Do landlords in Thailand need to notify Immigration if they rent to foreign tenants?

Short answer is yes!

When renting to a foreign national, irrespective of the length of stay (I.e. 1 Month or 3 Years) it is the responsibility of the landlord to notify Immigration.

This affects both Thai and Foreign landlords, who are required to notify authorities within 24-hours of the tenant moving-in.

Landlords failing to do so are subject to a Penalty Fine.

So what does the law specifically state?

According to the 1979 Immigration Act, it is stated that:

“House owners, heads of household, landlords or managers of hotels who accommodate foreign nationals on a temporary basis who stay in the kingdom legally, must notify the local immigration authorities within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the foreign national.”

More information is available at the Bangkok Immigration Website.

How to comply with the immigration law?

The process is straightforward and can be done by preparing the following documents:

– Copy of Foreign Tenant’s Passport, Visa Page and Departure Card
– Copy of Title Deed and House Registration Book
– Copy of Rental Contract
– Completed TM.30 Form

These documents can be reported to the Immigration Office, nearest Police Station or Online (Via the Immigration Bureau Website).

TM 30 Form Example

Final Words: General Enforcement of this Regulation?

Despite being in force for many years, this law can sometimes come as surprise even for experienced Bangkok investors and professional landlords; with many property owners either ignoring or being unaware of their obligations.

This is because the regulation has not been heavily advertised and is only sporadically enforced. However, we always advise owners to “err on the side of caution” and to respect their obligations by submitting the right paper work to local authorities!

For a complete & updated step-by-step guide to the TM.30 application: Registration for Landlords and Foreign Tenants