TM30 Registration: The Complete Guide for Renters in Chiang Mai
TM30 is the notification of a foreigner's residence that Thailand's Immigration Act requires from the house master, owner or hotel manager within 24 hours of a foreigner's arrival. The landlord, not the tenant, files it. Missing it risks a fine of up to ฿2,000 for the landlord, and immigration offices may refuse a tenant's 90-day report without it.
What is TM30?
TM30 is the form used to notify Thai Immigration that a foreigner is staying at a residence. The name comes from the form number, but the duty itself comes from Section 38 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
Section 38 says the house master, owner or possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager, where a foreigner on a temporary stay is staying, must notify the competent immigration official within 24 hours of the foreigner's arrival. If the area has no immigration office, the notice goes to the local police. In Bangkok it goes to the Immigration Division.
In plain terms: whoever provides the place you sleep files TM30. That is your landlord for a condo or house, and the hotel or guesthouse for a short stay.
Updated 13 October 2026. This guide quotes the Immigration Act and the Royal Thai Police notification of June 2020. Local immigration offices apply some details differently, especially for trips abroad and filings by tenants. Check with your landlord before you rely on any one rule.
Who files TM30, and who pays when it's missed
| Situation | Who files | Fine if missed (Immigration Act) |
|---|---|---|
| Rented condo or house | Landlord, owner or their agent | Up to ฿2,000 (Section 77) |
| Hotel, hostel or guesthouse | Hotel manager | ฿2,000–฿10,000 (Section 77) |
| Short-term rental (Airbnb and similar) | The host, as possessor of the residence | Up to ฿2,000 (Section 77) |
| Staying with a Thai partner or friend | The house master (holder of the house registration) | Up to ฿2,000 (Section 77) |
The law puts the duty on the landlord, but the consequences usually land on the tenant. Immigration offices commonly look for a current TM30 when you file a 90-day report, apply for a visa extension, or request a residence certificate. If none exists, some offices collect the fine on the spot before they process your application.
The Act also gives foreigners their own duties under Section 37: staying at the address declared to immigration and reporting a change of residence within 24 hours. Section 76 sets fines of up to ฿5,000 for breaching those duties, plus up to ฿200 per day until resolved. The landlord's TM30 is the record that shows where you live, which is why it matters to you even though you don't file it.
When a new TM30 is needed
| Event | New TM30? |
|---|---|
| First night at a new condo or house | Yes, within 24 hours |
| Moving to a new address in the same city | Yes, the new landlord files |
| Returning to the same address after a trip abroad, within the stay period on the last filing | No, under the Royal Thai Police notification effective 30 June 2020 |
| Returning after the stay period on the last filing has ended | Yes |
| Hotel stay during a trip to another province | The hotel files for you |
The June 2020 notification, published in the Government Gazette on 16 June 2020, removed the requirement to refile each time a foreigner returns to the same residence within the declared period of stay. In practice, some local offices still ask for a fresh filing after international travel. If your landlord files online, refiling takes them a few minutes, and many do it anyway to avoid an argument at the counter.
How landlords file TM30
Landlords have three routes:
- In person at the local immigration office, with the tenant's passport copies and the owner's ownership documents.
- Online, through the Immigration Bureau's TM30 system, after a one-time account approval. Most landlords who rent to foreigners regularly use this route.
- By the tenant on the owner's behalf, with the owner's documents and a signed power of attorney. Whether this is accepted is up to the local immigration office.
What the landlord needs from you:
- Passport photo page
- Page with your current visa or entry stamp
- Your arrival date at the property
TM30 in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has its own provincial immigration office, which handles TM30, 90-day reports and extensions for the city. Practical points for renters here:
- Condo buildings in Nimman and Santitham often have juristic offices or agents who file for foreign tenants as routine. Ask whether the building or the owner files.
- Private houses in Mae Hia, Hang Dong and Chang Phueak are more often owned by individuals who have never filed. Ask before you sign.
- Coliving spaces such as Alt_ChiangMai and The Social Club operate like accommodation providers. Confirm they file TM30 for long stays.
For how TM30 fits into choosing a neighborhood, see the Chiang Mai neighborhoods guide.
Before you sign: the TM30 questions to ask
- "Will you file TM30 within 24 hours of my move-in?" A yes with no hesitation is the answer you want.
- "Can you send me the receipt?" A printed slip or a screenshot of the online confirmation.
- "Who files if I travel abroad and come back?" This tells you whether they know the rules.
- "Who pays if a fine comes up at my 90-day report?" Write the answer into the lease if you can.
A landlord who won't file is passing a legal duty and a fine risk to you. That's a reason to keep looking.
Let CNX Life handle the landlord side
CNX Life confirms TM30 handling with landlords before it matches you to a listing, and follows up with them, not you, if a filing is missing.
How to make sure your TM30 is filed
- 1
Ask before you sign
Ask the landlord or agent in writing whether they will file TM30 within 24 hours of your move-in. A landlord who already files for foreign tenants will answer immediately.
- 2
Give the landlord what they need on move-in day
Provide a copy of your passport photo page, your current visa or entry stamp page, and your arrival date. The landlord adds their own ownership documents.
- 3
Get the receipt
Ask for the TM30 receipt (a printed slip or a screenshot of the online confirmation) within a day of moving in. Keep a copy with your passport documents.
- 4
Check before every 90-day report or extension
If you moved, or the landlord changed, confirm a current TM30 exists for your present address before you go to immigration.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is responsible for filing TM30, the landlord or the tenant?
- Section 38 of the Immigration Act places the TM30 duty on the house master, owner or possessor of the residence, or the hotel manager. For a rented condo or house, that is your landlord or their agent. Hotels file for their guests automatically.
- What is the deadline for TM30?
- Within 24 hours of the foreigner's arrival at the residence. Outside Bangkok, the notice goes to the local immigration office, or the local police if there is no immigration office in the area. In Bangkok it goes to the Immigration Division.
- What is the fine for not filing TM30?
- Section 77 of the Immigration Act sets a fine of up to ฿2,000 for a house master or owner who does not file, and ฿2,000 to ฿10,000 for a hotel manager. Some offices collect the fine from the tenant in practice before processing a 90-day report or extension.
- Do I need a new TM30 after a trip abroad?
- Under the Royal Thai Police notification effective 30 June 2020, a new TM30 is not needed when you return to the same residence within the period of stay stated in the last filing. Some local offices still ask for a fresh filing after international travel, so ask your landlord to confirm.
- Do I need TM30 for a 90-day report or visa extension?
- Immigration offices commonly check for a current TM30 record when processing 90-day reports, visa extensions and residence certificates. Keep a copy or photo of your landlord's TM30 receipt with your passport documents.
- My landlord refuses to file TM30. What can I do?
- Treat it as a warning sign before signing. Filing is the landlord's legal duty, and some immigration offices accept a filing by the tenant only with the owner's documents and power of attorney, at the officer's discretion. CNX Life confirms TM30 handling with landlords on the listings it matches.
Sources & Official References
- Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), English translation — Sections 37, 38, 76 and 77 (opens in new tab)(Retrieved 13 October 2026)
- Royal Thai Police Notification on residence reporting (Government Gazette 16 June 2020, effective 30 June 2020) — summary (opens in new tab)(Retrieved 13 October 2026)
- Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police (opens in new tab)(Retrieved 13 October 2026)
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