Registration of foreigners at their place of residence in Thailand is governed by the Immigration Act of 1979.
TM30 and TM28 Responsibilities
According to Section 38 of the Act:
- Reporting under Form TM30 is the responsibility of:
- hotel owners
- guesthouse operators
- landlords
- owners of houses or apartments
According to Section 37:
- Reporting under Form TM28 is the personal responsibility of every foreigner in Thailand.
TM28 Requirements
According to Section 37 (paragraph 3):
- A foreigner must register with the local police station at their place of residence within 24 hours of arrival in Thailand
- The form must also be submitted within 24 hours after any change of residence
According to Section 37 (paragraph 4):
- If a foreigner travels to another province for more than 24 hours:
- they must register with the local police in that province within 48 hours of arrival
Example
If you travel for the weekend from Pattaya to Bangkok and stay in a hotel:
- The hotel must report your stay using Form TM30
- You must submit Form TM28 to the police
- When you return to Pattaya, you must again submit Form TM28 to the local police there
Exceptions (introduced in September 2019)
The Immigration Bureau introduced categories of foreigners who are exempt from TM28 reporting, including holders of:
- business visas
- investment visas
- education visas
- visas for highly skilled professionals
Tourists are also not required to report every time they move to a different location.
Who Must Still Report
The following visa holders are not exempt and must report every time they:
- change residence, or
- stay in another place for more than 24 hours:
- retirement visa holders
- Thai spouse visa holders
- guardian/dependent visa holders
Author: Alexandra Agapitova.
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