What is TM30?
TM30 is the notification of residence for foreign nationals, required by Section 38 of Thailand’s Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979). The Immigration Bureau summarises the rule like this: house owners, heads of household, landlords or hotel managers who accommodate foreign nationals staying in Thailand temporarily must notify the local immigration authorities within 24 hours of the foreigner’s arrival.
Who has to file it?
The duty sits with the person who takes the foreigner in, not the foreigner:
- Landlords and owners of houses, condos and apartments you rent.
- Hotels and guesthouses, which normally file automatically when you check in.
- The “house master” (head of the household). The Act defines this by who occupies the home, so a tenant, including a foreign tenant, can be the one who has to file when they put up a foreign guest.
In practice: even though it’s your landlord’s duty, it’s your application that stalls if it’s missing. Immigration offices commonly ask for the TM30 receipt when you apply for an extension of stay (TM7), a 90-day report or a work permit.
When does it need to be filed?
- Within 24 hours of a foreigner arriving to stay at the address.
- When you move to a new address.
- Many immigration offices also expect a new notification after you come back from abroad, or from staying in another province. Practice varies by office, so ask yours.
How to file TM30
The Immigration Bureau lists several ways to notify:
- Online, through the Immigration Bureau’s TM30 system (tm30.immigration.go.th). The address has to be registered and approved first, so the first filing takes longer.
- In person at the immigration office for the area, or at the local police station where there’s no immigration office. In Bangkok, notifications go to the Immigration Bureau.
- Hotels and licensed accommodation file through their own systems.
What to do as a tenant
- Ask before you sign. Check the lease says who files TM30, and when.
- Hand over copies of your passport photo page, visa or extension stamp and latest entry stamp.
- Ask for the receipt. It’s the slip (or the online printout) that shows your name, passport number and address. Keep a photo of it with your passport copies.
- Check the details. A wrong passport number or address is a common reason a receipt is rejected at your next immigration appointment.
What happens if it isn’t filed?
Under Section 77 of the Immigration Act, failing to notify can lead to a fine of up to ฿2,000 for a house master, owner or occupier, and ฿2,000 to ฿10,000 for a hotel manager. The fine falls on the person who had the duty, but in real life a missing TM30 tends to surface at the tenant’s next immigration appointment, which is why it’s worth chasing.
Are there exemptions?
Hotels already file for you. Some offices treat foreign condo owners who are registered in a yellow house book (Tabien Baan) differently for their own address, but they may still need a notification when staying elsewhere. Because offices interpret this differently, confirm with yours rather than relying on a forum post.