Any recent experiences with the Cambodia e-visa?
 

We go to Siem Reap January 17th and I'd like to use the e-visa but there were some problems with it earlier this year - any recent (positive?) comments/experiences?

Thanks!

Is there a reason you don't want to get a visa on arrival at the airport? It's quick and easy.

Hi Kathie - I have read that the lines can be long getting the visa there and the e-visa should be faster - emphasis on *should*....what do you think?

I used the e-visa last month and was glad that I had. There was only 1 e-visa lane open at the airport so I had to wait about 10 minutes. It looked like there were 5 standard visa lines open at the time.

I was one of the first of our flight to clear and exit the airport.

I met up later with a couple who had come in on the same flight as me and they asked me how long it had taken to get thru with the e-visa.

They didn't go the e-visa route and it took them 45 minutes once they picked up there bags. They figured that they were some of the first to go thru as they were some of the first to get their luggage.

I applied for 5 e-visas for my family on 12/10/06 and received them on 12/11/06. I transmitted digital photos stored on my laptop and they were re-sized automatically to fit on the visa application itself. The whole process was quick and easy. The instructions seem to imply that photos need to be scanned in, not necessary if the photos are already on your computer.

We just returned and got the standard non e-visas at the airport. We brought our own passport-sized photos and the whole process took about 15 minutes although we were on a full flight. I think the people who were delayed probably had to wait for photos.

Same experience as crosscheck - except it took even less time. Just take your photos.

[dogsters tip for photos: take one passport size pic, scan it. Cut and paste pic into separate document. Copy and paste multiple pics on a page - print on shiny photo paper - voila! Lots and lots of pics for all the times you're gonna need them.]

And, if you're really in such a hurry that the thought of a ten minute queue sends you into a state, then ask for a seat on your incoming flight near the door. First out, first in the queue.

we did the regular visa on Dec 25 at 8 pm, It took less than 10 minutes, and this included the one daughter who forgot her photo! We were charged an extra two dollars, which the officer stapled to her visa sheet...no actual picture taken!

Also, the Angkor parks have got new computers which take your photo as you buy your pass. We were looking at a line of about 100 people in the photo line, when our guide found out they had just started the new process. We moved to the pass purchase line and got thru in about 5 minutes!

I am the one with the terrible e-visa experience. This occurred on November 8. Getting our e-visas was a snap--took less than an hour between application process and receipt of the e-visas. I too thought I would save time at the airport and that was my goal. I will point out that there is only one e-visa lane through passport control at the Siem Reap airport and each person in that lane moves slower than each traveller in other lanes (there are several) who obtain their visas at the airport. Before we even reached the front of the e-visa line (we were the last in that line), some of the people who obtained their visas at the airport were off and running. I will not recap my entire experience (click on my name and you can read the story) but, in the end, my husband had to obtain a replacement visa at the airport, the entire process took 1 1/2 hours, and we were the absolute last people out of the airport and missed a half day of temple touring. I would NOT try the e-visa again.

We got the regular visa when we arrived in late Oct because a lot of things happened here at home before leaving and I didn't get to the e-visa. We were the first in line it was so fast as we came throug our bags came through and we were headed out of the airport less than 30 mins after landing. I don't understnd the 45 min after picking up their bags because you don't go to luggage until after immigration. Could have been a photo issue as someone suggested. One point on our flight no one had an e visa so that could have been supper fast also.

Have a fantastic trip.

J

I used the evisa in August and was outta there in no time flat. On our plane there was only myself and one other couple using the evisa so there was no line. The actual process took as long as getting the traditional one, so once more people start using it and the lines get longer, it will probably be a wash.

A tip is to take two copies of the evisa. That's what took them the longest; going to make a copy of the one I had.

I will use the evisa again next month.