Cambodia VoA Queue Times in 2026: How Long Aussies Actually Wait at KTI, SAI and KOS
How long Aussies actually wait at the Cambodian VoA booth in 2026 — by hour, by airport, and by season. KTI off-peak vs the 3pm-6pm crunch, SAI's leisure surge, the tiny KOS window, and where the eVisa e-gate sits in the bigger picture.
How long is the Cambodia visa-on-arrival queue at KTI, SAI and KOS for Australians in 2026?
KTI (Techo International, Phnom Penh) — the new airport that opened on 9 September 2025 — runs roughly 30 minutes off-peak and 60-90 minutes during the 3pm-6pm afternoon cluster when Singapore and Bangkok flights converge. SAI (Siem Reap-Angkor) is steadier at 15-30 minutes most of the day, with peak-season leisure spikes pushing it to 60 minutes. KOS (Sihanoukville) is the smallest of the three at 10-15 minutes typical, although the tiny VoA window carries a higher sticker-stockout risk. The eVisa lane is faster by a clear margin — 5-15 minutes total Immigration time — and Australian passports are not yet eligible for the e-Gate trial as of June 2026. For Aussies arriving on the 6am red-eye from Singapore, the VoA queue at KTI is at its calmest; the afternoon Bangkok wave is the worst.
Principais conclusões
- KTI VoA queue: 30 minutes off-peak, 60-90 minutes during the 3pm-6pm cluster when Singapore and Bangkok flights converge. KTI replaced PNH on 9 September 2025.
- SAI VoA queue: 15-30 minutes most of the day; up to 60 minutes during peak Angkor leisure season (December-February) and Pchum Ben weekends.
- KOS VoA queue: 10-15 minutes typical; only a tiny VoA window with sticker-stockout risk on low-throughput days.
- The eVisa lane is materially faster — 5-15 minutes total Immigration time — and Australian passports are not yet eligible for the e-Gate trial as of June 2026.
- Aussies on the 6am red-eye from Singapore land into the calmest KTI window of the day. Aussies arriving on the afternoon Bangkok wave hit the longest VoA queue.
Why queue times matter more in 2026 than they used to
Queue length used to be a casual concern at Cambodian airports. In 2019, the VoA booth at the old Phnom Penh airport ran a steady 25-35 minute line, the Siem Reap booth was busy but manageable, and Sihanoukville was practically empty. Six years on, the picture is more uneven. KTI opened in September 2025 with a much bigger Immigration hall but also took on the entire Phnom Penh inbound load, including the afternoon Singapore and Bangkok wave. SAI handles the bulk of Angkor leisure arrivals. KOS sees fewer flights but with a tiny VoA window that is easier to bottleneck.
For Australian travellers, queue length is no longer a curiosity — it determines whether you make dinner in town, whether you catch a connecting domestic flight, and whether your driver gives up and leaves. This guide breaks down the realistic 2026 queue numbers by airport, hour and season, and shows where the eVisa lane sits in the bigger picture.
If you have not yet picked between eVisa and VoA, the airport-by-airport reliability guide and the head-to-head comparison sit alongside this one. If you already know which airport you are landing at, the dedicated KTI and SAI guides cover the wider arrivals process — taxis, SIM cards, transfers — beyond the visa booth. The smoothest way to get sorted before your flight is to Cambodia eVisa for Australian travellers on our site.
KTI (Phnom Penh) — the 3pm-6pm afternoon crunch
KTI replaced the old PNH airport on 9 September 2025 and now handles the bulk of Cambodian air arrivals. The Immigration hall is materially larger than the old terminal, with a wider VoA counter — typically four to six officers working in parallel — and a separate e-gate-style lane for pre-approved eVisa holders. The queue profile is bimodal: a quiet morning window where flights from Australia via Singapore land between 5am and 8am, and a busy afternoon block from 3pm to 6pm where Singapore, Bangkok and a handful of regional flights cluster.
Perguntas frequentes
How long is the Cambodia VoA queue at KTI in 2026?
KTI (Techo International, Phnom Penh) runs 20-30 minutes off-peak and 60-90 minutes during the 3pm-6pm afternoon cluster when Singapore and Bangkok flights converge. Morning arrivals between 5am and 11am are the calmest window. KTI replaced the old PNH airport on 9 September 2025 and now handles the bulk of Phnom Penh inbound load.
How long is the Cambodia VoA queue at SAI (Siem Reap)?
SAI runs a steady 15-30 minutes for most of the year. The queue climbs to 45-70 minutes during the Pchum Ben weekend in October and 30-60 minutes during the December-February peak Angkor leisure season. The desk has fewer officers than KTI but a lower and steadier load.
How long is the Cambodia VoA queue at KOS (Sihanoukville)?
KOS runs 10-15 minutes typically — the shortest of the three Cambodian international airports. The trade-off is sticker-stockout risk on Fridays and Saturdays because the daily throughput is low. Aussies should pre-apply for the eVisa rather than rely on the booth at KOS.
Is the eVisa lane faster than VoA at Cambodian airports?
Yes, by a clear margin. The eVisa lane runs 5-15 minutes total Immigration time at all three airports — even at KTI's 3pm-6pm peak. The booth queue runs 30-90 minutes at the same window. The Cambodia eVisa is Approved in 3 business days, Delivered as a printable PDF by email, with Free resubmission if Immigration flags a correction.
When is the calmest VoA window at KTI?
The 5am-8am morning window. Australian travellers arriving on the early red-eye from Singapore — typically a 1am SYD departure landing in Phnom Penh around 6am — hit KTI at its calmest, with VoA queues rarely exceeding 25 minutes. The 3pm-6pm afternoon cluster is the worst window.
Are Australian passports eligible for the Cambodia e-Gate trial?
Not yet, as of June 2026. The KTI e-Gate trial currently accepts ASEAN passports — Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar — plus Cambodian nationals. Australian, British, American, Canadian and New Zealand passports are still routed through the staffed eVisa lane, which remains 5-15 minutes at all three airports.
What happens if my flight lands during the KTI peak window?
Plan around a 60-90 minute VoA queue rather than the headline 30-minute number. If you have a driver booked, send a courtesy SMS before landing. If you have a connecting domestic flight to SAI or KOS, aim for at least a 3-hour layover. The eVisa lane is materially faster at the same window — 10-20 minutes — and avoids the cash-USD exercise entirely.
Fontes
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