New Thailand Immigration Rules for Submitting 90-Day Report by Mail OR In Person
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Immigration Chief Police Colonel Chusak Panutumpon confirms new 90-day reporting policy to Drew Noyes and Wanrapa Boonsu in his office.
At the meeting in the Chief of Immigration's office additional new rules for reporting Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days by mail or in person were revealed. Foreigners must provide proof of residence IF YOU APPLY IN PERSON OR BY MAIL. The same rules apply whether mailed of submitted in person, so this is important for all foreigners on one-year visas. If the form is mailed, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so the “Receipt of Notification” portion of the form can be mailed back to you with a new form and date to apply again. The fine for failure to file the 90-day report on time is up to 2,000 baht set at the discretion of immigration officer who discovers the fact. You are NOT charged with an Overstay for failure to file the report on time unless you overstay your visa.
Drew Noyes, Managing Director of PAPPA Law office offering legal and visa services to foreigners in Thailand met again with the new Immigration Chief Police Colonel Chusak Panutumpon, who is the new Chief of Chonburi Immigration located in Pattaya on Jomtien Soi 5 to address this legitimate concerns of readers of www.pattaya-times.com and information website forums like www.teakdoor.com, www.thaivisa.com and www.pattaya-addicts.com who want to be sure if they mail the “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days” (TM.47) to Chonburi Immigration that they will have the reporting recorded on their visa record.
At the meeting in the Chief’s office additional new rules for reporting by mail or in person were revealed. Foreigners must provide proof of residence IF YOU APPLY IN PERSON OR BY MAIL. The same rules apply whether mailed of submitted in person, so this is important for all foreigners on one-year visas.
In the smaller rural Immigration offices it is possible for the officers to send back a reply so the foreigner can rest assured his or her application was accepted, but as many as 6,000 foreigners per month report to the Pattaya office so a reply - up until today’s meeting - was not possible.
The bottom half of the last “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days” slip has an Official Use Only portion which is stapled into your passport is called “Receipt of Notification” and it is relatively new in that this reminder was initiated about 4 years ago. Prior to this, there was no reminder and many foreigners were late reporting.
Police Colonel Chusak was informed of the concern of foreigners by Drew Noyes and Wanrapa Boonsu and set the policy to address concerns and assure the foreigners their notice was received and to confirm with the Immigration Police officers that the address is valid.
The fine for failure to file the 90-day report on time is up to 2,000 baht set at the discretion of immigration officer who discovers the fact. You are NOT charged with an Overstay for failure to file the report on time unless you overstay your visa.
Police Colonel Chusak summoned Police Lieutenant Jakkid Kidmeekiatdee who is in charge of all 90-Day reporting for the Chonburi Immigration offices located in Pattaya, Sriracha and Koh Srichang.
Here are the steps to take every 90-days to avoid having to go in person to the Immigration office to report your address:
The reporting must be mailed at least 7 days prior to the reporting date
1). Download the TM. 47 Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days at http://pattaya-times.com/a6847-90-day-immigration-reporting-form-by-mail or use a form obtained from any Thailand Immigration office.
2). Completed the form in block print letters making sure it is easy to read and sign it on the “Signature” line.
3). No photo necessary, but copy your passport photo pages (usually two pages including signature) and the passport page with the most recent entry stamp and the white Departure Card TM 6 immigration stapled in your passport on your last arrival.
4). Foreigners must provide proof of residence IF YOU APPLY IN PERSON OR BY MAIL. The same rules apply whether mailed of submitted in person, so this is important for all foreigners on one-year visas.
If you stay at a guest house, hotel or apartment you only need to provide a business card of the name of the guest house, hotel or apartment
If you stay in a house, townhouse or condominium you can provide any ONE of the following as evidence of your address:
· Letter from owner of the house stating you live there
· A copy of the house book of wife if living in house with wife’s name in it.
· A copy of the house book of your Thai relative living with you. The house, condo, shop house or townhouse can be owned by someone else or a Thai company. The only requirement is the name of your Thai wife; husband or dependent child is in the book.
· Any bill or bank statement that shows you receive mail at the address. Examples are electric bill, cable TV bill, telephone bill, internet service provider bill, or receipt from landlord.
· Also, savings account or investment account statements can also be used to verify address.
· A copy of the lease for your residence with your name listed as a tenant.
5). Put the completed form the “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days” (TM.47), passport copies, proof of address and stamped, envelope with your address on it in a regular business envelope
6). Simply affix a Thailand Post Office stamp onto the envelope and mail it 7 days before your 90-day reporting is due.
7). Mail it to: Chonburi Immigration, 74/265 Moo 12, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260.
Police Colonel Chusak says it is not necessary to send the letter by registered mail, EMS, FedEx. DHL, UPS or by other courier. Just mail it by the Thai Post Office.
Make sure you include a self-addressed stamped envelope in the envelope you mail to Immigration so the bottom portion of the TM. 47 forms can be returned. The “Receipt of Notification” can be mailed back to you so you know when to report again and also know your report has been field by immigration.
If you have a new visa and/or never submitted a “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days” then just submit a copy passport first photo page, copy of current visa and a copy of white Departure Card TM 6. If you have submitted a “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days” then send the notice “Receipt of Notification” stapled in your passport with the new application and proof of your address.
In the return, stamped envelope you provided to Immigration with a stamp on it you will receive back the “Receipt of Notification” from the bottom of the new form you completed and mailed to Immigration. You will also receive a new, blank form to use the next 90-day reporting.
If you move to a different area where foreigners report to a different Immigration, then simply get the address of the new Immigration office and mail the same documents and form in the same manner to them.
