What are the rules for TM30 registration when traveling within Thailand or abroad?

Apr 27, 2023
2 years ago
Umami *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
That’s it unless you like to travel. If you don’t travel around and just stay at the premises you are registered at then you won’t have any issues. Your registration does not expire. As soon as you leave the country, even for a few days, you must re-register on your return.

# If you stay in a hotel/guest house within Thailand, then you’ve re-registered in a different location. Once you return to your primary location in Thailand you have to re-register in that location again - TM30 Explained! You Must Register Any Non Thai National Living In Your Property! (Updated August 2022)
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The TM30 registration requires foreigners living in Thailand to report their residence to immigration, especially when leaving the country. If a foreigner stays at a hotel or changes their location, they need to re-register their address on return. Enforcement varies by local immigration offices: some require a new registration for any overnight trip, while others require it only for international departures. Overall, the system is intended for monitoring foreigners and can be cumbersome, but many expats report different experiences based on location.
Ken ******
i still dont know what happens i live in.my own bangkok condo, what need to do if i live in a bangkok hotel several days, and then return to my own condo, TM30 again?
David **********
Register and do it all online now.
Jeff ********
If you TM30 to the next stop then Pattaya don't go through to register immigration. Tell hotel to Visa your non-tourist TM30 at 7-Eleven if you want but cannot buy at property. Driver license or permit if you feel good today. That's it unless you don't like.
Michael *******
I have not done that once.
Jeff ********
@Michael ******
umami malimal doesn't know what he's talking about. Just a fake profile spouting nonsense.
Ling *****
Think of it practically. A tourist arrives on a 60 day visa. The whole idea of the long visa is to see the country and stay in many different hotels. Nothing ever happens if you just leave and go home after the 60 days, no one cares. It only comes to light when you need to go to immigration say for an extension, then you might need to pay the fine if your last place didn't register you. The way around the fine is to do a border run or do as I do and go to a neighbouring country and get a new tourist visa. So in general if you arrive on a 30 day visa exempt or a 60 day tourist visa and you leave the country when that visa expires the TM30 doesn't affect you, no one questions that at the airport. I have been doing this way for 3 decades and I have never had a problem but then again I never go to immigration for an extension of stay either.
Umami *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Have read that you can do the TM 30 business online yourself, to avoid IO visits there and upsetting folks, You can report online, when it works, that is! Most hotels and registered businesses use TM30 online reporting. Online registration is available there. You need to first request a username and password, and then log on to register - never done that procedure, so please don't ask, google time perhaps
John ********
@Umami ********
you can do it yourself but you have to have the owners permission

He has to give you a covering letter and copy's of the blue book and his Id, also his password to use it

You can go on the immigration website to see if I have missed something
Glyn **********
It would seem by the comments the TM30 hasn't been explained. When every immigration office has a different interpretation of how it's managed, there isn't an easy interpretation. People need to figure out how their district office wants you to deal with it.
David *********
Like all in Thailand , open to interpretation, Hua Hin immigration is the best , enjoy .
John **********
@David ********
interpretation, inclination, motivation, stagnation!!
David *********
@John *********
and that's the joy of it John , the last thing we want it to be is like the Western world .
Ross ********
When I did my extension at my local office up north on Tuesday I asked about TM30s. The answer was if you travel in Thailand and return to your registered address you do not submit a new TM30. If you travel overseas and return with a re entry permit and return to your registered address then no requirement to submit a new TM30.
Jim ***********
@Ross *******
my visa was Hua Hin immigration. I traveled Bangkok few times never informed anyone. Hua Hin immigration no problem extend visa
Joe *********
I stayed at a hotel 20 K from my home for one night and had to get the owner of the house to re-register me. Kind of a pain.
Riny ************
I stayed for 2 Months in Thailand at 3 different places so far and nobody seems to care about filling in a TM30
Brandon ************
@Riny ***********
if you need to go to immigration you'll care quickly. It's you who will have problems and get a fine, not them. Why would they care??
Riny ************
@Brandon ***********
Yes I know. So I had to kick asses to get it done.
Brandon ************
Klaus ***********
No you don’t have to update your TM30 if you travel within Thailand and return to the same address that is written on your TM30. You only have to update your TM30 when you return from abroad to the same address. Different address -the property owner needs to make a new TM30.
John ********
@Klaus **********
it all depends on your local immigration office some of them don't worry about it, and some want the tm30

And you will find that some owners will not
Pete **********
@Klaus **********
incorrect. Every time you do a 90 day report if you have been away from your home even for a day and staid somewhere else you will need to do a new tm30 registration.
Pete **********
@Erik ******
wrong I live in Thailand and always have to update my tm30 if I have staid anywhere between 90 day reports.
Pete **********
@Erik ******
are you saying not to do my 90 day reports???
Ilse **********
@Klaus **********
I know it’s only when you go abroad,
Martin **********
@Ilse *********
In Jomtien, they told us, not necessary,big returning to registered address, other place or abroad. My wife came back, did also her 90days, on line, no problem.
Otto *********
@Klaus **********
That is correct,- according to the Immigration!
Brandon ************
@Otto ********
you realize there are over 77 immigration offices right?
Brandon ************
@Klaus **********
wrong. You need to check with your immigration office to find out their policy. You cannot make a blanket statement like this
Mark *********
@Brandon ***********
I agree with you. I went to the TM30 office in Chiang Mai just 3 days ago. The official there told me that if I travel in Thailand or overseas, no reporting is required on return, as long as I return to the same address.
John ********
It's like having a ankle monitor on, when they started it again

I refused to take a holiday in Thailand
Wayne **********
@John *******
you could put on your big boy pants and just not do it.
Kevin *******
@John *******
wow ! We miss you ! NOT get over it !
Umami *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
his law was originally designed to increase the amount of monitoring and surveillance that Thai authorities can exercise on foreigners residing in their country, whether they’re on holiday or here on a permanent, residential basis.TM30 Explained! You Must Register Any Non Thai National Living In Your Property! (Updated August 2022)

The system was also designed to be useful to the government in gathering data on tourism.

At the same time, the immigration department saw it as an opportunity to crack down on the number of foreigners who have over-stayed their visas (as well as their welcome) and were working here illegally.
Brandon ************
This is the law yes. But like everything in Thailand it depends on the policy of your local office.

Some immigration offices want you to file a new TM30 after any overnight trip away from home.

Some offices only want you to file a new TM30 if you left the country, but domestic travel inside Thailand does not require a new TM30 as long as you return to the same address.

Some offices don't care if you travel inside or outside of Thailand, as long as you return to the same primary home you previously filed a TM30.
Umami *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
I did never bother also, never informed them when back, got a small fined just once
Dave **********
@Brandon ***********
exactly my experience.
Umami *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
The lack of enforcement meant that virtually nobody except hoteliers knew that the law applied to everyone providing accommodations to foreigners.

This has all changed. Under the new expanded law, this non-enforcement loophole has been closed and anyone who offers accommodations must register their foreign guests with the immigration department.
Brandon ************
@Umami ********
the law didn't change. It's the same as it's been. It's not uniformly enforced either.
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