My kid's Cambodian passport was about to expire, so we collected all the documents, drove the bus for 550 km's, and took off to AEON 2 mall to apply for the passport. Even though we brought the kid's passport, mum's passport & identity card, the original Cambodian birth certificate (laminated) and the family book, the guy blocking the entrance denied the application, raving about the laminated birth certificate (hey buddy, ever tried to get a duplicate one?) stating we now also needed a 'proof of birth' (prorcheck komnaat), written and signed by the sangkat which gave out the birth certificate. Then he gave his name card and told us we could send him a photo of all the documents once we had them and he would pre-approve them online for us, but the passport fee would go up to 115$ (from 100$) because of this.

After contacts with the clerk in Kampong Cham province, and them contacting Phnom Penh, the Sangkat produced the 'proof of birth' document which was then sent to us, while we were waiting in Phnom Penh, by taxi. Unfortunately the family name of my kid (a kind of German / Dutch name, hence unpronounceable / unrecognizable in Khmer) was written wrong. Instead of a (leg) N an M was written in the Khmer spelling, thus being different from the original birth certificate / family book. Of course the passport office was more strict than the strictest virgin in heaven, application denied again because this document from the sangkat didn't fully match the birth certificate and family book.

By this time I decided a K-visa would probably be easier as a short term solution. The K-visa in the European passport of my kid would grant my kid the right to enter and leave using that passport. Since we already had brought all the documents from the province we paid the Department of Immigration (DoI) a visit to request a K-visa for my kid. Don't waste your time there. K-visa denied because there was no wedding certificate. If the wife would come back next morning at 9.30 alone (yes, without me), bringing colored copies of all the documents, 'the problem might maybe be $olved'. Wife was convinced the rea$on for thi$ wa$ money.

By that time, having spent four days in Phnem Penh, I was so fed up with it all I booked two one way tickets to Bangkok and back (the next day). We left using my European and my kid's Cambodian passport, and entered Thailand using our European passports without problem. We had a great day at the pool in Latkrabang and went to the night market. The next day we flew back to Pochentong and I requested a 'special visa' for my kid. Immigration asked if the kid was of Cambodian descent and the kid answered in Khmer. Before I was able to pull the copy of the birth certificate out of my bag the immigration officer already grabbed the passport to process it and one and a half minute later the visa was issued, free of charge, no questions asked. My kid thanked them in the correct Khmer manner and they were all pleased. The difference with the other institutions couldn't have been bigger.

Anything to get from this?
Well, it seems corruption has entered the passport application process once more, with 'extra requirements' enforced on the spot.
And if you want a K-visa, arrange it at the airport, forget the DoI. All they will do is delay and come up with new reasons not to issue one in order to be able to pick some fruit from the money tree.

By this time I decided a K-visa would probably be easier as a short term solution. The K-visa in the European passport of my kid would grant my kid the right to enter and leave using that passport. Since we already had brought all the documents from the province we paid the Department of Immigration (DoI) a visit to request a K-visa for my kid. Don't waste your time there. K-visa denied because there was no wedding certificate. If the wife would come back next morning at 9.30 alone (yes, without me), bringing colored copies of all the documents, 'the problem might maybe be $olved'. Wife was convinced the rea$on for thi$ wa$ money.

I never heard of requesting a K-Visa from DOI - what I have always heard, and what we have done for all of our children, is to request an exit visa the day before the flight so the kids can leave on their European passport and upon return, as you found, they are entitled to a K-Visa on arrival and it's a painless process

I also discovered a fantastic hack for the Cambodian passport office/government institutions in general - I stay at home and let my better half handle it - real stress reliever that one and never fails

Let this be a lesson...do NOT laminate any official documents! Officials often will not accept if laminated, there are protective sleeves you can get for them.

You should have gone to the Main passport office at Chbar Ampouv, so many reports of people getting f**ked around at the AEON 2 passport office lately.

As Jerry Atrick said, Exit Visa at Visa Office then K-type VOA. They were issuing K-type Visas at the Visa Office during the COVID period, but (officially) stopped a few months ago. Why were you even bothered about getting a K-type Visa when your kid has a Cambodian passport?? There is no need.

You do realise that your kids Cambodian passport is now recorded as having exited Cambodia but not returning, therefore he'll need to exit on his European passport when he leaves again.

PSD-Kiwi wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 3:44 pm Let this be a lesson...do NOT laminate any official documents! Officials often will not accept if laminated, there are protective sleeves you can get for them.

You should have gone to the Main passport office at Chbar Ampouv, so many reports of people getting f**ked around at the AEON 2 passport office lately.

As Jerry Atrick said, Exit Visa at Visa Office then K-type VOA. They were issuing K-type Visas at the Visa Office during the COVID period, but (officially) stopped a few months ago. Why were you even bothered about getting a K-type Visa when your kid has a Cambodian passport?? There is no need.

You do realise that your kids Cambodian passport is now recorded as having exited Cambodia but not returning, therefore he'll need to exit on his European passport when he leaves again.

Went to AEON 2 to because a Khmer friend of mine was refused a passport at Chbar Ampouv, they claimed 'passports for under 15 at AEON 2 only'....

@Jerry Atrick - Khmer friend went there alone, and was turned down....

That's a load of shit, my wife just renewed youngest daughters at Chbar Ampouv last week, and she's well under 15, and I was not present, no issues.

Dont worry, you can unlamented a document. I have done it myself . Best to have someone helping you and do it slowly.

PSD-Kiwi wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 3:59 pm That's a load of shit, my wife just renewed youngest daughters at Chbar Ampouv last week, and she's well under 15, and I was not present, no issues.

Not sure what you consider a load of shit, but it seems like the process is slowly refilled with shit again.

My friend went to AEON 2, was redirected to Chbar Ampouv because of 'under 15', then Chbar Ampouw redirected back to AEON 2 where they charged 115$ instead of 100$ because of 'documents pre approval'.

Either place saying that they need to go to the other to apply for an under 15 year olds passport is a load of shit is what I'm referring to, not saying that your friends claim is a load of shit. Like I said, 6 year old daughters done last week at Chbar Ampouv, and I know plenty who have done their kids at AEON 2 also, and only paid the official price because turned up with the correct documents.

Sounds like you and the family have been dragged through the mill! Difficult situation in one way, not been able to get what you’re entitled too, without the corruption being an extra cost. But you know yourself that is how things are, and it gets you what you need.
Who would you hold responsible for such actions? Are the immigration department getting paid enough, or it’s just because they can, also there is another holiday coming. This kind of action is not aimed specifically at western people, It’s just how things are done, money, and service’s. The Khmer have been in this position for years, If you want a good service you will be expected to pay for it, above and beyond what the price is.
I personally have 99% done things by the book, I disagree with this system of deep rooted corruption, even more so when it is carried out by official authorities, for us it starts with the visa and EOS, by the price hike by using an agent. I know that it has been said that anyone can go to immigration with the documents required and get the EOS at the official price. Again what are the odds in this action?

PSD-Kiwi wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 4:40 pm Either place saying that they need to go to the other to apply for an under 15 year olds passport is a load of shit is what I'm referring to, not saying that your friends claim is a load of shit. Like I said, 6 year old daughters done last week at Chbar Ampouv, and I know plenty who have done their kids at AEON 2 also, and only paid the official price because turned up with the correct documents.

According to the guy at the entrance of AEON 2 office a 'proof of birth' from the sangkat now is an official required document.... Maybe I wasn't clear, but if the birth certificate wouldn't had been laminated it still was a requirement according to him.