Cambodian Visa

[LibLively]

Has anyone applied for a Visa for Cambodia? I have been informed by Zierer Visa Service (which is the one we've used in the past for all our Visas) that I must have a "computer generated itinerary from my travel agent or professional travel service or a copy of my airline ticket" to accompany my application....which, as far as I can ascertain, does not mean I can just send in a list of dates I plan to be in each location in Cambodia. I'm trying to get our cruise line to send me their official itinerary and flight numbers from the pre-cruise package we have signed up for, but they say they don't have that info yet for our November cruise. This by the way is the same cruise line who suggested we get our Visa BEFORE the trip as the line at the airport for Visas can be quite long. The cruise line suggests we use Pinnacle Visa Service, which we have not used before and which does not have a Web site as far as I can ascertain. Any body run up against this problem before?

[LibLively]

I just found the Kingdom of Cambodia web site where an e-Visa is offered. Has anyone ever done one of these? It sounds like a piece of cake!! I'd really appreciate some feedback on this if anyone has used the e-Visa...if there are any pitfalls I'd love to find out now rather than later!

[Smiles3usa]

You can get the visa at the airport for $20 (plus $2.00 if you don't have passport photo). The planes into Siem Reap are not large, and there is no long wait for visa service. Indeed, if you had your visa you would still be waiting for your luggage. No one on our flight had a visa before entering the country and we were off on our way within half an hour of arrival. Don't bother getting it early.

[MJC]

I agree with Smilesusa the visa line at the airport wasn't long at all, and many people got through before the luggage was out.

 

We received visa materials through our cruise company months before our trip, which made it really easy but cost us $55 each. In my opinion it will be less hassle for you just to do it at the airport when you get there.

 

BTW, the airport at Siem Reap is brand new and very nice. The visa line is to the left just as you enter.

 

Margaret

 

p.s. regarding the passport photos, if you plan to visit the temple region for 2 or more days you need a passport photo anyways, so I would recommend you take a couple extras with you to save time having to do it there.

[kaisatsu]

If you really want to get the visa ahead of time...

 

If the cruiseline has a website, see if you can print a copy of your itinerary from there. That's what we did for my husband's visas on our upcoming cruise, since they said we wouldn't be getting our cruise documents until a month out (and we needed to apply for 6 different visas). I believe both the Japanese and Korean embassy required some kind of travel itinerary, and both accepted the webpage printout. I think for Mexico a few years ago we actually just used a printout of the itinerary from an online agent like Travelocity (even though we booked through an independent TA).

 

If Cambodia is your embarkation, and you're spending some time there pre-cruise, you might need something else. Flight information along with the cruise itinerary should be enough, assuming you can print a copy from some "official-looking" source.

[greatam]

As someone who travels to Cambodia frequently, American passport holders can get passports at ANY border crossing except the one from Laos (which is closed more than it is open). Must have passport photos in possession (except at the Siem Reap airport, where they can be taken on site).

 

Cost is supposed to be $20.00. It is $20.00 in the touristy places, like the Phnom Phen and Siam Reap airports. It is $25.00 at the overland (from both Vietnam and Thailand) and Tonle Sap/Mekong River crossings. Graft and corruption are rampant in Cambodia. I know-I am STILL trying to finalize my hotel purchase in Phnom Phen. Everytime I turn around, it is another "FEE" to another agency.

 

The military border guards make very little money. You can either pay the extra $5.00 or wait for a VERY long time. I learned my first trip to Cambodia-watched a bunch of backpackers arguing with the border crossing guards on the Mekong. Our boat driver had told me to pay $25.00. I argued with him. When I saw all the backpackers arguing, I asked one how long they had been there-3 hours. I promptly paid the $25.00, got my visa with NO problems (even got pictures of the military border guards DIRECTLY under the sign that states "NO PICTURES"). The backpackers were still arguing. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. You are NOT in the USA.

[Tropic]

I'm not sure why you want to get a visa for Cambodia ahead of time. We traveled for USA to Thailand the flew to Siam Reap and from there to Saigon. The only visa we did get ahead of time was Vietnam and we just gave them the hotel we were going to stay at and the time period we'd be there. Don't think we actually needed to show tickets except maybe when we finally flew in, but not even sure then. We bought tickets from US to BKK and from Saigon to US ahead of time. Otherwise we got our BKK to Siem Reap in BKK and our Siem Reap to Saigon in Siem Reap through our hotel. And we had no real problems except that you needed cash to purchase ticket in Siem Reap and then just did an ATM withdrawal. Always have plenty of bottled water with you when you go hiking through Angkor Wat... very warm and heat is a problem if you are not drinking plenty of water You can buy it everywhere, but not when in the middle of a complex you are climbing through. This is an amazing place... our daughter went out for the early sunrise and got some fantastic pictures... they say the same for sunset... at those times use repellant... but if during the "dry" season there is really no problems during the daytime... though we took the seven day pills (expensive but no side effects for us). We were there for 3 nights and loved it. Spent two days in the ruins and one morning at the silk farm coop which was also fascinating.

 

Got to tell this short story... the kids there are quite the sales people... I saw a tourist book my daughter had purchased in the US for $22. I decided I wanted a copy to learn more about the temples, etc. Bargained with some small kids until they sold it to me for $5.... what a great bargainer I am.... got back to the hotel and went into the gift shop and there it was... asked how much..... you guessed it $5. I just had a great laugh over me thinking what a great deal maker I was.... yeah... right.