Do Transit Passengers Need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card? (2026 Connecting Flight Rules)
Whether you need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card (and a Cambodia eVisa) during a layover at Techo International Airport (KTI) or Siem Reap (SAI) depends on one question: will you cross the immigration line? Here is the exact 2026 rulebook for airside transfers, separate tickets, and domestic hops.
Do transit passengers need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card in 2026?
If you remain strictly airside in the international transfer zone at Techo International Airport (KTI) or Siem Reap (SAI) on a single through-ticket with bags checked to your final third-country destination, you do not need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card or visa. However, if you clear immigration for a self-transfer, domestic flight, or hotel layover, both are required.
Key Takeaways
- Pure airside international transit passengers who remain inside the sterile transfer lounge on a single through-ticket do NOT need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card or eVisa.
- Self-transfer passengers travelling on two separate tickets (for example, low-cost carriers) almost always must clear immigration to re-check bags or collect a boarding pass — meaning they DO need both a visa and a Cambodia e-Arrival Card.
- Passengers connecting from an international flight at Techo Airport (KTI) onto a domestic flight to Siem Reap (SAI) or Sihanoukville (KOS) enter Cambodia at KTI and MUST have an eVisa and e-Arrival Card.
- Anyone leaving the airport during a long layover to sleep at a hotel or visit Phnom Penh must complete a Cambodia e-Arrival Card and hold a valid visa.
- Wait until you are sure whether your bags are checked through before assuming you qualify for visa-free airside transit.
With the September 2025 opening of Techo International Airport (IATA: KTI) near Phnom Penh and the expansion of regional routes through Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (IATA: SAI), more travellers are routing through Cambodia between Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East. That raises a practical question before departure: do you need to file a Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA) and obtain a visa if you are only changing planes?
Under Cambodian immigration regulations, the requirement for both a visa and the Cambodia e-Arrival Card is triggered by passing through border control (passport control) to enter the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is not triggered merely by your aircraft touching down on a Cambodian runway.
You qualify as a true airside transit passenger only when every one of the following four conditions holds true for your itinerary:
- Both flights are booked under a single booking reference (PNR) with airlines that have an interline baggage agreement.
- Your checked luggage is tagged at your origin airport all the way to your final destination outside Cambodia.
- You either hold your onward boarding pass already or can collect it at the airside international transfer desk inside KTI or SAI without exiting into the public terminal.
- Your connection is same-day and does not require you to leave the sterile international departures concourse.
When all four conditions are met, you follow the International Transfers signs upon disembarking at KTI or SAI, clear transit security screening, and walk directly into the international departure gate lounge. Because you never present yourself at Cambodian immigration, you do not need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card, you do not need a Cambodia eVisa, and you will not receive a digital V-Pass.
The most common trap in Southeast Asian travel is booking two separate point-to-point tickets — for example, flying into Techo International Airport (KTI) on one carrier and booking an onward ticket out of KTI three hours later on a separate low-cost airline such as AirAsia Cambodia, Vietjet, or Lanmei.
When you travel on two separate tickets, the first airline sees Phnom Penh (KTI) as your final destination on their manifest. Even if you are travelling with hand luggage only, many regional carriers do not operate airside transfer desks for separate-ticket passengers and require you to exit through immigration, walk upstairs to the landside departures hall, verify your visa for your next destination at the check-in counter, and re-enter through departure security. For a full explanation of how your visa and arrival declaration interact when you enter landside, read our Cambodia e-Arrival Card vs Cambodia eVisa comparison.
Separate Tickets = Full Cambodian Entry Requirements at Origin Check-In
If your flights into and out of KTI or SAI are on two separate booking references, your first airline’s check-in agent will treat you as entering Cambodia. You must hold a valid Cambodia eVisa (unless visa-exempt) and a completed Cambodia e-Arrival Card QR code, or the first airline can refuse boarding.
Many long-haul travellers fly into Techo International Airport (KTI) from Europe, the Middle East, North America, or Australia and then connect onto a 45-minute domestic flight to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI).
In this scenario, you are NOT in international transit. A flight between KTI and SAI is a domestic flight within Cambodia. You must clear Cambodian immigration and customs at your first port of entry — Techo International Airport (KTI) — before walking to the domestic departures concourse. That means:
If your self-transfer, layover hotel stay, or domestic connection requires you to clear passport control at KTI or SAI within the next week, you can apply online here for your Cambodia e-Arrival Card ({{USD:29}}) and receive your QR code by email.
And if you also need a Tourist ({{USD:79}}) or Ordinary ({{USD:89}}) visa to clear landside immigration during your connection, you can apply for your Cambodia eVisa online before your trip.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card if I stay in the airport transit zone?
No. If you are on a single international through-ticket, remain inside the airside transit lounge at KTI or SAI, and do not pass through immigration to collect bags, you do not need a Cambodia e-Arrival Card.
What if I have a self-transfer at Techo Airport (KTI) on two separate tickets?
Yes, you need both a Cambodia e-Arrival Card and a valid visa (unless visa-exempt). With separate tickets, you must clear immigration to collect and re-check luggage or visit the landside check-in desk.
I am flying internationally into KTI and connecting to a domestic flight to Siem Reap (SAI). Which airport do I put on my e-Arrival Card?
Select Techo International Airport (KTI) and enter your international arrival flight number. You clear Cambodian immigration at KTI before boarding the domestic flight to SAI.
Do I need a second Cambodia e-Arrival Card for a domestic flight from Phnom Penh (KTI) to Siem Reap (SAI)?
No. The Cambodia e-Arrival Card is only for international arrivals entering Cambodia. Domestic flights between KTI, SAI, and KOS do not pass through international immigration.
Can I leave Techo International Airport (KTI) during a 10-hour layover to see Phnom Penh?
Yes, provided you hold a valid single-entry visa (or ASEAN visa exemption) and have completed a Cambodia e-Arrival Card. Remember that leaving the airport uses your single-entry visa.
What should I write as my Cambodia address on the e-Arrival Card if I am only clearing landside for a same-day self-transfer?
If you are clearing immigration solely to re-check bags for a same-day onward flight, list Techo International Airport (KTI) or Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) as your stay address along with your onward flight details.
Sources
Did this guide help you?
From our blog
Canada 2026 Rules
Cambodia Entry Requirements for Canadians in 2026: Complete Border Checklist
Cambodia’s border rules changed significantly heading into 2026: Phnom Penh opened Techo International Airport (KTI), paper stamps were replaced by the digital V-Pass, and all Thailand–Cambodia land borders remain closed. Here is the complete 2026 entry checklist for Canadian travellers.
UK Travellers
Do British Citizens Need a Visa for Cambodia? (2026 UK Passport Rules)
British citizens travelling to Cambodia in 2026 require both a valid Cambodian visa and a digital Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA). Here is how UK passport holders choose between the Tourist (Class T) eVisa, Ordinary (Class E) eVisa, and Visa on Arrival at Techo Airport (KTI) or Siem Reap (SAI).
UK Visa Cost
Cambodia Visa Cost for UK Citizens in 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown
Budgeting for a trip from the UK to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap in 2026? Here is the full cost breakdown for British citizens across the Cambodia Tourist eVisa, Ordinary Class E eVisa, Cambodia e-Arrival Card, and in-country 30-day extensions — plus how to avoid UK bank foreign transaction fees.