Planning a trip to Siem Reap and unsure about the Cambodia visa? This guide was checked on 14 October 2026 and covers the cost, the two ways to get your visa, the arrival card most travellers forget, and a big change to how you can reach Siem Reap.
Quick answer: Most visitors need a visa to enter Cambodia. A single-entry tourist visa lasts 30 days and costs US$30 on arrival (cash, plus one passport photo) or about US$36 online as an e-Visa. If you fly in, you must also complete the free e-Arrival card within seven days before landing. Thai land crossings have been closed since 2025, so most travellers coming from Bangkok now fly.
Do you need a visa for Cambodia?
Yes, for most nationalities. Citizens of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the EU, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all need a tourist visa. Citizens of several ASEAN neighbours, such as Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, can enter without a visa for short stays, so check the rule for your own passport.
Whatever your nationality, officers expect you to have:
- A passport valid for at least six months from the day you arrive, undamaged, with at least one blank page
- A return or onward ticket, which is not always checked but can be asked for
- Your hotel address in Siem Reap
E-Visa or visa on arrival: which should you choose?
Both give a single-entry tourist visa valid for 30 days from the day you enter Cambodia. The difference is where you queue and how you pay.
| E-Visa (online) | Visa on arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | US$30 plus a small processing fee, about US$36 in total | US$30 |
| Payment | Card, online | US dollars in cash |
| You need | A passport scan and a photo, uploaded online | One passport photo and the arrival form |
| Timing | About three working days; apply at least four days ahead | At the airport or border counter; queue times vary |
| Where it works | Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville airports, and the land crossings with Vietnam (Bavet) and Laos (Trapeang Kriel) | Airports and land borders |
| Best for | Late arrivals, busy flights, travellers without cash | Last-minute trips and smaller border posts |
Our advice for Siem Reap: if you land late or on a busy flight, the e-Visa saves time at the airport. If you decide at the last minute, the visa on arrival works well. Bring crisp US dollars, because torn or worn notes are often refused.
How to apply for the Cambodia e-Visa, step by step
- Open the official government portal at evisa.gov.kh. Copycat sites charge much more for the same visa.
- Choose the tourist visa and enter your passport details exactly as printed.
- Upload a clear passport scan and a recent passport-style photo.
- Pay by card. Expect about US$36 in total.
- Wait for the approval email, usually about three working days.
- Print the approval and carry it with your passport. You must enter Cambodia within three months of the issue date.
Your 30 days start on the day you enter Cambodia, not the day you apply.
The e-Arrival card is not a visa
Every traveller arriving by air must also submit Cambodia’s free e-Arrival card online within the seven days before landing, at arrival.gov.kh. It replaces the paper card at the airport. It does not replace your visa, and many travellers complete one and forget the other.
A good habit is to do it when you check in online for your flight, then save the confirmation on your phone. Land borders still use paper forms.
Getting to Siem Reap in 2026: the Thai land border is closed
Thailand closed its land crossings with Cambodia in June 2025. As of August 2026, none are open to ordinary travellers, including the old Poipet route from Bangkok that many visitors used to take to Angkor. Flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap run normally.
Your practical options are:
- Fly. Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is about 40 to 50 minutes from the town centre. Book early, because fares rose after the overland route closed.
- Cross from Vietnam or Laos. The Bavet and Trapeang Kriel crossings accept the e-Visa.
- Ignore outdated pages. Some websites still list Poipet opening hours. Trust only a recent, dated official statement, because the situation can change.
The government advisories concern the frontier zone with Thailand. Siem Reap city and the Angkor temples operate as normal destinations, but check your own government’s travel advice before you book.
How long can you stay, and what if you overstay?
A tourist visa gives you 30 days. You can extend it once, by another 30 days, through the immigration department inside Cambodia; most travellers use a local agent. Overstay fines are reported at about US$10 per day, so extend before your visa ends rather than after.
Most visitors spend three to five days in Siem Reap, well inside the 30 days. Plan your temple days around the Angkor Pass rules, too: the 3-day pass is valid for any three days within seven days.
Plan your Siem Reap days once your visa is sorted
Your first morning in Siem Reap sets the tone for the trip. Match the tour to your energy and the time you have:
- First morning, or jet-lagged? Start with the Angkor Wat sunrise tour.
- One full day with fewer crowds: the Angkor full-day tour without the crowds.
- Sunrise and a floating village in one day: the Angkor sunrise and floating village private tour.
- A day beyond the temples: the Tonle Sap floating village tour or the quieter Kampong Khleang floating village tour.
- Late afternoon and sunset: the Grand Circuit and Bakheng sunset tour.
- Countryside and carvings: the Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean tour.
- Remote temples and waterfalls: the Koh Ker and Beng Mealea day trip or the Phnom Kulen waterfall tour.
- Two days at a gentle pace: the 2-day private Angkor tour.
The Angkor Pass is separate from your visa: US$37 for one day, US$62 for three days and US$72 for seven days. Our guide can help you buy it. Not sure when to come? Read our best time to visit Angkor Wat guide.
Cambodia visa FAQs
Do US citizens need a visa for Cambodia?
Yes. US passport holders need a tourist visa, either the e-Visa applied for online or a visa on arrival.
How much is a Cambodia tourist visa?
It costs US$30 on arrival, paid in cash. The e-Visa costs US$30 plus a small processing fee, about US$36 in total.
Can I get a visa on arrival at Siem Reap airport?
Yes. Bring US$30 in cash and one passport photo, and fill in the arrival form.
Is the e-Arrival card compulsory?
Yes for travellers arriving by air. It is free, you complete it online within seven days before landing, and it is separate from the visa.
Can I cross from Thailand to Cambodia by land?
Not at present. All official land crossings have been closed to ordinary travellers since 2025, and no reopening date has been announced. Flying is the practical choice.
How long can I stay on a tourist visa?
30 days from the day you enter, extendable once by another 30 days from inside Cambodia.
Do I need a separate ticket to visit Angkor Wat?
Yes. The visa lets you enter Cambodia; the Angkor Pass lets you enter the temples.
What happens if I overstay?
You pay a fine for each extra day when you leave, reported at about US$10 per day. Long overstays can lead to detention, so extend in time.
Plan your Angkor days with a local guide
Once your visa is booked, let a licensed local guide plan the rest. Tivorn, a licensed Siem Reap guide with more than 10 years of experience, offers private and small-group tours with hotel pickup in Siem Reap city. You can book now and pay on the day, with no deposit, as described in our Terms.
Message Tivorn on WhatsApp to plan your tour or browse all tours.
Last checked: 14 October 2026. Visa rules, fees and border status change, so confirm them on the official sites before you travel: the e-Visa portal, the e-Arrival card and the General Department of Immigration. This guide is general information, not legal advice.