Located in the south portion of the Indo-China peninsula, Cambodia, also known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is any tourist's dream destination. Hailing from Europe, China, America, and Japan, many of the tourists flock to the various gems of the country - the beaches in Sihanoukville, the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, and of course, who can forget the exotic Angkor Wat historical park in the Siem Reap province. The multiple facets of Cambodia provide both the serious and casual travellers something memorable to remember, who are always fascinated and in awe of the nation's mysteries. First things first - you will need a Cambodia visa if you want to visit Cambodia. To apply for Cambodia visa and to obtain one, it's an easy process. Of course, you must pay heed to the requirements if you plan to apply for a Cambodia visa. That said, there are many things to consider if you want to apply for Cambodia visa.
What is the Cambodia visa policy?
According to the Cambodia visa policy, certain foreign travellers need a visa to visit Cambodia. Cambodia visa policy defines which and what visas are required in certain situations. It is because the nationality of the citizens plus their purpose to visit the nation affect the entry requirements. It depends on the nationalities of the applicants and their purpose of visits. Almost all travellers must have a visa to enter Cambodia, barring citizens from less than 10 countries for short visits. Cambodia offers various types of visas for travellers, depending upon the nation's purpose and duration. There are 220 different nations from where visitors can apply for Cambodia eVisa; all it requires is to complete a simple form online. A traveller can use the Cambodia eVisa to visit Cambodia as a tourist and allows the traveller to stay in the nation for 30 days. There are a few nations from where the citizens can't apply for a Cambodia eVisa. However, they can apply for a Cambodia entry visa, though it will require waiting in a queue at the nation's border. For citizens from less than 10 nations - it's a must to apply for a consular visa at the Consulate or Embassy in person for any purpose of visit, including short stays for tourism purposes. No matter their nationality, all citizens who intend to stay in Cambodia for more than 30 days will need a long-term consular visa; and which can be obtained from a Royal Cambodian Embassy.
What are the Cambodia visa requirements?
One of the most important Cambodia visa requirements is that you will need an international passport that's been issued by your nation. Note that the passport must be valid for at least six months starting from the date of entry in Cambodia. One recent passport-sized photograph (taken no more than 12 months ago) is also a must. However, the citizens of Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei Darussalam - don't need a tourist visa, and their citizens can stay in Cambodia anywhere from 14 to 30 days.
What are the Cambodia visa types? What of the Cambodia visa fees?
To the citizens who want to visit Cambodia, there are a host of options when it comes to visas - of course, the business visa and the tourist visa are by far the most common.
Still, let's take a look at what are the various Cambodia visa types, shall we?
Khmer (K) visa: This visa (also known as a K-type visa) is given only to Cambodian citizens who enter Cambodia with a foreign passport. Of course, they will need valid documents to prove that they are of Cambodian origin.
Free of charge, the Khmer (K) visa is issued only once, though it allows the Cambodian applicants to enter Cambodia as and when they want.
The processing time for this visa takes 2 to 3 days. There's no fee for this visa.
Ordinary (E) visa: Also referred to as a business visa, the Ordinary (E) visa is an "E-type" visa - this visa is valid for 30 days. Be it 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, or even 1 month, the business visa can be extended indefinitely; note that the visa when extended for either 1 year or 6 months, the visa can then allow the holder to enter Cambodia multiple times.
If the visa is extended for, say, 3 months, or even if you have a 1-month visa, then, the visa will become void, and you will need a new one when you enter Cambodia next time.
For this one, the Cambodia visa fee can range anywhere from $50 to $290.
As mentioned above, let's take a look at the E-type visas - the following E-type visas, also known as Cambodia long term visas, are best suited if you plan to stay in Cambodia for a long period.
• EB visa - One of the best Cambodia long term visas and particularly suited for Cambodian ex-pats, this visa requires a stamped letter that verifies the employment of the Cambodian ex-pats with a Cambodian company.
This visa can also be for 12 months, 6 months, 3 months, or even 1 month, though, note that only the 6-months and 12-months visa extension allows the Cambodian ex-pats to enter the nation multiple times.
• EG visa - For those searching for employment, the EG visa is for them. This visa can last for 6 months, 3 months, or 1 month.
However, those citizens who already have a previous EG visa, may or may not be granted this visa - this is because this visa is not intended for people who have been in the nation for a long time.
• ER visa - This visa is for those citizens who have reached the retirement age - proof of retirement in their home nation is required such as Social Security or Pension Fund, to show that they have the funds to support themselves.
ER visas usually are granted to those citizens who are of 55 years of age, though, there are some reports of citizens who can get this visa at a younger age. Those who are of 55 years and up are not required to show proof of their retirement, but below 55 years, they will need to give evidence.
The ER visa can last for 12 months, 6 months, 3 months, or 1 month.
• ES visa - The ES visa is a student visa, and can last for 12 months, 6 months, 3 months, or 1 month.
A letter from a registered Cambodian school is needed for the applicants plus proof of funds with which they will be able to support themselves.
Only after you get the E-type visa, then, you can apply for any one of the above extension visas from inside the nation. It's best to get the E-type visa extended for either 12 months or 6 months, as they are multiple-entry visas; the 3 months and 1-month visas are single-entry only.
Tourist (T) visa: Issued only for tourism purposes, the tourist visa of Cambodia is a T-type visa.
Lasts for 30 days, the T-type visa can only be extended once for an extended period of 30 days. This will cost around $50 plus the admin fee.
There are three methods of the Cambodia visa application process, through which you can get a Cambodia visa.
- Cambodia e Visa
- Cambodia entry visa, also known as Cambodia visa on arrival
- At an Embassy of Cambodia (abroad)
How to get a Cambodian visa?
The Cambodia visa application process is one of the easiest that you will find. You can apply for a Cambodia e Visa through the official website of the Cambodian Foreign Affairs Services. Note that the T-type visa is the only online Cambodian visa. The application fee for the Cambodia e Visa is US $30, and a processing fee of US $6 will be added to it. The processing time for the Cambodia e Visa can take about 2 to 3 days.
How to get a Cambodia entry visa (Cambodia visa on arrival)?
To get a Cambodia entry visa, follow the listed steps. - You will receive an immigration card on the airplane. Fill that out. If you don't get it, consider asking at the entry/airport point - Wait in line at the counter where the visa on arrival's application centre is. There will be a sign pointing to where the centre is - Passport, passport-sized photos, immigration card, return travel ticket - you will need to present all of these at the centre There's also the fee - the fee for the Cambodia entry visa is $30 for a tourist fee. That said, you can also opt for a Cambodia entry visa for business purposes; in that case, you will need to pay a fee of US $35. - The Cambodia entry visa will take a few minutes to get processed - The immigration officer will take your fingerprints and your photograph, after which your visa will be stamped on the passport
How to get a Cambodia visa at the Embassy of Cambodia?
You can get a Cambodia visa by applying for one at one of the many diplomatic missions of Cambodia abroad, such as the Consulate or Embassy. Locate the Consulate/Embassy, either contact them or consider visiting their website to know more about the application process and requirements. Now that you know how can you get a Cambodia visa, the next pressing concern is about the documents, right?
What documents do you need for a Cambodia visa?
To apply for a Cambodia visa, the following documents are a must. - Your passport (must be valid for 6 months) and must contain at least one blank page - A return-trip ticket - Cash to pay the visa fee. The cash must be in US Dollars - If the Cambodian visa is applied at Consulate/Embassy, then other documents such as invitation letter, cover letter, etc. may be needed
