Visa on arrival - Siem Reap

[Swamp Thing]

I am planning a trip to Angkor Wat later this month.

I will be taking a flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap and from what I have read on the Cambodian Embassy website, I will be able to get a visa on arrival at S. R. for $30.

Can anybody confirm that this is the case? I want to be sure before I book my flight.

[phuketrichard]

yes, spend a bit extra an get a seat near the front of the plane as 75% of those on it will be lining up to get the voa :-)

Dont forget a photo

[sfokevin]

You can also get the visa online too and avoid the visa on arrival line and go directly to the immigration line...

https://www.evisa.gov.kh

[Jip99]

You can also get the visa online too and avoid the visa on arrival line and go directly to the immigration line...

https://www.evisa.gov.kh

Agree. For me, it is worth the $10 extra to have the visa beforehand - and you don't use a whole page of your passport with a sticker.

[Swamp Thing]

Thanks for the replies.

All good.

[Capt Rob]

Thanks for the replies.

All good.

All replies have made their point - I flew last year, investigated the on-line visas and they were a mixed bag and some would wish you to pay a lot more than the regular fee.

The on arrival fee at that time was $20 something USD, but may have increased.

If you take a photo along the process for on arrival was painless and relatively swift. As an aside, the city museum is great and worth a day of your time before you do Ankor Wat as it covers both history and art, in a much more lucid way than a group tour will provide. Additionally, if you ring the museum from your hotel they will often provide a tuk-tuk.

Atm's usually provide US currency which is preferred by many.

Rob

[Sheryl]

There is only one legitimate channel for the evisa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. It does cost a bit more. But it can save a lot of time if the airport visa counter is very crowded. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

[siam2007]

yes, spend a bit extra an get a seat near the front of the plane as 75% of those on it will be lining up to get the voa :-)

Dont forget a photo

if flying Bangkok Airways, you'd rather get a seat at the VERY REAR of the plane, as they use small ATR-72 and not Jets ;-)

[Spock]

Air Asia flight disembarked from both ends. There were 2 lines for the visa and everyone lined up in the one queue. Those of us at the end were waived up the front into the 2nd queue.If you see what looks like a very short 2nd queue go for it. The process was fairly quick and easy. You need one passport photo. Don't bother with the extra money for an evisa. I arrived here from Bangkok last Friday.

[Farangdanny]

yes, spend a bit extra an get a seat near the front of the plane as 75% of those on it will be lining up to get the voa :-)

Dont forget a photo

If you do forget the photo, don't worry. They just say, 'no photo, no problem, one dollar'!

Often the immigration officer asks for a 'tip'. any currency will do !!

[Sheryl]

Please don't "tip" them for just doing their routine job, all our sakes!

If they are "helping you out" for a special problem (like your not having the required photo) that is one thing but please let us not create a situation whereby they start to expect "tips" just for issuing visas to people who have fully met all criteria. That is not the status quo and should not become it.

[lelapin]

I will be going next month to Siem Reap with my Thai partner. Will she also require a visa on arrival.

[phuketrichard]

she gets a FREE 15 days visa exempt stamp on a thai passport

[Swamp Thing]

The trip has been done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples to be absolutely fascinating. I also enjoyed the National museum and just strolling around Siem Reap. (I even found a new dish to enjoy, Fish Amok, delicious). One of my best trips ever.

Anyway, on topic, I decided to go for the Visa on Arrival. After filling up the form, I took my place in the queue of 5 people, photo and $30 in hand. I handed these articles to the personnel at the desk, along with my passport and was told to go to the end of the counter to collect. Within 5 minutes or so, I had my passport in hand, with visa attached. (Stapled, so it can be removed without using a passport page). The whole process, from filling the form to collecting the p/p with visa, took about 15 minutes.

The plane. With propellers! A first for me.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Swamp Thing

[Sheryl]

Amok is probably the premier national dish. Comes in chicken and beef versions as well though fish the most popular.

[gk10002000]

You can also get the visa online too and avoid the visa on arrival line and go directly to the immigration line...

https://www.evisa.gov.kh

Agree. For me, it is worth the $10 extra to have the visa beforehand - and you don't use a whole page of your passport with a sticker.

Agree with the convenience factor, but the Cambodian Visa is pretty cool.

[Swamp Thing]

By the way, in post 14 i said that the visa was stapled in, not glued. I've just noticed it is attached with several staples and glued.

Just to be on the safe side, I guess.

[SantiSuk]

Just for completeness, if you do go with the cheap sticker route rather than eVisa (no reason not to if you don't mind queuing and you are not a frequent traveller to countries like Laos and Camby thereby expecting your expensive passport to expire far too early) you can expect the Camby glue to fail and the sticker to fall off within a few years.

Don't stick it back in if you are in any doubt about filling-up your passport too early. Staple it so you don't lose it and then if you need extra page(s) because of impending fullness of passport Camby/Thailand and maybe other borders will have no problem in stamping (or re-stickering if Camby) where the old sticker was previously located on request.