IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS WHEN CHECKING INTO A HOTEL

[Prakhonchai Nick]

From reading many posts here and elsewhere on the subject, I was always of the belief that every foreigner had to hand in his/her passport at a hotel and have the details recorded. There was then the follow up that upon returning to his/her home, the homeowner had to report the return to immigration.

The last 3 times I have been away with one or more fellow foreigners, and I have made the hotel booking online, only my passport has been requested. No problem for us, but could be a big problem for the hotels. Are they really not aware of the rules?

 

[Yorky]

In general, and unless my wife makes the booking and organises the check-in, the hotel staff have made a copy of my passport.

Maybe it's the standard of hotels that you use?

 

[isanbirder]

the homeowner had to report the return to immigration.

Who is this 'homeowner' who suddenly appears in your post? The foreigner? Or his wife?

In the past 25 years, I have stayed in hotels all over Northern Thailand and Isan.... and I have never reported the return to immigration. Have you? Anyway, as often as not, I was travelling with a Thai associate, and my passport was rarely requested.

 

[Ivor the Engine]

I'm the same, had dozen and dozens of times away in hotels around Thailand and the Thai national that I have been living with has never informed IO of my return.
Hotels usually do want a copy of my passport.


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[Prakhonchai Nick]

I am not aware of anyone whose wife/partner (the likely homeowner) has reported the return to immigration.

The point of the post was whether hotels are officially duty bound to request to see all foreigners passports who are staying there. I was of the impression that it was a requirement and yet so many do not.

To answer Yorky's question, these were all good quality overnight hotels, not short-time hotels/bungalows where no questions are asked (so I am told)

 

[CO-CO]

Who is this 'homeowner' who suddenly appears in your post? The foreigner? Or his wife?

In the past 25 years, I have stayed in hotels all over Northern Thailand and Isan.... and I have never reported the return to immigration. Have you? Anyway, as often as not, I was travelling with a Thai associate, and my passport was rarely requested.

Nick's point (one of them) is that is the housemaster's responsibility to inform local immigration of your return.

Does it happen in practice? No, of course not, but it remains an immigration required with a fine attached for non-compliance.

 

[gotlost]

I am not aware of anyone whose wife/partner (the likely homeowner) has reported the return to immigration.

The point of the post was whether hotels are officially duty bound to request to see all foreigners passports who are staying there. I was of the impression that it was a requirement and yet so many do not.

To answer Yorky's question, these were all good quality overnight hotels, not short-time hotels/bungalows where no questions are asked (so I am told)

There was a time when it was KCI that they would set your partner up with the same online reporting as a hotel BUT Surin immigration as of now to my knowledge only requires the TM30 once and then you can come and go as you like with no further problems from them. The reporting of a foreigner by a hotel/resorts is a law nation wide as a SurinFarang sponsor got his winky whacked over this. As for me to my knowledge SWMBO has never filled out a TM 30 on me, she did do a local police report on me last year when the local jailer came around and talked with me other friends visiting and the wife. He returned two days later to collect the report. Today I did my 90 day report in person at SI and again NO TM30. BTW yes the DREADED new forum is out. Its is in English and Thai. The IO filed in the address details scratched everything else off and had SWMBO sign it. I can not remember the last time I was asked to show my passport for lodging, its been that long, then again maybe its the STYLE of the hotels.My advice is to when you travel always have your pp with you just incase. With #44 calling the plays you never know.

 

[Yorky]

There was a time when it was KCI that they would set your partner up with the same online reporting as a hotel BUT Surin immigration as of now to my knowledge only requires the TM30 once and then you can come and go as you like with no further problems from them.

That's precisely what my wife was told after completing the TM 30 prior to my last extension application. Although, I'm sure that should your circumstances change then they would require another TM 30.

 

[isanbirder]

I usually travelled with my Thai associate, who is a registered Guide. It was our practice that he should go into the hotel, book the best price with his Guide's badge, and, as we shared a room, my details were never required. (The savings went to the Trust we were working for, not into our own pockets).

Once we arrived at Bangkok quite late at night, and he booked a hotel room from the taxi, in Thai of course. When we got there, they tried to up the rate to 'farang price'. We picked up our bags and walked out.

Let the hotels take care of their dealings with immigration. It's not our concern.

 

[gotlost]

I usually travelled with my Thai associate, who is a registered Guide. It was our practice that he should go into the hotel, book the best price with his Guide's badge, and, as we shared a room, my details were never required. (The savings went to the Trust we were working for, not into our own pockets).

Once we arrived at Bangkok quite late at night, and he booked a hotel room from the taxi, in Thai of course. When we got there, they tried to up the rate to 'farang price'. We picked up our bags and walked out.

Let the hotels take care of their dealings with immigration. It's not our concern.

IB your 100% correct.

 

[marlino]

The Hotel has to report you to immigration within 24hrs after arrival, but according to an immigration officer they have to do this when you stay more than 3-4 days, otherwise they can slip this. If they don't do it and get caught it is 10000BHT each non reported foreigner. There is an online form where the hotel inserts you PP Nr. and name and the number of the departure card. Based on this the immigration knows all about you. Than you stay at this hotel until you are reported at another place, e.g. at home. There is no possibility for the hotel to check you out.
........our concern. I try not to show them my departure card when I stay only 1-2 nights.

 

[Prakhonchai Nick]

The Hotel has to report you to immigration within 24hrs after arrival, but according to an immigration officer they have to do this when you stay more than 3-4 days, otherwise they can slip this. If they don't do it and get caught it is 10000BHT each non reported foreigner. There is an online form where the hotel inserts you PP Nr. and name and the number of the departure card. Based on this the immigration knows all about you. Than you stay at this hotel until you are reported at another place, e.g. at home. There is no possibility for the hotel to check you out.
........our concern. I try not to show them my departure card when I stay only 1-2 nights.

I stayed at a hotel in Wang Nam Kieou last weekend. Booked by me. I was not asked for my passport, nor was my wife asked for any identity.

When hotels do want to see the passport, they generally just photocopy the main page. This is certainly the practice in Majestic Twin Surin, and only one passport is requested, regardless of how many foreigners book in. Only once in recent years has a hotel shown interest in the departure card TM6. As a Thai resident I do not have an departure card.