Important Forms in Thailand for Foreigners: TM6, TM30, and More

If you’re thinking of visiting or settling in Thailand, there are some important forms you need to be aware of. The Thai government has a complex bureaucracy, and these forms play a key part in ensuring your compliance with immigration regulations. Failure to properly handle these forms could lead to delays, fines, or even legal trouble.

Not all of these forms are required for traveling or staying in Thailand, but each one is necessary in certain circumstances, such as when you are trying to obtain a specific visa type or move to a new home. 

This article covers some of the most common and important forms you need to complete as a foreigner in Thailand, and when they are required. 

What is a TM30 Form?

The TM30 is a common form required for foreigners living in Thailand. This form notifies the Thai government of your current address and helps prevent unauthorized stays. If your address has changed, you returned to Thailand from abroad, or you are staying in Thailand at an accommodation that is not a hotel, then a new TM30 form must be submitted. 

Who Can Submit a TM30 Form?

Your landlord, condo owner, house owner, or apartment manager must complete the form and submit it to the government within 24 hours of your arrival at your accommodation. In some circumstances, you might be able to file it by yourself at your landlord’s request if they have a proxy form, or if you’re the condo owner. 

While it is the property owner’s responsibility to complete this form, you still need it for certain legal and procedural reasons, such as renewing or extending your visa. Therefore, you must work with your landlord to ensure this form is handled properly.

How Do You Submit a TM30 Form?

Your landlord can file the form either at the local immigration office in person, through the Thai Immigration Bureau’s portal online, or using the Section 38 mobile app. Before lodging the form, they must prepare the following documents:

• Copy of their Thai ID or passport
• Copy of the house registration (also known as a Tabien Baan) or title deed
• Official rental agreement

You also need to provide them with your passport information and visa stamp. Upon approval, they will receive a small receipt that serves as proof that the form has been submitted successfully. 

What is a TM6 Form?

The TM6 immigration form was a paper card meant to be filled in by foreigners upon arriving in Thailand and submitted to the immigration officers at the border. It included both a departure card and an arrival card section that had to be completed in order to both enter and leave the country. 

However, starting from May 1, 2025 onwards, this form has been discontinued and is replaced by the TDAC form, an updated electronic version of the TM6.

What is the TDAC?

TDAC is short for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card and acts as a replacement for the TM6 form. If you are a non-Thai citizen, you must complete this form electronically and present confirmation to the border officers each time you arrive in Thailand, whether it’s by plane, boat, or train. Unlike the TM6, which is a paper form, you must complete the TDAC online. 

How Do You Submit a TDAC Form?

You can submit your TDAC within 72 hours (3 days) before you arrive in Thailand, and it is available through the following electronic platforms:

• The official TDAC registration page
• The Thailand E-Visa system
• The Department of Disease Control’s disease-screening system
• The tourist fee-collection system (TBD)

The form itself includes fields asking you for information regarding your address in Thailand and your scheduled arrival date, and also contains a brief health check (currently only related to yellow fever). You also need to prepare the following documentation:

• Your passport (and visa if applicable)
• Information about your flight or other mode of transportation
• Your home or accommodation address in Thailand
• Proof that you were vaccinated for yellow fever, if you stayed in an affected country

Make sure you double-check everything before submitting the TDAC. If some details are incorrect, such as your name, passport number, and birth date, you need to submit a new form. 

What is the TM88 Form Used For?

The TM88 Visa on Arrival form is required if you’re looking to obtain a Visa on Arrival. This is a type of short-term, single-entry travel document that you can secure if you don’t qualify for Thailand’s visa exemption program, as long as your nationality qualifies. The TM88 form will be available on arrival at the airport or land border for you to complete. 

What is a TM87 Form?

The TM87 Visa Application form is designed for foreigners looking to apply for a Thai tourist visa or some other visa types. It is also known as an “Application for Visa” form. If you’re outside Thailand, you have to complete this form before travelling to the country. 

When Do I Have to Complete a TM87?

You must submit a completed TM87 form if you want to stay for over 30 days in Thailand and are not eligible for visa exemption. It is commonly used when acquiring a single-entry or multiple-entry Thai tourist visa. You need to provide this form to a Royal Thai Consulate or Thai Embassy along with other documents that are required for the visa you desire. 

How Do I Complete a TM87 Form?

It’s important that all the information you provide is accurate to avoid possible delays or rejections. You generally will need to provide the following information:

• Personal details, such as your passport information and nationality
• Details regarding your travel plans, such as addresses for your accommodation in Thailand, the date of your arrival, and when you will be leaving
• The reasons for staying in Thailand
• Your current financial situation (to determine if you can support your trip)

Once you have completed the form and prepared all the documents for the Thai visa you want, you have to submit everything to the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your home country or the location where you are domiciled. 

What is the TM7 Used For?

The TM7 is an application form that you need to complete if you want to extend your stay in Thailand, whether you are here on a visa or the visa exemption program. You also need to submit a TM7 form if you are extending a 90-day non-immigrant visa to a 1-year visa. This is also known as the “Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom.” 

How Long Can I Extend My Stay on a TM7 Form?

How many additional days you can get depends on what kind of visa you are currently holding. If you are on a visa exemption or a Thai tourist visa, you can extend your stay by an additional 30 days. If you are holding a different kind of Thai visa, you may be permitted to extend your stay for even longer. 

When is a TM7 Required?

If you have to complete a TM7 form, it is recommended you do it at least 7 days before the expiry of your visa or entry stamp. As Thai immigration is stringent about deadlines, they will accept no late applications, meaning you will need to leave Thailand or risk an overstay fine. 

How Can I Complete a TM7 Form?

To start, you will first need to obtain the TM7 form, which can be acquired at the nearest Thai immigration office or downloaded from the official immigration website. Alongside the form, you also need to prepare the following documents:

• Copy of your valid foreign passport
• Copy of a TM6 or TDAC confirmation
• Proof of your accommodation in Thailand (such as a hotel booking receipt)
• Passport-sized photograph of yourself

You then need to submit the form and all required documents to the Thai immigration office in the province you are currently domiciled in, as well as pay the 1,900 baht fee. Depending on the office, you may need to book an appointment beforehand, as some locations do not permit walk-in visits. 

What Do You Need the form TM8 For?

You need to complete the TM8 form if you are looking to travel abroad but need a re-entry permit to return to Thailand. While “multiple-entry visas” allow you to re-enter Thailand freely, “single-entry” visas will be automatically cancelled when you leave the country without applying for a re-entry permit. The TM8 is also known as the “Application for Re-entry Permit to Return into the Kingdom” form.

You need to apply for a re-entry permit if you are on the following visas:

• Single-entry tourist visa
• 90-day non-immigrant visa
• 1-year marriage visa
• 1-year retirement visa (OA)

You can obtain this form from a Thai airport or download it from the official Thai immigration website. 

What Documents Are Required For a Re-Entry Permit?

The TM8 form is not the only document required for a re-entry permit. You also need to submit other documentation alongside the form, including:

• A valid foreign passport
• A passport-sized photo of yourself
• Confirmation of a completed TM6 or TDAC
• The most recent entry stamp (and an extension stamp, if applicable)

Where Do You Apply For a Re-Entry Permit in Thailand?

You can apply for a re-entry either at a Thai immigration office or at the airport. All you need to do is submit the TM8 form along with the required documents. The process can take between 15 to 30 minutes.

There is also a fee you have to pay in cash for the re-entry permit, which varies depending on how many re-entries you are planning to make:

• Single re-entry: 1,000 baht
• Multiple re-entry: 3,800 baht

What is a TM47 Form?

A TM47 form is required each time a foreigner has to report to Thai immigration and is mandatory for all Thai 90-day reporting procedures. Foreigners are only required to submit this form if they are staying in Thailand for over 90 days. If you have trouble filling out the form, some visa programs (such as the Thailand Elite Visa) offer 90-day reporting services. Visa agencies such as Siam Legal also provide 90-day reporting services so you can avoid a trip to Immigration.

You must submit a TM47 if:

• You resided in Thailand for 90 days or more
• You possess a non-immigrant visa or a 1-year extension
• You did not leave Thailand during your 90-day stay period

What is the Due Date for a TM47 Form?

You must submit this document and complete your 90-day reporting requirements 15 days before your 90th day or no more than 7 days past the deadline. If it’s over 7 days past the deadline, you will be subject to overstay penalties and may be given a 2,000 baht fine (this can also increase to higher amounts if caught during a random immigration review). If you leave the country before your 90 days are up, then this will reset the deadline. 

How Do I File a TM47 Form?

Before you can file a TM47 form, you need to collect some documents. These include:

• A valid passport
• Copies of your visa and entry stamps
• Copy of your TM6 or TDAC
• A TM30 confirmation receipt

Once you have the TM47 form and all required documents ready, you can submit your report using one of four methods:

• In person at the nearest Thai immigration office
• By registered mail (this requires a 10 baht stamp)
• Through an authorized agent by use of a power of attorney
• Online on the government website (applicable only in some provinces)

What is a TM28 Form?

The TM28 is classified as a “change of residence” form and is required if you have to change your address and move provinces. You must submit the document to the immigration officers to inform them of your updated address in Thailand. 

Unlike the TM30, which is completed by landlords or property owners, you must complete the TM28 by yourself and report your change of address to the authorities within 24 hours of settling in your new home. Failure to do so will result in a fine the next time you have to complete your 90-day report or extend your visa. 

Do I Have to Submit a TM28 Form?

Whether you have to file a TM28 form depends on how long you are staying in a different province and what visa you are on. If you are simply just visiting another province short-term, you do not need to complete a TM28. Generally, you must file a TM28 form if you are:

• On a non-immigrant visa or extension
• Moving to a new province
• Residing for over 24 hours in a new accommodation

How Do I File a TM28 Form?

You can obtain a TM28 form from either a Thai immigration office or download it from the official Thai immigration website. You will also need to prepare the following documents:

• Valid foreign passport
• Copy of your visa and entry stamp
• Copy of your TM6 card or TDAC
• Proof of your new accommodation (such as a rental contract)
• TM30 from your new landlord

Once you have everything, you can submit it in person to the nearest Thai immigration office. However, you must submit it in the new province you are moving to. 

Professional Assistance in Completing Thai Immigration Forms

To avoid unnecessary delays, visa cancellations, or immigration problems, reach out to Siam Legal for professional assistance in submitting any required forms before the deadline. As a full-service law firm and visa consultant with over 20 years of experience in helping foreigners with their immigration needs, we can help you fill out all required forms swiftly and correctly.

Contact Siam Legal today to ensure you are in compliance with the law and avoid trouble with the Thai immigration authorities.

Category: Travel to Thailand