Notification of Foreigners Staying at Thai home

[ncc1701d]

Apologies if this is in the wrong section. I am new to Thai Visa forums and I have done a quick search but haven't found anything relating to my question. I have already asked the same at my countries Thai consulate, but no reply as yet. Was hoping to get a Thai nationals perspective. 

 

I am planning to visit my friend in Thailand and stay at their house for two weeks. I will enter under the temporary stay under the Visa Exemption Rule (VER). 

Will the owner of the house need to fill out form tm30 (แบบการแจ้งรับคนต่างด้าวเข้าพักอาศัย สำหรับเจ้าบ้าน เจ้าของ หรือผู้ครอบครองเคหะสถาน / NOTIFICATION FROM FOR HOUSE-MASTER, OWNER OR THE POSSESSOR OF THE RESIDENCE
WHERE ALIEN HAS STAYED) and submit to police / immigration within 24 hours?

 

Regards

[ubonjoe]

Moved to here.

Unless you have to do something at an immigration office  there is no need to worry about the form.

They only enforce it for hotels and other businesses.

[ncc1701d]

Thanks for your reply. She does have a business on the first two floors, but it is not accommodation related and she lives in the upper two floors.  I do not want to get her or myself in any trouble. 

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

Thanks for your reply. She does have a business on the first two floors, but it is not accommodation related and she lives in the upper two floors.  I do not want to get her or myself in any trouble. 

They don't go around looking for people that have foreign guests staying in their home. Nothing to worry about.

[travelerjim]

Siricha Immigration is fining Thais 200 THB per day...

for NOT reporting an expat guest to them on the required Thai form.

I did not question it. My friend paid it and a receipt was given.

I was converting a visa on arrival into extension of stay retirement.

Had arrived into Thailand 4 days earlier.

Tj

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, travelerjim said:

Siricha Immigration is fining Thais 200 THB per day...

for NOT reporting an expat guest to them on the required Thai form.

I did not question it. My friend paid it and a receipt was given.

I was converting a visa on arrival into extension of stay retirement.

Had arrived into Thailand 4 days earlier.

Tj

You failed to read my first post where I stated it would not be a problem unless the OP was going to do something at an immigration office.

Your post is an example of what can happen if a person goes to immigration to apply for a extension for example.

[travelerjim]

You are the expert.

Thank you

[asimraza]

As per one article which I read at a random property site, it's mandatory to report any foreigner living at property (be it your friends or family staying for a short time and whether it's a rental agreement or not). There are also some examples where condos were raided in Phuket / Pattaya and residents fined. 
http://perfecthomes.co.th/tm030-registration-thailand/

I do agree with ubonjoe however that unless one visit immigration for some work, it won't come in their notice. To be on the right side of law (or at least have a cover) I checked from my agent if I have to report my family to immigration and she said no. 

[topt]

10 minutes ago, asimraza said:

As per one article which I read at a random property site, it's mandatory to report any foreigner living at property (be it your friends or family staying for a short time and whether it's a rental agreement or not). There are also some examples where condos were raided in Phuket / Pattaya and residents fined. 
http://perfecthomes.co.th/tm030-registration-thailand/

I do agree with ubonjoe however that unless one visit immigration for some work, it won't come in their notice. To be on the right side of law (or at least have a cover) I checked from my agent if I have to report my family to immigration and she said no. 

Please give a link to an example - "There are also some examples where condos were raided in Phuket / Pattaya and residents fined." - specifically to Pattaya

[SaintLouisBlues]

I never report my whereabouts even on my inwards arrival form. The Dusit Thani Hotel has (as far as passport control is concerned) welcomed me many times over the years but, oddly enough, there's never any record of me ever having checked in. I then go and stay at friends' apartments, often while they are away (house-sitting). I never stay more than 90 days at a time so there's never any question of reporting where I am while I'm in Thailand

[oyster]

There seem to be many variations on this, I always just fill in the immigration slip and leave it at that.

 

Having said that last year the police requested I report to the station and fill in a form - which gave them the same details as had been given to immigration (I provided passport, Tabian Bann and Thai driving licence.............)..." Oh  very good , very good."

 

I suspect someone in a new job needed to be seen to be busy

 

If it bothers you, go to the police station, introduce yourself, tell then where you are staying and for how long, they will respect you for it and it never hurts to be on good terms with the police, especially in a country like Thailand.

 

Chok dee

[Dumbastheycome]

For those visiting Thailand  and not staying in a commercially operated business it is  true that it is unlikely that any issues will occur.

However  people should  be   made  more aware of the increased interest in the  tracking of visitors and verification  of actual locality of  long stay foreigners . Justification of this  may be explained as  being for many reasons not least of which is  national security. But the application of this existing regulation  is increasingly applied at such times as when  personally doing a 90 day report. That uncosted  report now  often involves the  question of a non notified stay in a private/domestic residence for a duration  of 24  hours  or  more. Despite the non Thai  having duly  supplied accurate information as to place of stay a legitimate penalty can be applied to the Thai who  has jurisdiction/ownership of the property.

Despite the  fact that the  non Thai visitor is not responsible  for a TM 30  notification there is an obvious inference that the Thai  will be compensated  for the error eventually if  not immediately. Revenue  gathering  oils the  wheels!

This  regulation  is legitimate  in Thai legal terms but is also made bogus  when a non  Thai accompanied  by a Thai checks into commercial residence/hotel  utilizing  Thai  ID  card. In that situation the  non Thai is invisible for duration of stay unless he/she also  opts to  amend  his/her original  notification  of  place  of  in excess of  2 hours  or more! Also a legitimate requirement.

These official requirements may be intended to prevent  overstayers  or assist in the  apprehension of  persons notified as  being sought undesirables etc but for the  majority are an infliction  of  beaurocratic idealism.

 

 

 

 

[laislica]

I read somewhere that if your local Immigration Office is not close to your residence, you can opt to visit your local police station and report there.

Chances are that they will be confused and suspicious and not know what to do with such a report.

In the worst case, that there is a fine, the sums are small so worth the risk IMO.

My Thai wife had no idea that she should submit a TM30 every time we visit Thailand and stay in her house.

I always put her address on my arrival form and nothing happened, even when getting retirement extensions.

However, for safety's sake, I mentioned it to Immigration and they took the TM 30 that I had prepared and created another internal form.

Now we can just phone Immigration on arrival and jobs a goodun!

I suppose that many Thai's including the police have no idea about this requirement either.

Let sleeping dogs lie?