Thailand Elite Visa and immigration

[JTXR]

Until now, the cost of the elite visa seemed a bit too much for what you got.  Now that TI seems to be putting up more hoops to jump through, I'm thinking again.  With the 5-year Easy Access elite visa, would the elite visa folks really do all the TM30 stuff if you traveled a lot?

[CygnusX1]

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

[pookondee]

35 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

As it is essentially an unlimted entry visa, surely they would not require you to report you address on each arrival?

 

If it was in the rules, im sure they would not enforce it.

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

lol

[CygnusX1]

I’m certainly not the expert here, but as far as TM30 goes, I don’t think it’s different from any other kind of visa, the fact that it’s unlimited entries isn’t relevant. As with other visas, at least at the present time, you’re unlikely to experience any problems from not doing a TM30 as long as you don’t have any contact with Immigration except for arrival and departure from Thailand, ie stay for less than 90 days at a time. 

An 800 baht fine wouldn’t concern me of course, negligible amount, but I really would like to keep a squeaky clean record with Immigration.

[richard_smith237]

If I’m viewing it from the correct perspective, TM30 is unrelated to the visa you enter Thailand on. As a non Thai (not on PR) you are required to comply with TM30 requirements. 

 

That said, as things stand, whether or not you have filled out a TM30 is only an issue (currently) if you are handing your ‘immigration status’ at an immigration office, I.e. handing an extensions or renewal. 

 

For those ‘coming and going’ whether or not you have submitted your TM30 is not monitored. 

 

Thus: Holding a Visa through Thai Elite makes no difference if you are departing Thailand regularly. However, if you plan on staying all year, then going though the process of a yearly extension at an immigration office its possible you may get tripped up if you haven’t submitted a TM30.

Edited July 23, 2019 by richard_smith237

[simon43]

I have an Elite visa.  My new landlord refused to provide the necessary documents (ID, tabian bahn etc) to my local IO.  They wanted to fine me 800 baht for this indiscretion.  I refused to pay.  They dropped their demand.....

 

Recently, I've been travelling to/from Laos every weekend, because I'm moving to live there.  I should report to my IO each Monday on my return.  I refuse to do it.

 

This is one person who refuses to dance to their stupid tune.  I'm taking my money (small that it is!) to another country, which doesn't impose such ridiculous rules on foreigners.

 

[onera1961]

I also refuse to comply with this TM30 nonsense. My agent has reported once and that's it. I'm not going to report every time I comeback from a visit outside Thailand. My condo address has remained the same. So why should I report every time I comeback? About 90-day report which has not caused any issue so far. I will use an agent when extending my permit to stay next year. What's there to worry? 

[glegolo]

May I ask you guys? What is the difference really between the 90 day reporting of you living address and this TM28/TM30 reporting?? In my eyes it is seemingly the very same thing but with different wording... Or do I miss something here, more than details that is...???

 

glegolo

[onera1961]

17 minutes ago, glegolo said:

May I ask you guys? What is the difference really between the 90 day reporting of you living address and this TM28/TM30 reporting??

I don't think 9-day report requires lease document or other document that provides proof of your address and who owns it. I have done only one 90-day report in my entire life and don't remember giving them any document except my passport. Of course, my TM30 was in proper order. 

[ubonjoe]

Unless you need to do something at immigration a TM30 report will never be asked for.

If you plan on traveling in out of the country using a Thai Elite PE visa there would be no need to do TM30 report.

People are making a big deal out of the TM30 reporting over nothing. Most of it is coming from people living in Bangkok that were never asked for one when doing something at immigration.

Another factor is that the enforcement varies from one office to another.

[glegolo]

47 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

I don't think 9-day report requires lease document or other document that provides proof of your address and who owns it. I have done only one 90-day report in my entire life and don't remember giving them any document except my passport. Of course, my TM30 was in proper order. 

Maybe both true and false. In my immigration in Chaiyaphum and that goes for Khon Kaen as well 2 years back before we got our own office here, they demanded me to show proof of address. I.e. tabien baan, ID-card, driving-license and that sort... But of course this differs from office to office...

 

glegolo

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

If they take care of the 90 day report, and of course the Elite is a multi-entry, a person on an Elita has no need to attend immigration, and be quizzed wrt a TM30. 

[Gweiloman]

I also refuse to comply with this TM30 nonsense. My agent has reported once and that's it. I'm not going to report every time I comeback from a visit outside Thailand. My condo address has remained the same. So why should I report every time I comeback? About 90-day report which has not caused any issue so far. I will use an agent when extending my permit to stay next year. What's there to worry? 

Like you, I also refuse to comply with this nonsense. Instead I just send my Thai partner off to CM immigration with my passport on her scooter to notify them. If she refuses, I will just take the fine out of her allowance lol. Working well so far :)


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[BritTim]

9 hours ago, pookondee said:

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

At many immigration offices, I doubt they will accept the 90-day reports if the TM30 has not been done. The fine may well be up to 2,000 baht, dependant on the office. I would not expect an uproar just over the fine, only if it becomes nearly impossible to satisfy the TM30 requirement (such as if immigration demands the presence of a landlord who is abroad).

[wolf81]

10 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

I have the Elite visa and could use the 90 days reporting site last time, so that's not too much of a hassle. Of course you'd also still need to report once a year at immigration if you don't leave the country at least once in a 1-year period. 

[wolf81]

7 hours ago, glegolo said:

May I ask you guys? What is the difference really between the 90 day reporting of you living address and this TM28/TM30 reporting?? In my eyes it is seemingly the very same thing but with different wording... Or do I miss something here, more than details that is...???

 

glegolo

I believe if you don't move between places and leave the country, you do the TM30 report only once. So if you stay with your Thai wife in a home in Chon Buri, never go to some hotel, etc… you only do the TM30 report once.

 

I guess the 90-day reporting could help Thai officials determine if someone is still living in Thailand, not somehow disappeared (killed or otherwise) in a 3 month period.

[iaminwa]

I am a 5 year Thailand Elite member, oil and gas worker who exits and re-enters every 4 weeks - my Thai Landlord asked me to let them know each time and they do the TM30 as they are supposed to. They said it was the law to report my arrival within 24 hours, so I just snap a photo of my entry stamp, passport page, TE Visa, and TM6 and send to them each time. 

[cocopops]

11 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30. 

 

I have an Elite visa and immigration have fined me 1600THB twice for TM30 in the last few years.

 

Also, and this may be out of date, I don't think they can do much for you in Chiang Mai. It's on the website, but last time I contacted them they apologized and said no office in CM. I'd quite like someone to post that I'm wrong here!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 minutes ago, cocopops said:

I have an Elite visa and immigration have fined me 1600THB twice for TM30 in the last few years.

 

Are you feeling ELITE yet???   

[aussieinphuket]

i took Thai Elite after both my wife and i were on retirement visas for a reasonable period of time maybe 8 years. i put my wife on ThaiElite first so we could she the benefits, obviously the big one is transmitting in and out of the airport and not standing in any queues. free limo service to and from airport.... 5 years of not having to go to immigration to stuff around every 12 months to do a renewal and continuously having the goal posts moved and turning up with wrong paper which was the correct paper work the previous 8 years.... plus other numerous silly and stupid requests we know they can come up with. i also took the ThaiElite, they will do the 90 day reporting for you if you desire but the TM30 and 24 hr online reporting i just do online and it works it simple and fast and not an issue like the 90 day reporting which never works....

 

ThaiElite is not for everyone, 5 years is thb 500,000 but the benefits, you don't need to keep thb 800,000 or for a couple thb 1.6 million in a bank account, you dont need to get a bank letter every year and supply bank book with evidence of money in account.. its not for everyone, but they have now introduced a family membership for 5 years which means it only costs thb 800,000 so some form of saving...

 

if you schedule your return on a trip just before expiry of the 5 year deal they will stamp you in for another year at immigration so your 5 years becomes in reality 6 years... a year for free ... i haven't done this yet but i have read and know of others that have done this...  

 

for us its a no brainer it just makes life simple and easy for 5 years ... but at a cost..

 

 

[newatthis]

1 hour ago, cocopops said:

I have an Elite visa and immigration have fined me 1600THB twice for TM30 in the last few years.

External or internal travel?

[Drax]

12 hours ago, pookondee said:

As it is essentially an unlimted entry visa, surely they would not require you to report you address on each arrival?

 

If it was in the rules, im sure they would not enforce it.

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

lol

Thats me ???? . Fined on my first 90 day report with that visa half year ago. Since then I always do it online if stay 90 days here. 

Edited July 24, 2019 by Drax

[JohnnyBKK]

TM30 is useful in case you need to do any documents at the immigration or if your condo gets raided by the immigration. I have the elite visa and I couldn't do the TM30 yet, I have not received my password on the online portal. As long as I don't need anything from the immigration and as long as I get lucky regarding raids I'm fine.

 

For the 90 days report I'm unsure if I will be able to do it or not without the TM30, we will see in due time.

 

And by the way, the elite visa is elite just by name. You are just a normal dude with no privileges at all. Actually you even get less than non O holders, the driving license issued is just for 2 years for example. It's more difficult to open bank accounts but you still can if you visit many different branches one will open you an account. You are legally a tourist, so even after 20 years you won't be able to apply for citizenship with the elite visa. With this visa you are not able to work neither. The visa has to be cancelled to get a work permit.

 

Elite visa is good for digital nomads and full time tourists only, you can come and go as much as you want, no questions asked. But it's not a visa to live in Thailand full time, even if you could, it's not the primary purpose.

[NoshowJones]

13 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

As far as I know, Elite visa holders have to do the TM30 just like anyone else, no VIP treatment there, and they don’t receive any assistance from the Elite visa team in completing the TM30. According to their website, they will do a 90 day report for you if you live in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, but not the TM30.

That I can believe, terrible deal.

[NoshowJones]

13 hours ago, pookondee said:

As it is essentially an unlimted entry visa, surely they would not require you to report you address on each arrival?

 

If it was in the rules, im sure they would not enforce it.

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

lol

Nothing will surprise you in Thailand.

[NCC1701A]

13 hours ago, pookondee said:

If it was in the rules, im sure they would not enforce it.

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

lol 

 

2 hours ago, cocopops said:

I have an Elite visa and immigration have fined me 1600THB twice for TM30 in the last few years.

 

no need to imagine.

[Lucky100]

3 hours ago, wolf81 said:

I have the Elite visa and could use the 90 days reporting site last time, so that's not too much of a hassle. Of course you'd also still need to report once a year at immigration if you don't leave the country at least once in a 1-year period. 

With the retirement visa having to have 800,000 baht effectively tied up in a thai bank, earning no interest, most of the year, an elite visa seems quite attractive, 500,000 baht payment, but no money needing to sit in a thai bank all year, and a 5 year multiple entry visa.

Edited July 24, 2019 by Lucky100

[NCC1701A]

8 minutes ago, Lucky100 said:

800,000 baht effectively tied up in a thai bank, earning no interest,

the money i have in Thai banks pays for my immigration fees in interest. and it is my money.  

[dcnx]

13 hours ago, pookondee said:

As it is essentially an unlimted entry visa, surely they would not require you to report you address on each arrival?

 

If it was in the rules, im sure they would not enforce it.

Imagine the uproar if folks paid that sort of money and immigration wanted to fine them 800 for not reporting.

lol

You’re only being granted the right to stay for 5 years. All other check ins and reporting still applies. If you’re in Bangkok they will check in for you every 90 days.

 

Calling it the “Elite” is a poor choice. It’s hardly elite at all. It’s just an expensive 5, 10, or 20 year visa.

[Stevemercer]

11 hours ago, simon43 said:

I have an Elite visa.  My new landlord refused to provide the necessary documents (ID, tabian bahn etc) to my local IO.  They wanted to fine me 800 baht for this indiscretion.  I refused to pay.  They dropped their demand.....

 

Recently, I've been travelling to/from Laos every weekend, because I'm moving to live there.  I should report to my IO each Monday on my return.  I refuse to do it.

 

This is one person who refuses to dance to their stupid tune.  I'm taking my money (small that it is!) to another country, which doesn't impose such ridiculous rules on foreigners.

 

Yes, quite a few farang in our neck of the woods refused to pay the TM30 fine when the local IO raised the issue 6 months or so back. The IO dropped the 'requirement' and haven't raised it since.