So what do you need to do once you have a DTV visa other than enjoying Thailand for the longterm? Well, there is one piece of business you’ll need to take care of from time to time, and that’s making a residency report to immigration. In fact, almost all longterm visa holders need to make this 90 day report And here are the five steps to get it done.
First, your landlord, hotel, or property owner where you’re staying needs to report you’re staying there on a Form TM 30. Anyone who regularly hosts or rents to expats will be familiar with making this filing. If you’re renting from a private party, just ask them to be sure. Second, you need to keep track of the days you stay in Thailand.
If you plan or have stayed here for 90 consecutive days, You’ll need to report that to Immigration. If you leave Thailand before 90 days elapses, you restart the 90 day count once you’ve re entered the country. Third, if you’re here for 90 days, you’ll file your report with Immigration on Form TM 47. It’s easy to fill out and covers some basic biographical data.
The date you entered the kingdom, your address, and Thai telephone number. Fourth, you make the report at your local immigration office where you reside. The first time you’ll need to do this in person. And in addition to the completed form, you just need to bring your passport. It’s also a good idea to bring a copy of the TM 30, your landlord or host filed, just in case it becomes difficult for immigration to locate.
There’s no charge for making the report, so don’t worry about bringing cash with you. After your first in person reporting, you can use Immigration’s online reporting system, which you can access through the link below. It’s easy to set up an account and you’re essentially filing the same information electronically that you filed the first time in person.
Fifth, you can file your TM 47 with Immigration up to 15 days before the 90 day period of stay ends. or seven days after you’ve been in the country for 90 days. So don’t worry if you’ve been here a few days over the limit. Penalty for failing to report is 2,000 Thai Baht, or 5,000 Thai Baht if you’re apprehended for any other reason.
Now fines aside, generally speaking, it’s always a good idea to comply with immigration laws and rules. First and foremost, to show respect to the country where you’re a guest. And secondarily, where officers have discretion to enforce laws or grant requests down the line. Couple of final things to mention.
You can pay a representative to make the residency report for you. And if you, for example, hold a Privilege or Elite Visa, the program does this for members residing in Bangkok. It’s really up to you whether the time savings is worth the expense of sending someone on your behalf. Finally, It’s a good practice as you’re landing or crossing the border into Thailand to make an entry in your calendar for about 80 days out to remind you that the report will be due.
Now, over time, keeping track of both your allowed stay and your reporting period will become a habit. And when you’re filing electronically, just remember, it’s only about a five to ten minute chore every three months. And I think that’s a small price to pay while you’re enjoying Thailand. Hey, thanks for watching.
And if you found this helpful, please like, and subscribe.
