Best way to get visa to Cambodia (on arrival or e-visa)?

[ChomDo]

Hi,

I'm going to visit Siem Reap from Thailand for a few days trip (flying from Don Muaeng to Siem Reap) and I was wondering is it wise to get the e-visa online rather than applying for the visa on arrival at Siem Reap airport. Is buying the e-visa online a better option and how long might it take at Siem Reap airport to get the visa on arrival?

Thanks!

[overherebc]

Get your e-visa from evisa.gov.kh 30 dollars plus 7 for service. Saves you getting in a queue for 20/30 minutes on arrival if busy.

If you check any of the other sites offering e-visa you will find you are paying an agent an extra 40 50 or 60 dollars.

[HarrySeaman]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

[Asiantravel]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

complete and utter rubbish!

[tuffy]

Totally agree with HarrySeaman. If going by land get the e visa ...it saved me a lot of time and headache just got back last week....not sure about flying but I would assume the airport is going to be less problems

[overherebc]

Totally agree with HarrySeaman. If going by land get the e visa ...it saved me a lot of time and headache just got back last week....not sure about flying but I would assume the airport is going to be less problems

If you have the e-visa you don't need to queue anywhere, land or airport. The cost is the same and saves you time and hassle.

Without e visa

Land crossing, fill in the application, pay 800 to 1000 baht, wait to get the visa, lose a whole page in your passport.

Airport wait in the queue, fill in the form, pay money as above wait for visa.

Land crossing, go straight to the Imm booth fill in the landing card, hand over with your copy of e visa, get stamped in.

Airport, walk to the e-visa counter and get stamped in.

[prakhonchai nick]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

complete and utter rubbish!

Which bit is utter rubbish?

I have travelled dozens of times in the past 2 years overland, via Chong Chom and the neighbouring border in Si Saket province. E visas are not acceptable here, and every time a minimum of $5 or more is demanded above the correct visa fee. if paying in baht, they demand substantially more.

Flying will get you the visa at the arrival airport for the corect cost, but an e visa speeds things up

If using Poipet border, then an evisa is accepted, and is highly recommended to avoid the Cambodian Immigration mafia! Here, even with an evisa, you will have to join the queue, unless you pay more for fast tracking!

It's time that Cambodia jpoined other Asian counties in giving 15/30 days visa free on arrival

[Asiantravel]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

complete and utter rubbish!

Which bit is utter rubbish?

I have travelled dozens of times in the past 2 years overland, via Chong Chom and the neighbouring border in Si Saket province. E visas are not acceptable here, and every time a minimum of $5 or more is demanded above the correct visa fee. if paying in baht, they demand substantially more.

Flying will get you the visa at the arrival airport for the corect cost, but an e visa speeds things up

If using Poipet border, then an evisa is accepted, and is highly recommended to avoid the Cambodian Immigration mafia! Here, even with an evisa, you will have to join the queue, unless you pay more for fast tracking!

It's time that Cambodia jpoined other Asian counties in giving 15/30 days visa free on arrival

( a ) it is much quicker to obtain the Visa on the Internet compared to having to get one at the airport. If it is printed out already you just go straight to the immigration desk. I just applied for another evisa two days ago and I received it the very next day.

( b ) I have used the land border at Koh Kong many times with an evisa and I have never once been scammed for extra money while when holding an eVisa . The tea money he writes about is a fairy story.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Asiantravel

[prakhonchai nick]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

complete and utter rubbish!

Which bit is utter rubbish?

I have travelled dozens of times in the past 2 years overland, via Chong Chom and the neighbouring border in Si Saket province. E visas are not acceptable here, and every time a minimum of $5 or more is demanded above the correct visa fee. if paying in baht, they demand substantially more.

Flying will get you the visa at the arrival airport for the corect cost, but an e visa speeds things up

If using Poipet border, then an evisa is accepted, and is highly recommended to avoid the Cambodian Immigration mafia! Here, even with an evisa, you will have to join the queue, unless you pay more for fast tracking!

It's time that Cambodia jpoined other Asian counties in giving 15/30 days visa free on arrival

( a ) it is much quicker to obtain the Visa on the Internet compared to having to get one at the airport. If it is printed out already you just go straight to the immigration desk. I just applied for another evisa two days ago and I received it the very next day.

( b ) I have used the land border at Koh Kong many times with an evisa and I have never once been scammed for extra money while when holding an eVisa . The tea money he writes about is a fairy story.

I think you have misread Harry Seamans post. He is saying get an e visa to avoid the scams at the land borders. Scams do exist at all land border crossings, but provided you have an evisa (Poipet and Ko Kong only) you avoid the scams.

The additional $7 is a hefty mark up on $30, when not necessary. Unless you are in a hurry to move on, then buy the visa for $30 at either Siem Reap or Phnom Penh Airport. E visas only for land borders where possible

[pmarlowe]

I've flown into Siem Reap and PP separately with the past month. They give you the visa form on the plane. Bring a spare passport photo and 30 USD. Its a snap. Pretty quick even when it's busy.

[ChomDo]

Thanks for the info..I did mention that I was flying so I'm only interested about Siem Reap airport of course. I would get the e-visa so I don't have to wait at the airport but I was just wondering that are they safe and not that they tell me at the airport that it's not accepted or something. Seemingly there is no such scam so should be a good idea to get the e-visa in advance. I don't have an electronic passport photo and don't have time to get one so I could only do it if they the site accepts a self-taken photo of a passport picture.

Anyway if getting the visa on arrival at Siem Reap airport take under 30 min that's OK for me too.

[Coyoti]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

I totally agree. Never had a problem flying into Penom Penh with visa on arrival, but always feel scammed crossing at Hat Lek/Cham Yeam. I've done it dozens of times. Now days they want 1500 baht for the visa. If you use the touts to fill out the visa application it's more. Two weeks ago I tried to give them US dollars but they wouldn't take it. My brother-in-law works at the casino on the Cambodia side. I thought he could help me make the crossing a bit easier and cheaper (as in closer to the true visa cost), but it didn't seem to matter. I'd get an E-visa every time if my wife would just give me a few days (instead of hours) warning when she wants to go visit family in Koh Kong.

[thecyclist]

It is true, not utter rubbish, that they attempt to scam some extra cash out of you at most land border crossing, but you can refuse to pay , and they will eventually have to issue you the visa for the official fee.Most difficult at Hadlek where they probably make you wait for an hour or two before they give in. At the other crossing you will get an angry look,but that's it.

[roadagent]

The main advantage of the evisa is it saves one page in your passport. You only get the normal entry/exit stamps. When you are approved, print 2 copies of your evisa and hand one in when you arrive and the other when you leave. Total cost is $30 visa fee, $7 processing fee, $3 additional charge for "credit card service, payment gateway clearance fee and relevant technical support". My credit card company also charges 1% foreign transaction fee. My total cost was $40.40. This is the official government site: https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

[phuketrichard]

Get your e-visa from evisa.gov.kh 30 dollars plus 7 for service. Saves you getting in a queue for 20/30 minutes on arrival if busy.

If you check any of the other sites offering e-visa you will find you are paying an agent an extra 40 50 or 60 dollars.

it is $40 ($3 cc fee)

no reason to spend an extra $10 voa is so easy in Cambodia airports

[Bullie]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

Plus it's worth the extra buck to see their disappointed faces at the landborder when you present them with an E-visa. God, I hate the FXXX with a passion!

[Bullie]

If flying just get the visa on arrival. You won't get ripped off by Cambodian Immigration at the airports and the process is reasonably fast and easy if you fill out the arrival card before you land.

If traveling by land get the e-visa to avoid all the hassle and scams the Cambodian Immigration officers at the land border crossings use to extract extra cash from you. The cost is higher for the e-visa than the real cost of the visa on arrival but the land entry Cambodian Immigration officers will charge you extra "tea money" so the cost is the same or higher than the e-visa.

complete and utter rubbish!

It happens to me ALL the time at Had Lek. So maybe you are a bit crass in your comment.

Or I could just respond to your remark in the same crass way and just call you an uninformed moron.

[phuketrichard]

i crossed at hat lek in Nov,

drove in with my car, gave him $30 and got the visa

have entered at every land border an never paid more than the official rate (going back to 2002)

i guess some people just look like they can be scammed

IF u fly in with luggage an get the voa you will still end up waiting for ur bags :-)

[gk10002000]

Remember, that paying on the internet means you have to use your credit or debit card. Many people do not like to use that for foreign transactions. I certainly don't.

[HampiK]

Get your e-visa from evisa.gov.kh 30 dollars plus 7 for service. Saves you getting in a queue for 20/30 minutes on arrival if busy.

If you check any of the other sites offering e-visa you will find you are paying an agent an extra 40 50 or 60 dollars.

it is $40 ($3 cc fee)

no reason to spend an extra $10 voa is so easy in Cambodia airports

For some people it's worth $10 more for safe 1 page in your passport. A few years back I had to renew my passport, because it already was full, even i still would have left 6 years for renew, but no empty site in it. So would be a great things at that time....

[Mojomor]

I always get the E-visa. It saves a page of my passport, and that is worth quite a lot of money to me.