A home visit from an immigration officer

[sunnyjim5]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

The "problem" is that some people enjoy inflating what they deem a "problem" beyond any sense or reason.

Who suggested/told that you cannot visit a Thai family without making a "report".

I suspect you made that up !

When will you be leaving ?

I think it's possible that Onni4me did not make anything up, what reason would he have to do that?

Don't you know that Immigration officers make up some of their own rules? TiT.

Having lived in LOS for a long time I have heard over the years more bs expat tales than I have had hot dinners !

We will be vising Thai friends tomorrow and no "report" is needed or expected !

[lkv]

No efforts are saved to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

You do know that according to some TV posters, we are "guests" here in Thailand.

Mostly "paying" guests...

Everyone is a guest except PR (maybe). They make sure you don't forget that every 90 days.

Ya ok I understand the concept, it just seems that they had so many guests that they started to get bored of them. Because this is 2016 news circulate in a different way nowadays than 20 years ago ( which is obviously an inconvenience - see Internet gateway idea).

So you don't like the guests but you like and want their money? Oh well...

It worked for a long time with the smiles, now people are starting to wake up.

The other issue is....the smiles are drying up as well. Hmm.

Edited February 20, 2016 by lkv

[Jip99]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

The "problem" is that some people enjoy inflating what they deem a "problem" beyond any sense or reason.

Who suggested/told that you cannot visit a Thai family without making a "report".

I suspect you made that up !

When will you be leaving ?

I think it's possible that Onni4me did not make anything up, what reason would he have to do that?

Don't you know that Immigration officers make up some of their own rules? TiT.

Having lived in LOS for a long time I have heard over the years more bs expat tales than I have had hot dinners !

We will be vising Thai friends tomorrow and no "report" is needed or expected !

It would be if you stayed more than 24 hours

[Jip99]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

This is what you and I, as aliens, should be aware of:-

From the Thai Immigration website:-

Notification of residence of foreigners for businesses According to section 38 of the 1979 immigration act, "House owners, heads of household, landlords or managers of hotels who accommodate foreign nationals on a temporary basis who stay in the kingdom legally, must notify the local immigration authorities within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the foreign national." If there is no immigration office in the province or locality of the respective house or hotel, the notification is made to the local police station. In Bangkok the notification is made to the Immigration Bureau. The notification of residence of foreign nationals is made by the manager of licensed hotels according to the hotel act, owners of guesthouses, mansions, apartments and rented houses using the form TM. 30.

The notification of residence of foreign nationals within 24 hours can be made in a number of ways to make the notification as convenient as possible:

• In person at the respective office, or
• Through an authorised person at the respective office, or
• By registered mail, or
• Via internet.

Filling in the foreign national residence notification form (TM. 30)

Please fill in all requested information according to the foreign national's passport, as often arriving passengers do not fill in the correct data on the arrival card. The form can be typed or handwritten in clear block letters. Leave a space between name, middle name, and surname.

• If the passport number is preceded or followed by a letter, fill in the letter too.
• Write the arrival card number (TM. 6) in the respective field. The arrival card is stapled into the passport. Both letters and numbers of the arrival card number must be filled in.
• Arrival date means the date of arrival in Thailand. Date of accommodation must be filled in on the front page of the notification sheet.

After the officer in charge has verified the information on the notification sheet (TM. 30), he accepts the notification and hands over the lower part of the form to the person making the notification. This part must be kept for further checking.

For details contact 0-2141-7881

[steve187]

He was correct about the last part.

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

op must do extensions as he is a tourist visa and stays 90 days.

[technologybytes]

Notification of residence of foreigners for businesses According to section 38 of the 1979

That word "businesses" surely does not apply to family and friends... common sense must prevail.

[Lekong]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

[ubonjoe]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

In reality no.

Nobody in authority would ever know about it.

[sunnyjim5]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

" I visit my gf in a different province every weekend"

How many houses does the g/f own ? Does she move between houses/provinces on a weekly basis ?

[Jip99]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

" I visit my gf in a different province every weekend"

How many houses does the g/f own ? Does she move between houses/provinces on a weekly basis ?

... or is it a generic title

[chrisinth]

This story is not believable.

What do you find unbelievable about it ?

That an immigration officer couldn't tell the difference between an entry on a tourist visa and an extension of stay that would require 90 day reporting. Anyone doing 90 day reporting knows what is expected of them, what would the immigration guy have to gain by mentioning that?

That the same immigration officer months later would pack his gear and leave the office because you entered the office.

Those are a couple of the bits that i find hard to believe.

Not to say it didn't happen of course.

[happy Joe]

You might taste a bit of revenge served cold some day. Or not. At any rate, good thinking to grab the camera and document the guy.

Hmm ...

The best way to have endless problems and then whining about red tape in the country.

This agent was certainly on a mission to check foreigners in their home.

The right attitude would have been to receive him with courtesy and facilitate its work. Filming him with suspicion made him lose face and is subject to backlash eventual the day he will need a service to the immigration.

Incredible as some here carve sticks to get beat.

[ggt]

This account of exposing corruption is one of the best I have read lately...keep up the good work...one corrupt a-hole at the time...

[luke000]

This story is not believable.

What do you find unbelievable about it ?

That an immigration officer couldn't tell the difference between an entry on a tourist visa and an extension of stay that would require 90 day reporting. Anyone doing 90 day reporting knows what is expected of them, what would the immigration guy have to gain by mentioning that?

That the same immigration officer months later would pack his gear and leave the office because you entered the office.

Those are a couple of the bits that i find hard to believe.

Not to say it didn't happen of course.

I think that he was just trying it on.

Trying to get me worried with the sole intention of getting some money from me to make him go away .

He was just looking for an angle .

He left the immigration office because he thought that there may be repercussions from the video , Im pretty sure that he broke some rules , going around to peoples houses unannounced without permission from his office and carrying out an inspection whilst he should have been working on the road check-point.

I went to the immigration office to get a visa extension, but he didnt know why I went there .

Go ahead and say that it didnt happen . I still have the video which I uploaded to a different forum and it was viewed by numerous people , although I took it back down , after being advised to from other forum members

[Lekong]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

" I visit my gf in a different province every weekend"

How many houses does the g/f own ? Does she move between houses/provinces on a weekly basis ?

You seem to misunderstand me. I visit my gf in a different from my own province. In other words, we don't live in the same province. So I visit her in the province where she resides every week, different from my own province. She doesn't move from one province to another every week. It is me who move to her province every week.

[dotpoom]

I holiday around Thailand all the time, never inform anybody where I'm going, that is up to the people where I stay, not up to me.

[sunnyjim5]

I am on extension of stay based on work and I visit my gf in a different province every weekend. Does she need to notify the immigration of my stay in her home from Friday to Sunday every week? Thanks for your answers.

" I visit my gf in a different province every weekend"

How many houses does the g/f own ? Does she move between houses/provinces on a weekly basis ?

You seem to misunderstand me. I visit my gf in a different from my own province. In other words, we don't live in the same province. So I visit her in the province where she resides every week, different from my own province. She doesn't move from one province to another every week. It is me who move to her province every week.

OK

The answer to your question is, strictly speaking, Yes.

However, unless you are likely to have cause to interact with immigration then it is a moot point.

The choice is yours to make.

[Surin1969]

imigration officer as the right to do this take picture from your passport

[lkv]

And i'm assuming we have the right to record him doing that, especially in one's own house. Cause at immigration they may use the "no phones allowed excuse"

[Autonuaq]

They just are starting the game about the - 90 days report

- The tm30 and tm28

- Address report

- the 24 hrs being in a (new) province.

And also

The officer tell you not need and not to do. His colegue fine you later.

They are looking for money and have there own interpretaton of the applocation of rules.

In then the rules are straight and forward and the docetns tell when and what is needed.

Just follw them.

The only tjing tjen can happen is the translaton errors from Thai to English

[luke000]

I hadnt been in Thailand for 90 days, so there was no need to do a 90 day report

Whatever the rules are about TM 28/30 , they arent enforced and I ve never been asked about them .

If they had wanted to hassle me about them, they had every opportunity to do so when I went to the immigration office a few months later .

The Village is in the Northern Mountains, with no telephone or internet connection available and the nearest immigration or police station is 45 minutes away .

I did even ask the immigration office whether they wanted me to do any kind of register and they said that I didnt have too

[lkv]

I hadnt been in Thailand for 90 days, so there was no need to do a 90 day report

Whatever the rules are about TM 28/30 , they arent enforced and I ve never been asked about them .

If they had wanted to hassle me about them, they had every opportunity to do so when I went to the immigration office a few months later .

The Village is in the Northern Mountains, with no telephone or internet connection available and the nearest immigration or police station is 45 minutes away .

I did even ask the immigration office whether they wanted me to do any kind of register and they said that I didnt have too

Cause they prey on the weak not on people like you that start recording them.

They are trying their luck.

Anyways, well done for doing that thing.

[SoFarAndNear]

I think that he was just looking for any irregularities, so that I would pay him off.

He could have arrested me if I was on an overstay,

He asked why I hadnt done a 90 report and that I face a big fine for not doing my 90 day report .

I told him that as I am on a tourist visa, I leave Thailand every 90 days , so I dont have to do a 90 day report .

He also told me that foreigners have to report to the immigration office and tell them everytime they move to a new place and that hotels and guest houses are required to submit the names of all guests who are staying there every night and as my gfs family hadnt informed immigration that I was staying there , they would get a fine as well

They are right about that last part. Your GF or someone from the family do need to inform immigration of your presence.

Yes, exactly and this is why I am totally disagreeing with this 24hours leaving house reporting crap... they will always can grab you by the balls with it. Who has time to report every time at the neareat police station if you leave you immigration district for more then 24 hours....

[Suradit69]

Doesn't this belong in the Farang Pub Creative Imagination Forum?

Jumping up, falling back, running off, shouting, startled, driving off. Sounds like someone's been watching too many action hero cartoons, envisioning himself as the hero who strikes fear wherever he goes.

"I told him that I was filming him taking a photo of my Passport and that I would be taking the film to my Embassy.

He jumped up , fell backwards and quickly ran off, shouting threats about the consequences of what will happen the next time he sees me in town .

A few months later , I went to the immigration office to get a visa extension , as I walked into the office , the same immigration guy was sat at his desk .

He recognised me and looked startled and concerned .

He wouldnt look at me, he picked the papers up from his desk, walked out the office , into his car and drove off ."

[finnomick1]

If you arrive by air, why do you need to report anything because you've already filled this out on your landing card.

[luke000]

Doesn't this belong in the Farang Pub Creative Imagination Forum?

Jumping up, falling back, running off, shouting, startled, driving off. Sounds like someone's been watching too many action hero cartoons, envisioning himself as the hero who strikes fear wherever he goes.

"I told him that I was filming him taking a photo of my Passport and that I would be taking the film to my Embassy.

He jumped up , fell backwards and quickly ran off, shouting threats about the consequences of what will happen the next time he sees me in town .

A few months later , I went to the immigration office to get a visa extension , as I walked into the office , the same immigration guy was sat at his desk .

He recognised me and looked startled and concerned .

He wouldnt look at me, he picked the papers up from his desk, walked out the office , into his car and drove off ."

I am in Chiang mai, if you would like to come and watch the video ?

Come and see for yourself .

Do you want too ?

[Liquorice]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

Do they , immigration really track all your movements ?

Is there a central immigration where all this information goes to and someones logging it all?

It would be a colossal amount of information to log and it would be out of date on a daily basis .

There would be 100 000s of tourists all at Bangkok immigration asking for and filling out and handing in TM30s on a daily basis

There is a requirement for an alien to report his address and any changes to that address.

There is also a requirement for the homeowner to report an alien residing at their property.

Tourists would be expected to stay in a Commercial residence, where the hotel would report your presence.

If you stay in a private residence the homeowner should report your presence.

Theoretically only aliens staying for longer than 90 days need to personally report or confirm their address to Immigration.

[sgtsabai]

My wife had to fill out the form for immigration a couple of years ago when I did extension of stay. House in her name. No hassle, no fine, everybody polite. Just the beginning of enforcing the rules. Immigration knew that most Thais aren't aware of that rule. That I don't care about, but I'll be damned if I'm going to fill out a form every time I return from a 24 hr. out of area. For one, there is no way for anybody to know I am gone, except wife, when I leave, when I cross "the border" or when I arrive, where I have gone or when I return to province. I go "fishing" a lot, and sometimes even catch fish.

[Jip99]

If you arrive by air, why do you need to report anything because you've already filled this out on your landing card.

You have Mick but the housemaster has not.

The 'rule' is aimed at the housemaster who is required to report within 24 hours - no obligation on you.

[Krataiboy]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Can you reference this particular rule, please?

Thailand has always been a bureaucratic country, awash with laws, rules and regulations which are mostly ignored by Thais and foreigners alike and by those charged with administrating them.

Different immigration offices and even different officers at the same immigration office can have a totally different attitude towards anyone who bends or breaks a rule For example, I know some falangs who dutifully take the trouble of filling in a TM30 and trotting along to the immigration office after every trip. Others, on the other hand, never do this and suffer no consequences at all - even if they are recently returned from relatively lengthy overseas trips and have a visa stamp in their passport which plainly shows they have been away for weeks or even months.

I don't know anyone who reports after holidays or visits within Thailand, as who can possibly know that you have been away? . I cannot imagine a sophisticated computer link existing between hotels and immigration offices which flags up when foreigners are away from their usual haunts.So why stick your head above the parapet, with all the hassle this involves.

It seems incredibly illogical, anyway, to expect aliens to report the fact that they are returning to the permanent address already on immigration's books. Not that logic means much here! ]

From the recent absurd raid on the Pattaya bridge club and the more recent arrest in Chiang Mai of falangs for not carrying passports it seems a new "crack-down" on foreigners may have started, with all the tiresome consequences which are certain to result in terms of obsolete and largely ineffectual rules and regulations being applied.

Hopefully, it will last