The yellow house book is an official record that says you live at a certain address in Thailand. It’s for foreigners here on a visa, and it’s the first step if you ever want a Thai ID card.
Thai citizens have a house registration for their home, and the yellow book is the version for foreigners. Plenty of expats never bother with it, but it’s handy if you keep getting asked for proof of your Thai address.
It’s free. The hassle is getting your passport translated, finding two witnesses and getting whoever heads your household to agree, so this guide shows you whether it’s worth doing and how to get through it.
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Contents
Key Takeaways
- The yellow house book shows your name at a Thai address.
- It’s optional. It isn’t a visa or a work permit, and you’ll still need to do your 90-day reports.
- On paper, anyone with a valid visa can apply. In practice, most people who get one are married to a Thai or own their condo, and some offices insist on it.
- The book is free. You’ll pay for a Thai translation of your passport and visa.
- You’ll need two witnesses and the okay of the person in charge of the home.
- Allow up to 30 days.
- Banks and other offices decide for themselves whether to accept it, so ask them before you start.
What Is the Yellow House Book?
In Thailand, every home has a house book that lists the people who officially live there. Thais are listed in the regular one. The yellow house book is the separate one for foreigners who are living here on a visa.
So when you get a yellow book, you’re simply getting your name registered at a Thai address. “Yellow house book” is only a nickname, though. The official name is Tor Ror 13, so use that when you talk to the office.
Once your name is in the book, you can also apply for a pink ID card. That’s a Thai photo ID with a 13-digit number, and it costs THB60. Our pink card guide explains how to get one.
Do You Need One?
Probably not, unless a bank, an office or someone else keeps asking for proof of your Thai address. Few foreigners have one. The government counted about 49,000 people in the yellow book in 2018, out of about 2.4 million foreigners on its records.
No one has to accept it. There’s no official list of who does, so your bank, a car dealer or the land transport office can each say yes or no.
If you only need to prove your address, there’s an easier option. A residence certificate is a letter from Immigration that confirms where you live, and you don’t need witnesses to get one. We’d try that first. The yellow book makes more sense if you’re settling here long term or want a pink card.
Why Some People Get It
In the expat forums, people who have a yellow book mostly use it as proof of where they live:
- Fewer trips to Immigration. One member said it saved a 5-hour round trip for a residence certificate when renewing their driving licence.
- Paperwork for a car. Another member used it, together with their pink card, to register a new car.
- It’s the way to get a pink card. If you’re on a visa, you can’t get the card without it.
It still depends on who’s at the counter. One member said the yellow book has never been accepted at their land transport office in Pattaya.
Tip: Before you start, ask the bank or office that needs your paperwork, “Will you accept a yellow house book?” It’s a two-minute question that could save you a month.
What It Doesn’t Change
The yellow book doesn’t change your status. You’ll still need a valid visa to stay, and you’ll still need a permit to work. Your landlord still has to report where you live (TM.30), and you should keep doing your 90-day reports.
How to Get the Yellow House Book
The hardest part is usually finding someone to add you. Your name goes in the book for one specific home, so the person in charge of that home has to agree and go to the office with you. That person is called the head of household, and it could be the owner, a tenant or someone else.
In practice, it’s much easier if you live in your Thai spouse’s home or own your condo. Some district offices ask for a marriage certificate or proof that you own the property, even though the official rules don’t require either. If you rent, you can still try, but expect a harder time, and call the office first to ask what it wants.
Renting also means asking your landlord or whoever’s in charge to do government paperwork for you. Talk to them first, before you pay for any translations.
What You’ll Need
Bring all of this on the day, because a missing paper means a second trip:
- A copy of the home’s regular house book.
- The head of household’s Thai ID card.
- Your passport with a visa or extension that’s still valid. You can’t apply once it has run out.
- A Thai translation of your passport and visa pages. Ask the office which translators it accepts before you pay for one.
- Two witnesses who can confirm who you are. They have to come with you.
- Three 1-inch photos. Not every office asks for these, but it’s better to bring them.
What to Do
The process runs through the district office that covers your address:
- Call the office and ask what it wants to see. In Bangkok, that’s the registration section of your district office. Elsewhere, it’s your district office or local municipality.
- Go to the office with the head of household and your two witnesses. Most offices open at around 08:00 or 08:30, and we’d go early in case something’s missing.
- Hand in your papers. The officer will ask all of you some questions, including about your background and whether the head of household really agrees.
- Wait for the decision. The office can take up to 30 days, or 60 to 90 days if it needs extra checks.
- Once you’re approved, your name goes in the book. The head of household keeps the updated book, so ask for a copy for yourself.
The office doesn’t charge anything for this. The only real cost is the translation. If someone offers to do it all for a big fee, remember the book itself is free, so the rest is their service charge.
If the Office Says No
Don’t give up straight away. These requests are rare, so the officer you meet may never have handled one. Stay polite and try these steps:
- Ask what’s missing, and ask them to write it down.
- If they say foreigners on a visa can’t apply, show them the government’s guide to this service on your phone.
- Call the civil registration helpline on 1548, or the government complaint line on 1111.
- If you’re short on time, get a residence certificate instead.
You have to apply at the office that covers your address, so you can’t try another district. Your best bet is to fix whatever they flagged and go back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the yellow book give me any new rights?
No. It records your address. You still need a visa to stay and a permit to work.
Do I need to own the home?
Not officially. You need the agreement of the head of household, who can be the owner, a tenant or someone else. In practice, though, some offices only add foreigners who are married to a Thai or own the property, so call yours first.
I’m a permanent resident. Is this for me?
No. Permanent residents go in the regular house book instead, which is also free and takes up to 30 days. Our permanent residence guide explains how to qualify.
Can I get the yellow book and a pink card on the same day?
Usually not. The office checks your application before adding you to the book, which can take up to 30 days, and you can only apply for the card once your name is in it. So plan on two trips. Procedures vary from office to office, though, so when you hand in your papers, ask whether you can get the pink card on the day you collect the book.
What happens to the book when my visa ends?
The official guides don’t say, so ask the officer when you apply.
Sources Cited
- DOPA public service guide, adding a foreigner with an unexpired permission to stay to Tor Ror 13: eligibility, documents, no fee, 30 days, 60 and 90 day limits.
- DOPA public service guide, adding a permanent resident to a house registration: no fee, 30 days.
- DOPA call centre 1548, Houses and house registration: Tor Ror 13 versus Tor Ror 14, definition of head of household.
- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration manual, adding a name to Tor Ror 13: district office, hours, documents.
- Koh Samui municipality leaflet (Thai and English), foreigner’s house registration: “yellow house book” wording, photos, passport copy.
- Khun Han subdistrict municipality manual, adding a name to Tor Ror 13: processing steps, 1111 and 1548 complaint lines.
- DOPA presentation on personal status management: July 2018 counts of foreigners on the register.
- Immigration Bureau, notification of residence for foreigners (TM.30): duty on the house owner, landlord or hotel manager.
- Bangkok Immigration, downloads and 90-day report: 90-day notification.
- Bangkok Immigration, letter of residence information: residence certificate documents.
