Most of the friction in a move is doing the right things in the wrong order. This is the sequence that saves the most backtracking.
Days 1–2: a phone number and cash
Get a local SIM before you leave the airport or on your first morning. Almost everything else — ride apps, delivery, a landlord’s Telegram, an appointment confirmation — assumes you have a local number. Carry some cash from an ATM as well; plenty of everyday places are cash-first, and US dollars and riel circulate side by side.
Days 2–5: a base you can leave
Book short-term accommodation for two to four weeks rather than signing a lease from abroad. Neighbourhoods differ enormously in noise, traffic and what is within walking distance, and you cannot judge that from photographs. Use the time to visit at different hours — a street that is quiet at 11am can be very different at 7pm.
Week 1: visa status
Sort out which visa you are actually on and what it converts to before it runs short. Requirements and fees change, so confirm the current position with the immigration authority or an agent who does this daily rather than relying on a forum post.
Week 2: banking, then a lease
A local account makes rent, utilities and salary far simpler. Requirements vary by bank and change over time — ask two or three before you commit an afternoon to it. Once you have a number, an address you like and a way to pay, signing a lease is straightforward.
Things worth doing early
- Save the address of your nearest 24-hour clinic.
- Photograph your passport, visa page and lease and keep them somewhere you can reach without your phone.
- Learn the few Khmer phrases that make a tuk-tuk ride easier.
If you would rather not do this alone, our team handles the whole sequence for arrivals every week — tell us your dates.