The TM30 report in Thailand

Form TM30 is also known as the "notification from the property manager, owner or keeper of the dwelling in which the foreigner has stayed".

The so-called TM30 reporting problem has been a hot topic lately, as the Thai immigration authorities have changed some practical regulations that may affect many foreigners in Thailand.

What is a TM30 notification?

The TM30 reporting requirement and related laws govern the obligation of landlords (homeowners, proprietors, or property managers) to report the presence of foreigners (non-Thai nationals) in their property. All foreigners staying in Thailand and their hosts should be aware of this. The TM30 reporting and foreign resident reporting laws have been in place since 1979, but the government has recently been enforcing them more strictly and making them a prerequisite for the 90-day reporting requirement and visa extensions.

Section 37 of the Immigration Act BE 2522 (1979) also stipulates that foreigners residing in Thailand must notify the police if they stay in another province for more than 24 hours after their arrival. This would mean that even a short weekend trip from Bangkok to Phuket would entail additional bureaucracy, even if the basic registration requirements under form TM30 have already been met.

What is the purpose of the notification?

With form TM30 and the associated reporting requirement, the government essentially aims to ensure that the whereabouts of every foreigner are known at all times. Every host, whether Thai or foreign, is obligated to report the presence of a foreigner within 24 hours.

For those who value their privacy, for landlords, and perhaps even for frequent travelers, this may sound frightening, but we must accept it, as the law exists and the immigration authorities are increasingly enforcing it. The TM30 measures are just one of many introduced by the current administration, all aimed at better monitoring and controlling activities within the country. The government wants to make it more difficult for foreigners to remain undetected, especially those deemed "bad actors" by immigration authorities, such as foreigners with expired visas or suspected terrorists.

Who should send the notification?

Officially and practically, the responsibility for registering a foreigner's stay lies with the host: the landlord of a property, hotel, or apartment building. Late registration can be punished with a fine of 800 to 1,600 THB per person (the fine usually does not exceed this amount, even if the landlord submits the registration months late).

However, if you are a guest or tenant, you cannot ignore the TM30 form either: Many foreigners report that they need it when they visit the immigration office to use a service, such as the 90-day notification or sometimes even a visa extension.

In some cases, the immigration authorities are strict and require the return receipt of the TM30 form; in other cases, it is sufficient for foreigners to provide their address, and once this is recorded in the system, everything is fine.

Some foreigners reported problems at the hospital after treatment because they didn't have a TM30 receipt. Apparently, this is required for insurance purposes, so it's advisable to obtain one.

How do I register my TM30?

As a foreigner staying in Thailand, you should prepare yourself:

The landlord should prepare the following:

If the landlord has outsourced this matter to a property manager, a letter is required authorizing the property manager to report the TM30 on behalf of the landlord and bearing the stamp of the tax office.

After registration or notification, the landlord receives a stamped return receipt (notification confirmation), which the tenant/guest should keep and present when applying for a visa extension or when registering with the Thai immigration authorities.