Asia and Oceania

We strongly recommend that comprehensive travel and medical insurance be obtained before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake, including cover for medical evacuation by air ambulance.

For more general information see Travel Insurance.
 
If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

We have Honorary Consuls in both Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. They will only deal with emergency consular cases and cannot provide either passports or visas. To obtain their contact details please contact the British Embassy in Phnom Penh.

The British Embassy in Phnom Penh is only able to issue passports with a limited validity.  Commercial couriers forward applications for full validity passports to the British Embassy in Bangkok for processing.  Processing the application takes at least 10 working days, excluding the courier time.  Applicants should therefore allow at least 15 working days for this service.  The courier cost, of approximately US $43, will be added to the passport fee.  If you are replacing a lost or stolen passport (rather than one that is full) you must also apply for a new exit visa from the Cambodian authorities. This can take up to three working days, and a fee may be charged.

You should keep a photocopy of your passport separate from the original and carry this with you at all times.  Your passport, when not in your possession, should be stored in a secure location.

 

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

ATMs are available in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Siem Reap. Not all banks accept international cards and you should check with your own bank prior to travel as to whether your card may be used abroad.

Credit cards are not widely used, but a few hotels and businesses in larger cities accept them.  Travellers cheques can be exchanged at many banks and bureaux de change.

The local currency is Cambodian Riel although US dollars are widely accepted all over the country. In practice, US dollars are used for most transactions over US$1. In certain border areas with Thailand it is possible to use Thai Baht.

You may have difficulty in changing Northern Irish and Scottish bank notes although it should be possible to change Sterling.

The British Embassy in Phnom Penh also has consular responsibility for Commonwealth citizens whose countries are not represented in Cambodia and citizens of the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Cyprus and the Czech Republic.  We advise nationals of all these countries to register at the British Embassy in Phnom Penh through the LOCATE service.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) conducted a review of the temporary suspension of adoptions of Cambodian children by UK residents in 2007/08, the findings of which were published on 2 April 2008. Following the review, the government decided to maintain a ban on adoptions of children from Cambodia by UK residents.   Further information is available from the DCSF's website.