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Updated: 4 June 2023

Visit the PCEC’s Thai Visa & Immigration website pages for information on entry and extension of stay in Thailand as well as address reporting requirements.

This page contains the latest information we have on Thai Immigration matters that may be temporary or otherwise not included in our Thai Immigration webpages.

The information presented here relates to requirements or practices of at the Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration Office which may not yet be included on the PCEC’s website.

CHONBURI IMMIGRATION OFFICE (JOMTIEN SOI 5) REQUIRES YOU TO WEAR A FACE MASK TO GAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE BUILDING


RECENT REPORTS REGARDING APPLICATION FOR NON IMMIGRANT O VISA FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSE AT THE CHONBURI (PATTAYA) IMMIGRATION OFFICE

We received a report on April 17, 2023 from an applicant for the Non-Immigrant O Visa for purpose of retirement. Although the Immigration rule for such application has no "seasoning" requirement, he reported he was told he could not apply until his 800,000 baht had been on deposit in a Thai bank for a full 60 days.  This is a requirement for the subsequent application for a one year extension after obtaining the Visa, but the main Immigration rule does not require it.

Update: Two additional reports from Non-Immigrant O Visa (Retirement) applicants; one on May 10, 2023 and the other on May 12, 2023. Both reported that Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration is now requiring the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank be seasoned for 2 months before they will accept the application for the Visa.

It appears that the policy at Jomtien Immigration Office is to now require the 2 month seasoning of the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank before they will accept an application for the Non-Immigrant O Visa (retirement purpose). 



CHONBURI (PATTAYA) IMMIGRATION OFFICE - JOMTIEN - HAS ESTABLISHED DESKS OUTSIDE FOR CERTAIN SERVICES WITH NO NEED TO JOIN THE LONG QUEUE FOR THE ENTRY DOOR (Retirement Extension Renewal, 90 Day Address Reporting, and TM.30 Reporting)


Due to the long lines, the Chonburi Immigration Office has set up desks outside in the parking area - to the right of the entry gates for those wishing to renew their retirement extensions of stay, do their 90 day address reporting, or filing the TM.30 address report if arriving to a new address.




  • Retirement Extensions - The outside desk will provide you with a queue number for Desk 8. When your queue number is called, you may bypass the line to enter and report to Desk 8 (we have received some reports that if you go to the Exit door rather than the outside desk and tell them your are there for a retirement extension, you may be admitted inside to get your queue number)
  • 90 Day Address Reporting - The outside desk will accept your passport and provide a claim number. You then wait while an Immigration Officer takes a batch of passports inside for processing. When processed, an Immigration Officer will bring a batch outside and call out claim numbers for the person to collect their passport with the new reporting receipt. Click here for more information on 90 day reporting.
  • TM.30 Address Reporting - This report is normally filed by the hotel, apartment management, or landlord when a foreigner arrives for a stay of one night or more. However, if they do not file the TM.30, Immigration will require the foreigner to do so. The report is required to be filed within 24 hours of arrival (can be done the next business day if Immigration is closed).  Click here for more information on TM.30 reporting.

 ALERTS!! We have received some recent reports that Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration Office is now placing greater emphasis on TM.30 address reporting. 

  • At the 24 May 2023 PCEC meeting during Open Forum, it was reported by one Expat that when doing his recent retirement extension of stay, he was required to file a TM.30 report before they would process his application, something that has never happened in his previous extensions.  Further, he said several others that were doing the same were also told to file a new TM.30 Report (Note: We will appreciate hearing reports from those doing their retirement extensions if they have or have not encountered this issue - please send your report to info@pcec.club).
  • We previously noted that there have been reports that some have been fined 1,600 baht for late filing of the TM.30 Address Report even though they were returning to the same address (the previous Immigration policy has been to not require the report if the travel was within Thailand and when it was outside of Thailand, not requiring it if the person returned using a Re-Entry Permit and returning to the same previously reported address.  We currently have no first hand reports, but have received the information from more than one source citing this happened to people they know. Therefore, if you do travel within or without Thailand, you may want to go to Immigration to see if you need to file a new TM.30 report. 


US & UK EMBASSIES NO LONGER PROVIDE A LETTER TO IMMIGRATION TO USE FOR REQUESTING THAI IMMIGRATION TRANSFER STAMPS TO A NEWLY ISSUED PASSPORT

As of April 10, 2023, the US Embassy in Bangkok and the US Consulate in Chang Mai will no longer issue passport linkage letters with newly issued passports.  Click here to read the announcement on their website.

They note that if a Thai government office requests one, your cancelled passport and your newly issued passport will suffice.    However, their announcement does not indicate if they have coordinated this decision with Thai Immigration. 

With effect from June 1, the British embassy in Bangkok will no longer provide a confirmation letter to nationals who have obtained a new British passport. An embassy press release states that the Thai immigration bureau has agreed to transfer visa stamps from the old to the new British passport without such a letter.  Click here for the Pattaya Mail article.


We will appreciate receiving reports from personal experience when making a request at Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration for a transfer of Thai Immigration information from an old to a new passport. Send the reports to info@pcec.club.


BORDER RUNS TO CAMBODIA FROM PATTAYA - BEST TO USE A SERVICE

Pre-Covid, those in Pattaya entering by Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa, after getting their one permitted extension of stay at Thai Immigration would do a one day trip referred to as a "Border Run" - traveling by vehicle to a land border crossing with Cambodia, cross over, turn around, and reenter Thailand getting getting a Visa Exempt entry [Note: Land border entry is limited to two times during the year then and now].

But post-Covid, it is recommended that you register with a Pattaya tour and minibus operator in advance of travel to the border. The company must then send a passport copy to the border post of choice to check that the applicant is eligible for the new permission. Unregistered individuals arriving at the frontier under their own steam will not be allowed to return the same day and would need to spend several days or a week in Cambodia pending a review of their application.  Click here for the article in the Pattaya Mail.




THAI IMMIGRATION TESTING ONLINE SYSTEM FOR EXTENSIONS OF STAY (CURRENTLY ONLY IN BANGKOK)

Thai Immigration is setting up an online system for extending one's stay in Thailand, but it currently is being tested only for those using Bangkok Immigration with an expectation for future roll out to other locations.

Note: It DOES NOT include extensions based on retirement.  Click here for the Pattaya Mail article, Click here for The Pattaya News article. Click here for Barry Kenyon's article in the Pattaya Mail giving a reason for retirement extensions not being include.


TM.6 ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE CARD TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

The Thai Cabinet has agreed to temporarily exempt the use of immigration forms “Tor Mor 6” for foreigners entering and departing from Thailand.

For those entering at all international airports. The suspension does not apply to entry at land borders.  Click here for the The Pattaya News article.


EU ACCEPTS 'THAILAND DIGITAL HEALTH PASS'


The European Union has accepted Thailand Digital Health Pass, issued by the Public Health Ministry on Mor Prom application.

Thailand is now connected to the EU Digital Covid certificate system and Thai travelers can use Thailand Digital Health Pass as a proof of Covid-19 vaccination to enter 60 countries and territories.

Click here for the Pattaya Mail article. Click here for The Pattaya News article.




OBTAINING AN EXTENSION OF STAY AFTER ENTERING WITH AN e-VISA

In the past, visas were a sticker which the applicant placed in his or her passport. But this system has been replaced by a new e-visa which is sent to applicants in a detailed email prior to flying to Thailand.

This email should be retained after arrival in Thailand. A copy is required by the immigration bureau if and when a foreigner applies for an extension of stay.

Click here to read the article. Click here for Ministry of Foreign Affairs eVisa portal.


PATTAYA IMMIGRATION – LEGALIZATION OF MARRIAGE LICENSE IF FOREIGN SPOUSE IS OBTAINING A LONG STAY EXTENSION

Darren McGarry from Key Visa in his recent presentation to the Club mentioned that Pattaya Immigration is now requiring “legalization” of the marriage license when a spouse is applying for a long stay extension on the basis of their spouse’s retirement extension.

We have seen other reports that the marriage license will not be accepted unless the person’s Embassy has certified the document and it has also been stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Department in Bangkok. Click here for information regarding MFA “legalization” of documents.

In the case of a marriage license from the UK, per Darren and the reports received, the process is to have the document “legalized” by the UK Government, then by the Thai Embassy in London, and then by the MFA in Bangkok. We suggest you start the process so you have ample time before your extension renewal date to complete the process.

Currently, this the only information we have.

NOTE: If you are in this situation and not from the UK, you may wish to start now in determining what may be required if from a country other than the UK. We suggest you contact your Embassy as to whether they will certify the marriage license so you can then take it to the MFA for “legalization” or if your country has a similar arrangement with their Thai Embassy.

For US Citizens, any Government certification will depend on the State which issued the marriage license. We will appreciate receiving any information on the process that you can share with your fellow Expats.

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