Which Cambodia Land Borders Accept the eVisa? The 4 Crossings for US Citizens

The Laos crossing — Trapeang Kriel

Coming the other direction, down from Laos, one crossing matters for Americans on an eVisa: Trapeang Kriel, in the far north of Cambodia in Stung Treng province. It is the standard route south from the 4,000 Islands (Si Phan Don) and southern Laos, and it is on the eVisa-eligible list, so an American holding a printed eVisa can cross here in 2026.

Trapeang Kriel is a quieter, more remote crossing than Bavet — fewer travelers, a smaller post, and a longer onward drive to the nearest town. The same overpriced-stamp routine shows up here too: your eVisa is prepaid, so any "processing fee" pitched at the window is not a real charge. Keep your printed PDF, passport, and e-Arrival confirmation together, present them when asked, and the crossing is straightforward. The slower onward transport on the Cambodia side is the part to plan for, not the visa.

For travelers doing the full Indochina loop overland, Trapeang Kriel connects the Laos leg to Cambodia without a flight, and the loop is still doable by land in 2026 — it is only the Thailand legs that are off the table, which is the next thing to understand. Our breakdown of the Laos-to-Cambodia crossing at Trapeang Kriel goes deeper on the bus connections and timing.

The Thailand land borders are closed — Poipet, Cham Yeam, and the rest

This is the single most important fact for any American weighing an overland Cambodia trip in 2026: all seven Thailand-Cambodia land borders have been closed since June 2025. That includes the crossings travelers leaned on for years — Poipet on the Bangkok-to-Siem Reap road and Cham Yeam near the coast among them. You cannot use a Cambodia eVisa to walk or drive across from Thailand right now, and the reason is the border itself being shut, not any limitation of the visa.

The old backpacker classic — a train across Thailand, then a minibus through Poipet into Siem Reap — does not run this year. If your itinerary pairs the two countries, you connect them by air. Bangkok to Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville are all short, frequent flights, and your eVisa is accepted the moment you land. The closure does not touch your visa; it simply removes the overland option between these two countries.

This has been static for a year with no confirmed reopening date, so plan around flying the Thailand leg rather than waiting for a border to reopen mid-trip. Vietnam and Laos crossings remain open and eVisa-eligible — it is specifically the Thai land legs you cannot do on an eVisa. We keep a running update on whether the Cambodia-Thailand land border is open for Americans if you want the current status before you book.

What actually happens at a land crossing

Knowing which border accepts your eVisa is half the job; the crossing itself is the other half. A land border is slower and more manual than an airport hall, but with the eVisa already approved it is simple. Here is the sequence I see Americans move through at Bavet, Kaam Samnor, and Trapeang Kriel.

1. 1
   Confirm an eVisa-eligible crossing

   Pick a designated Vietnam or Laos crossing — Bavet, Kaam Samnor, or Trapeang Kriel — since the eVisa is not usable at any Thailand land border.

2. 2
   Apply for the eVisa first

   Get the Tourist eVisa at $80 USD all-in or Business at $90 USD, approved in 3 business days — single-entry, a 30-day stay, valid 3 months from issue.

3. 3
   File the e-Arrival Card

   Submit the separate, mandatory e-Arrival Card — 14 fields, $5 USD verified through us — within 7 days before you arrive; it applies at land crossings too.

4. 4
   Carry a printed copy

   Bring a paper printout of your eVisa PDF, since a land post has no kiosk to fall back on and a dead phone in the queue has no easy fix.

5. 5
   Exit, then cross no-man's-land

   Clear exit from the country you are leaving, then walk or ride the short stretch between posts to the Cambodian counter.

6. 6
   Present documents and get stamped in

   Hand over your passport, printed eVisa, and e-Arrival confirmation; the officer matches your face to the document and the stamp starts your 30-day clock.

First, have your eVisa printed. At a land post there is no kiosk to fall back on, so a paper copy in your passport is what keeps you moving — a dead phone battery in a border queue is a problem with no easy fix. Second, have your e-Arrival Card done before you arrive. It is the separate pre-arrival form and it applies at land crossings, not just airports; travelers who skip it end up filling it out on a phone in the heat at the window, the slowest part of the whole day.

At the post, you typically exit the country you are leaving first, walk or ride a short stretch of no-man's-land, then present your passport with the printed eVisa at the Cambodian counter. The officer matches your face to the document and stamps you in. The eVisa is single-entry, so that stamp starts your 30-day clock; the visa stays valid for three months from its issue date, which is the window you have to actually cross.

One detail Americans regularly ask about: how long the stay runs and whether it stretches. The eVisa gives you 30 days from entry, and the old tourist auto-extension ended in November 2025, so there is no automatic top-up. Single-entry means a fresh visa each time you leave and come back. Our guide to the multi-country and re-entry entry-point rules for Americans covers the loop logistics in full.

Putting your overland route together

The clean version, for any American planning an overland Cambodia leg in 2026: your eVisa works at the designated Vietnam and Laos crossings — Bavet and Kaam Samnor from Vietnam, Trapeang Kriel from Laos, with one further Vietnam crossing on the list — and not across the closed Thailand land border. Bavet is the most reliable choice, Kaam Samnor the most scenic, and Trapeang Kriel the link from a Laos leg. Confirm your exact crossing is on the eVisa-eligible list before you commit.

Next steps: apply for your Cambodia eVisa when you are ready, see which Cambodia entry points accept your eVisa for the airport side, read the Bavet crossing walkthrough if Vietnam is your route in, or check the Trapeang Kriel guide if you are coming from Laos. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD, both approved in 3 business days and delivered as a printable PDF by email.