eVisa vs Visa on Arrival for Cambodia: Why US Travelers Should Apply Online First
Apply online before you fly. For US travelers in 2026, the Cambodia eVisa lands as a printable PDF in 3 business days, clears the airline gate cleanly, and lets you walk straight to Immigration — while the on-arrival counter is a slower, riskier fallback that only exists at a few airports.
Should US travelers get a Cambodia eVisa or a visa on arrival in 2026?
Apply for the Cambodia eVisa online before you fly. For US citizens in 2026 the eVisa is the cleaner, safer route: it is approved in 3 business days, delivered as a printable PDF by email, and it clears the airline gate in the United States so you are never at risk of being denied boarding. The on-arrival counter still exists at the open international airports, but it is a fallback — you queue after a long-haul flight, the cost is comparable, and it does not exist at any land border. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD all-in, both approved in 3 business days. Sorting the visa before you leave home removes the single biggest variable from your arrival.
کلیدی ٹیک ویز
- Apply online first. The Cambodia eVisa is approved in 3 business days and delivered as a printable PDF, so you reach the airport with the visa already settled instead of gambling on a counter.
- The on-arrival counter exists only at the open airports (KTI, SAI, KOS) — never at a land border, and the airline can still deny boarding in the US if you turn up with nothing in hand.
- The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD all-in, both approved in 3 business days, with free resubmission if Immigration flags a correction.
- Both routes cost real money and both still need the separate e-Arrival Card — the on-arrival counter saves you nothing and adds a queue at the worst possible moment, right after a long-haul flight.
- Land entry is the dealbreaker: all seven Thailand-Cambodia land borders have been closed since June 2025, so any Bangkok-overland plan is off the table and applying online before you fly is the only reliable path.
Why this choice matters more in 2026
What each route actually is
The eVisa — applied online before you fly
The visa on arrival — handled at the airport counter
eVisa vs visa on arrival: the honest side-by-side
Why applying online first wins for US travelers
When the on-arrival counter is even worth considering
تھائی لینڈ
ویزا فری 60 دن
بنکاک میں، سیم ریپ آؤٹ - لیکن زمینی سرحد بند ہے۔
2026 کی تازہ کاری پڑھیں →ویتنام
ای ویزا درکار ہے ( $25 سنگل / $50 ملٹی)
کلاسیکی انڈوچائنا جوڑی۔ دیکھیں کہ ویزا کے اخراجات کیسے بڑھتے ہیں۔
اخراجات کا موازنہ کریں۔ →لاؤس
eVisa $50 یا VoA $35 –40
انڈوچائنا لوپ پر تیسرے اسٹاپ کو نظر انداز کیا گیا۔
اخراجات کا موازنہ کریں۔ →اکثر پوچھے گئے سوالات
Should I get a Cambodia eVisa or a visa on arrival as a US citizen?
Apply for the eVisa online before you fly. It is approved in 3 business days, delivered as a printable PDF, and clears the airline gate in the United States so you are never at risk of being denied boarding. The on-arrival counter still exists at the open international airports (KTI, SAI, KOS), but it is a slower, riskier fallback: you queue after a long-haul flight, pay a comparable fee in cash, and there is no on-arrival option at any land border. For almost every American traveler, applying online first is the clear winner.
Is the visa on arrival cheaper than the Cambodia eVisa?
No — the on-arrival counter is not a discount route. You still pay a real visa fee, in cash, on the day you land. The Tourist eVisa is $80 USD all-in and the Business eVisa is $90 USD all-in, both approved in 3 business days and delivered as a printable PDF. For a comparable price, the eVisa buys you certainty: you know you are getting in before you board, with free resubmission if anything needs fixing.
Can I be denied boarding in the US if I plan to get a visa on arrival?
Yes. Airlines check for a valid visa or eVisa at the US departure gate, because the carrier is penalized if Cambodia refuses you entry. If you turn up at LAX, SFO, or JFK with no visa and no eVisa PDF, the desk agent can lawfully refuse to board you. An approved eVisa settles that question on the spot, which is one of the strongest reasons to apply online before you fly.
Is visa on arrival available at the Cambodia land borders?
No. The on-arrival counter is an airport-only service — it exists at KTI in Phnom Penh, SAI in Siem Reap-Angkor, and KOS in Sihanoukville, but never at a land border. On top of that, all seven Thailand-Cambodia land borders have been closed since June 2025, so the overland route the on-arrival visa used to serve does not work in 2026. If your trip ever touched a land crossing, applying for the eVisa online before you fly is the only reliable path.
Do I still need the e-Arrival Card if I use the visa on arrival?
Yes. The e-Arrival Card is mandatory for every air arrival regardless of how you get your visa. It is a separate online form — 14 fields, submitted within 7 days before your arrival — that produces a QR code you present at the airport. Choosing the on-arrival counter does not remove this step, which is why it saves you less than it seems: you are doing online paperwork from home either way, so you may as well settle the visa at the same time.
ذرائع
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ہمارے بلاگ سے
لاگت اور قیمت کا تعین
امریکیوں کے لیے کمبوڈیا ای-آمد کارڈ فیس کی وضاحت
کمبوڈیا کا ای ارائیول کارڈ آپ کے ای ویزا سے ایک الگ مرحلہ ہے، اور ایک چھوٹا سا — $5 USD ہمارے ذریعے تصدیق شدہ، 14 فیلڈز، آپ کے پرواز سے پہلے 7 دنوں کے اندر فائل کیے گئے ہیں۔ یہ بالکل وہی ہے جو اس فیس کا احاطہ کرتا ہے، اسے آپ کے ویزا کی قیمت میں کیوں نہیں جوڑا جاتا ہے، اور وہ وقت جو آپ کو گیٹ پر منتقل کرتا رہتا ہے۔
درخواست کا عمل
کمبوڈیا ای ارائیول کارڈ: امریکی شہری آمد سے پہلے اسے کیسے بھرتے ہیں۔
کمبوڈیا ای ارائیول کارڈ تین حصوں میں 14 فیلڈز پر مشتمل ہے، جو آپ کے اترنے سے پہلے 7 دنوں کے اندر فائل کیا جاتا ہے۔ یہاں بالکل وہی ہے جو ہر فیلڈ چاہتا ہے، جس ترتیب سے فارم اس کے لیے پوچھتا ہے، نیز تاریخ کی شکل کی پرچی جو کیوسک پر امریکی مسافروں کو جھنڈا دیتی ہے۔
دستاویزات کی چیک لسٹ
کمبوڈیا ای ارائیول کارڈ کے لیے آپ کو کس معلومات کی ضرورت ہے (14 فیلڈز، مرحلہ وار)
کمبوڈیا ای ارائیول کارڈ تین حصوں میں معلومات کے 14 ٹکڑے مانگتا ہے — آپ کی شناخت، آپ کی پرواز اور قیام، اور ایک مختصر کسٹم اعلامیہ۔ یہاں بالکل وہی ہے جو ہر فیلڈ چاہتا ہے اور شروع کرنے سے پہلے آپ کے سامنے چار چیزیں ہیں۔