The yellow house book (Tor Ror 13) is the Thai house registration for foreigners who live in Thailand legally on a temporary stay, and the pink ID card is an identity card that a foreigner listed in that book may ask for. Both come from the local civil registration office, not from immigration, and for ordinary residents both are optional (as of October 2026).
Every Thai home has a house registration, a small book kept by the head of household that lists who lives there. Foreigners with a passport and a valid permission to stay can be added to a separate version of that register for non-Thais, printed in yellow. Once your name is in it, the registrar can also issue you a pink identity card.
Neither document is a visa or gives you any right to stay. They record where you live in the Thai civil system, in the same way as for Thai citizens, and many long-stay residents find that useful when an office asks for a Thai document showing their address.
Tor Ror 13 and the pink card in brief (October 2026)
- Yellow house book
- Tor Ror 13 (ท.ร.13), the house registration for foreigners on a temporary legal stay
- Pink ID card
- ID card for persons without Thai nationality; optional for passport holders listed in a Tor Ror 13
- Who qualifies
- A foreigner living in Thailand legally, with a passport and an unexpired permission to stay
- Who applies
- The head of household, or the foreigner who wants to be added
- Where
- The local registration office (municipality or district office) for the area where the house is
- Basic documents
- Certified passport copy, three 1-inch (3 × 4 cm) photos, at least two witnesses
- Decision
- Within 7 days; complex cases referred to the Central Registration Office (up to 90 days)
What the yellow book is, and what it is not
The legal basis is the Central Registration Bureau's regulation on civil registration of 1992, as amended in 2008. Koh Samui Municipality's official English guide sums it up: any foreigner living in Thailand legally and holding an unexpired temporary visa may ask to be added to the house registration of the head of household where they live, in what it calls "a yellow house book, called Thor. Ror. 13".
The word "temporary" matters. The yellow book is for foreigners whose stay is limited in time: retirees, spouses, workers, students on extensions or long-stay visas. It is not a sign of permanent residence, which falls under separate rules. Nor is it the immigration address system. Your landlord's residence notice to immigration is a separate duty, explained in our article on the TM30 and visa extensions; a house book entry does not replace it, and the TM30 does not put you in a house book.
Who can be added, and to whose house
The rule in the official guide is short. You need to be in Thailand legally, hold a passport, and have a permission to stay that has not expired. There is no requirement in that guide to be married to a Thai or to own property, although both situations are common among people who apply.
You are added to the registration of a specific house, the one where you live. The application is made by the head of household or by you, at the registration office for the area where the house stands. In practice that means one of three situations:
- You live in a Thai partner's or family member's house. The head of household is usually that person or a relative, and they bring the house book.
- You rent. You need the owner's cooperation, because the owner or head of household holds the house book. Our guide to renting a condo or house suggests what to agree with a landlord before you sign.
- You own a condo. Ask the district office how a foreign owner's unit is registered and whether you can be entered as head of household. The purchase itself is covered in our guide to buying a condo as a foreigner.
Documents and witnesses for the registration office
Koh Samui Municipality's guide lists only three things for the foreigner: a certified copy of the passport, three photographs of 1 inch (3 × 4 cm), and at least two witnesses who can confirm your identity. The house book itself comes from the head of household, and offices also expect to see that person's ID card.
That is the minimum on paper. Registrars have the power to check facts and question witnesses, and practice varies between offices. Before you go, phone or visit the office and ask:
- whether they want copies of your visa or extension stamp and last entry stamp as well;
- who may act as a witness, and whether witnesses must bring their Thai ID cards;
- whether a translation of any foreign document, or a letter from your embassy, is needed;
- whether the head of household must come in person or may give a written authorization.
The two witnesses come with you, in person. The official guide asks for at least two people who can confirm who you are, so plan the visit around their working hours, not only around yours.
How long it takes, and what the registrar can ask
The same guide sets time limits. If the registrar has reason to doubt the application, it must check the facts and question witnesses within 7 days. If the case raises a legal question the local office cannot settle, it consults the Central Registration Office: the file must be sent within 30 days and answered within 90 days.
Plan for more than one visit in case the office has questions. Go early in the day, because registration offices keep official hours, Monday to Friday 08:30–16:30 and closed on public holidays, according to the municipal guides we read. Our page on government office hours explains lunch breaks and queue tickets, and the public holidays list shows which days to avoid.
The pink ID card: optional for most foreigners
The pink card is the identity card for persons without Thai nationality, issued under a 2008 Ministerial Regulation. Hat Yai City Municipality's official notice explains who must have one and who may. It is compulsory for some groups, such as foreigners with permanent residence and people registered under special status rules. For a foreigner on a temporary stay who holds a passport and whose name is in a Tor Ror 13, the registrar may issue the card "if the person wishes".
So, for the typical retiree or spouse, the card is a choice. You apply in person at the local registration office during official hours, with your documents. Hat Yai's notice does not list a fee, and we could not confirm one on an official page, so ask the office.
Your house book entry is the address behind the card. Keep your passport valid and your stay legal: the card does not replace either, and immigration will always want the passport.
Neither document lets you skip immigration duties. With a yellow book and a pink card you still extend your stay, file 90-day reports and get a re-entry permit before trips abroad, exactly as before.
What people use them for, and what is only rumor
The documents are a Thai record of your address and identity, and that is their real value. Long-stay residents use them where an office asks for Thai proof of address, for example at a bank or a land transport office. Whether a given office accepts them is that office's decision. Immigration offices also issue a separate residence certificate (Chiang Mai immigration publishes the request form), and our page on opening a bank account and the article on getting a Thai driving license describe what those offices usually want.
You will read online that a pink card gets you Thai prices at national parks or on domestic flights. We found no official rule saying so. Some places may accept it at the counter, others will not; our guide to dual pricing explains how two-tier pricing works.
The documents can also make family paperwork smoother. If you live with a Thai spouse, being on the same house registration as your household is a practical record of that; our guide to marrying a Thai citizen covers the marriage itself, and the retirement visa page covers the stay.
Frequently asked questions
Who can get a yellow house book in Thailand?
Any foreigner living in Thailand legally with a passport and an unexpired permission to stay, according to the civil registration rules as summarized by Koh Samui Municipality. You are added to the house registration of the house where you live, with the head of household's cooperation.
Is the pink ID card compulsory for foreigners?
Not for most. Hat Yai City Municipality's notice says it is compulsory for groups such as permanent residents, while temporary-stay foreigners with a passport and a Tor Ror 13 entry can get one only if they wish.
What documents do I need for a Tor Ror 13?
The official guide lists a certified passport copy, three 1-inch photos and at least two witnesses, plus the head of household's house book and ID. Offices may ask for more, such as visa pages, so check with yours before you go.
Is the yellow house book the same as the TM30?
No. The TM30 is a residence notice filed with immigration by your landlord or hotel. The yellow book is a civil registration at the municipal or district office. Having one does not remove the need for the other.
Can I use a pink ID card instead of my passport?
Not for immigration matters, which always need your passport. Other offices decide for themselves whether they accept the card as identification, so carry your passport or a copy as well until you know.
Sources
- Koh Samui City Municipality – Request for a Foreigner's House Registration (Tor Ror 13), Thai and English (PDF, December 2016) (checked October 2026)
- Hat Yai City Municipality – ID cards for persons without Thai nationality (Thai, April 2017) (checked October 2026)
- Chiang Mai Provincial Immigration – Home page and residence certificate form (Thai) (checked October 2026)