Cambodia has reopened its e-Visa system to tourists and investors.

[ASEAN NOW]

 

Just four days after announcing a quarantine period for various categories of vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, the government yesterday opted to reinstate e-visas for all visitors to Cambodia.

While adhering to the new Covid-19 quarantine entrance standards, this is certainly good news for many foreigners who have been waiting to visit Cambodia for various reasons.

 

Those intending to visit Cambodia can now apply for an e-visa, according to Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Koy Kuong.

 

He did say, however, that they have no intentions to restart the Visa on Arrival program at this time.

General Department of Immigration spokesman General Keo Vannthan said yesterday that the government has yet to grant the Visa on Arrival, despite the Health Ministry's new guidelines on quarantine stay for various categories of people returning or coming from overseas, which include the mandatory requirement of producing a negative PCR test result within 72 hours and a vaccination card/certificate.

 

"We enable access in compliance with the new requirements and must implement health precautions as advised by health officials for countries that have a visa waiver agreement with Cambodia," he added.

 

To now, 33 countries, nine of which are Asean members, do not require visas for 30 days, with the exception of officials and those with diplomatic passports, who are exempt for 24 days.

 

"We have a policy in the works to reopen borders with adjacent nations," Vannthan stated, "but it has to be approved by them (neighboring countries)."

 

Last year, entry visas and tourist arrivals were briefly banned to avoid the spread of the deadly illness, according to the Immigration Police.

 

According to the Health Ministry's newest notification, travelers who are completely vaccinated must quarantine for only seven days and pay a $1,000 deposit to cover expenditures spent during their stay in the selected hotels.

 

President of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, Chhay Sivlin, told Khmer Times yesterday that the government's decision to shorten the quarantine time and reopen the issuing of e-visas to international visitors was a positive one.

 

"It's a positive indicator that things are returning to normal, and it's also an excellent method to encourage airlines to fly customers to Cambodia." "It's a good marketing approach," Sivlin stated.

 

Sivlin went on to say that they expect a slew of visitors and investors to flood Cambodia for a variety of reasons, and that "I am confident the government will not make it difficult for them to come with all of the loosening of criteria."