Cambodia To Require $3,000 Entry Deposit from Visitors

The Cambodian government announced this week that it will be implementing a $3,000 deposit charge for all foreign visitors, to be used for COVID-19 testing and treatments, and accommodations if a guest needs to be quarantined.

“Upon arrival, all foreign passengers are required to deposit $3,000 at the airport to pay for the virus prevention services,” said Sao Wathana, director of the Phnom Penh International Airport. “Passengers can pay in cash or through credit cards.”

The new deposit policy is currently in effect in Cambodia, and the funds collected will go towards identifying those with positive symptoms and containing and treating positive cases. Mandatory COVID-19 testing will cost a minimum of $165, approximately $1,281 more to support quarantine in the event one or more passengers on their flight test positive, and a minimum of approximately $3,255 more for treatment and quarantine if the traveler tests positive.

The Cambodian Health Ministry said in a statement that foreign visitors will have to pay $5 for a single trip between the airport and the waiting center, $100 for a COVID-19 test, $30 for a day’s stay at a hotel or at a waiting center while waiting for the test results and $30 for three meals during their wait. Those who test negative for the virus will only be charged the fees for the test and will be given back the remainder of their deposit.

It added that if any passenger tests positive for COVID-19, those on the same flight will be quarantined for 14 days and each will be required to pay $100 for one test and $84 dollars a day to pay for the stay in a hotel or quarantine facility, meals, laundry, sanitary services, doctors and security services.

Cambodia currently has only one active COVID-19 case, down from 126 total cases since the onset of the pandemic.