Cambodia Visa Types
Most foreign tourists planning to visit Cambodia must apply for a visa before arriving in the country.
Several types of Cambodia visas are classified based on the applicant's purpose of travel, length of stay or occupation.
Visitors to Cambodia for tourism can apply for an electronic visa, which is a great simplification and alternative to traditional paper visas. Other traditional visas are available at the embassy.
In this article you will find basic information about Cambodia visas. In addition to the electronic tourist visa, the government has also implemented:
- Tourist visa (traditional version)
- Regular visa
- Khmer Visa (K type)
- Official/diplomatic/courtesy visa
Tourist Visa
This type of visa is for people who plan to enter Cambodia for tourism purposes such as vacations, visiting family and friends, sightseeing and other activities in tourist areas.
These Cambodia visa holders can stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days.
This document is available through the application procedure at the embassy or at the airport in the form of a visa on arrival. To use the second option, travelers often have to wait in line at the airport.
The most convenient visa to apply for is an electronic visa. This is an option only available to visitors from eligible countries. All procedures can be completed online within minutes and approval will be sent to the applicant's mailbox within a few days.
The main conditions for obtaining a tourist visa are:
- valid passport
- one round-trip airline ticket
- Proof of having enough financial resources for the trip
e-Visa
The Cambodian e-visa was introduced by that country's government in 2006 to simplify entry procedures and minimize procedures for foreign tourists.
Online visas have few requirements and can be issued in a matter of hours through a short and intuitive visa application process.
The validity period of e-Visa is 90 days. Visitors carrying this document are allowed to enter Cambodia once and stay for a maximum of 30 days.
The registration process includes several easy-to-follow steps. Approved visas will be sent to the applicant's mailbox as a PDF file.
To obtain an e-Visa, the applicant must take the following steps:
- fill in the form
- Attach necessary documents
- cover the costs
- Save the approved visa issued via email
Remember that you must print a copy of the approved e-Visa. Electronic versions of documents may be incomplete when crossing the border into Cambodia.
Ordinary Visa
Another type of Cambodia visa for foreigners is the regular visa, also known as the business visa. This option is chosen by those who want to stay in the country for more than 30 days.
The initial travel permit is issued for a stay of 30 days. When it expires, visitors apply to extend their visa. The validity of the visa can be extended if the conditions are met.
Below you can see the main criteria for obtaining a regular visa:
- valid passport
- a completed application form
- proof of residence
- Airfare for the rest
- Health Insurance
- COVID-19 test certificate
Khmer Visa (K Class)
Khmer visa or K visa is a travel permit issued to travelers of Cambodian origin holding foreign passports.
The visa is valid as long as the passport and the traveler must reapply for a Khmer visa when the second travel document expires. At the time of application, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
Visa allows multiple entries into Cambodia.
When applying for a K visa for the first time, visitors attach their birth or marriage certificate, identity card and household registration book (if any) to the completed application form. To extend a visa, a precedent is required.
Official/Diplomatic/Courtesy Visa
Official, diplomatic and courtesy visas for Cambodia are issued to foreign visitors holding diplomatic passports, official passports or ordinary passports, provided that the traveler is visiting Cambodia officially for a short period of time.
The visa allows single entry with a validity period of 3 months. Maximum stay is 90 days.
Depending on the visa type chosen, the applicant must provide the following documents with the application form:
Courtesy visa:
- copy of valid passport
- Copy of previous Cambodian visa (if any)
- Invitation letter from a Cambodian organization
- copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the Cambodian government
Official/diplomatic visa:
- copy of valid passport
- Copy of previous Cambodian visa (if any)
- invitation letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In case of accompanying dependents, the applicant must attach additional documents with the application. These could be:
- an official letter containing the names of dependents
- a copy of the marriage certificate
- The dependent's real passport
- a copy of the child's birth certificate
