Cambodia requires every UK passport holder to obtain a tourist visa before entering. There are two official routes: an e-Visa applied for in advance at evisa.gov.kh for $30 plus a $6 processing fee, and a visa-on-arrival issued at major airports and land crossings for $30 paid in US dollars cash. Both routes lead to the same 30-day single-entry tourist visa, which can be extended once in-country. This guide explains the differences in practice, the documents required, common refusal reasons, and where third-party expediters add markup to a fundamentally straightforward government process. It does not provide regulated immigration advice.
TL;DR - The 60-Second Answer
- All UK passport holders need a tourist visa to enter Cambodia.- The Cambodia e-Visa costs $30 plus a $6 processing fee, applied at evisa.gov.kh, valid 30 days single entry.
- Visa-on-arrival is available at major airports (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville) for $30 cash US dollars plus one passport photo.
- e-Visa processing is typically three working days; visa-on-arrival is immediate but requires cash.
- The tourist visa can be extended once in-country for around $30 for another 30 days.
- Third-party services charging £50 to £100 for a Cambodia e-Visa are adding markup over the official $36 total.
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Sourced from GOV.UK
Cambodia's two visa routes for UK travellers
British citizens cannot enter Cambodia visa-free for any duration. Every UK traveller, including children and infants, requires a tourist visa before crossing immigration. The Cambodian government operates two official routes and treats both as equivalent: an electronic visa (e-Visa) applied for at evisa.gov.kh and a visa-on-arrival issued at the border. The e-Visa is more convenient for advance planning, the visa-on-arrival is more flexible for travellers with uncertain itineraries.
Both routes deliver a 30-day single-entry tourist visa class T. The visa is valid for entry within three months of issue and permits a stay of 30 days from the date of entry. A separate business visa class E, valid for the same 30 days but easier to extend long-term, is used by visitors planning to set up businesses or work in Cambodia.
Where the two routes are accepted
The e-Visa is accepted at the three international airports (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville) and at the major land border crossings with Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. The visa-on-arrival is available at the same airports and at most land crossings, although a small number of remote land crossings accept only the e-Visa. Travellers planning an unusual entry point should check the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London website for the current list of authorised crossings.
Tourist visa T versus business visa E
The class T tourist visa is the standard route for holidays and short visits and can be extended once in-country for another 30 days. The class E business visa is the route for travellers planning longer stays or potential work; it costs $35 on arrival and can be extended for one, three, six, or twelve months at a time, including renewable indefinite stays. UK retirees considering long-term residence in Cambodia typically use the class E followed by an extension, rather than chaining tourist visas.
How to apply for the Cambodia e-Visa
The official Cambodia e-Visa portal is evisa.gov.kh, operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The application is short, typically taking 10 to 15 minutes for a first-time user. Required materials are a colour passport photo on white background, a scan or clear photograph of the passport biographical page, the proposed date of entry and exit, the planned point of entry, and a credit or debit card for payment of $30 plus the $6 processing fee.
After submission, the applicant receives an application reference by email. The status can be checked on the portal. When approved, the e-Visa is delivered by email as a PDF that must be printed in colour and presented at immigration. The portal accepts applications up to three months in advance of the planned travel date.
Visa-on-arrival: cash route at the airport
For travellers arriving at Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or Sihanoukville airports, the visa-on-arrival is processed at a dedicated counter before passport control. Requirements are $30 in US dollars cash, one recent colour passport photograph in 4×6cm size, and the standard arrival card. The process takes around 15 to 30 minutes depending on flight arrival times. Travellers without a passport photo can have one taken at the counter for a small additional fee, typically $2 to $5.
Cost: official fees and third-party markup
The total official cost of the Cambodia e-Visa is $36, comprising the $30 government fee and the $6 processing fee charged by the portal payment processor. The visa-on-arrival is $30 cash, with no processing fee but the requirement to bring USD cash. There is no premium tier offered by the government and no expedited processing on the e-Visa portal.
Third-party services typically charge UK applicants £50 to £100 for a Cambodia e-Visa. These services collect documents and lodge the application on the same official portal, retaining the difference. The marketing claim that a third-party service is faster or more reliable than the government portal is not generally supported by evidence; the government portal processes applications in three working days regardless of who lodges them. For a straightforward UK applicant, the official portal is the direct route.
Where the e-Visa makes sense over visa-on-arrival
The e-Visa is the better route when the traveller wants the visa confirmed before boarding the flight, when crossing a land border where visa-on-arrival capacity may be limited, or when arriving late at night with limited cash. The visa-on-arrival is preferable when the traveller's itinerary is uncertain, when they have not been able to upload a compliant photo to the e-Visa portal, or when they prefer to deal with the formality at the airport rather than online.
Processing time and travel planning
The Cambodia government's stated e-Visa processing time is three working days from a complete application. In practice approvals often arrive within 24 to 48 hours but the three-day figure is the planning benchmark. Applications can be lodged up to three months in advance, and most UK travellers lodge two to three weeks before their flight. Same-day approvals do happen but are not guaranteed.
Where the portal returns an error or where the application status remains pending beyond three working days, the support email on evisa.gov.kh is the official channel for follow-up. The Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London can also assist with urgent travel cases. Visa-on-arrival serves as a fallback for travellers whose e-Visa has not arrived by the travel date, although this carries the risk of being turned around at the airport if visa-on-arrival is unavailable for any reason.
Common refusal reasons and extensions
The most common Cambodia e-Visa refusal reasons are passport photos that fail format checks, passports with less than six months of validity remaining, and inconsistencies between the entry date and visa validity. Refusals are rare for standard tourism applications from UK passport holders. Where a refusal occurs without explanation, a fresh application correcting the identified issue is usually the practical response rather than appealing through the portal.
Once in Cambodia, the 30-day tourist visa can be extended once for another 30 days at the General Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh, or through licensed extension agents in tourist areas. The extension fee is around $30 to $50 depending on the route, with agents charging more for the convenience of not visiting the immigration office in person. The extension takes around 7 to 10 working days, during which time the agent retains the passport.
Editorial Disclaimer
Content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute regulated immigration, legal or financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) and does not provide regulated immigration advice. Rules, fees and processing times change without notice. Verify current information directly with GOV.UK, HM Passport Office, or an OISC-registered adviser before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do British passport holders need a visa for Cambodia?
Yes. All UK passport holders, including children and infants, require a tourist visa to enter Cambodia. There is no visa-free arrangement. The two official routes are the e-Visa at evisa.gov.kh, costing $30 plus a $6 processing fee, and the visa-on-arrival at major airports and land crossings, costing $30 in US dollars cash plus one passport photo. Both routes deliver the same 30-day single-entry tourist visa.
How long does the Cambodia e-Visa take to process?
The Cambodian government's stated processing time is three working days from a complete e-Visa application. In practice many approvals arrive within 24 to 48 hours, but the three-day figure is the planning benchmark and should be used when calculating how far in advance to apply. Applications can be lodged up to three months before the travel date. Same-day approvals do happen but cannot be relied upon for tight travel plans.
What is the difference between e-Visa and visa-on-arrival for Cambodia?
Both routes deliver the same 30-day single-entry tourist visa class T. The e-Visa is applied for in advance online and provides certainty before flying. The visa-on-arrival is issued at the airport or land crossing on arrival, requires US dollars cash, and is more flexible for uncertain itineraries but means a longer wait at immigration. The total cost is similar at $30 to $36; the choice comes down to whether the traveller prefers to settle paperwork online or on the day.
Can the Cambodia tourist visa be extended?
Yes. The 30-day tourist visa class T can be extended once for another 30 days at the General Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh, or through licensed extension agents in tourist areas. The extension fee is around $30 to $50 depending on the route used. For longer stays beyond 60 days, the business visa class E followed by a long-term extension is the standard route, and many UK long-stayers and retirees use this rather than chaining tourist visas.
Can you enter Cambodia at any border with an e-Visa?
The Cambodia e-Visa is accepted at the three international airports (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville) and at the major land border crossings with Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. A small number of remote land crossings accept only the e-Visa or only visa-on-arrival, so travellers planning unusual entry points should check the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London website for the current authorised crossings before lodging the application.
Why do some Cambodia visa sites charge so much more than the official portal?
The Cambodia e-Visa costs $36 in total on the official government portal at evisa.gov.kh. Third-party services charging UK applicants £50 to £100 collect documents and lodge the application on the same portal, retaining the difference as a service fee. For a straightforward UK applicant with a smartphone or laptop and reasonable English literacy, the official portal is the direct route and the markup is essentially paying for someone else to type the form.
How we verified this
Fees, processing times, and visa categories this guidere verified against the official Cambodia e-Visa portal at evisa.gov.kh, the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London website, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for Cambodia, all checked in May 2026. Visa-on-arrival airport procedures and the visa class T versus class E distinction were cross-referenced against the General Department of Immigration of Cambodia. Where guidance differs between sources, evisa.gov.kh is treated as authoritative for fees and procedures and the FCDO is treated as authoritative for British traveller advice.
Primary Sources
- Cambodia e-Visa portal - official application and current fees
- UK Foreign Travel Advice for Cambodia - entry requirements for British nationals
- Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London - consular services and visa categories
- UK Foreign Travel Advice for Cambodia - overview and safety information
- Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation - visa policy and embassy directory
