# The 90-day report (TM47) in Chiang Mai, without the dread

> How to file the 90-day report (TM47) in Chiang Mai — who needs it, the timing window, the three ways to file, and the office reality.

If you've moved to Chiang Mai for more than a holiday, you'll soon meet a small recurring chore: the **90-day report**. It sounds more ominous than it is. Strip away the forum horror stories and it's really just telling immigration, every three months, "yes, I still live here, at this address." Do it once and the rhythm makes sense.

## What it actually is — and who needs it

The official name is the **TM47**, the *Notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days*. The rule is simple: if you stay in Thailand for **90 consecutive days** on a long-stay extension — [retirement](/blog/retiring-in-chiang-mai), ED, a [DTV-style stay](/blog/dtv-visa-chiang-mai), and so on — you must report your current address to immigration. The key word is **consecutive**. The clock counts unbroken days inside the country, so the moment you leave Thailand and come back, it resets to zero. This is exactly why people doing regular [visa runs](/blog/visa-runs-chiang-mai) rarely hit the 90-day mark at all — they're out and back before it arrives.

So this is a chore for **long-stayers**, not short tourist trips. If you're here for a few weeks, it doesn't apply to you. If you're [settling in](/blog/settling-in-chiang-mai) for the long haul, it does.

One thing worth clearing up: the 90-day report is **not** the same as the **TM30**, the one-off address registration your landlord or guesthouse files when you first move in (or move house). The TM30 is a single notification of where you live; the TM47 is the recurring "still here" check-in. Different forms, different purpose — people muddle them constantly.

![The 90-day report (TM47) in Chiang Mai, without the dread](/blog/ninety-day-report-chiang-mai/visual.webp)

## The timing window

You don't have to hit the exact date. You can file from about **15 days before** your 90-day mark to **7 days after** it without any penalty. That's a comfortable three-week window, so there's no need to camp outside an office on the precise day. Most people aim for the early end and forget about it.

Keep your **previous receipt** somewhere safe — immigration prints your next due date right on it, which saves you doing the maths.

## The three ways to file

There are three routes, and they suit different temperaments.

**In person** at a Chiang Mai immigration office is the traditional way, and the one first-timers usually have to use anyway. **By post**, sending your documents by registered mail, is a quieter option some long-termers swear by. And **online**, via the immigration system or app, is by far the easiest when it works — a few taps from your sofa, no queue, no travel.

The honest caveat: the **online system can be glitchy**. It's generally only open to people who've reported in person at least once before, and it sometimes rejects you for no obvious reason and bounces you back to filing in person. Treat it as the first thing to try, not the only thing — and don't leave it to the last day in case it sulks.

Whichever route you choose, the paperwork is much the same: your **passport**, the **TM47** form, your **arrival record (TM6)** if you were issued one, and your **previous 90-day receipt**. A few photocopies of your passport photo page and visa stamp never hurt.

## The Chiang Mai office reality

A practical heads-up: Chiang Mai's main immigration office has **moved in recent years**, so old blog posts pointing you to one mall are out of date. These days the main office sits on the edge of town near the airport, with smaller service points in a couple of the big shopping malls. Because rules and locations genuinely do change, **confirm the current immigration office and requirements** before you set off — the official Chiang Mai immigration channels are the place to check.

Wherever you go, expect a **queue**. It can be busy enough that people arrive before opening to grab an early slot, with waits running into hours on a bad morning. So **go early**, book a queue slot ahead if the option exists, or sidestep the whole thing with the online filing or a small agent fee. If you're working out how to get across town for an early start, our notes on [getting around Chiang Mai](/blog/getting-around-chiang-mai) will help.

And the penalty for missing it entirely? A **fine** — modest if you simply slipped up, larger if it's spotted later, say when you renew your visa. Not the end of the world, but easily avoided.

Pop the date in your calendar, file early, and the 90-day report fades into background noise — just another gentle marker in a life you're building here. See you at the next one.

Warmly,
the Ada House team