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Moving to Cambodia - need some general info (insurance, bank, taxes..)

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Plutotheplanet

Hello! I'm a slovenian citizen and I wish to move to Phnom Penh. I had an interest in Asia probably since I saw the first Jackie Chan movie. Now I have the funds to make the move and I already know about the business visa, but I still need more details just so that I'll know what to do.

1. Is $270 for 1-year business visa all I need to live there? Is it really that simple? No other documents, no background or healthcare checks? Is 1-year business visa automatically a multi-entry one or do I have to tell them/check on the form? And where are all the places in Phnom Penh where I can extend it? What should I look for?

2. Besides personal documents, are there any documents or anything else required to rent and to open a bank account? What I'm particularly wondering about is the "tax number" that we have in Slovenia. You need it to open a bank account and they also asked for it for the renting contract. Do I first need to register at the Cambodian taxation office or can I just rent and open a bank account only with my passport and a 30-day visa (or if I can get a 1-year visa right on arrival)? And is there anything else I should know when renting, anything to be careful about?

3. Health insurance - can I get it at any insurance agency in Cambodia? I have that required health care that we have, but it only covers for travels inside European Union, and I don't need to pay it once I stop being a permanent resident. I am healthy but if I need surgery or dental work, will the insurance cover everything even if I have something done in Thailand? Can I insure for cancer treatments too (just in case)? I know it's going to cost me but I have the money, although if something is $200 or $1000, then I can easily pay that. If dental work or anything else is cheap enough, then I think I won't need to insure that.

4. Is the air pollution bad? This is the reason I'll rent first and see which parts of the country have better air quality, wherever will wind blow pollution away and not towards me. And can foreigners drive on the road? I heard that foreigners are banned from driving in Vietnam.

5. Is there anything else I should know? I already know about pickpockets, corrupt police, dangerous roads, bad weather, tropical diseases, landmines, Hun Sen, but I am prepared for everything. I've spent watching documentaries about Cambodia for the past two years and so I know the country. Now I'm ready to move!

6. Btw I'm looking at the visa application form and will I have to write down occupation, work place and phone number? I don't work and phone number of a slovenian mobile provider will be useless there (nor will I use it anymore).
What about "point of entry/exit"? That will be Phnom Penh airport, right?
"Address during the visit" - do I write the address of the hotel? Cause I won't know the address until I sign the renting contract.
"Organization, Persons to be visited" - Can I leave this one blank?

7. And one really important thing: which power plugs/wall sockets are used in Cambodia? Where can I buy converters? I'm bringing my laptop with me and I think it's a type E/F hybrid. Otherwise I use type C and F.

Any answer will be appreciated. Thanks!

Armand

Hi and welcome on board Plutotheplanet!

I hope your different queries will be answered soon ;)

Good luck
Armand

madmax888

OK, here goes some answers!

1. Yes, once you get the 1 year business visa, that's all there is to it. When you enter the country, get a 30 day business visa. Then get a 1yr visa close to the end of the30 days. No need to let them know about future travel out of the country.  Most travel agencies can do this for you. Make a photocopy of your existing passport, as they will need to take your original for a few weeks while this gets done. No tax number required.

2. All I needed to open my account at Union Commercial Bank was my passport with my 1yr Visa attached.No problem at all. There is no "rent" of an account. The account is yours! You can, and probably should, try to get a Visa card as well.

3. You can get health insurance here, but I don't know where!
I have none, and use the local clinics. So far, so good.

4. I think the pollution in Cambodia is pretty bad. The worst is Phnom Penh. That's one of the reasons I live in Sihanoukville. I have no business or job to keep me in PP. You can drive the roads here, but be aware that normal to you is not normal here. In cities, driving is slow, and fairly easy to get around. On the inter-city roads, all rules are off, and there is total anarchy! The busses are the worst offenders! They will run you off the road!
6. When I got here, I came through Thailand, and left most of the questions blank on the visa form. I am retired, so no job, and you can't get a phone until you get your 1 yr visa, or hook up with a Khmer, and get them to get a sim card for you. The phone part is easy, get one at any of the million phone shops on every block.
Good luck on your move!
you can message me for more info!

madmax888

One update! The cost of the 1 year business visa is now $290. Seems the local parasites need a few more bucks in their pockets.

Makewa

Power:
The most common plug is the North American twin parallel (2 flat ungrounded pins - NEMA 1-15).

Most sockets though are multi-plug that accept twin parallel and twin round 4mm (CEE 7/16 Europlug).  These sockets will also accept twin round 4.8mm (CEE 7/17 - German/French) which are the most reliable connection, but using these will generally destroy the socket for other pin types as it bends the contacts out and makes them too loose to hold 4mm round especially.

Adaptors are cheap and widely available and take just about anything, even type I Australian.

TedSaigon

Hi plutotheplanet:

Well, you're decided to move to the Kingdom.?  Well I can help you out many thing.

Cheers  :)

Ted

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