TM30 is the form that tells Immigration where a foreigner is staying. Under section 38 of the Immigration Act, the person responsible is the house master, owner or landlord of the place where the foreigner stays, not the foreigner.
When to file
Within 24 hours of the foreigner arriving to stay. That applies to tenants on a lease, holiday guests and friends staying at your villa alike.
Since a relaxation in June 2020, you don't have to file again each time the same guest comes back during the stay period you reported, as long as the original report gave their arrival and expected departure dates.
How to file
You can file online through the Immigration Bureau's website or its mobile app:
- Register yourself and the property once, with proof of ownership or your lease.
- Each time a foreigner arrives, file a notification of residence with their passport details and dates.
- Keep the receipt. Tenants often need it for visa extensions and 90-day reports.
Tenants can file on the landlord's behalf if the landlord gives them a power of attorney and the ownership or lease documents.
Fines
For private landlords and owners, fines are usually 800 to 2,000 baht per late or missed report. Hotels face higher fines. A missing TM30 also tends to surface when your tenant tries to extend a visa, which is when it becomes your problem as well as theirs.
Owners staying in their own property
Whether a foreign owner needs to report themselves when staying in their own condo is a grey area, and local Immigration offices take different views. If in doubt, file: it costs nothing.
The simple routine
- File on the day of check-in, every time.
- Keep the receipts with your rental records.
- If a manager handles your guests, make sure TM30 is in their checklist and ask for copies.
Want someone to handle this?
If you own a villa or condo in Phuket, Pearl Property's management team takes care of the day-to-day paperwork for owners, from TM30 reports to tenant contracts and rental records for your accountant.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Figures were correct on the date shown above; rules change, so confirm with a Thai lawyer, accountant or the relevant office before you act.