The questions that change the next step.
Use the answer to reach the right route or authority—not as a substitute for a current decision on your case.
Which Thailand visa fits me best?
Start with your intended activity, length and pattern of stay, age or relationship conditions, source of income, dependants, and application location. Compare only routes that fit that situation, then confirm current evidence with the deciding authority. Start with the visa finder.
Can Pattaya Visa Help decide whether I qualify?
No. The site explains and compares published criteria. Only the responsible authority or program can decide an application, and a qualified professional may be needed for individual legal, tax, or regulated advice.
How do I know whether a page is current?
Look for the visible review or verification date and the sources supporting the decision-critical claims. Confirm the final requirement with the responsible office before paying, filing, travelling, or changing status. Read the freshness standard.
Is a visa the same as an extension of stay?
No. A visa, permission to stay, and an in-country extension are related but distinct. The correct process depends on the route and current status, so the route page should keep those stages separate.
Does permission to stay automatically allow work?
No. Stay permission and permission to work are not interchangeable. Check the activity allowed by the specific route and whether separate work authorization is required. Read the work guide.
Can a foreigner open a Thai bank account?
Sometimes, but policy and document requests can vary by bank, branch, status, and purpose. Use the banking guide as preparation and confirm the current branch requirements directly.
Are TDAC, TM30 and TM47 the same?
No. TDAC records a non-Thai traveller's arrival information before entry, TM30 is an accommodation notification by the responsible host, and TM47 is the foreign national's report after 90 consecutive days in Thailand. One does not replace the others.
Does a long-stay visa settle my Thai tax position?
No. Immigration status and tax residence are different questions. Days present, income source, timing, treaties, remittance, and category-specific rules may matter; use a qualified tax professional for an individual conclusion.
How should I choose a visa agent or professional?
Verify identity, current license or registration where applicable, scope, fees, privacy terms, conflicts, complaint channels, and who will actually do the work. Do not rely on a website saying a network is vetted. Read the referral standard.
Do the planning tools send an application?
No. The public tools are browser-based planning aids. They do not file an application, guarantee a result, or replace current official instructions.
Who publishes Pattaya Visa Help?
TimPaemi is the publisher identity and Tim and Paemi lead the publication. Publisher leadership is kept separate from personal authorship of individual pages. About the publication.
How do I report an error?
Email info@pattayavisahelp.com with the page URL, disputed statement, and strongest available source. Decision-critical, source-backed issues enter the editorial review queue.
TDAC, TM30 and TM47 at a glance
These three Immigration systems answer different questions. Use the current official portal and the full guide for the event that actually occurred.
| System | What it records | Who is responsible | Trigger and timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDAC | Arrival and travel information; it is not a visa | The traveller or another submitter where the current process allows it | Before travel, check the current traveller scope and official submission window in the maintained TDAC guide. |
| TM30 | A foreign national staying at a Thai address | House owner, head of household, landlord, hotel manager or other responsible accommodation operator under Section 38 | Within 24 hours of the foreign national taking up the accommodation. TM30 guide |
| TM47 | Continued presence for more than 90 consecutive days | The foreign national, with an authorised representative or published channel where allowed | On the applicable 90-day cycle; leaving Thailand resets the count after re-entry. TM47 guide |
TDAC does not register a landlord's accommodation notification, TM30 does not satisfy the traveller's 90-day report, and TM47 does not replace the arrival form. Each linked guide cites the responsible Immigration Bureau manual.