fiona

Just wondering if anyone here has experienced the visa on arrival. If so, is it a smooth process or does it take an age?
We actually go later this week. As its going to be humid, I'm still trying to work out the best way of visiting temple complexes. Is it better to plan half days? We have 4 days so a fair amount of time to see the sites.
I also suffer from labyrinthitus( vertigo) and am thinking that I might miss out a bit by not climbing. ( I can actually manage the climbing ok, but its when I'm at the top of something and looking down that's the problem) However, its somewhere I have always wanted to visit so hopefully staying near ground level, I can still get a lot out of my trip.

Braindrain

Very smooth process, 15 min max. Just make sure you have exact change. It should probably take less than 15 min but there's that 10-deep line of Admin people where all they do is "move" your passport from one person to another. You'll understand when you get there.

You can plan half days, or you can stay in your hotel during the height of the afternoon - which is what I did. Everything is negotiable with your travel guide but I'd suggest you determine your itin in advance of arriving. Just search "Angkor Wat guide" in this forum and you'll see 2 people whose names generally come up.

Lastly, your experience really won't be diminished by not climbing up any of the temples.

fiona

thanks so much for the replyCan I ask if we need passport type photos with us for the visa? I had heard that from somebody but then can't find definite info anywhere. OH is researching guides and has a few recommended. I quite like the idea of a break over the hottest part of the day- about midday till 3pm?
One thing I've learned from my travels- don't try to do everything on one visit, its usually impossible. But then we have R@R time in Thailand afterwards

pennywern

They say you need to have photos, and all the other passengers had them. However, both times I went, I forgot to bring them. They just frowned at me and then gave me the visa anyway. Do try to be first off the plane if you can, and go straight to the visa-on-arrival counter to the right when you enter the building. The wait can be either 2 minutes or 30, depending on how many other passengers from your flight are in front of you.

As for climbing, it's definitely not necessary to climb anything (other than a few low sets of steps) in order to enjoy the beauty of the temples. You miss out on a few views but you'll still see most of the good stuff.

fiona

thanks- will take photos, I just have never had to do that with any other visa on arrival.I can imagine that many folks don't realise this either. I am really looking forward to my holiday. And its even better now I don't have to fret about climbing

sushanna1

Same experience as pennywern. The time it takes to get the visa depends on the number of fellow passengers who need visas. Unfortunately, I arrived on a flight with a tour group from South Korea and it took forever to get the visa upon arrival in the airport. Regarding seeing the temples of Angkor Wat, I suggest renting a car with a driver and a guide. It was the first time I had ever done so and it worked well. We left fairly early in the morning then returned to hotel for lunch and a nap in the early afternoon and started again when the temperature dropped. I hired the same driver (with car) and guide for one and one/half days, choosing to spend a half day at a local temple/shrine and another half day visiting the largest temple on my own via moto.

Braindrain

For myself, I also didn't have a photo. No big deal.

I'm not sure you can even bring a photo as your photo is digitally printed with the pass.

dsquared37

I'm not even sure what this means. Most people arriving in Cambodia, either in REP or PNH, do not have visas and must apply for them on the spot. If there is another way, online or whathaveyou, I'm not privy to it.

As mentioned above, the sooner you can exit the plane the sooner you'll get through the process and onto immigration.

I've never been told about having exact money nor have heard anyone mention that before.

The one thing Cambodian officials seem to excel at (and do quickly) is taking money.

Yak40

So I think that there is a form to be filled in for visa on arrival application. Are those forms distributed on the plane (PG to PNH)? Or is the pdf-form on the Cambodia airports website any good?

Also, I understand that children get a free visa. Does each child need a separate application form or is it sufficient to list them on the parent’s form in the “Children under 12 year travelling with you” section?

jiejie

[QUOTE=Braindrain;14322355]For myself, I also didn't have a photo. No big deal.

I'm not sure you can even bring a photo as your photo is digitally printed with the pass.[/QUOTE]

Some confusion going on here. "The pass" referred to by Braindrain is the Angkor pass, not the visa-on-arrival. Before the first time you enter the controlled part of the Angkor site, you need to stop at a visitor's area where you will purchase your choice of pass (1 day, 3 day, 7 day). A digital photo will be taken and incorporated into this. So, no need to take your own photo for this.

For visa-on-arrival, you do need a passport/visa-sized photo. If you have one handy, take it with you to the VOA desk. If you don't, they will take one and charge you an extra US$1 or so. The forms you need to fill out are at the VOA desk, normally they are not distributed on any plane I have ever entered on, but YMMV.

If you have a lot of foreigners on your plane (non Cambodian and non-ASEAN who also get visa-free privileges), then I agree--hoof it quickly off the plane and to the immigration area, so you can get to the VOA area sooner rather than later. Most foreigners do the VOA thing rather than get visas in advance, which is also acceptable if it fits into your plans, and lets you bypass VOA and go straight to the immigration entry area.

fiona

thanks everyone. That's been a great help

Chapel Hill Guy

We used the Cambodian government online e-visa service:

http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/

Great service. Cost $US25 and we had our visas in about 36 hours, delivered via E-mail.

We were glad we did this beforehand as VOA was a madhouse when our flight landed. We were through immigration in a few minutes.

glennaa11

I also did the e-visa for my two trips to Cambodia. Very fast and simple. received my evisa via email usually within a couple of hours. However I did read that there were some problems with the system in the last couple of years. The private company that built the system and used to run it had the system taken away from them by the government and service had slipped plus there was a big dispute between the parties. But if folks have used the system recently without issues I think it is worth doing. You can then skip the Visa On Arrival line altogether and go straight to passport control.

dsquared37

BKK-PNH, on both TG and PG, the forms are passed out on the plane. Sometimes I've needed to ask (for the arrival/departure forms.... ) but subsequently the FAs often will walk the aisle handing out the forms to all passengers.

I've never flown into REP (only out of it) so it might be different. However, I would ask the FAs for forms and see what they do. It is MUCH easier to have your forms filled ahead of time and just walk right up to the counter.

Also, in PNH the counter where you hand in the forms/passport tends to be more a mass than a line. Don't be shy and in the customary Asian style just reach up, over, to the side of someone until your passport is taken. If you defer in a western 'queuing up' style you'll be waiting longer than you should. Not sure if this is the same in REP but just be aware.

Braindrain

Bingo.


Forms were given out on the Silkair flight I was on.

On arrival at REP, I asked for change. The Officer shrugged his arms and it looked like I wasn't going to get any change. I dug around some more and found exact change, which seemed to brighten up his day.

Depends on which flight arrived before you. As I arrived from SIN and no other flight arrived before me, queuing was not a problem.