TM.30 Explained: Who Files, 24 Hours and Fines
Your landlord, owner or hotel files the TM.30, not you, and the notice is due within 24 hours of a foreigner taking up residence. A host who fails to file faces a fine of up to THB 2,000, and a hotel manager THB 2,000 to THB 10,000. Ask your host for the online printout as proof.
On this page
If you are a guest or tenant, you do nothing: your host files the TM.30, and a missing notice is the host’s offence, not yours. Just ask for proof that it was filed, because that printout is what protects you at the immigration counter.
Who files it, and how fast
Section 38 of the Immigration Act puts the duty on the house-master, the owner or possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager. The notice is due within 24 hours of a foreigner taking up residence.
เจ้าบ้าน เจ้าของบ้านหรือผู้ครอบครองเคหสถาน หรือผู้จัดการโรงแรม … จะต้องแจ้งต่อพนักงานเจ้าหน้าที่ … ภายในยี่สิบสี่ชั่วโมง นับแต่เวลาที่คนต่างด้าวเข้าพักอาศัย
The house-master, owner or possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager, must notify the competent official within twenty-four hours from the time the foreigner takes up residence. Immigration Act B.E. 2522, section 38
| Where you stay | Who files |
|---|---|
| Licensed hotel | The hotel manager |
| Guesthouse, mansion or apartment | The owner or operator |
| Long-term rented house or condo | The owner or landlord |
| Short-term rental let to a foreign guest | The owner or operator |
At a hotel you do not need to think about it, because the manager files for you. For the landlord side of a rental, see renting in Thailand: the law.
What happens if nobody files
Section 77 sets the penalty for failing the section 38 notice.
| Who fails to file | Fine |
|---|---|
| House owner, landlord or possessor | Up to THB 2,000 |
| Hotel manager | THB 2,000 to THB 10,000 |
Hosts do get caught: Chiang Mai immigration arrested and fined 16 Thai hosts for taking in foreigners without notifying within 24 hours. Once the offender pays the settled fine, the case is deemed settled under the Criminal Procedure Code.
How your host files
There are three ways: in person or through someone else, by registered post, or online. Online is the one most hosts use. It works on a PC, notebook, tablet or smartphone, and the host registers first, then receives a user name and password by email after an officer approves the registration.
The host will ask you for the check-in and check-out dates, plus your passport number, name, nationality, sex, date of birth and phone number. A host with more than one foreigner can import an Excel file instead.
In person, the host brings the documents to the immigration office, and the officer tears off the lower part of the TM.30 for the filer to keep. By post, the host sends form TM.30 with a stamped return envelope so the receipt can come back.
If the check-out date was wrong, ask the host to send the notification again, because the officer considers the latest entry. A business filing can be cancelled within 24 hours from the check-in date. For questions about the online system, write to resident.helpdesk@police.go.th.
Where the notice goes
Premises in Bangkok go to the residence notification desk of Sub-division 2, Immigration Division 1. Premises elsewhere go to the provincial immigration office for the area. Where the area has no immigration office, the notice goes to the local police station.
How to show it was filed
Ask your host for proof. After filing, the host can search the filings and print proof of the notification to give to immigration officers. A paper filer keeps the lower part of the TM.30, and a posted filing brings back a receipt. The search screen shows filings only within 7 days of the check-in date, so ask for the printout early.
Step by step
- Host: register for the online systemRegister on the Immigration Bureau site. After an officer checks and approves, the user name and password arrive by email.
- Host: notify the stay within 24 hoursGive the premises, check-in and check-out dates and the guest's passport details.
- Host: file in person or by post insteadBring the form to the immigration office, or send form TM.30 by registered post with a stamped return envelope.
- Guest: ask for proofThe host prints proof of the notification from the system, or keeps the lower part of the paper form.
Not confirmed: Official pages do not say whether an extension counter asks for TM.30 proof, or whether a tenant can file when the host will not. Ask the host for the printout. The Cabinet approved a draft amendment of the Immigration Act on 23 June 2026. It is a draft, not law.
Common questions
I am a tourist in a hotel. Do I file a TM.30?
No, the hotel manager files it for you. The same duty covers licensed hotels, guesthouses, mansions and apartments, where the owner or operator files.
Does a rented house, condo or short-term rental need a TM.30?
Yes, the owner of the rented house, the landlord or the operator files form TM.30.
What is the fine if nobody files the TM.30?
A host faces a fine of up to THB 2,000, and a hotel manager faces THB 2,000 to THB 10,000.
Can the TM.30 be filed online?
Yes, owners of hotels, guesthouses, mansions, apartments or rented houses can file form TM.30 on the online system from a phone or computer.
What details does the host need from me?
Your host needs the check-in date, the check-out date, and your passport number, name, nationality, sex, date of birth and phone number.
My check-out date was wrong. What now?
Ask the host to send the notification again with the correct date, because the officer considers the latest entry.
Can a TM.30 filing be cancelled?
A business filing can be cancelled within 24 hours from the check-in date.
Where does the TM.30 go in Bangkok?
Premises in Bangkok go to the residence notification desk of Sub-division 2, Immigration Division 1.
Who answers questions about the online system?
Write to resident.helpdesk@police.go.th with questions about the online notification system.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official sources:
- Phitsanulok Immigration: procedure for notifying foreigner residence (TM.30) for premises, posted 24 Dec 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- Chiang Mai Immigration: news item on hosts fined for not notifying within 24 hours (10-11 Jul 2023) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Act B.E. 2522, consolidated Thai text with amendment footnotes (Phuket Immigration Office copy, last footnote 2018) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau TM.30 online system manual: notifying foreigners and exporting proof (archived 21 Apr 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau TM.30 online system manual for premises, home page (archived 25 Mar 2025) (opens in a new tab)
Show 4 more sources
- Immigration Bureau TM.30 online system manual: FAQ (archived 21 Apr 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Bureau TM.30 online system manual: update history (archived 21 Apr 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Immigration Division 1 (Bangkok), English page: Notification of Residence for Foreigners (archived 8 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab)
Company and press pages (not official sources):
General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.
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Comments (2)
Odd-Positive-1283
If there is no tm30 the owner is fined and have to go to the police to pay the fine.
EmployerMaster7207
It takes less than 5 minutes to file the report and you can do it through an app on the phone. It makes no sense that they try to charge you for it.