Getting a extended Visa to live in Cambodia for a year or two

[splumlee]

I am planning to use my G.I. Bill (U.S. Grant money) for paying for my tuition costs for Arizona State University; Online school; and they will give me 1,000$ USD per month for rent and food, if I take a full schedule of classes, to finish my bachelors degree.... [this money i earned from serving in the U.S. Army for 4 years...]

Anyways, with 1,000 USD income... What can I tell the Cambodian government that I am doing for income, to get a Visa, to live in Phnom Penh for a year or two.. while I do online schoolwork..

I would do schooling in USA, but i calculated, i will save a few thousand dollars in a years time, by renting cheaper in cambodia, even after the plane ticket and visa costs... lol.. So i want to live in Cambodia while i do online school.

Can I get a visa and call myself a freelancer? or what kind of visa should I get, in order to live in Phnom Penh for a year? then extend it another year after that?

[superferret]

Have you ever been to Cambodia? You're not going to save any money from that if you want anything resembling a normal lifestyle here. You should go to a more developed country that's cheap. Cambodia is only cheap if you really have extremely low standards, otherwise for medium to high standards it's not cheap at all compared to other places. Spain, for example is cheaper than Cambodia, except the biggest cities and also dozens of other countries are way cheaper for a medium standard of living.

[PSD-Kiwi]

Splumlee...there’s a tonne of info available already on this topic, but I’ll help ya out.

- On arrival, tick the box that says E-type (Ordinary) Visa on the Visa on arrival application form, hand that along with your passport, $35 & 2 passport pictures to the VOA counter. When they hand you your pp back, make sure they have given you an E-type, not a T-type (Tourist) VOA.

- At least 1 week prior to your VOA expiring, take your passport to a visa agent and apply for an EOS (extension of stay). You mentioned you would like to undertake part time work while here, therefore my suggestion to you is to apply for a 3 mth EG (General) EOS, once you gain employment then switch to a 12 mth EB (Business) EOS and then apply for a Work Permit.

- At least 1 week prior to your 12 mth EOS expiring, apply for another 12 mth EB EOS.

Note: In order to apply for a 6/12 mth EB EOS, you need to submit a letter from your employer, this letter must be stamped with the businesses official MOC stamp.

[PSD-Kiwi]

...if you are under 55 & you don’t intend to work, you could try for the ER EOS by submitting proof of sufficient funds for your stay ($1000p/mth should be sufficient) and proof of retirement or a stat dec stating that you are retired and will not work in Cambodia.

If you’re 55+ then you won’t need to submit supporting documentation for an ER EOS

[splumlee]

I'm curious if i can get an extended stay visa, if I am not working and don't have a company to give me a work permit..

Just living on the 1,000 USD per month from the GI BILL while i study and do online school to finish my BA degree....

What kind of Visa could i get to extend my stay there, living on that income?

[cautious colin]

I'm curious if i can get an extended stay visa, if I am not working and don't have a company to give me a work permit..

Just living on the 1,000 USD per month from the GI BILL while i study and do online school to finish my BA degree....

What kind of Visa could i get to extend my stay there, living on that income?

Hi splumlee

E visa on arrival, EG extension (visa looking for work) for a maximum of 6 months.

Once those 6 months pass the visa law will have changed but the options are likely to be:
Another EG for 6 months, (may have to do a visa run for this option)
An EB for 3 -12 months (depending on how tight/lax they are at that specific time).

That will take you to around August next year after the 'elections' and they should have come some way to figuring out visa policy, but if worst comes to worst just get an EB 3 months and extend when you need to.

Check out this facebook group for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333901840112789/

[PSD-Kiwi]

If you don’t intend to work, then you could try for a 12 mth EB EOS, initially the DOI were issuing them with no supporting documentation if it was your first time, but that seems to have been ceased.

If you can’t get a 12 mth EB or ER EOS, then you’ll have to get 3 mth EB EOS and apply for further 3 mth EB EOSs prior to expiry...until they put a stop to that practice as well. Note, 3 mth EOSs are single entry only.

6 mth EG EOSs were been issued, although many reports (from SR) are now saying 3 mths maximum, as opposed to reports from PP of people still being able to get 6 mths . these are a one time only EOS...you can’t keep applying for EG EOSs, and if you have any other E-type EOSs in your pp, they will not issue you an EG EOS.

[splumlee]

I understand EB ... the business one..

What is this word "EOS" you're using? Or and EG EGOS / EB EOS what's the difference? between the G and B in EG/EB ....


And, Can I get the 1 year EB extension without a work permit? My First time?

[PSD-Kiwi]

EOS = Extension of stay
EB = Business EOS
ER = Retirement EOS
EG = General EOS (looking for work, one time only)

When the new immigration sub-decree was issued last year, they were allowing first timers to get 6/12 mth EB EOS without employment, however that appears to have changed and even if you are applying for your first 6/12 mth EB EOS you need to provide the employment letter.

The laws here can be extremely vague, and interpretations differ, what is standard practice this week could be different next week, but the info we have posted is a reflection of what the current situation is.

Staying here long term without justification was very simple up until Sept last year, not so simple anymore.

[Pizzalover]

I was last week at Lucky Motors and some other patrons could only apply for 3 months extensions. Seems to be the same for people who applied in SHV at an agent and got likewise just 3 months. Thus, the 6 months extension seems to be gone for first timers without additional documentation.