Cambodia business visa / EB visa vs 9G work visa
Cambodia's ordinary Class-E visa costs $35 from an embassy or as an e-Visa, gives a single entry and 30 days on arrival, and is the gateway to the only genuinely open-ended long-stay route in Southeast Asia: once inside, you convert it to an extension of stay (EOS) of one, three, six or twelve months, repeatable indefinitely. The twelve-month EB (business) extension is the one almost every foreign resident uses — employees, business owners, freelancers and their spouses and children — and it is multiple-entry, while one- and three-month extensions are single-entry only. Expect roughly $285–$300 through an agent against a quoted official Immigration Department fee of about $180 for the 12-month multiple-entry extension; the EB does not by itself let you work legally, and since 2024 immigration checks for a work permit before granting 6- and 12-month EB renewals. The 9(G) is the Philippines' employer-sponsored work visa, granted to foreign nationals "proceeding to Philippines to engage in any lawful occupation, whether for wages or salary or other forms of compensation." It runs for a maximum of three years or co-terminus with the DOLE Alien Employment Permit, whichever is shorter, and the AEP itself defaults to one year, so most people hold a one-year visa in practice. The Bureau of Immigration's published conversion fee for a principal at a non-Top 1,000 corporation is Php 10,130.00 for one year, Php 17,170.00 for two and Php 24,210.00 for three, plus US$50 to US$150 for the ACR I-Card, on top of the separate DOLE AEP fee the employer pays first.
| Cambodia business visa / EB visa | 9G work visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | cambodia | philippines |
| Stay per entry | 30 days on the initial Class-E visa; after an extension of stay, 1, 3, 6 or 12 months depending on the EOS granted (only the 6- and 12-month extensions allow re-entry) | |
| Total validity | Indefinite — the ordinary visa can be extended for one month, three months, six months or one year, repeatedly, with no cap on renewals | Maximum three years, or co-terminus with the AEP issued by DOLE, whichever is shorter. Because the AEP is issued "for a period of one (1) year, unless the employment contract, or other modes of engagement provides otherwise, which in no case shall exceed three (3) years," a one-year visa is the common outcome. BI sells the conversion in one-, two- and three-year bands. |
| Government fee | $35 — For the Class-E (ordinary/business) visa itself at a Cambodian embassy or as an e-Visa; the EB/EG extension of stay inside Cambodia is charged separately (see gotchas — official vs agent pricing is disputed) | ₱10,130 — BI published fee to convert to a 9(G) commercial visa: principal applicant, one-year validity, employer not in the Top 1,000 corporations (Php 17,170.00 for two years, Php 24,210.00 for three). The ACR I-Card is charged on top at US$50 for one year, US$100 for two, US$150 for three. BI's table is footnoted "Fees are updated as of 06 March 2014 and may change without prior notice," and the DOLE AEP fee is separate and paid first. |
| Income required | None | None |
| Savings required | None | None |
| Deposit required | None | None |
| Minimum age | None | None |
| Health insurance | Not required | Not required |
| Processing time | About 3 working days for short extensions; 5–10 days for a 12-month extension where the sponsor has to be verified | Budget three to five months end to end. The DOLE Regional Office acts on a new or renewal AEP within fifteen (15) working days from payment of the fee, but that clock only starts after the vacancy has been published for 15 calendar days and the application accepted; the BI stage afterwards adds a pre-screening, a hearing, biometrics and visa implementation, each with its own queue. |
| Apply from | Class-E visa from a Cambodian embassy/consulate abroad or e-Visa online (or visa on arrival at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports); the EB/EG extension is applied for inside Cambodia at the General Department of Immigration opposite Phnom Penh International Airport, usually through an agent | Inside the Philippines (Bureau of Immigration main office in Intramuros, Manila, or an authorized BI district office), usually as a conversion from a 9(a) temporary visitor stamp; the employer's AEP is filed first at the DOLE Regional Office with jurisdiction over the jobsite. A 9(G) can also be issued at a Philippine embassy or consulate abroad, but only after written authority is received from DFA Manila. |
Choose the Cambodia business visa / EB visa if
- No income, savings, deposit or age requirement is published for the EB extension — unusual for an open-ended residence route in the region
- Renewable with no lifetime cap: the ordinary visa "can be extended indefinitely" in 1, 3, 6 or 12-month blocks
- The 12-month EB is multiple-entry, so you can leave and return without reapplying
- Covers a wide population in one category — employees, business owners, freelancers, volunteers, and dependent spouses and children
- Cheap by regional standards: roughly $285–$300 a year all-in through an agent, versus thousands for comparable Thai or Malaysian long-stay options
- Turnaround is days, not months, and the whole process happens inside Cambodia
Choose the 9G work visa if
- Full employment rights with a named Philippine employer, plus dependent visas for a spouse and children — BI publishes dependent fees alongside the principal's (Php 8,120.00 for a spouse on a one-year conversion).
- Renewable indefinitely while the job lasts, and years on a 9(G) count toward later permanent options such as a 13(a) by marriage or the SIRV/SRRV routes.
- The Provisional Permit to Work lets you legally start work while the 9(G) is still pending — BI grants it on proof of an AEP application rather than a finished AEP, and it runs up to one year.
- Can be converted from inside the country: most applicants enter on a 9(a) tourist stamp and convert, rather than waiting abroad for an embassy to receive DFA authority.
Cambodia business visa / EB visa last checked 11 September 2026; 9G work visa last checked 11 September 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.