by v12 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 2:54 am
Having gone through this process myself, the OP description is largely OK.
Let me add some notes, from the foreigner POV:
- The whole process/handling was quite chaotic, to put it mildly.
- Being a white nose, I still got somewhat offered the option to go the "Khmer" route and go into free government quarantine. In the end, I did end up in a "hotel". No choice for hotel offered, as far as I know, all non-cambodians and even some Cambodians got directed to specific buses and off we go with police escort.
- Insurance and PCR test results got "seriously" scrutinized twice. Pre-check and the next step immigration itself. Although I do have my doubts, whether the immigration officer would be suitable fluent in English to understand the writing and the older pre-checker did not have enough light to be able to read the documents. I think, for the insurance, they just followed, what I highlighted with a marker (ie the sentence showing actual costs, with no limitations for insurance) and the PCR test showed clearly "Negative" and a suitable date.
- For the USD 3000 deposit, there were several "booths", where you could obtain the money. I saw booths with major credit card logos, an (I think) Acleda, an Canadiabank booth and some more booths, though that might have been more Chinese types or so.
- Since I do banking at Canadia Bank myself, I went for that booth, making the withdrawal using my regular Canadiabank card and got an ATM card with security code and a "USD 3000 deposit" receipt in return. There was a need to show Passport, boarding pass and sign/fingerprint the regular Canadiabank cash-withdrawal papers.
The expire date on the ATM card is 7/20.....
I got told, I could use the ATM card to retrieve the remaining amount after 14 days using an ATM.
I don't know, whether everybody got an ATM card. It's pretty chaotic in that area.
Canadiabank did not charge me for the USD 3000 semi-cash retrieval (normal cash retrievals are also free), though I don't know, whether a charge on the new ATM card was done. No way to check, for now.
- The ATM card is named as the Ministry of Health being the "owner" of the card. It does NOT should major credit card logo's.
- At immigration, the insurance and foreign PCR test got scrutinized and the visitor "checked-in" with webcam picture. The passport got stamped but not returned yet. No mention was given, when/how the passport would be returned. No questions asked about the visa. The Insurance and PCR test papers were kept, including the copies I gave them.
- The medical check itself is performed "professional", though the actual swiping is not super pleasant, though bearable.
This station wants to retrieve the self-health-declaration.
- Actual "order" of processing: Pre-check self-health-declarion, Pre-check Covid-19 PCR test and medical insurance, get/deposit money, immigration, baggage retrieval, medical PCR test, to the buses and off to the hotel.
- The bus was quite crowded, to much, and an increase risk in virus cross infection.
- The buses got "loaded" airside and when full, guided by the airport authority follow-me car to land-side.
Regular land-side was completely closed off with the outer most doors shut and roped off.
- Actually, two buses were loaded to go to the same hotel, which drove together, resulting in another huge crowd and chaos, when everybody left the bus to "check-in" in the hotel at the same time. I saw this coming, so immediately jumped of the bus and managed to be the third person to "check-in". Later-on I retrieved my hold-luggage from the bus, which got "sanitized" by a little spraying.
- On arrival, the security guy hands out "registration" forms, to be filled out, etc. The hotel NEEDS complete destination address, including street, number, sangkat, etc. And they want to see the boarding pass (probably as a kind of ID check, since the passport is not yet returned).
- The "hotel", grumble. It's a low-end 3-star something that is not even listed at booking.com (Town View Hotel). Mold in the bathroom, noisy/dirty airco with performance issues, dusty/dirty room fixtures, only cold water for shower (might be due to everybody arriving late at night and having a shower, etc.) and the wifi that does not allow me to properly load/post on K440, etc. Instead of the promised USD 30/night, the hotel does charge USD 45/night, though it's not clear to me, whether that would be including or excluding the meals. The hotel does have a display fridge with drinks at the reception.
- Meals are brought to the room: breakfast, lunch and diner. No times given.
- There is a kind of hotel-security guy who "prevents" you to go outside (to buy your own stuff). On the other hand, using the chaos during "check-in", he did not have that much of control potential, so to say. Seems police is also monitoring, though I did not see them.
- All in all, from touch-down to entering my room, it took 3 hours and I think, some other people may have needed 4 hours, due to the crowd at hotel check-in.
- In the hotel, you could "choose", whether to have a single room occupance or double (Maybe sharing with stranger, or for families, I don't know).
- The PCR test seems to take 2 whole days (or better, the hotel does force people to stay for minimal 2 nights and even asks whether people would like to stay longer).
All in all:
- Typical Cambodian Chaos.
- And yes, it is possible to come to Cambodia based on family unite reasons .....
- Fingers crossed, nobody on the airplane turns out to be infected.
Having gone through this process myself, the OP description is largely OK.
Let me add some notes, from the foreigner POV:
- The whole process/handling was quite chaotic, to put it mildly.
- Being a white nose, I still got somewhat offered the option to go the "Khmer" route and go into free government quarantine. In the end, I did end up in a "hotel". No choice for hotel offered, as far as I know, all non-cambodians and even some Cambodians got directed to specific buses and off we go with police escort.
- Insurance and PCR test results got "seriously" scrutinized twice. Pre-check and the next step immigration itself. Although I do have my doubts, whether the immigration officer would be suitable fluent in English to understand the writing and the older pre-checker did not have enough light to be able to read the documents. I think, for the insurance, they just followed, what I highlighted with a marker (ie the sentence showing actual costs, with no limitations for insurance) and the PCR test showed clearly "Negative" and a suitable date.
- For the USD 3000 deposit, there were several "booths", where you could obtain the money. I saw booths with major credit card logos, an (I think) Acleda, an Canadiabank booth and some more booths, though that might have been more Chinese types or so.
- Since I do banking at Canadia Bank myself, I went for that booth, making the withdrawal using my regular Canadiabank card and got an ATM card with security code and a "USD 3000 deposit" receipt in return. There was a need to show Passport, boarding pass and sign/fingerprint the regular Canadiabank cash-withdrawal papers.
The expire date on the ATM card is 7/20.....
I got told, I could use the ATM card to retrieve the remaining amount after 14 days using an ATM.
I don't know, whether everybody got an ATM card. It's pretty chaotic in that area.
Canadiabank did not charge me for the USD 3000 semi-cash retrieval (normal cash retrievals are also free), though I don't know, whether a charge on the new ATM card was done. No way to check, for now.
- The ATM card is named as the Ministry of Health being the "owner" of the card. It does NOT should major credit card logo's.
- At immigration, the insurance and foreign PCR test got scrutinized and the visitor "checked-in" with webcam picture. The passport got stamped but not returned yet. No mention was given, when/how the passport would be returned. No questions asked about the visa. The Insurance and PCR test papers were kept, including the copies I gave them.
- The medical check itself is performed "professional", though the actual swiping is not super pleasant, though bearable.
This station wants to retrieve the self-health-declaration.
- Actual "order" of processing: Pre-check self-health-declarion, Pre-check Covid-19 PCR test and medical insurance, get/deposit money, immigration, baggage retrieval, medical PCR test, to the buses and off to the hotel.
- The bus was quite crowded, to much, and an increase risk in virus cross infection.
- The buses got "loaded" airside and when full, guided by the airport authority follow-me car to land-side.
Regular land-side was completely closed off with the outer most doors shut and roped off.
- Actually, two buses were loaded to go to the same hotel, which drove together, resulting in another huge crowd and chaos, when everybody left the bus to "check-in" in the hotel at the same time. I saw this coming, so immediately jumped of the bus and managed to be the third person to "check-in". Later-on I retrieved my hold-luggage from the bus, which got "sanitized" by a little spraying.
- On arrival, the security guy hands out "registration" forms, to be filled out, etc. The hotel NEEDS complete destination address, including street, number, sangkat, etc. And they want to see the boarding pass (probably as a kind of ID check, since the passport is not yet returned).
- The "hotel", grumble. It's a low-end 3-star something that is not even listed at booking.com (Town View Hotel). Mold in the bathroom, noisy/dirty airco with performance issues, dusty/dirty room fixtures, only cold water for shower (might be due to everybody arriving late at night and having a shower, etc.) and the wifi that does not allow me to properly load/post on K440, etc. Instead of the promised USD 30/night, the hotel does charge USD 45/night, though it's not clear to me, whether that would be including or excluding the meals. The hotel does have a display fridge with drinks at the reception.
- Meals are brought to the room: breakfast, lunch and diner. No times given.
- There is a kind of hotel-security guy who "prevents" you to go outside (to buy your own stuff). On the other hand, using the chaos during "check-in", he did not have that much of control potential, so to say. Seems police is also monitoring, though I did not see them.
- All in all, from touch-down to entering my room, it took 3 hours and I think, some other people may have needed 4 hours, due to the crowd at hotel check-in.
- In the hotel, you could "choose", whether to have a single room occupance or double (Maybe sharing with stranger, or for families, I don't know).
- The PCR test seems to take 2 whole days (or better, the hotel does force people to stay for minimal 2 nights and even asks whether people would like to stay longer).
All in all:
- Typical Cambodian Chaos.
- And yes, it is possible to come to Cambodia based on family unite reasons .....
- Fingers crossed, nobody on the airplane turns out to be infected.