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Featured Replies

Anyone have any input?  Good or bad?  The only way to get a visa into Cambodia is to mail your passport to the embassy in DC or apply in person.   I am not keen on sending my passport and having it possibly getting lost, stolen, damaged etc.   Esp with this trip 3 months out.  No way would I be able to get another one in time. 

 In 2000 I mailed my passport to be renewed and it was lost.   And I had the special green one.   All I eventually got back from the USPS was my application and the torn up envelope.  I'm tempted to just fly to DC for a night and get it done.   

$500 in travel/hotel vs mailing and possibly never seeing it again. 

I have mailed mine before to get a visa, but I agree that it makes for some nervous days until it returns. 

  • Author
thank you. I looked and did not see that. I called the embassy and the gentleman said no evisas were available. I wonder if that's legit. Vietnam and Laos both have evisas so I thought it was odd Cambodia didn't

I wouldn't mail anything important with USPS right now.  There has been several instances over the last 6 months of major breakdowns.  I letter took 21 days to be mailed 15 miles.  A couple others never arrived.

11 minutes ago, midtown said:

thank you. I looked and did not see that. I called the embassy and the gentleman said no evisas were available. I wonder if that's legit. Vietnam and Laos both have evisas so I thought it was odd Cambodia didn't

u can also get a visa on arrival at the major airports.  thats was a common path for people since add cambodia to a SEA tour rather than a direct trip.  i got mine at PNH and it was really quick

  • Author

I must have gotten an intern.   VOA would be much better

 

They recommend you do not send regular mail.  Why not send it FedEx overnight (less chance of issues) with a FedEx return label/envelope inside for the return? 

I remember doing this for my Indian tourist visa; I dropped it off in Houston but it was returned to me in the mail, but I think they gave me the option to pay for UPS instead of USPS. 

SendByMail/ VISA (embassyofcambodiadc.org)

  • DO NOT use regular mails (not secured/no tracking number).

My son has his application in for a student visa to the UK. Went to the embassy with the valid passport, and they were able to scan it so he could keep it.  Otherwise he would have had to mail it.

How much could it possibly cost to get you transported visa free on the Ho Chi Minh Trail? $10?

20 minutes ago, Js1 said:

They recommend you do not send regular mail.  Why not send it FedEx overnight (less chance of issues) with a FedEx return label/envelope inside for the return? 

I remember doing this for my Indian tourist visa; I dropped it off in Houston but it was returned to me in the mail, but I think they gave me the option to pay for UPS instead of USPS. 

SendByMail/ VISA (embassyofcambodiadc.org)

  • DO NOT use regular mails (not secured/no tracking number).

I just did Fedex overnight on an important item and it took a week, with delays in both shipping stops. Nobody could tell me what was going on and no fucks were given. I wouldn't trust fedex any more than I'd trust the usps on a situation like this. Genuine passports are also gold mines for thieves. 

If it were me, I'd hit up DC, have a nice dinner, see a sight or two, and ensure this didn't derail my trip. 

I've been using Priority (with tracking) and sending certified (signature and return receipt) and haven't had anything go astray, but YMMV. The last one was two months ago though, so I can't say for certain that still holds.

1 hour ago, LW Goatman said:

I just did Fedex overnight on an important item and it took a week, with delays in both shipping stops. Nobody could tell me what was going on and no fucks were given. I wouldn't trust fedex any more than I'd trust the usps on a situation like this. Genuine passports are also gold mines for thieves. 

If it were me, I'd hit up DC, have a nice dinner, see a sight or two, and ensure this didn't derail my trip. 

We send FedEx overnight for work and have had minimal issues. Maybe a one day delay but that’s it. We ship stuff all over the country 

I've had to do it in the past. Used FedEx and got tracking numbers and paid for their best service. Felt more secure. It was a bit nerve-wracking but it turned out fine. 

I've mailed my passport for visas a bunch of times. Wouldn't worry about it.

13 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

I've mailed my passport for visas a bunch of times. Wouldn't worry about it.

This. 
 

and pro tip. You can get a second passport while you wait for your primary passport to return with whatever visa you sent it in for. Although if you enter the same country with a different passport and it’s only been a month between visits it does raise some eyebrows. Easily explained though. 
 

I’ve mailed my passport for visas from Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and Pakistan with no issue. 

  • Author
9 hours ago, Telegraph_it said:

You can get a second passport while you wait for your primary passport to return with whatever visa you sent it in for.

Interesting.   I can see how it would be nice to have a back up in case your primary ever got lost or stolen etc.   And I guess some people have them so that your past visas don't get you denied at a secondary country.  

18 hours ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

I've been using Priority (with tracking) and sending certified (signature and return receipt) and haven't had anything go astray, but YMMV. The last one was two months ago though, so I can't say for certain that still holds.

This, or First Class in a sturdy envelope since it'll weigh less than a pound. Cost you about 5 bucks and also pretty sure that includes tracking. 

First Class often rides in the same vehicle as Priority, sometimes in the same box. /ThingsPostalClerksToldMe

I've mailed thousands of passport-sized objects inside the US this way, zero problems.

There’s no way around this for some countries.  You should relax about it.  The one thing I’ll say is to be sure and check and double check the directions because some embassies and consulates will only accept USPS/DHL/UPS, etc. If you use the wrong service they won’t accept it or it will take a lot longer. If they accept a courier service, pay for the tracking and stuff. 

  • Author
32 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

There’s no way around this for some countries.  You should relax about it.

Super relaxed.  Thanks to 52-80 found the e-visa for Cambodia.  All three e-visas in process. 

20 years was in Finland as a student and vaguely recall handing over passport to get Russian visa. Maybe it was just out of sight and hand for a few hours? The US passport people were all "well officially thats dumb and likely illegal to be on Finland without a passport... but hundreds of people do it every day." And then the Russian border control folks didn't even glance our way at the border "check." Russia was fun, though.

On 7/27/2022 at 10:40 PM, Telegraph_it said:

 

I’ve mailed my passport for visas from Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and Pakistan with no issue. 

I bet you’re on a bunch of unnamed government agency lists

Edited by NeverMarryAStripper

8 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

I bet his Global Entry renewal still comes back faster than @Superhero

Haha it did. Only took a week for the renewal. 

I remember the customs agent at Siem Reap kind of laughed at my visa. You should have no problem getting it on site at the airport like the prior guy did at Phnom Penh

  • Author

I would just rather get it done with an evisa.   With all that is going on with ever changing travel entry requirements etc its one last thing to deal with on the ground.  I also assume all these countries are desperate for tourists so they are kind of waving people through

 

Edited by midtown

  • 2 years later...

Wife has to go to China in April. Anyone have any experience with/recommendations for any of the visa agents in Houston?

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