Cambodian Visa Question
 

Quick Question...

I'm driving down to LA on Friday to pick up my passport for my Brazilian visa and while I'm there I decided I might as well get my Cambodian visa rather than deal with an evisa or visa on arrival since I'll be in LA anyways. My question is, I am going to Cambodia with a non-relative and they would like me to get their visa for them while I am there. Am I allowed to do this provided they fill out the application and provide me with a passport photo and money order?

Also, can I assume that the visa will be processed pretty quickly? I definitely don't want to drive back to Long Beach at a later date to pick up my passport.

If popping over to the Cambodian consulate takes more than five minutes, then it is a waste of time over the evisa. If it takes more than 10 minutes, it is a waste of time over the VOA. I've flown into REP and PNH multiple times, never an issue.

That said, I have heard of Visa services that would "run" your passport to the Honorary Consulate in Long Beach to get the Visa for you. I do not know if the Tea Money practice was in play, but if they can, perhaps you can.

Seriously, however, I just don't see any reason to do so.

I've waited 20 minutes in PNH for my VOA, but that was 6+ years ago. I'd certainly avoid the embassy route.

Really dumb question then...

I don't get many visas and if I get the eVisa version will it look the same as a standard visa? I've only got 3 years left on my passport and I really want to get it as full as possible and full page stickers really help.

Yes, you will still get a nice full page sticker via eVisa...
at least, I did... although that was a few years ago.

As said above, it is so easy to get it on arrival,
really not worth considering other approaches. ^

I think I'm sold. Plus Long Beach (Cambodian Consulate) and Beverly Hills (Brazilian Embassy) aren't exactly right next to each other and LA traffic isn't exactly fun to navigate. Plus I don't have any passport photos but I do have a digital copy of one which is what the Cambodian eVisa requires.

Why couldn't Brazil be this easy?

VOA is so much easier than consulate/embassy route. And yes.... you get a full page sticker.... I know because I have to peel them off to make more room in my passport.

We did the evisa and it was quick and the response was also very quick. No reason to do anything else.

E-Visa is not a sticker. You receive your visa as a PDF file which you can print and staple into your passport.

As mentioned above VOA is a regular full page sticker.

Yep, just returned from Cambodia this wkend
^^^
http://mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/

Stapled stuff into my passport is what I'm trying to avoid as I don't think that looks as cool. Cambodia is the first foreign country I will have visited that requires a visa (although I am actually obtaining my Brazilian visa for a later trip first and I have been to 12 non-Visa nations).

How much of a hassle is the VOA? I've read conflicting reports regarding this?

It really is no big deal.

Fill out the forms on the airplane. Bring two passport photos. (Technically, you should bring (2) 2 x 2 inch photos, not the US standard, but they will take a US-sized photo). Hand it in the first set of lines on the left. Watch as it moves down the line. Pay your $20 when your name is called to the right. Move on to Immigration.

At that point, everyone is treated the same no matter Visa, eVisa, pre-Visa.

The worst I have ever had is when the guy kept an extra $5 when I paid. Now, I use the exact amount.

Have a great trip and leave us a trip report if you have the time and inclination.

PS: If you like big Visas, spend a few miles and pop down to Indonesia (Bali!) and get a VOA there. :)

You might have received the extendable 'business' visa which is $25.

I'm also trying to figure out how you pay for a $20 visa and somehow need $5 to be returned to you. :confused:

Maybe $3, if you had no photos. $25 is a bargain at a land crossing !

Land crossings are another animal... agreed.

Most of Indonesia now uses the half sized VOA sticker. In the last couple of years, I've only gotten the full size page in Medan, which isn't exactly a tourist Mecca.

Paid with a $100 - it was all I had on me.

The guy shorted me $5 and just smiled, as if to say, "what ya gonna do barang?"

KosraeTV says I should have thrown a fit. Not sure what that would have gotten me.

Live and learn ...

Good to know, thank you. I did BKK-DPS visa runs in 2010 and IIRC got full-stamps, but that was then ...

As an ex-NYer that's probably the avenue I would have gone down. ;):D

If I show up at REP without photos can I pay extra to have them scan the photo in my passport? If that's the case that would be super awesome because for whatever reason obtaining 2X2 photos really irritates me.

You could when I went through without them some six years ago. I don't recall it being much of a hassle, and the cost was slight. (so negligible that I don't even remember.)

I remember being freaked out about it when I realized I left my photos at the hotel in BKK, but it was painless afterwards.

However, I've never been turned away from REP or PNH with standard US-sized passport photos.

Thanks. Personally I'd like to bring no photos at all as it's just more junk to have to remember to bring.

I bought something like 40 of them in one sitting and have them in my folio with my passport (now :) )

No photos - $2.

In some of these countries, it's just the fees. One time going into Laos, I not only forgot the photos, I forgot my passport. They we're happy to let me in without a passport as long as I paid the visa fee.

Never heard of any crap like this going on at PNH. They've got about a dozen people all watching each other too. Boarder crossing officials are notorious crooks though. IMO more likely than not, it was a mistake.

(emphasis added)
I'll accept that as true.

All the same, when I go through six weeks or so from now, I'll give exact change! :p

This is ALWAYS your best bet. If the immy agent desires to pocket some money make him/her ask.

For a very recent data point: I flew into REP this morning and went for the VOA. Upon hearing that I had no photos with me, the agent told me "You pay one dollar." I paid the "fine" (exact change) and had my visa about two minutes later. No hassle -- and it probably cost less than the photo would have.

That's definitely good to know although I would prefer a more recent update (kidding :) )

I made the trip to LA to pick up my passport and Brazilian visa today and did not go the Cambodian embassy so I will indeed go the VOA route. Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the data point. Going in 2 weeks. Happy to not have to hassle with it ahead of time. Happy to pay the fine

You can pick up a batch of photos in Cambodia for $1 for 4.

Not that it is in any way of help to someone on the visa line at the airport. :D

I've learned my lesson with bringing passport-size photos with me for VOAs. They usually just give the photo back to me, and when they don't - it's almost always cheaper just to pay the "fine" than it is to have the photos taken/printed in Canada. I'm sure some countries may be pickier, but so far so good.

E-visa won't give you a full page sticker in your passport, but VOA does. At PNH they want $2 if you don't have photos. The last time I entered I managed to not pay for the photos by wandering off to the ATM--they didn't seem to really care.

If you apply/secure an E-visa on-line, you will be sent a pdf with the actual Visa.

I recall it includes copy of your passport picture [I threw mine out so can't refer to it for specifics] in the document, the total size equal to a passport page. They merely take that document and then stamp your passport.

The on-line service I used advised to print two copies, and to keep the second copy for when you exit Cambodia. Was not asked to produce it when I flew out; apparently they only checked for the entry stamp in my passport.

One of the previous poster was trying to fill up as much space in their passport as possible, which is why I mentioned a VOA offers a full page sticker whereas the e-visa only gives a regular-size stamp. And while it's true that the e-visa has you print out a piece of paper that is the size of a passport page, it doesn't get attached to your passport, they just collect it when you go through customs.

Also the Cambodian visa sticker is pretty )