Question for long term expats, future planning?

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A10
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Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by A10 »

Hi everyone,

I know I just signed up, but I'm a semi long time overseas lurker of both forums. I first came to Cambodia when I was 22 and stayed a while until I moved back to the states in 2015, but now am back from Southern California. I suppose you could say I'm surprised at the change in the last 4 years in what could be called the Chinese "invasion". And that gets the heart of this thread, I want to ask some long term expats what your opinions are for those wanting to plan long term for Cambodia (and perhaps get in touch with some people I lost contact with, although I don't recognize many posters from before).

My main concern is with the apparent non stop changes in legislation here, and I'm really wondering if expats (especially 'Muricans like me) will be able to find ways to legally stay in the near future. Although I managed to get a 12 month EB visa fairly easily this time, the rapidly changing environment has me concerned. I don't see things getting any easier for long term expats who might be considering Cambodia as their future home, especially if you don't have a Khmer wife.

Obviously it's impossible to predict the future, but I want to ask long term expats here what you think. Do you get the feeling that long term foreigners will begin to be phased out of here with further tightening of immigration? I'm seriously looking at setting up permanently in Cambodia, but without the "guarantee" of more than a year I'm also hesitant to do so.

Anyway, any feedback appreciated.

Thanks,
A10
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by phuketrichard »

look to the neighbors to the west an see how they are tightening up on retired expats and expect it to reach Cambodia, hopefully not for 10 years or so

If you cant work in Cambodia and make a decent income and ur in your 30-50's your going to be fucked when you hit 60 and my advice would be to go back to your own country, get a good job for 20 years and save lots or at least a trade, ( teaching credentials , a masters in education) that would make you desirable to hire and a decent income in SE asia so you can put away funds for retirement.

May i ask how u got a EB extension? are you working?
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by Username Taken »

A10 wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 4:28 pm Hi everyone,

I know I just signed up, but I'm a semi long time overseas lurker of both forums. I first came to Cambodia when I was 22 and stayed a while until I moved back to the states in 2015, but now am back from Southern California. I suppose you could say I'm surprised at the change in the last 4 years in what could be called the Chinese "invasion". And that gets the heart of this thread, I want to ask some long term expats what your opinions are for those wanting to plan long term for Cambodia (and perhaps get in touch with some people I lost contact with, although I don't recognize many posters from before).

My main concern is with the apparent non stop changes in legislation here, and I'm really wondering if expats (especially 'Muricans like me) will be able to find ways to legally stay in the near future. Although I managed to get a 12 month EB visa fairly easily this time, the rapidly changing environment has me concerned. I don't see things getting any easier for long term expats who might be considering Cambodia as their future home, especially if you don't have a Khmer wife.

Obviously it's impossible to predict the future, but I want to ask long term expats here what you think. Do you get the feeling that long term foreigners will begin to be phased out of here with further tightening of immigration? I'm seriously looking at setting up permanently in Cambodia, but without the "guarantee" of more than a year I'm also hesitant to do so.

Anyway, any feedback appreciated.

Thanks,
A10
Your question isn't necessarily directed at long term expats. Whether long term or short term we all need to comply with the immigration laws of the day, regardless of how many hoops we need to jump through.

If you want to live here fulltime, you either need a Business visa or a Retirement visa, both of which are readily available if you have all the necessary documents.

The days of just handing your passport and money to an agent and getting a Business visa, just like that, are long gone, but I doubt anyone expected that those days would last forever.

I expect the future of the Cambodian Immigration laws will follow something like the Thais. Money in the bank for a Retirement visa, plus private health insurance.
Possible Residency status for those who are married (with kids, or not) providing you can tick all the other boxes as well.

As for "long term foreigners will begin to be phased out", last month marked my 20 years in the KoW. Long termers have been getting phased out for years, some die, some move back home. But year after year, there are fewer and fewer expats that have been here as long as you. There are several long term, 20+ year expats on this forum, but thinking back of the expats who have been here as long as or longer than me, I can only think of 2 that I know personally or I've met. (Long termers are a dying breed).
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by A10 »

phuketrichard wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 5:01 pm ...my advice would be to go back to your own country, get a good job for 20 years and save lots or at least a trade...
Just for personal reasons, but I have zero interest in returning to the U.S. now which is why I am here. I'm not a fugitive or anything of the sort, but my circumstances don't favor me being there much. I agree however that would be a more logical way to go though for someone in different circumstances.

phuketrichard wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 5:01 pm May i ask how u got a EB extension? are you working?
I'm working, yes.

Username Taken wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 5:29 pm Your question isn't necessarily directed at long term expats. Whether long term or short term we all need to comply with the immigration laws of the day, regardless of how many hoops we need to jump through...

...As for "long term foreigners will begin to be phased out", last month marked my 20 years in the KoW. Long termers have been getting phased out for years, some die, some move back home. But year after year, there are fewer and fewer expats that have been here as long as you. There are several long term, 20+ year expats on this forum, but thinking back of the expats who have been here as long as or longer than me, I can only think of 2 that I know personally or I've met. (Long termers are a dying breed).
Congrats on your 20 year marker, and I'll also agree on long termers disappearing. Many of those I've met when I first came around 10 years ago have either moved on or died.

Just thinking about what you said, I realize I'm probably in a really poor situation to stay long term here already with the way things are. Seems I might only be here a year or two to catch my breath from western hustle and bustle in order to figure out what to do next.


Thanks for both of your feedback.
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by Clutch Cargo »

Good topic A10 :thumb:

As for me, one big factor about living here is Mrs Cargo (I coin that term but we're not actually married). I think if it wasn't for her I might reconsider living here full time.

I'm on a retiree visa extension so don't have concerns about that. All said and done, life is still pretty good for me here. I feel 'alive' ..when I visit my home country, I feel it's too quiet, clinical and orderly. Mundane.

TBH though I'm concerned about the 'chinafication' going on here and the affect it's having. We used to like going to Snook and Otres in particular but now it's just all Chinese...If it was more cosmopolitan catering to all nationalities, and not so casino oriented, it would be different. Today on the way to the movies at Aeon 1, I couldn't believe the chinese business development going on just before you get on the Koh Pich bridge (right behind the Ozzie embassy).. That whole area is destined (if not already) to be chinatown. Further big chinese developments are mooted along the river towards the Japanese bridge.. The amount of chinese tourists frequenting the riversiade area has increased multifold in recent years.

Now some may say I'm paranoid and anti chinese however my gripe is about one particular foreign nationality taking over or dominating the place. I fear what the place will be like in this regard in the next 5 years.
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by Sidewalker »

I do not any future planning, at my age (70+) my future is behind my back. :beer3:
There are people who cannot imagine that there are other ways of life than their own life. :facepalm:
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by A10 »

clutchcargo wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 6:28 pm Now some may say I'm paranoid and anti chinese however my gripe is about one particular foreign nationality taking over or dominating the place. I fear what the place will be like in this regard in the next 5 years.
I was feeling a little bit paranoid myself, but after trying to get my feet on the ground it's obvious things have significantly and quickly changed (some for better and some for worse). So if things can change this fast, I'm wondering if they'll change in the near future.
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by frank lee bent »

What work are you doing?
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by A10 »

Entry level management at a hotel.
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Re: Question for long term expats, future planning?

Post by explorer »

Some people seem to cut ties with their country of origin, spend most of their money, and it becomes difficult to go back.

I plan to live in Australia if visas get too difficult in Cambodia, or my finances run low, or I have health problems. But then it is difficult to know what any of us might do in the future.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
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