What are the procedures for foreigners renting a condo?
Last updated: 3 Aug 2025
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Can foreigners rent condos in Thailand? The answer is yes. This is another real estate investment opportunity with a relatively good rental return, as foreigners are a significant income earner.
However, renting a condo to a foreigner involves several steps that owners must be aware of to avoid breaking the law or facing future problems. For more information on these steps, see here.
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What must foreigners do to rent a condo?
According to Section 38 of the Immigration Act of 1979, a landlord, house owner, condo owner, or property owner, or hotel manager who accommodates a foreigner with temporary residence permits in the Kingdom
must notify the Immigration Office located in the area where the residence or hotel is located within 24 hours of the foreigner's arrival.
This means that foreigners can rent a house or condominium for residential purposes, but must do so in accordance with the law.
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What are the steps involved in renting a condo to a foreigner?
The property owner must notify the Immigration Office or local police station of the foreigner's information about the renter. Foreigners renting condos must obtain temporary residence permits for the duration of their stay.
Furthermore, condo landlords must report and submit documents regarding the foreign tenants to the juristic person officer for record keeping, in accordance with Condominium Juristic Person Regulation No. 002/2555, regarding the use of condominium units for residential rental services.
Condominium owners who rent themselves must prepare supporting documents for renting to foreigners, including:
1. A copy of the Alien Identification Card or Passport
2. A copy of the Residence Certificate of the tenant and their dependents
3. A copy of the notification of alien occupancy from the Immigration Bureau
When foreigners rent condos or houses, including hotels, guesthouses, apartments, rental houses, or other establishments with more than four rooms, the operator must make copies of their passports and visas by completing the TM.30 form and reporting it to the Immigration Bureau.
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Regarding the TM.30 reporting method, there are three methods that property owners and operators can use: .
1. Reporting online is the easiest method. Accommodation owners must first apply for a username and password, which can be done on the Immigration Bureau website.
2. Submit the required documents in person after the foreign resident completes the TM.30 form. The foreign resident must also provide a copy of their house registration and national ID card to the local Immigration Bureau office.
3. The foreign resident submits the required documents in person.
Failure to submit the TM.30 or TM.30 form to the foreign resident is subject to a fine of up to 2,000 baht (for hotels, the fine ranges from 2,000 to 10,000 baht), in accordance with Section 77 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
___________________________________________
Key Factors Leading to Condo Renting for Foreigners
Condominium rentals involve a variety of factors that need to be considered, including:
1. Location
Proximity to complete amenities. Houses and condominiums that attract foreign tourists are those located near the BTS Skytrain, as these provide convenient transportation. They must also be located in areas with amenities such as shopping malls, food courts, and entertainment venues.
___________________________________________
2. Condo Type
The type of condo rented by foreigners who come to work and reside in Thailand long-term, particularly Europeans and Americans, typically prefers airy, simple units that allow for custom-decorating.
Executive tenants prefer larger units, ranging from 100 square meters or more for a two-bedroom condo to 150 square meters or more for a three-bedroom condo.
Single foreigners tend to prefer smaller units. Asian foreigners tend to rent fully furnished and ready-to-move-in units.
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3. Complete amenities and high security
What foreigners who rent condos to work in Thailand prefer Families, in particular, prefer condominiums or houses located in locations surrounded by international schools and near the airport. These housing developments have common areas, playgrounds, and swimming pools, and offer excellent security, perimeter fencing, and are difficult for outsiders to enter or exit. CCTV cameras are also readily available, making the housing development or condo less intimidating. The larger the number of foreign tenants, the better.
___________________________________________
4. Smart Home Technology
During this time of living amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign condo renters are looking for convenient living technologies, such as Smart Homes, and intelligent technologies that enhance the project's hygiene standards, such as automatic door locks and keycard systems, which reduce contact in shared spaces and reduce the chances and risks of infectious diseases.
These technologies are currently being installed in every new condo project since the COVID-19 outbreak.
___________________________________________
Now that you know this, those planning to invest in a condo for rent should check the list and prepare documents to thoroughly verify the details. Also, be sure to research the needs of foreign condo renters to determine the location and amenities your target customers desire. This will ensure you don't miss out on opportunities or target customers.
___________________________________________
Thank you for the great information from DD Property.
However, renting a condo to a foreigner involves several steps that owners must be aware of to avoid breaking the law or facing future problems. For more information on these steps, see here.
___________________________________________
What must foreigners do to rent a condo?
According to Section 38 of the Immigration Act of 1979, a landlord, house owner, condo owner, or property owner, or hotel manager who accommodates a foreigner with temporary residence permits in the Kingdom
must notify the Immigration Office located in the area where the residence or hotel is located within 24 hours of the foreigner's arrival.
This means that foreigners can rent a house or condominium for residential purposes, but must do so in accordance with the law.
___________________________________________
What are the steps involved in renting a condo to a foreigner?
The property owner must notify the Immigration Office or local police station of the foreigner's information about the renter. Foreigners renting condos must obtain temporary residence permits for the duration of their stay.
Furthermore, condo landlords must report and submit documents regarding the foreign tenants to the juristic person officer for record keeping, in accordance with Condominium Juristic Person Regulation No. 002/2555, regarding the use of condominium units for residential rental services.
Condominium owners who rent themselves must prepare supporting documents for renting to foreigners, including:
1. A copy of the Alien Identification Card or Passport
2. A copy of the Residence Certificate of the tenant and their dependents
3. A copy of the notification of alien occupancy from the Immigration Bureau
When foreigners rent condos or houses, including hotels, guesthouses, apartments, rental houses, or other establishments with more than four rooms, the operator must make copies of their passports and visas by completing the TM.30 form and reporting it to the Immigration Bureau.
___________________________________________
Regarding the TM.30 reporting method, there are three methods that property owners and operators can use: .
1. Reporting online is the easiest method. Accommodation owners must first apply for a username and password, which can be done on the Immigration Bureau website.
2. Submit the required documents in person after the foreign resident completes the TM.30 form. The foreign resident must also provide a copy of their house registration and national ID card to the local Immigration Bureau office.
3. The foreign resident submits the required documents in person.
Failure to submit the TM.30 or TM.30 form to the foreign resident is subject to a fine of up to 2,000 baht (for hotels, the fine ranges from 2,000 to 10,000 baht), in accordance with Section 77 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).
___________________________________________
Key Factors Leading to Condo Renting for Foreigners
Condominium rentals involve a variety of factors that need to be considered, including:
1. Location
Proximity to complete amenities. Houses and condominiums that attract foreign tourists are those located near the BTS Skytrain, as these provide convenient transportation. They must also be located in areas with amenities such as shopping malls, food courts, and entertainment venues.
___________________________________________
2. Condo Type
The type of condo rented by foreigners who come to work and reside in Thailand long-term, particularly Europeans and Americans, typically prefers airy, simple units that allow for custom-decorating.
Executive tenants prefer larger units, ranging from 100 square meters or more for a two-bedroom condo to 150 square meters or more for a three-bedroom condo.
Single foreigners tend to prefer smaller units. Asian foreigners tend to rent fully furnished and ready-to-move-in units.
___________________________________________
3. Complete amenities and high security
What foreigners who rent condos to work in Thailand prefer Families, in particular, prefer condominiums or houses located in locations surrounded by international schools and near the airport. These housing developments have common areas, playgrounds, and swimming pools, and offer excellent security, perimeter fencing, and are difficult for outsiders to enter or exit. CCTV cameras are also readily available, making the housing development or condo less intimidating. The larger the number of foreign tenants, the better.
___________________________________________
4. Smart Home Technology
During this time of living amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign condo renters are looking for convenient living technologies, such as Smart Homes, and intelligent technologies that enhance the project's hygiene standards, such as automatic door locks and keycard systems, which reduce contact in shared spaces and reduce the chances and risks of infectious diseases.
These technologies are currently being installed in every new condo project since the COVID-19 outbreak.
___________________________________________
Now that you know this, those planning to invest in a condo for rent should check the list and prepare documents to thoroughly verify the details. Also, be sure to research the needs of foreign condo renters to determine the location and amenities your target customers desire. This will ensure you don't miss out on opportunities or target customers.
___________________________________________
Thank you for the great information from DD Property.
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