The TM30 is a notification made by the owner or possessor of a property, telling immigration that a foreigner is staying there. It is not your obligation as a tenant in the strict legal sense, and that is precisely why it goes wrong so often: the landlord assumes you handled it, you assume the landlord did, and neither of you did.
You discover the gap at the worst possible moment, at the counter, on the day of your extension appointment. Then you leave without your extension.
When you need one
- You move into a new condo or house.
- You return to Thailand after any trip abroad, in many cases.
- You apply for an extension of stay, a residence certificate or a Thai driving licence, all of which check it.
- You own a property in Pattaya and rent it to foreigners, which makes the obligation yours.
Landlords and condo owners
If you rent your Pattaya condo to foreign tenants, the notification obligation sits with you, and non compliance carries a fine. If you own several units, we can set this up as a standing arrangement so every new tenant is notified without you thinking about it.
Frequently asked questions
My landlord will not do it. What now?
Come to us with your lease and the property details. In practice we can usually get the notification made, and where the owner is genuinely unreachable there are alternative routes. Do not simply hope it will not be checked.
Do I need a new TM30 every time I come back from a trip?
In many cases yes, and the practice has varied over time and between offices. Because it costs very little to be safe and a great deal to be caught short at an extension appointment, we advise clients to treat re-notification after travel as routine.
Does a hotel count?
Hotels file for their guests automatically as part of their own obligations. The problem arises with condos, private houses and informal rentals, which is most of the long stay market in Pattaya.
Not sure if your address is registered?
Send us your address and lease on LINE. We will check whether a valid TM30 exists and file one if it does not, before it costs you an extension.
Related services
- Visa services90 day reporting in PattayaYour address notification filed for you at Jomtien Immigration, usually the same day, without you setting foot in the building.
- Visa servicesThai retirement visa in PattayaThe one year extension of stay based on retirement, prepared, filed and renewed for you, without the Jomtien Immigration queue.
- Visa servicesCertificate of residence in PattayaThe immigration letter you need before a Thai driving licence, a bank account or a vehicle registration, obtained for you.
- Real estateCondos for rent in PattayaFurnished units from a month to a year, with a written lease and the TM30 filed, so your rental never becomes a visa problem.