Update May 20: United States, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, and Spain passport holders are again allowed to enter Cambodia if they are already in possession of a multi-entry Cambodia visa. Those not in possession of a long-stay visa already will need to apply for a visa in advance from a Cambodian embassy or consulate. There are currently no visa exempt entries, visa on arrival, or electronic visas being issued. Those entering the country will need to have a medical test with negative COVID-19 results within 72 hours of flying and a health insurance policy with $50,000 of coverage. Get a no-commitment expat health insurance quote from Cigna Global.

While not all incoming passengers are subjected to quarantine, some have reported being quarantined overnight on arrival.

Cambodia COVID-19 update: what’s happening with visas?

Update April 16: Those from the United States, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, and Spain are now banned from entering Cambodia until further notice.

Update March 30: With new travel restrictions coming every few days, it can be difficult to keep track of Cambodia’s visa situation due to coronavirus. From March 17th those from the United States, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain were banned from entering the country for 30 days, apparently due to climbing rates of COVID-19 infections in these countries. Chinese visitors, however, were allowed to travel freely into the Kingdom. On March 28th it was announced that e-visas and visas-on-arrival will no longer be issued to any nationality from March 31st for a period of one month.

During this period all foreigners will be required to obtain a visa at their local Cambodian embassy or consulate, and be able to provide a medical certificate certify a negative COVID-19 test result issued no more than 72 hours before the date of travel, as well as provide proof of insurance with a minimum of $50,000 of medical coverage. Due to the lack of availability of tests in most countries, this restriction makes it all but impossible for most people to travel to Cambodia in April.

Thailand has banned all non-resident foreigners from entering, and Vietnam and Laos have also shut their borders with Cambodia.

According to the US Embassy in Cambodia, all museums, concert halls, KTVs, schools, and bars are closed, although there seem to be more than a few bars bucking the rules in Phnom Penh.

If you have visa questions that are related to the coronavirus pandemic, the Cambodia Visa and Work Permit Group on Facebook has several dedicated threads, and it is the most reliable source for fast-changing information.

For those on tourist visas (T-type), they will be allowed to extend them in-country for 30 days at a time until June, 2020. The previous restriction of just one tourist visa extension has been lifted. The cost is $30 if you extend it directly at the Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh, or around $55 through an agent.

Update for those in Cambodia on tourist visas: “Effective from April 3, 2020, the Cambodian government will grant an automatic extension of tourist visas to those foreign citizens who arrived in Cambodia after January 1, 2020 until April 30.  These foreign citizens are also exempt from visa overstay fines until they are able to depart Cambodia through immigration.” (This information comes from the US Embassy in Phnom Penh)

EG visa extensions are also being renewed under the same terms, and multiple 30-day extensions are allowed. The cost is $30 if you extend it directly at the Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh, or around $55 through an agent.

This doesn’t help the hundreds of tourists who are currently stranded in Cambodia, though! The British citizens of the Facebook group Stranded in Cambodia UK have been getting a lot of attention, but there are citizens of many other countries who are effectively ‘Stuck in Cambodia.’ In the next week there are a limited number of flights leaving the country (on Asiana, ANA, and Korean Airlines) and once all commercial options are exhausted it is likely that various embassies will be organizing flights to remove the last remaining tourists from the country. France has already evacuated one flight of its citizens out of Cambodia, with more flights planned. Australia is also working on something.

If you’re a tourist who is trying to leave, most embassies are recommending you head to Phnom Penh as quickly as possible so you will be available for flights leaving the country at short notice. And of course, stay in touch with your embassy. If you’re planning on hunkering down in the Kingdom, check out our recent review of Baby Elephant, an eco-friendly boutique hotel in Siem Reap offering special long-term rates.

In the good news department, there is some evidence that warm weather slows the spread of coronavirus, and with hot season quickly approaching in Cambodia, that’s a pretty major upside. If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to check out Pete’s post about living in Phnom Penh during the coronavirus crisis.

For more Cambodian coronavirus news, check out coronabycountry.com, and specifically their page of Cambodia coronavirus news which collects local news about the virus and translates it into English using Google Translate.