A recent change in procedure at Pattaya-Jomtien immigration (and Sri Racha) means that all foreigners requiring a service must have a TM30 form receipt in their passport dated since their last arrival in Thailand. This bureaucracy is quite separate from the 90 days reporting for expats which remains intact.
The TM30 form, which can be completed by the hotel juristic person or the owner of the residence or the newly-arrived foreigner, has in the past been used mainly when short-term tourists apply for an extension of their 30 days visa exempt entry. It should be completed within 24 hours (72 hours in practice) after arrival in the country.
The change in procedure means that the requirement is now extended to any foreigner seeking a re-entry permit, a renewal of a one year extension of stay (including retirement and marriage visas), extension of Elite, certificates of residence for driving licences, opening bank accounts etc. All these categories must now have a TM30 immigration receipt in their passport issued after their most recent entry to Thailand by air or land or sea. A TM30 receipt issued before the last entry to Thailand will be regarded as out-of-date and no longer acceptable.
It is recommended that all foreigners check in their passports that they have a TM30 receipt issued since their most recent arrival in the country. This now applies to long-term expats as well as short-term tourists. Updating records now could save inconvenience later when applying for an immigration service. Foreigners in other areas of Thailand need to check the specific regulations of TM30 in operation there.
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