Cambodia Visa Issues

[Scoobydoo1]

So I just got back from the Pong Nam Ron/Kamrieng border. Haven't been there since 2020 and there used to be loads of farangs doing the hop, but this time around I was the only one there. It looked like mainly Cambodians doing the crossing. Indeed, when it was my turn to get my passport stamped, the Thai immigration officer seemed surprised to see a non-Asian.

 

After taking my passport and looking through it, instead of scanning and stamping it, he called someone over to him from outside, a heavily tattooed man with no uniform, who I think was Cambodian. After saying something to him, he then handed the guy my passport, who in turn asked me if I wanted to use him to get my Cambodian visa, which would cost 2000 baht. I replied that I could go and do it myself, to which he replied that if I used him, I could come back to Thailand the same day, whereas if I did it by myself I would have to spend a night over the border until I was allowed to return the next morning.

 

I found this odd, as I had never heard of this before but I told the guy I'd take the risk. My passport was then handed back to the immigration officer, who scanned and stamped me out of the country.

 

The Cambodian visa actually cost me 1500 baht ($43) but on the visa it read that I had paid $30 for it, so it actually should have been around 1000 baht.

 

After stamping in and out of Cambodia, I then got back into Thailand with no issues whatsoever.

 

Moral of the story is, they try to rip you off on both sides of the border so I would advise changing money into dollars and taking 30USD with you if ever you take this visa run.

 

Happy travels.

[BritTim]

If you do not have US$, the price of the Cambodian visa is whatever the official says it is. In future, have US$30 in clean undamaged notes.

 

For a same day return, it is usually necessary to bribe the Cambodian officials. There is a Cambodian law (with a couple of exceptions that would not apply to you) that you must spend at least one night in Cambodia. In the past, 100-200 baht was enough to be allowed to leave, but this year it appears generally to be 300 baht.

[zzzzz]

This is completely normal for Cambodia

You could have saved some $$ by paying $30 for the Cambodian visa an 3-500 baht, for a same day return>>  Never been less than 300 baht for years 
or travelled to Palin an stayed the night an returned the next day

[Burma Bill]

12 hours ago, Scoobydoo1 said:

The Cambodian visa actually cost me 1500 baht ($43) but on the visa it read that I had paid $30 for it, so it actually should have been around 1000 baht.

Thanks.The official cost for a Cambodian tourist or ordinary visa on entry by land, sea or air is $30. This is what I paid every time I entered Cambodia by air (Thai Air Asia) at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. However, when I visited Battambang (no airport) I used the Poipet land border crossing and, as stated above, I paid 1500 baht to a fixer. Despite all the casino buildings, there are no $ATM's before Cambodian Immigration. Maybe one can buy $ from a casino reception? When entering Cambodia by air there are $ATM's in the arrival halls before proceeding to Immigration desks.

No problems for me these days as I now live in Cambodia and my annual retirement visa INCLUDES multiple re-enteries at no extra cost. 90 Day notifications do not exist.

Edited June 21, 2023 by Burma Bill
additional information

[sandyf]

12 hours ago, Scoobydoo1 said:

Moral of the story is, they try to rip you off on both sides of the border so I would advise changing money into dollars and taking 30USD with you if ever you take this visa run.

Moral of the story should be to do what is the least hassle.

About 15 years ago a friend of mine insisted on doing it himself and paying in USD, had to wait nearly 3 hours to get his passport back.

From 2008 until 2014 I was here on ME Non O and visited the border on a regular basis, then it was 1400 baht for the visa and 150 baht admin fee and would suggest 2000 baht is not that bad a deal.

Used to take about half an hour out and in, long enough for a visit to the duty free and get reimbursed a chunk of the visa fee.

[my friend I]

17 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you do not have US$, the price of the Cambodian visa is whatever the official says it is. In future, have US$30 in clean undamaged notes.

Even with USD it can be whatever they say. Since covid they seem to be making up for lost revenue

[sharksy]

I was sweating this as I overlanded from Vietnam via the Ha Tien border, didn't have any $US.

 

Needn't have worried, they just converted the $US into Vietnam Dong which I had plent of, any paid in that.  It was easy apart from all the queues / stamping rigmarole, both in and out of Cambodia as was only there for a few days.

[Hummin]

Moral of the story, fly out fly in ????

[JoseThailand]

24 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Moral of the story, fly out fly in ????

And run into the "stay in Thailand too much" scam

[bignok]

Laos does the same. US$40 or 800,000 kip or 1500 baht???

 

Hotels are cheaper in USD.

 

 

[JoseThailand]

On 6/21/2023 at 1:02 AM, BritTim said:

There is a Cambodian law (with a couple of exceptions that would not apply to you) that you must spend at least one night in Cambodia. In the past, 100-200 baht was enough to be allowed to leave, but this year it appears generally to be 300 baht.

If there is a law like this, how was he allowed in and out of Cambodia the same day without paying anything?

Edited June 22, 2023 by JoseThailand

[BritTim]

16 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

If there is a law like this, how was he allowed in and out of Cambodia the same day without paying anything?

If he was allowed to do so without paying a bribe of about 300 baht to the Cambodian officials, he was either very lucky, or he had a multiple entry business visa for Cambodia.

[JoseThailand]

On 6/23/2023 at 5:41 PM, BritTim said:

If he was allowed to do so without paying a bribe of about 300 baht to the Cambodian officials, he was either very lucky, or he had a multiple entry business visa for Cambodia.

Maybe there is no "law" like this and they just made it up to extort money from tourists?

[bigt3116]

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Maybe there is no "law" like this and they just made it up to extort money from tourists?

No, there IS that law

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Maybe there is no "law" like this and they just made it up to extort money from tourists?

The law most definitely does exist, and has existed for many years. In more detail, the law mandates that visitors to Cambodia must stay overnight with only two significant exceptions: (i) it does not apply to those with multiple entry business visas; and (ii) it does not apply to those transiting at specifically Phnom Penh airport. The original justification for the law is that Cambodia is a poor country, and its economy is benefited by having visitors spend at least one night in the country.

[Scoobydoo1]

On 6/25/2023 at 9:00 AM, BritTim said:

The law most definitely does exist, and has existed for many years. In more detail, the law mandates that visitors to Cambodia must stay overnight with only two significant exceptions: (i) it does not apply to those with multiple entry business visas; and (ii) it does not apply to those transiting at specifically Phnom Penh airport. The original justification for the law is that Cambodia is a poor country, and its economy is benefited by having visitors spend at least one night in the country.

Thanks for the reply. I have done the Thai/Cambodian border crossing tons of times over the years, both with tour groups and by myself and have never once been told I need to stay overnight.