Thailand's TM30 form (2023 update)

If you are planning a trip to Thailand for either business or pleasure, you may already be acquainted with the TM30 form. Due to recent changes in the laws controlling this reporting process, there is a lot of outdated and conflicting information available. However, it's still easy and we will explain why.

What is the form TM30?

The Thai government employs the TM30 immigration form to trace visitors' whereabouts. This applies to both long and short visits by foreigners.

New?

This reporting system has existed since the 1970s, but its enforcement has tightened in recent years. This was done to gather more current tourist statistics.

Why?

When immigrants register and update their addresses, the authorities may locate people whose visas have expired or who are working illegally. It also indicates that foreign criminals and terrorists shouldn't shelter in Thailand. It also helps the government monitor which regions have the most visitors. This shows tourist patterns.

I'm going to Thailand soon. Do I have to fill out a TM30?

You are not needed to self-report using a TM30 form as a visitor to Thailand. This must be completed within 24 hours of your arrival and is the responsibility of the owners of the lodging where you are staying. A fine of 800THB, increasing to 1600THB/person for the property owner, can be imposed for failure to accomplish this.

So as a guest, I don't have to worry about it?

In short:

  1. If your stay is up to 1 month, then you don't have to worry.
  2. If you plan to extend your stay, then probably you might want to check if your landlord submitted the TM30 for you.

Even if the host is in charge of reporting guests, failing to do so could result in problems for the tourist. The TM30 return slip for your lodging may be required when you visit immigration for 90-day reporting or visa extensions. Whether or not the immigration agency or official strictly enforces this provision is up to them. It is advisable to make sure everything has been done correctly and you are still adequately covered during your stay in Thailand because some insurance companies additionally need a TM30 return slip to reimburse hospital bills after the patient is discharged.

Can I register myself if I don't think my host will do it?

Even though you shouldn't have to, you can register yourself if you're worried that your host or landlord won't do it for you and you want to make sure that your stay is legal. All you have to do is bring the documents listed below to your local immigration office.

  1. Filled out TM30 form: Part 1 Part 2
  2. Power of Attorney letter from the landlord agreeing to let you submit the TM30 on their behalf. This letter must be stamped by the tax office:
  3. Copy of the photo page of your passport
  4. Copy of visa page in your passport
  5. Copy of your departure card
  6. Copy of the owner's passport or ID card
  7. Copy of the property title
  8. Copy of your rental agreement if appropriate

What if I'm the one who owns the land?

According to the laws governing immigration in Thailand, all guests who do not come from Thailand are required to fill out a TM30 form and register within the first 24 hours of their arrival. This covers non-Thais who rent out a home, foreigners who live with a Thai spouse, as well as foreign visitors staying in a Thai household. If guests are not properly registered, the owner of the property or the landlord may be subject to a fine of 800 baht, which may increase to 1600 baht per unregistered individual, as well as potential difficulties for themselves and their guests. It's possible that you'll need a TM30 return form in order to pay for health insurance, extend your visa, or report your 90-day status. Even if it could take a little bit of time, submitting TM30 is still highly crucial.

Guests will need to provide:

  1. A copy of their main passport (photo) page

The home-owner, landlord or property manager needs:

  1. A copy of the property's title deed
  2. A copy of the owner's passport or ID card
  3. A copy of the rental agreement

The owner must give their management a letter from the tax office that is stamped authorizing them to file TM30 applications on their behalf if they have a manager to handle matters pertaining to their property.

Three ways to submit:

  1. Online by obtaining a login and submitting papers. These choices are sometimes unavailable or broken. We designed TM30.io for this purpose (read below)
  2. By printing the forms online and presenting them to your local immigration office (links below).
  3. Visitors may register at the local immigration office using the TM30 forms. The owner must also sign a proxy letter authorizing them to register.

After submitting a TM30, the guest registrar receives a stamped return slip. The visitor should save this as proof of registration for formal occasions. Each visitor needs a TM30. Each international guest must register individually. We believe a faster, less stressful method will be created in the future.

How to register with the immigration as a home or business owner

To submit guests online (and through our service), the property owner has to obtain a User ID and password from the Immigration Bureau. The easiest way to do this is online via:

  1. Through our website - link (quick and easy)
  2. Through the official website - link (sometimes doesn't work)
  3. Section 38 app - iphone android

The property owner will have to fill out a short form and submit the following documents as proof:

  1. Passport or Thai ID card scan.
  2. Blue Book or Yellow Book (proof of property ownership)
  3. Hotel license and company papers (for resorts and hotels)

Once submitted, it will take the Immigration Bureau a few days to issue the User ID and password which they will then send to the owner's email address.

How TM30.io can help with submissions

The Immigration Bureau has two ways for people to send in information online: the official website and the Section 38 app. The official website often goes down, and the owner is asked to fill out a difficult Excel sheet (showing random errors). The Section 38 app is a simpler alternative, but it is hard to use when making a lot of submissions and often crashes.

We solve both of these problems by:

  1. Not requiring to fill out any forms. Our robot automatically extracts guest information from the passport scan.
  2. Making sure that if the official servers are down, we will repeat the submissions automatically until they go through.

You can read about the features here

Tips for the Immigration Office

As with any immigration queue, arriving early or after lunch is best. Dress professionally and modestly or you may be asked to change.

Some immigration offices include copying and printing equipment, but it's best to have everything ready before going. Make two copies of everything and sign the backs.

Bring a book, drink, pen, and optimism. If the staff is busy, expect to wait.

  1. TM30 Parts 1 & 2 - Part 1 Part 2
  2. Proxy form - Power of Attorney

Last update: 2023-03-25 16:51

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Making TM30 quick and easy.

* This website is not the official website of the Immigration Bureau or the Royal Police. We provide a commercial service which submits TM30 forms automatically on your behalf, making the process much easier. How does it work?
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