What You Need to Know about Cambodia Visas

Getting a Cambodian visa is convenient and efficient. For most foreigners, visas are obtained upon arrival at the Siem Reap or Phnom Penh airports. While on the airplane, you will be given a visa form to complete, so be sure you have a photograph with you. Also secure other necessary travel documents.

Types Available

The type of visa you must apply for when planning to visit the country depends on your purpose. You can apply for a tourist visa, business visa, diplomatic visa, official visa, or courtesy visa.

A tourist visa allows you a time period to enjoy leisure travel within the country; a business visa allows you to engage in any of form of commerce while in the country, which actually precludes permanent employment that requires a work visa after; a diplomatic visa is for bearers of diplomatic passports or for members of diplomatic communities; an official visa is specifically issued to government officials; and finally, a courtesy visa is for foreign government or international organization representatives who are not in the diplomatic category, but deserving of courteous treatment.

Requirements

The most important requirement for a visa application of any type is your passport, which should have a validity period of at least six months, and at least one blank visa page. Next is the visa application form. Some Cambodian consulates offer these forms online where you may login to the site and fill in the required information at once. You will also need a passport-size photograph.

Other requirements include a flight itinerary from your travel agency or airline, a copy of your return ticket, a corporate letter from company for a business visa, and the corresponding fees.

If you want to send the requirements and other documents, you may do so by postage mail. Just be sure to include a self-addressed prepaid envelope for the consulate to send you back the documents along with passport and visa.

Additional Information

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia has improved their system with a new application means: the Internet. This is called e-visa, the alternative way for tourists to apply for a visa. Note: This system is only for tourist visa application. If you are applying for business, diplomatic, or other kinds of visas, you will need to undergo the normal process.

You just need your passport and credit card to complete your application. After getting your Cambodian visa, time to visit Cambodia and taste their Mee Katang, which is 7th on the list of Top Ten most delicious Southeast Asian breakfast meals.