If you are going on a trip to Cambodia, you need to keep a number of important things in mind. Before heading for the airport and getting on the plane, it is important to have your paperwork in order. This way, you won’t be faced with any unwelcome surprises. Use this handy checklist for that. In this checklist, we summarize the things you need to think about before going on your trip.
There are three important things each traveller needs to have in order without question: their payment pass, a valid passport and a valid visa. For trips lasting less than 30 days, travellers must apply for the online Cambodia visa. For trips lasting more than 30 days, an offline visa is required and you will need to visit the embassy. The online visa is a frequently forgotten object, which does need to be in order.
Passport
Firstly, it is important to bring along a valid passport when travelling to Cambodia. The passport will be asked for at various moments. For instance, the passport needs to be presented at the airport, due to the border check. The passport also has to be shown when boarding. And finally, the passport is also required again when entering Cambodia. Of course, this also applies in reverse order when flying back.
That is why it is important to bring a passport with sufficient remaining validity. The passport with which the visa is applied for needs to be valid for at least six more months, from the moment you arrive in Cambodia.
The visa or online Cambodia visa
The online Cambodia visa is valid for a total of ninety days. However, you can only stay in the country for a total of thirty consecutive days on this visa. It is mandatory to apply for a visa before entering Cambodia by air or other mode of transport. The Cambodia visa is also only valid once: you can only enter and leave the country once.
Apply for the visa on time. At maximum, it can take a few days before the visa application is approved.
Payment pass
Before departure, make sure that you have a payment pass with global coverage. Otherwise, paying with a debit card will not be possible. Most debit cards work with V-pay or Maestro. This allows for worldwide payments. In Cambodia, however, credit cards are a popular payment method. You would therefore do well to bring a credit card, just to be sure. Paying with credit cards from MasterCard, Visa or American Express is often a bit more expensive.
Plane tickets
Just to be sure, travellers should carry a print of the flight ticket. This is not mandatory, but it is recommended. Flight tickets are not required per se when checking in. After all, boarding is done with the boarding pass. However, the flight tickets often have the booking codes on them. These could come in handy when looking up the boarding pass.
Insurance taken care of?
On arrival, the Cambodian government can ask for proof that you have travel and health insurance. When it comes to British and Irish health insurance, in most cases you only have world coverage if it concerns urgent care. It might therefore be wise to get travel insurance.
Driving permit
Are you planning to hit the road in Cambodia? Then you need an international driving permit to do so. These can be acquired at your local Post Office, provided they have the required tools available at that particular office. The standard British license is not valid. Alternatively, you can show your British license in Cambodia, and the government will issue you a temporary Cambodian driving permit.
Documents
Just to be sure, before leaving, make copies of the passport, flight tickets, the credit card, visa, driving permit and a possible itinerary. While copies of documents aren’t always valid, they can help if you lose the original. Always keep the copies in a different place than the originals. It is an option to save copies on your mobile phone, if it can be locked in standby mode.
Hand luggage
On flights to Cambodia, it is often possible to bring hand luggage on the airplane. In any case, keep your wallet and mobile phone in your hand luggage. You can also take earplugs, a sweater, medication and the like with you. Take note: sharp or unsafe objects may not be carried as hand luggage. Scissors and files belong in the check-in baggage.
Luggage
Finally, the luggage that belongs in the hold: you can pick it up at the conveyor belt in Cambodia. Make sure you have airy clothes, because it can often be very hot in Cambodia. So bring swimwear with you. Also think of bringing an extra set in case of (heavy) rainfall.
Please note: this news article about the visa for Cambodia is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for Cambodia.