Most nationalities have to fork out some cash to obtain a Tourist or Business Visa when entering into Cambodia (with one completed application form and a passport photo required). The fee is only payable in cash.
Cambodia By Air
Tourist Visa
If you don’t intend to work in the country, your best option is a tourist visa valid for one month US$20, available upon arrival at Seam Reap and Phnom Penh airports.
Business Visa
If you do have any aspirations of working in Cambodia or simply enjoying the country for a long period of time, we strongly advise you obtain a Business Visa US$25 because it can be renewed as many times as you want.
Airport Tax
The highest in the region has been described as a complete rip-off!
From Pochentong International Airport in Phnom Penh:
International Departure Tax US$25 per person
Domestic Departure Tax US$6 per person
From Siem Reap International Airport in Siem Reap:
International Departure Tax US$25 per person
Domestic Departure Tax US$6 per person
Airline Companies
International airline companies that fly to & from Cambodia are:
Air France (855) 23 219 220
Dragonair (855) 23 424 300
SilkAir (855) 23 426 807
Malaysia Airlines (855) 23 426 808
Thai Airways (855) 23 363 868
Bangkok Airways (855) 23 722 545/47
Vietnam Airlines (855) 23 363 396
Southern China Airlines (855) 424 588
Eva Airlines (855) 23 210 303/388/911
The domestic carriers are:
President Airlines
Siem Reap Airways
These airline companies offer daily flights to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Rattanakiri and Stung Treng.
See Transportation Around Cambodia for contact information
Cambodia By Land
Thailand Border Crossings
A) Poipet/Aranyaprathet in northwestern Cambodia (nearest crossing to Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh)
B) Koh Kong/Had Lek in southwestern Cambodia (nearest crossing to Sihanoukville)
Visa Costs
Tourist Visa (1,000 baht = $25)
Business Visa (1,500 baht = $38)
These prices are a rip-off but there is no other choice at the moment. The Pearnik has been running stories about this but no action has been taken so far. Ask for a receipt and complain to anyone who will listen; only by voicing our opinion loudly will any action come about to stop this.
Vietnam Border Crossings
Visitors who enter from Vietnam through Bavet (Moc Bai) or Ka-Om Samnor (Chao Doc) can get their visas at the crossings. you will probably be charged a little extra.
Loas Border Crossing
The border crossing from Laos is at Voeun Kham but you have to obtain a Business or Tourist Visa before arrival at the border.
Beside these major border checkpoints, there are others open as official international entry/exit points from neighboring countries. However, they are not widely used and so it’s probably best to stick with the ones that are well known and (scams aside) reliable.
Tourist Visa
Tourist Visa’s can only be extended for one month (three month Tourist Visa extensions are illegal). This means that after two months, you will have to leave the country. Visa overstay is charged at $5 per day.
Business Visa
You can renew a Business Visa for as many months as you wish (1, 3, 6, 12). Official Business Visa renewal can only be officially achieved at the immigration offices opposite Pochentong airport. But this can take up to six weeks and they’ll keep hold of your passport during this time as well. The official cost of a Business Visa is, for example, $150 for a year. Don’t bother trying really.
Due to the length of time required to obtain one, ‘Express Service’ Business Visa’s are available via individual agents (such a New! New! Bike Rental in Phnom Penh, travel agents etc). Passport and one photo are required, and there’s normally a one to two day turnaround. Cost for one year is $270 - $280. Yes it’s a fiddle but nearly everyone, including us, goes via this route.
‘Business Visa Run’
If you only obtained a Tourist Visa when you entered into Cambodia and have since decided that you’d like to stay longer than the two months allowed, it is possible to do a ‘visa run’ by hopping over the border crossings at either Poipet or Koh Kong and into Thailand. In practice, this means an amazing level of bureaucracy where you’ll have to get your passport stamped by Cambodian border officials to prove you’ve left the country. Then you have to get your passport stamped by Thai border entry officials to show that you have entered into Thailand. The next stage is to go through the Thai departure gate to have your passport stamped again to show that you’ve left Thailand. Finally, you’ll need to cross back over and head towards Cambodian border immigration, fill-in a few forms, handover a passport photo and 1,500 baht in cash required to obtain a Business Visa, get your passport stamped yet again and its done! The moral of the story, if you have any inclination that you’d like to stay in Cambodia for a long period of time when first entering into the county -- get a Business Visa!! Once again, it is a scam on the price so complain.
Thai Visas
30 day Thai visas are obtainable at all Thai border crossings and airports if your country is part of the visa on arrival programme.
Vietnamese Visas
Vietnamese visas are not available at Vietnamese border crossing or airports so contact the nearest consulate to obtain one. Cost around $30 (1-2 day turnaround)
