Business Visa for Cambodia? Can my Thai wife also get one?

[TheSiemReaper]

So far, it makes little difference if you apply in PP or SR. No, you can't pay a little extra for fast tracking. Thai's should apply within the first 4 days of arrival on the 14 day deal.

A tourist visa conversion can be done, theoretically, to a business visa. In practice it costs more than flying out and flying back again.

PhuketRichard is wrong. In many ways, the Western import goods are much cheaper and of equal quality to those in Thailand. There's less of a selection, that's true - but I spend a shed load less in Cambodia in a month than I would to live the equivalent life in Thailand. Those who don't live here - never discover where to go to get the best deals...

it all depends on what your buying. !!!

, i lived in PP in 2008/09 and travel up there at least 2 x .year an when i go places I always look at prices in Markets and supermarkets.

wine/cigs are cheaper for sure Imported meats are more as are cheeses.

most all western good come from Thailand and /or Vietnam

No, it doesn't. I buy Cheddar Cheese at $18 a kilo (imported is only $20 a kilo); it's made in Cambodia and it's better than any of the imported gunk. I pay $8 a kilo for smoked ham (and it's incredibly good); made in Cambodia too. And so on... if you think you have to rely on imported products in Cambodia - you don't know what you're doing. Shopping around the major supermarkets here quickly teaches you that you need to visit more than one supermarket to do your shopping - price fluctuations are extreme but by and large prices are no worse than in Thailand (and often cheaper) if you do shop around.

[Tomtomtom69]

So far, it makes little difference if you apply in PP or SR. No, you can't pay a little extra for fast tracking. Thai's should apply within the first 4 days of arrival on the 14 day deal.

A tourist visa conversion can be done, theoretically, to a business visa. In practice it costs more than flying out and flying back again.

PhuketRichard is wrong. In many ways, the Western import goods are much cheaper and of equal quality to those in Thailand. There's less of a selection, that's true - but I spend a shed load less in Cambodia in a month than I would to live the equivalent life in Thailand. Those who don't live here - never discover where to go to get the best deals...

it all depends on what your buying. !!!

, i lived in PP in 2008/09 and travel up there at least 2 x .year an when i go places I always look at prices in Markets and supermarkets.

wine/cigs are cheaper for sure Imported meats are more as are cheeses.

most all western good come from Thailand and /or Vietnam

No, it doesn't. I buy Cheddar Cheese at $18 a kilo (imported is only $20 a kilo); it's made in Cambodia and it's better than any of the imported gunk. I pay $8 a kilo for smoked ham (and it's incredibly good); made in Cambodia too. And so on... if you think you have to rely on imported products in Cambodia - you don't know what you're doing. Shopping around the major supermarkets here quickly teaches you that you need to visit more than one supermarket to do your shopping - price fluctuations are extreme but by and large prices are no worse than in Thailand (and often cheaper) if you do shop around.

There's cheese made in Cambodia? That's new. I know about cheese made in Vietnam, some of which I've seen sold in Cambodia, but local cheese? Hmm..interesting to say the least.

[TheSiemReaper]

So far, it makes little difference if you apply in PP or SR. No, you can't pay a little extra for fast tracking. Thai's should apply within the first 4 days of arrival on the 14 day deal.

A tourist visa conversion can be done, theoretically, to a business visa. In practice it costs more than flying out and flying back again.

PhuketRichard is wrong. In many ways, the Western import goods are much cheaper and of equal quality to those in Thailand. There's less of a selection, that's true - but I spend a shed load less in Cambodia in a month than I would to live the equivalent life in Thailand. Those who don't live here - never discover where to go to get the best deals...

it all depends on what your buying. !!!

, i lived in PP in 2008/09 and travel up there at least 2 x .year an when i go places I always look at prices in Markets and supermarkets.

wine/cigs are cheaper for sure Imported meats are more as are cheeses.

most all western good come from Thailand and /or Vietnam

No, it doesn't. I buy Cheddar Cheese at $18 a kilo (imported is only $20 a kilo); it's made in Cambodia and it's better than any of the imported gunk. I pay $8 a kilo for smoked ham (and it's incredibly good); made in Cambodia too. And so on... if you think you have to rely on imported products in Cambodia - you don't know what you're doing. Shopping around the major supermarkets here quickly teaches you that you need to visit more than one supermarket to do your shopping - price fluctuations are extreme but by and large prices are no worse than in Thailand (and often cheaper) if you do shop around.

There's cheese made in Cambodia? That's new. I know about cheese made in Vietnam, some of which I've seen sold in Cambodia, but local cheese? Hmm..interesting to say the least.

Lots of Cheese made here; artisan cheesemaker; cheddar, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, kampot pepper cream cheese, ricotta, and more! Siem Reap's about to become THE tourist center of South East Asia (thanks to Angkor Wat) - lots of cool stuff happens here if you just know where to look. I've been here 3 years and the place has changed beyond recognition to when I arrived. For the old-timers (10-20 year expats) apparently the changes are even more dramatic.

The idea that someone who lived here 5 years ago in any part of the country can talk about what it's like now with any authority is bizarre. It's too fluid a situation to have that kind of longevity.

[TheSiemReaper]

Update: I have had it confirmed by SR's most trusted (by the expat community) visa agent that the process now takes 4 working days (weekends are not working days for the count) plus 2 more days if done from Siem Reap (for your passport to get to PP and then come back) and plus 0 days in Phnom Penh. It doesn't matter how big a bribe you offer - they will not expedite this (as several expats here have already confirmed). So in total you're looking at 6-8 days from SR and 4 days in PP. Can't offer any insight into Sihanoukville or Battambang or Kampot or Kep but I would expect them to follow the same process as Siem Reap is.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Update: I have had it confirmed by SR's most trusted (by the expat community) visa agent that the process now takes 4 working days (weekends are not working days for the count) plus 2 more days if done from Siem Reap (for your passport to get to PP and then come back) and plus 0 days in Phnom Penh. It doesn't matter how big a bribe you offer - they will not expedite this (as several expats here have already confirmed). So in total you're looking at 6-8 days from SR and 4 days in PP. Can't offer any insight into Sihanoukville or Battambang or Kampot or Kep but I would expect them to follow the same process as Siem Reap is.

SR, are you still talking about the one-year visa or the 6-month? Thanks

[TheSiemReaper]

Update: I have had it confirmed by SR's most trusted (by the expat community) visa agent that the process now takes 4 working days (weekends are not working days for the count) plus 2 more days if done from Siem Reap (for your passport to get to PP and then come back) and plus 0 days in Phnom Penh. It doesn't matter how big a bribe you offer - they will not expedite this (as several expats here have already confirmed). So in total you're looking at 6-8 days from SR and 4 days in PP. Can't offer any insight into Sihanoukville or Battambang or Kampot or Kep but I would expect them to follow the same process as Siem Reap is.

SR, are you still talking about the one-year visa or the 6-month? Thanks

I'm talking about all visa extensions from 1 month to 1 year I'm afraid.

[rarky]

I renewed my 12 month meev ordinary visa for another 12 months just last week. I submitted it to my usual renewal agency on Mon morning, and received a phone call the next afternoon to come and pick up my passport. There is no standard processing time, but you should allow for 2-4 working days in PP, and up to a week if submitted from outside PP.