Your 30-day visa is almost up, and Siem Reap already feels like home. You’ve found your go-to bowl of Num Banh Chok (fresh rice noodles in fish gravy with fragrant herbs) and you’re now on first-name basis with the Tuk-Tuk driver on the corner of your street. While strolling along the tree-lined streets near the riverside, a question starts to form: how long could I stay?
Many of our housemates at Commune Live have asked exactly that, so here’s the good news: you can stay up to a year at a time and keep renewing your visa. If you’re already in Cambodia, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to do here compared to neighboring digital nomad hubs. Thailand asks to see about $15,000 in your savings, and Bali wants proof of your $60,000 in annual income. And Cambodia? Well, the country keeps it simple: the long-stay route starts with around a $35 eVisa and one extension from inside the country, regardless of whether you’re on a steady salary or living off freelance invoices.
Below, we’ve lined Cambodia up against Thailand and Bali, and added the tips our housemates wish someone had told them on day one.
Visa in Cambodia compares with Thailand and Bali
| Cambodia (E class) | Thailand (DTV) | Bali (E33G) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income requirement | Open to any income | Open to any income | $60,000/year |
| Savings requirement | Open to any balance | 500,000 THB (about $15,000) | $2,000, held over 3 months |
| Visa fee | $35 eVisa, then about $285 to $300 for a 12-month extension | 10,000 THB (about $300 to $400 depending on the embassy) | IDR 7,000,000 (about $430), more with an agent |
| Length | 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, renewable | 5 years, up to 180 days per entry | 1 year |
Thailand. The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) launched in 2024 and offers five years of validity, with stays of up to 180 days at a time. A lovely deal once you’re in. To enter, you must show 500,000 THB in funds, and many embassies want to see that balance held for three months. Since 31 August 2026, new rules require applicants to also provide proof of permanent residence and a criminal record certificate. Details on the August 2026 changes
Bali. Indonesia’s E33G Remote Worker visa suits people with a stable salary: at least $60,000 per year from outside Indonesia, backed by a contract with a company registered abroad, plus $2,000 in the bank over the last three months. The government fee is about IDR 7,000,000, and most people pay an agent on top.
Cambodia. You arrive on an E class visa (the ordinary, or business, category) and extend from inside the country for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. Your income and savings stay in your own business. It even got cheaper in 2025: on 1 January, the E class eVisa dropped from $42 to $35, according to an official government announcement.
Getting your Cambodia visa in three easy steps
Image Credit: Travel Sense AsiaStep 1: Apply for your E-class eVisa at evisa.gov.kh for $35 at least three business days before you fly. The eVisa is the online application, and E class is the visa type you’re after. The $30 tourist (T class) eVisa is for shorter trips, so choose E class if you’re planning to stay. Prefer to sort it at the airport? An E-class visa on arrival works too: bring a passport photo and $35 in crisp US dollar notes.
Two quick checks before you hit submit: your name should match your passport letter for letter, and your passport needs at least six months left on it. Stick to evisa.gov.kh, too, since lookalike sites add their own fees.
Step 2: Fill out your eArrival card at arrival.gov.kh within seven days of landing. It’s free, required for flights into Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and takes about as long as ordering a coffee. Staying with us? Use Commune Live, Rose Apple Square, Siem Reap as your address.
Step 3: Extend before your first 30 days are up. Pick 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. A 12-month extension runs about $285 to $300 through an agent and comes with multiple entries, so weekend trips to Ho Chi Minh City are easy. Your agent will hold your passport while it’s processed, so start a week or so early and keep a photo of your passport and visa on your phone in the meantime. And mark day 30 in your calendar now: overstays cost $10 a day.
Housemate tip! And probably the most repeated one around our kitchen table: start on the E class visa. Tourist visas stay tourist visas, so switching later means a trip out of the country and back in.
Planning an early retirement? The E class route is also your way into the ER (retirement) extension once you turn 55, so starting on E class keeps that door open.
Working remotely in Cambodia? Meet the work permit
Your E-class visa covers your stay. If you’ll be working in Cambodia, including remote work for overseas clients, you’ll also need a work permit from the Ministry of Labour. Expect about $100 to $300 in government fees per year, plus a quick medical check. Since 2024, a valid work permit has been required for 6- and 12-month business extensions when the holder works.
Most of our housemates hand the visa and the permit to one local agent and get on with their week. Ask around the kitchen, and someone will happily pass on their agent’s number.
Where to stay in Siem Reap while you settle in
Come see Commune at Rose Apple Square. We’re a coliving and coworking community in the heart of Siem Reap town, just a 10-minute walk from Pub Street. Close enough for a night out, far enough for a focused day of work. Sort your visa paperwork in the morning, and you’re still on time for lunch at the Old Market, a 6-minute walk away.
Close the door, and your room is yours. Each of our 40 private rooms is fully furnished, with its own bathroom and balcony. Your hot desk at Commune Work is downstairs, so your commute can be as short as the lift ride. Utilities, 300mbps Wi-Fi, and weekly housekeeping are covered. Fancy a swim before work? The Rose Apple Square pool is right there, and Bulldogs Fitness Center has special rates for the days you make it to the gym.
Then there’s the best part of moving here: the housemates. Plenty of ours have been through this exact visa process and are happy to talk you through it over Sunday brunch.
