand now for 3 years . Last Aug I took a quick trip home to Australia. On my return to Thailand in Oct, this issue was HOT on TVF. So I went to Udon Thani Immigration the day after I returned to Thailand to file a TM30. The IO looked at it , checked computer, then threw the form in the waste bin.

He told us ....................".not needed as still living at address on file". He then proceeded to complete a 90 day report for me ( this 1 day after returning to Thailand from overseas)........which I did NOT request to be done. The address was the same as on the arrivals card ( TM6) handed to IO at swampy on arrival.

My address has ALWAYS been the same since I arrived in Thailand.............................oh , except for the occasional visit to Pattaya, Hua Hin , Samui, Bangkok where I am sure the TM28 was submitted by my hotels(?????) and I certainly DID NOT submit a TM30 upon my return home each time.

[ubonjoe]

HI HAS ANYONE DONE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ON LINE? IF SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK TO REPORT ON LINE? THANKS

Please do not post in capital letters there is no need to shout.

You cannot do a change of address online. You need to submit a TM28 form to your local office with proof of residence.

[chris1010]

sorry about that thanks anyway for the reply

[offset]

I have just came back from renewing my retirement extension I was told that I should of submitted a TM30 within 24 hours of me return from Hong Kong in December and then he told me my 90 day report was late and should of been done on the 31st of January but he did not fine me for either problem. He also said my bank book should of been update today not yesterday but I told him that it as always been accepted for the last 5 years like this and he did not say any more about it

[keeniau96]

I have been looking but cannot find how to file a TM-30 report online. Anybody having done so or knows how please post a link.

[sunnyjim5]

I have been looking but cannot find how to file a TM-30 report online. Anybody having done so or knows how please post a link.

You cannot unless you are registered to do so by immigration. Once registered immigration will provide a password etc.

The facility is not normally available to individuals as it is intended for use by hotels and guest house businesses.

[mfd101]

For general information as may be useful:

I entered Thailand in November last year on a 12-month ME non-immigrant O-A visa [planning retirement extension this next November]. Last Monday I went to the Kap Choeng Immigration office here in Surin for my 1st-ever 90-day reporting exercise. Having spent most of my adult life as a bureaucrat I had all the requisite papers ready: p/p & copies of 3 pages, T28 filled out, T6 stamped departure card, 4 photos and, in case of need, copy of an AIS bill with my name & address on it. I had pestered my Thai partner over some time to get me registered on the family house book or a T28 or a T18 form or whatever [we're living at the family farm while our new house is being constructed], but to no avail. Still, I wasn't worried because I had filled out the full farm address on the entry form at Suwannapum last November and, apart from a couple of short hotel stays in BKK since then, hadn't changed address. I had also offered thru my partner's policeman BIL to go to the local cop shop to register my presence but they weren't interested either.

We arrived at 0825, 5 minutes before opening. Office already open, waited 2 minutes for 1 person ahead of me (Cambodian, I think) to be barked at & dismissed. Then my turn. Immi Police Capt not interested in anything except my p/p. Entered details on computer & handed p/p back. I asked him if he wanted to keep my beautifully organized papers which he had barely glanced at. He said no, but then - thru my partner - directed us to next door to get my address properly registered.

Next door took a few minutes to get organized and then more minutes to stare at his computer. Only question was to ask for my email address. End result: No sweat but my partner must accompany each time for 90-days reporting to attest that I'm actually living where I say I am (or can be done on computer if you don't have a Mac, which I do, and he gave us a pwd for that purpose). All seemed fine to me. Out of there in less than 30 minutes. I propose to keep bringing the requisite papers on each 90-days just in case, even if never actually used - better safe than sorry and no big deal to organize from now on. Once we move to our new house in mid-year, we assume that I will be registered on the new house book.

Having read on TV the assorted threats & horrors involved in these matters over many months, this was a considerable relief. Feeling I can relax about it all from now on.

[Chongalulu]

i noticed a lot of ops question if you have to do tm30 or tm28 every time you leave home for a few days. my criteria is: has anyone filed a new tm30 about you while you where away? i.e., if you stayed in a hotel, they would have filed, so you have to notify immigration once you are back home. if you go and visit friends and they do not bother filing than it would be futile to lodge another tm30 seeing immigration beliefs you have never left home.

In none of the several hotels I've stayed in have they asked for my details as my wife signs in,so as you say,immigration cannot know you've been away,so no need to file really. My Korat office never raised the issue of the time I was away in Singapore in August,which would have been apparent,when I did my marriage extension three weeks ago. My local friend who renews at exactly the same time as me ,and had also left the country returning after me has not had a problem either. Because our respective addresses here haven't changed,could this be the criteria?

[manfredtillmann]

i noticed a lot of ops question if you have to do tm30 or tm28 every time you leave home for a few days. my criteria is: has anyone filed a new tm30 about you while you where away? i.e., if you stayed in a hotel, they would have filed, so you have to notify immigration once you are back home. if you go and visit friends and they do not bother filing than it would be futile to lodge another tm30 seeing immigration beliefs you have never left home.

In none of the several hotels I've stayed in have they asked for my details as my wife signs in,so as you say,immigration cannot know you've been away,so no need to file really. My Korat office never raised the issue of the time I was away in Singapore in August,which would have been apparent,when I did my marriage extension three weeks ago. My local friend who renews at exactly the same time as me ,and had also left the country returning after me has not had a problem either. Because our respective addresses here haven't changed,could this be the criteria?

i am not questioning what HAS to be done or NEEDS to be done, i just try to observe thai law in order to have the least amount of problems.

you book / occupy a thai hotel room, the hotel will lodge a tm30 with your submitted passport details. if you can find a way around that - ok.

in the end: who cares? complying with thai law might at times be difficult - but in this case very easy.

it takes a moment out of your idle life...

[chrissables]

For general information as may be useful:

I entered Thailand in November last year on a 12-month ME non-immigrant O-A visa [planning retirement extension this next November]. Last Monday I went to the Kap Choeng Immigration office here in Surin for my 1st-ever 90-day reporting exercise. Having spent most of my adult life as a bureaucrat I had all the requisite papers ready: p/p & copies of 3 pages, T28 filled out, T6 stamped departure card, 4 photos and, in case of need, copy of an AIS bill with my name & address on it. I had pestered my Thai partner over some time to get me registered on the family house book or a T28 or a T18 form or whatever [we're living at the family farm while our new house is being constructed], but to no avail. Still, I wasn't worried because I had filled out the full farm address on the entry form at Suwannapum last November and, apart from a couple of short hotel stays in BKK since then, hadn't changed address. I had also offered thru my partner's policeman BIL to go to the local cop shop to register my presence but they weren't interested either.

We arrived at 0825, 5 minutes before opening. Office already open, waited 2 minutes for 1 person ahead of me (Cambodian, I think) to be barked at & dismissed. Then my turn. Immi Police Capt not interested in anything except my p/p. Entered details on computer & handed p/p back. I asked him if he wanted to keep my beautifully organized papers which he had barely glanced at. He said no, but then - thru my partner - directed us to next door to get my address properly registered.

Next door took a few minutes to get organized and then more minutes to stare at his computer. Only question was to ask for my email address. End result: No sweat but my partner must accompany each time for 90-days reporting to attest that I'm actually living where I say I am (or can be done on computer if you don't have a Mac, which I do, and he gave us a pwd for that purpose). All seemed fine to me. Out of there in less than 30 minutes. I propose to keep bringing the requisite papers on each 90-days just in case, even if never actually used - better safe than sorry and no big deal to organize from now on. Once we move to our new house in mid-year, we assume that I will be registered on the new house book.

Having read on TV the assorted threats & horrors involved in these matters over many months, this was a considerable relief. Feeling I can relax about it all from now on.

What would happen if you were renting the house and living alone? Or your partner was away or ill or you had split up?

It's a report from the property owner stating you live there is it not?

It seems that every office does things a different way, that is the annoying thing, and totally unnecessary.

[stommeln11]

Report from my visit at Korat Immigration today.

I am married with Thai wife since 15 years and we live near Phi Mai (Province Korat) in the house of my wife. I have a yellow housebook and stay here on base Non-Immgrant-O extension - married.

I stay here 8-9 months a year and go back to Germany twice a year each 6-8 weeks.

I came back from Germany on 10.02.2016 and got my new passport from the German embassy on 11.02.16 and then i went to our house.

My wife never made a report (TM 30) to the immigration when I arrived. Same this time.

Today we went to Korat Immigration (70 km) to get the extension stamp transferred in the new passport. I know that some immigrations say that you can ait with it until the next 90-days-report, but they told me last year, that I have to come immediately when I have the new passport.

"My" officer was also the little bit older one in the middle, a little bit fat and wearing glasses.

He and no one else asked me or my wife for the TM 30 report of my arrival.

But he did not want to talk with me. Everything he had to explain or asking for more copies my wife, first sitting backside, had to come, he told her in Thai and she should tell me. He looked a little bit angry to me, when I answered to him in Thai "kaudschei läo krab".

English is not my native language, but I think good enough for the conversation with him. (Sorry for my not perfect Englisch here!)

The only English I heard from him at the end was, when he smiling asked me for 200 Baht without bill. I smiled back and made with my fingers a sign like a zip on my lips. Then he laughed.

At the end he explained to my wife, that I can come 45 days before my actually extension ends to apply for the new one. The extension ends on 8.5.16 an he showed to my wife that will be in the next week. I said that this will be 75 days! His answer: "No!!!" And I thought it would be better not to say anything else and wait until the end of march.

[bluesofa]

HI HAS ANYONE DONE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ON LINE? IF SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK TO REPORT ON LINE? THANKS

Please do not post in capital letters there is no need to shout.

You cannot do a change of address online. You need to submit a TM28 form to your local office with proof of residence.

A few months back I used a TM28 to report my location, but without any proof of residence. Udon Immigr seemed confused anyone was volunteering information, but accepted it and stapled the acknowledgement into my passport.

I did this as I'd been away from home for a couple of days.

What I don't know is if the place I stayed at followed up and submitted my details to the local immigration in Chonburi. This is why I submitted a TM28 as a change of address. Now I didn't originally submit a TM30 (via g/f), only the TM28. Any ideas on whether that would be accepted by immigration when I come to renew my extension?

[ubonjoe]

HI HAS ANYONE DONE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ON LINE? IF SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK TO REPORT ON LINE? THANKS

Please do not post in capital letters there is no need to shout.

You cannot do a change of address online. You need to submit a TM28 form to your local office with proof of residence.

A few months back I used a TM28 to report my location, but without any proof of residence. Udon Immigr seemed confused anyone was volunteering information, but accepted it and stapled the acknowledgement into my passport.

I did this as I'd been away from home for a couple of days.

What I don't know is if the place I stayed at followed up and submitted my details to the local immigration in Chonburi. This is why I submitted a TM28 as a change of address. Now I didn't originally submit a TM30 (via g/f), only the TM28. Any ideas on whether that would be accepted by immigration when I come to renew my extension?

I doubt very much Chonburi immigration will even be aware you submitted a TM28 in Udon. I assume you have been making 90 day reports since then.

Jomtien has not been asking for a TM30 form for those that have gotten extension there before.

[bluesofa]

HI HAS ANYONE DONE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS ON LINE? IF SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LINK TO REPORT ON LINE? THANKS

Please do not post in capital letters there is no need to shout.

You cannot do a change of address online. You need to submit a TM28 form to your local office with proof of residence.

A few months back I used a TM28 to report my location, but without any proof of residence. Udon Immigr seemed confused anyone was volunteering information, but accepted it and stapled the acknowledgement into my passport.

I did this as I'd been away from home for a couple of days.

What I don't know is if the place I stayed at followed up and submitted my details to the local immigration in Chonburi. This is why I submitted a TM28 as a change of address. Now I didn't originally submit a TM30 (via g/f), only the TM28. Any ideas on whether that would be accepted by immigration when I come to renew my extension?

I doubt very much Chonburi immigration will even be aware you submitted a TM28 in Udon. I assume you have been making 90 day reports since then.

Jomtien has not been asking for a TM30 form for those that have gotten extension there before.

Sorry UJ, looks like I didn't explain too clearly.

I live in Udon, but went to Chonburi (amphur muang, not Pattaya/Jomtien) with my g/f for a couple of days. It was on return to Udon I submitted the TM28, but never having submitted a TM30 there. And yes, I've been doing 90 day reporting in Udon for a few years now.

I know Udon haven't in the past haven't been checking if there's a TM30 been filed, hence my asking if the TM28 would be seen as acceptable, if queried, as the acknowledgment is in my passport.

[brewsterbudgen]

This doesn't seem to be a requirement for annual extensions of stay for work, done at Chaengwattana.