Cambodia Border Run

@Aidan in HCMC

What answer do you expect?

It's either the one or the other, depending on the officer at the border.

Turning around immediately at Ha Tien has always been discouraged, better find a place to eat or drink, stay 1-2 hours and go back

Cheers.

Joe

What answer do you expect?

Expect? I was hoping for something definitive which I could share with expat.com members of the Vietnam forum. A link to an official policy would be great.

It's either the one or the other...

I'm sorry. I don't understand. Either one or the other, of what? I had asked,

"When entering Cambodia for a "border run", is there a minimum stay period? Okay to enter and leave immediately?"

...depending on the officer at the border.

Are you saying that it's based on the random choice or personal whim of the immigration officer, rather than any official policy? Border runners best be wearing their best smiley face.

Turning around immediately at Ha Tien has always been discouraged, better find a place to eat or drink, stay 1-2 hours and go back

From reports I've gotten from members, I'm in total agreement with you on this. Easier still (and cheaper/faster) is to pay the <$10USD as "asked".

I'm hesitant to accept as fact online travel advisory postings. See here (Link to Gov't of Australia's smarttraveller.gov.au), under subsection TRAVEL/Visas and border measures/Visas, where it states "You're required to stay at least one night after entering Cambodia, except when travelling via Phnom Penh International Airport." Is this incorrect?

I searched, prior to posting here, for any official .gov.kh policy on this, but was only able to find results related to Cambodia eVisas. Evidently the only land crossing from VN to CAM which accepts eVisa is the Moc Bai VN/Bavet CAM crossing.

Cheers. Joe -@JoeKhmer

Thank you for your help with this.

@Aidan in HCMC

Either one or the other: you stated yourself that your friend has experienced no extra fee and also some extra fee. And it's indeed to the discretion of the officer. If you refuse he will let you wait long time and there's nothing you can do about it.

To my knowledge Ha Tien is the easiest for Cambodia expats, they can even use a "fixer" but that cost money too.

I give you an example: if you enter Cambodia at the Poipet crossing, there are 2 lanes, one is processing visas very quickly, the other is irritatingly slow. You guess where you pay an extra fee.

Live with it, even if there was an official guideline the officers would still do as they please.

It's the reality, take it or leave it.

Cheers.

Joe

It is as so many times: either you pay up or you take the long way.

@JoeKhmer

Understood (completely).

I've been living with it, Vietnam style, coming up on 7 years now

Thanks

I give you an example: if you enter Cambodia at the Poipet crossing, there are 2 lanes, one is processing visas very quickly, the other is irritatingly slow. You guess where you pay an extra fee.
-@JoeKhmer

Exactly.

I only have VN/Cambodia visa run experience at Mộc Bài/Bavet, but this is exactly why I always recommend getting to Mộc Bài very early in the morning.

The lines then are usually non-existent, and neither the Vietnam border officers nor the Cambodian officers have a second long line to which they can redirect you.

The two times we crossed/returned there (about 8 A.M.) there were no lines and no one even hinted that we needed to pay more

My "guess" is that the ruse about needing to pay more is only really effective if there's a second long line where you can be exiled if you balk at making a "donation".

Hello everyone,

Please note that I have removed several posts on this thread to prevent members from encountering inaccurate information.

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

    When entering Cambodia for a "border run", is there a minimum stay period? Okay to enter and leave immediately?
I have a friend who has done the Hatien VN/Kampot CAM run a couple of times and has been "asked" to pay a small fee each time (< $10USD). However, when he has done the Moc Bai VN/Bavet CAM crossing, he has not been asked.
   

    -@Aidan in HCMC

I was asked on Cambodian side of Moc Bai to pay 100K VND, and everybody was putting money in their passports. Border guard smiled on me and showed 100K I said I do not have it, and he smiled back and  let me go through. I paid 100K on Ha Tien (Cambodia side too)  try little bit to "negotiate" your way (have no money, paid petrol paid fine in VN)  if you do not have choice. Never say NO.