Cambodia eVisa on a DFAT Second Passport for Australians: Which Passport to Use in 2026

Lining up the e-Arrival Card with the right passport

The Cambodian e-Arrival Card is a separate form from the eVisa, mandatory for every air arrival, and submitted within 7 days before your flight. It has 14 fields, costs $5 USD (~$7.50 AUD) verified through us, and includes the passport number as one of the core identity fields. Like the eVisa, the e-Arrival Card is tied to whichever passport number you submit it under, and like the eVisa it must match the passport you present at Cambodian Immigration on arrival.

The practical sequence for a second-passport traveller is straightforward. Apply for the Cambodia eVisa using your second passport number. Wait the 3 business days for approval. Print the approved eVisa PDF or save it offline on your phone. Then, in the 7-day window before your flight, submit the e-Arrival Card using the same second passport number. The two forms travel as a matched pair, both pointing at the same passport, and they line up cleanly at the Cambodian arrival counter.

The DFAT second-passport process and timeline (June 2026)

DFAT does not issue second passports on request. The application requires a justification — documented evidence that the applicant either travels on business frequently enough that a single passport cannot meet their needs, or works in a government or sensitive role where two passports are operationally required. The most common Aussie case is the frequent-business pattern: a corporate or consulting role with regular regional travel and overlapping visa-processing windows that would otherwise leave the traveller passport-less for weeks.

The mechanics start with the standard PC8 application form, plus a written justification letter from the applicant or their employer detailing the travel pattern and why a second passport is genuinely needed. Supporting documents typically include recent travel records, employer letterhead, and a clear schedule showing where the conflict arises. DFAT reviews the application against its guidelines, and approval is not automatic — a meaningful share of first-time applications are returned for more detail.

Edge cases — concurrent visas, lost primary, renewal cycles

Concurrent visa processing is the textbook reason to hold a second passport. If your role involves applying for Chinese, Indian or Russian visas — all of which traditionally require the physical passport to be surrendered to the consulate for processing — and your Cambodia trip falls inside that window, the second passport is the clean way through. Apply for the Cambodia eVisa on the second, travel on the second for the Cambodia leg, and let the primary sit at the Indian consulate without disrupting the Cambodia plans.

Name spelling across the two documents must match exactly. DFAT issues both passports under the legal name on file, so the spelling is consistent by design — but anyone whose name includes a hyphen, apostrophe or a recently-changed surname should compare both bio pages character-by-character before applying for the eVisa. A mismatch between the eVisa and the presented passport's name field, even a one-character variance, can trigger the same secondary-review process as a mismatched passport number.

Putting it together before you apply