Visas

Hi, I am a UK national and my partner is a Philippines national.  We plan to spend a year in Cambodia starting from October 2018. I have heard that the visa rules have changed recently.  If it would make it easier we could apply for work but it's not a necessity.  What is the best visa for us? Would we have to leave the country every month to renew it?

Hello.

Without doing anything in particular you could use the EG [general] extension of stay, after your initial one month E visa [Ordinary]. The EG extension is max. 6 months, so 7 months after your entry you have to leave the country. But you can come back, again on an E visa 1 month and extend it again with a EG extension. It is not known if this is accepted, to use the EG extension more than once, still waiting for reports in the field. Some agents claim that they can get a second EG extension, even without leaving the country, but I think that is bragging and it would be illegal too.

You could also make it easier by joining a language school or any study at a accredited institute.
Then while here on the E visa, apply for the ES [student] extension for a year, multiple entry. You need to provide a letter from that Institute that you are enlisted.

If you want to work there wait some more or less complicated applications.
First, after the E visa, you need the EB [business] extension, for a year. You need an official letter from your registered employer, including the official stamp and letterhead.

You also need a work permit, which you can do yourself on line.

Hope this helps.

Joe
Cambodia expert
Expat.com team

Thanks for that. We so intend to learn the language so will be enrolling in a school. Thanks again.

You're welcome.

Cheers.

Joe