Do You Need the e-Arrival Card if You Already Have a Cambodia eVisa?
Short answer: yes. Your Cambodia eVisa and the e-Arrival Card are two different documents doing two different jobs, and Americans flying in for 2026 need both. Here is exactly why they are separate, what each one covers, and how they line up at the immigration desk.
Do I need the e-Arrival Card if I already have a Cambodia eVisa?
Yes. An approved Cambodia eVisa does not exempt you from the e-Arrival Card, and the two are not the same document. The eVisa is your permission to enter the country; the e-Arrival Card is a separate, mandatory pre-arrival declaration — 14 fields covering you, your trip, and your customs items — that every air arrival into Cambodia must complete in 2026. You file the eVisa weeks ahead, approved in 3 business days, and the e-Arrival Card within 7 days before you fly. At the immigration desk you present both: your printed eVisa PDF and your e-Arrival confirmation. Having one but not the other is exactly what gets American travelers pulled aside at the gate.
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- Yes — you need both. An approved eVisa does not replace the e-Arrival Card, and the e-Arrival Card does not replace the eVisa. They are two separate requirements for every air arrival in 2026.
- The eVisa is your permission to enter Cambodia. The e-Arrival Card is the pre-arrival declaration — who you are, your flight, your address, and your customs items — that Immigration now collects digitally before you land.
- They are filed at different times: the eVisa weeks ahead (approved in 3 business days), the e-Arrival Card within 7 days before you fly, once your flight details are locked.
- They are two transactions: the Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in, the Business eVisa is $90 USD, and the e-Arrival Card sits on top at $5 USD verified through us.
- At the immigration desk you present both — your printed eVisa PDF and your e-Arrival confirmation. Missing either one is the most common way Americans get pulled out of the line in 2026.
The short answer, and why it confuses Americans
Yes — you need both. This is the single most common point of confusion American travelers hit before a Cambodia trip in 2026, and the reasoning behind it is simple once you see it. Your eVisa and your e-Arrival Card are two different documents that answer two different questions, filed at two different times, and Cambodian Immigration checks for both when you land. Having an approved eVisa in your inbox does not mean you can skip the e-Arrival Card, and completing the e-Arrival Card does not mean you have a visa.
The confusion is understandable. Plenty of countries fold their arrival paperwork into the visa, and older Cambodia travel advice from a few years ago described a single process. But Cambodia split the arrival declaration out into its own digital form, and as of 2026 the e-Arrival Card is mandatory for every air arrival — visa or no visa, eVisa or any other class. The two run on parallel tracks and only meet at the immigration counter.
This guide walks through what each document actually does, why Cambodia keeps them separate, when you file each one, and what you physically present at the desk. If you are still working out whether you need a visa at all, start with the Cambodia visa for US citizens overview, then come back here for the e-Arrival half of the picture.
Two documents, two completely different jobs
The cleanest way to keep these straight is to think of them as answering two separate questions. The eVisa answers "are you allowed into Cambodia?" The e-Arrival Card answers "who is arriving, on what flight, staying where, with what in their bags?" One is permission; the other is declaration. You can hold one without satisfying the other, which is exactly why both are required.
The eVisa — your permission to enter
The eVisa is the legal authorization that lets you cross the border. It is tied to your passport number, valid for 3 months from issue, and gives you a single entry with a 30-day stay. You apply weeks ahead of your trip, it is approved in 3 business days, and it arrives as a printable PDF by email. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD. This is the document an airline checks before it lets you board a flight to Cambodia, and the document an immigration officer scans to confirm you are cleared to enter.
The e-Arrival Card — your pre-arrival declaration
The e-Arrival Card is the digital version of the paper landing-and-customs slips Cambodia used to hand out on the plane. It is 14 fields across three sections — your personal and passport details, your trip and flight details, and a short customs and health declaration. It is filed within 7 days before you arrive, costs $5 USD verified through us, and produces a confirmation you show at the gate. It does not authorize entry on its own — it simply tells Immigration the details of who is walking up to the counter. Our guide on
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Do I need the e-Arrival Card if I already have a Cambodia eVisa?
Yes. The eVisa is your permission to enter Cambodia; the e-Arrival Card is a separate, mandatory pre-arrival declaration. An approved eVisa does not exempt you from the e-Arrival Card, and both are required for every air arrival in 2026. You present them together at the immigration desk.
Is the e-Arrival Card the same thing as the eVisa?
No. They are two different documents doing two different jobs. The eVisa authorizes your entry and is tied to your passport, valid for 3 months from issue with a 30-day single-entry stay. The e-Arrival Card is a 14-field declaration of your trip, flight, and customs details, filed within 7 days before you arrive. One does not replace the other.
Can I skip the e-Arrival Card if my eVisa is already approved?
No. The e-Arrival Card is mandatory for every air arrival into Cambodia in 2026, regardless of which visa you hold or how far in advance it was approved. Skipping it means being pulled aside at the immigration desk to complete it on the spot, which can cost you a long wait in a busy arrivals hall.
When do I file each one?
File the eVisa weeks ahead of your trip — it is approved in 3 business days and valid for 3 months from issue. File the e-Arrival Card within 7 days before you fly, ideally two to three days out once your flight details are locked. Doing the e-Arrival Card too early puts it outside the window and forces a redo.
How much does it cost to have both?
They are two separate fees. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD, both approved in 3 business days. The e-Arrival Card sits on top at $5 USD verified through us, per traveler. You pay the visa fee once when you apply and the e-Arrival fee once in the week before departure.
What do I physically present at the airport?
Three things together: your passport, your printed eVisa PDF (bring two copies), and your e-Arrival confirmation. The e-Arrival confirmation can be on your phone, but a printout is the reliable backup. Having everything on paper and ready is what moves you through the immigration desk fastest.
Does each family member need their own e-Arrival Card and eVisa?
Yes. Each traveler needs their own eVisa and their own e-Arrival Card, including children and infants. There is no family card and no group visa — both documents are tied to a single passport. A family of four flying in together files four eVisas and four e-Arrival Cards.
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