Cambodia operates a multi-tiered visa system designed to accommodate tourism, business, and long-term residence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation administers all visa categories, with implementation handled by the General Department of Immigration at ports of entry and Cambodian diplomatic missions worldwide. The official government portal for visa information is www.evisa.gov.kh for electronic visas and www.mfaic.gov.kh for general consular guidance. All visa regulations reference the 1994 Law on Immigration as amended in 2008, though implementation practices have evolved significantly through ministerial directives issued between 2006 and 2024.
Citizens of Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, and Myanmar receive visa-free entry for stays ranging from 14 to 30 days depending on bilateral agreements. These exemptions apply strictly to tourism and short business visits. The 30-day exemption for ASEAN nationals entered force in 2022 following the Cambodian chairmanship of ASEAN. All other nationalities require a visa obtained either electronically before travel, on arrival at designated ports of entry, or through Cambodian diplomatic missions. No fee waivers exist outside the bilateral agreements listed. Diplomatic and official passport holders from countries with specific agreements may receive separate treatment, but these arrangements do not extend to ordinary passport holders.
The Tourist Visa, formally designated as the T-class visa, permits a single entry for 30 days from the date of entry, not the date of issuance. This visa category prohibits employment, business activities beyond preliminary meetings, or enrollment in educational programs. The e-Visa system launched in 2006 and received a complete platform overhaul in 2017. Processing through www.evisa.gov.kh requires a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, a recent passport-style photograph meeting ICAO specifications, and payment by credit or debit card. The fee is 36 US dollars, comprising a 30-dollar visa fee and a six-dollar service charge. Processing typically completes within three business days, though the official timeframe states up to five business days. The e-Visa is valid for three months from the date of approval, meaning the traveler must enter Cambodia within that window. The system accepts only tourism purposes—applicants indicating business, journalism, or other activities will receive rejections with instructions to apply through an embassy.
Visa on arrival remains available at Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport, Preah Sihanouk International Airport in Sihanoukville, and six land border crossings: Cham Yeam in Koh Kong Province (Thailand border), Poi Pet in Banteay Meanchey Province (Thailand border), Bavet in Svay Rieng Province (Vietnam border), Tropaeng Kreal Border Post in Stung Treng Province (Laos border), Tropaeng Sre in Stung Treng Province (Laos border), and Cham in Oddar Meanchey Province (Thailand border). The on-arrival fee is 30 US dollars cash, payable in US dollars only. Officers also accept the fee in Cambodian riel at the prevailing exchange rate, typically posted at the immigration desk. The process requires the same passport validity and photograph specifications as the e-Visa. Applicants complete a paper form distributed on inbound flights or available at the immigration desk. Peak arrival times at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports, particularly on flights from Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur arriving between 0800 and 1200 hours, can produce queues requiring 45 to 90 minutes. Smaller airports and land borders generally process arrivals within 15 to 30 minutes outside of tour group clusters.
Reports of informal fee requests at land borders, particularly Poi Pet and Bavet, have persisted since the visa-on-arrival system began. The official fee is 30 US dollars regardless of entry point or time of day. Some travelers report requests for additional payments ranging from one to five dollars, described variously as processing fees, overtime fees, or photo fees. The General Department of Immigration has published notices in English and Khmer at all official entry points stating that only the 30-dollar fee applies. Providing the exact fee in US dollars and possessing a printed photograph that meets specifications reduces but does not eliminate these requests. Travelers declining to pay additional amounts have generally received their visas after delays ranging from a few minutes to over an hour. The Cambodian government operates a hotline for immigration complaints at +855 23 220 469, though its effectiveness for resolving real-time entry issues is limited by language barriers and response times.
Business visas, designated E-class, permit multiple entries and can be extended for periods up to one year per extension. The initial E-visa issued on arrival or electronically covers 30 days, identical in validity to the tourist visa. The distinction becomes relevant only during extension. E-visas on arrival cost 35 US dollars at airports and land borders, five dollars more than the tourist category. The e-Visa system does not currently offer E-class visas—applicants seeking business visas must apply on arrival or through a Cambodian embassy. Business visas do not automatically confer work authorization. Foreign nationals intending to accept employment must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, a separate process requiring sponsorship by a Cambodian-registered employer. The E-visa extension process, handled through travel agencies and visa service companies in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, typically costs 45 to 75 US dollars for a one-month extension, 75 to 100 US dollars for three months, 155 to 190 US dollars for six months, and 285 to 320 US dollars for one year. These ranges reflect both the official fee and the service charge applied by the agency. Some agencies advertise same-day service for one-month extensions, while longer extensions typically require submitting the passport for three to five business days.
Tourist visas can be extended once for 30 days at a cost of 45 to 65 US dollars through the same agency networks that handle business visa extensions. The General Department of Immigration maintains offices in Phnom Penh on Russian Federation Boulevard and in Siem Reap on Road 60, where travelers can theoretically process extensions directly. In practice, most foreign nationals use agencies due to language barriers, the requirement to navigate administrative queues, and the time investment—direct applications often require multiple visits and waiting periods that consume half or full days. Attempting to extend a tourist visa beyond the single 30-day extension is not permitted. Overstaying a visa incurs a fine of 10 US dollars per day, payable in cash at the departure immigration desk. This fine has remained unchanged since 2008. Overstays exceeding 30 days can result in detention and formal deportation proceedings, though enforcement varies. The immigration database flags overstays, potentially complicating future visa applications to Cambodia and, in some cases, other countries that share immigration data.
Cambodia does not maintain formal visa arrangements with most countries beyond the ASEAN exemptions. Citizens of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Yemen face additional scrutiny during the application process, though outright denials based solely on nationality are uncommon for tourist visas obtained through proper channels. Processing times for these nationalities may extend beyond the standard three to five business days for e-Visas. The Cambodian government has not published a definitive restricted nationality list, and implementation appears to rest on officer discretion informed by ministerial guidance not released publicly.
All travelers must complete an arrival card distributed on inbound flights or available at land borders. This card requests standard information including full name as it appears in the passport, passport number, date of birth, nationality, flight or transport number, purpose of visit, intended length of stay, and address in Cambodia. Providing a hotel name and general location satisfies the address requirement even if the traveler has not finalized bookings. The card includes a section on items to declare, covering amounts of US currency exceeding 10,000 dollars, firearms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, and culturally significant artifacts. The 10,000-dollar threshold applies per family unit for families traveling together. Failure to declare currency exceeding this amount can result in confiscation and fines, though enforcement focuses primarily on amounts exceeding 20,000 to 30,000 dollars. Cambodia has no restrictions on importing or exporting Cambodian riel, though practical use outside Cambodia is limited.