Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
I think people here forget what digital nomads are really. You are not planning to stay in one country permanently, it's supposed to be only a short visit. For some it means month, for some mean a year and then you switch country, hence the nomad part.
One thing is that many countries you don't have to pay taxes if you stay in that country for less than 6 months. Many countries have also special digital nomad visas. That way the Forbes list is more accurate. European countries are truly digital nomad paradises with extremely high internet speeds + visas + tax laws.
Is Cambodia digital nomad paradise? Well it depends on the individual. If you are one who wants to do everything correctly by the book, then no Cambodia is not as you cannot even get visa unless you set up a company here and pay taxes. And who would do that for few months visit? If you don't mind living on a grey zone (and many digital nomad don't mind as they spend few months per country), then Cambodia can be ok option. Is it paradise? Not really. Like many have mentioned, the internet connection speeds is still behind neighbouring countries and it's not stable connection either. And of course some might come back to same country again year later, then living on grey zone might not be ideal as you might have problems in future with your visas and taxes. I know few who have got them in trouble (not in Cambodia though!).
The first article used criteria including:
Cost of living
Safety
Average internet speed
Places to work (such as cafes, shared workspaces etc)
Well if it that is criteria, then no wonder Cambodia is ranked in high. And Forbes criteria:
For their study, seven key categories were analyzed: internet access and speed, apartment rental costs, language difficulty, openness to digital nomads, cost and access to a work visa and length of the remote working visa.
One thing is that many countries you don't have to pay taxes if you stay in that country for less than 6 months. Many countries have also special digital nomad visas. That way the Forbes list is more accurate. European countries are truly digital nomad paradises with extremely high internet speeds + visas + tax laws.
Is Cambodia digital nomad paradise? Well it depends on the individual. If you are one who wants to do everything correctly by the book, then no Cambodia is not as you cannot even get visa unless you set up a company here and pay taxes. And who would do that for few months visit? If you don't mind living on a grey zone (and many digital nomad don't mind as they spend few months per country), then Cambodia can be ok option. Is it paradise? Not really. Like many have mentioned, the internet connection speeds is still behind neighbouring countries and it's not stable connection either. And of course some might come back to same country again year later, then living on grey zone might not be ideal as you might have problems in future with your visas and taxes. I know few who have got them in trouble (not in Cambodia though!).
The first article used criteria including:
Cost of living
Safety
Average internet speed
Places to work (such as cafes, shared workspaces etc)
Well if it that is criteria, then no wonder Cambodia is ranked in high. And Forbes criteria:
For their study, seven key categories were analyzed: internet access and speed, apartment rental costs, language difficulty, openness to digital nomads, cost and access to a work visa and length of the remote working visa.
Last edited by rogerrabbit on Mon May 24, 2021 1:04 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
Well, for those of us that like to come and go as we please and not so much incorporate or build families, the available "cheat" is still gold. I do not know any other country where it's so easy to have a multiple entry visa. Yes this may change in the future but that doesn't really matter to someone who works out of a backpack, which is kind of how I picture a digital nomad.Kammekor wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 12:34 pm I've done it, it's possible but you need several backup systems. A broken laptop can break your business here unless you're prepared to cough up money, set up a new one, and go back to work again. You need power backup and possibly 4g backup for your connection.
Visa are a major hassle now (have been for years actually). Nomads are not legally employed so EB extensions are not available unless you cheat. If you're over fifty you can go for a retirement visa but most nomads will be too young for that. That means coming and going to get new visa which is a no go at the moment. Cambodia was nomad's heaven until four years ago. Now it's no longer the case.
And right now I just need to reboot my router once a week, power has gone out twice in the last month but not for extended times.
Absolutely no problem working, but of course that can depend on your location within the kingdom.
What has changed so much in the last four years though if I may ask? I have been away from the kingdom for a long time so asking of sheer curiosity.
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- Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
It's now a lot more difficult to get a long-term (3+ months) visa without a work permit. Gone are you the days of his renewing 12 or 6 month visas indefinitely. More hurdles, more $$ and so on. Still ways around it or course, but more difficult.ItWasntMe wrote: What has changed so much in the last four years though if I may ask? I have been away from the kingdom for a long time so asking of sheer curiosity.
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- phuketrichard
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
NOMAD< "A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation which regularly moves to and from the same areas."
( Anyone see nomadland?)
Cambodia would be easily doable for 7 months ( after covid)
Business visa and a 6 month EG extension, ( looking for work)
than move over to Thailand; single entry visa + extend 30 days, up to laos for a month and than get another thai visa and you have 13 months in only 2 countries
or split up the thai visas with 7 months in Cambodia..
Malaysia, most western passports get 90- days
repeat as desired in se asia till you want put roots down
( Anyone see nomadland?)
Exactly;I think people here forget what digital nomads are really. You are not planning to stay in one country permanently, it's supposed to be only a short visit. For some it means month, for some mean a year and then you switch country, hence the nomad part.
Cambodia would be easily doable for 7 months ( after covid)
Business visa and a 6 month EG extension, ( looking for work)
than move over to Thailand; single entry visa + extend 30 days, up to laos for a month and than get another thai visa and you have 13 months in only 2 countries
or split up the thai visas with 7 months in Cambodia..
Malaysia, most western passports get 90- days
repeat as desired in se asia till you want put roots down
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
- simon43
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
Living and working online from Laos works fine for me I left an in-class teaching job in Naypyitaw (Myanmar) a few years ago, and then started teaching science online from Thailand, but then decided that the visas on offer did not really suit my purpose. So I moved to Luang Prabang in north Laos and was issued with an annual business visa and work permit for teaching online. I don't have to pay any local taxes and zero reporting to immigration. I'm on my 3rd annual visa... everything is good!
- Jerry Atrick
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
A work permit is not required documentation when applying for a 6 or 12 month visa extension in CambodiaBitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:09 pmIt's now a lot more difficult to get a long-term (3+ months) visa without a work permit. Gone are you the days of his renewing 12 or 6 month visas indefinitely. More hurdles, more $$ and so on. Still ways around it or course, but more difficult.ItWasntMe wrote: What has changed so much in the last four years though if I may ask? I have been away from the kingdom for a long time so asking of sheer curiosity.
Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
Same experience here, getting a 12 month visa now seems just as easy as 10 years ago, covid or not.Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:42 pmA work permit is not required documentation when applying for a 6 or 12 month visa extension in CambodiaBitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:09 pmIt's now a lot more difficult to get a long-term (3+ months) visa without a work permit. Gone are you the days of his renewing 12 or 6 month visas indefinitely. More hurdles, more $$ and so on. Still ways around it or course, but more difficult.ItWasntMe wrote: What has changed so much in the last four years though if I may ask? I have been away from the kingdom for a long time so asking of sheer curiosity.
A couple $10's added to the price but still not too bad I think.
But maybe the official way of doing it has changed, that I have little clue about.
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
I know 2 people who moved to Georgia from Cambodia and Thailand in last 6 moths. When I asked why, they said that many of their friends who work online moved there, because is easy to get visa, good food, good wine, nice people and liberal laws for weed.
Don"t Eat The Yellow Snow.
- xX.TROPA.Xx
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
Stop talking about stuff you no nothing abut and just stick to posting photos of girls that wouldn't touch you with a pole u salty old fool.Brody wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 11:53 amDigital nomads......unless sponsored by a Cambodia registered company or have registered as their own business entity with a tax patent number are not legally able to work in Cambodia or receive an EB visa extension.Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 11:46 amWell, the article references digital nomads not long term forigen residents.Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 11:27 amExactly. The article is pretty silly. I mean I guess it's fine if you want to work here remotely for 1-6 months or something, but it isn't straightforward past that.Bubble T wrote:There isn't a long term visa that remote workers can legally and reliably get without breaking the rules, nor is there a coherent system in place for them to be able to pay their taxes.
This is why, as a remote worker with a family seeking long term stability, I had to make the decision to leave Cambodia. Hard to see how they could omit this kind of info from their article.
- xX.TROPA.Xx
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Re: Is Cambodia a Paradise for Digital Nomads ?
I've been coming and going to Cambodia since 2016 filled two passports doing visa runs Cambodia has been perfect for me with my online work and receiving money through rental properties in Australia I've been able to live very comfortably in PPphuketrichard wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 1:29 pm NOMAD< "A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation which regularly moves to and from the same areas."
( Anyone see nomadland?)Exactly;I think people here forget what digital nomads are really. You are not planning to stay in one country permanently, it's supposed to be only a short visit. For some it means month, for some mean a year and then you switch country, hence the nomad part.
Cambodia would be easily doable for 7 months ( after covid)
Business visa and a 6 month EG extension, ( looking for work)
than move over to Thailand; single entry visa + extend 30 days, up to laos for a month and than get another thai visa and you have 13 months in only 2 countries
or split up the thai visas with 7 months in Cambodia..
Malaysia, most western passports get 90- days
repeat as desired in se asia till you want put roots down
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