PHNOM PENH: The General Department of Immigration (GDI) has rejected a widely circulated Chinese-language social media post claiming that Cambodia has temporarily closed its borders and barred foreigners under the age of 40 from entering the country.
In a Tuesday (May 26) statement, the GDI said the misinformation was shared on WeChat on Monday (May 25) under a headline alleging that “Phnom Penh International Airport” had “completely suspended entry” into Cambodia and that land border checkpoints would also impose tighter restrictions from Tuesday (May 26).
The Phnom Penh International Airport was closed when Techo International began serving Phnom Penh.
According to the GDI, the online post also claimed that individuals under 40 years old would be denied entry, regardless of whether they possessed visas or business documents.
Immigration authorities said the claims were entirely fabricated and stressed that no such policy had been introduced.
“The immigration police have never received any directive from leadership at any level to restrict people under the age of 40 from entering Cambodia,” the statement said.
The department added that Cambodia continues to implement normal immigration procedures at all major international checkpoints, including open airports and land borders, without any changes disrupting cross-border travel.
Authorities said current immigration measures are being implemented in line with government policy to strengthen security and improve the management of foreigners, particularly to prevent illegal infiltration into the country, rather than to block legitimate travelers.
The GDI stressed that foreign tourists, investors, businesspeople, traders and migrant workers continue to be welcomed and encouraged to enter Cambodia.
The clarification comes amid ongoing government efforts to rebuild tourism and strengthen investor confidence, particularly among Chinese visitors, who were Cambodia’s largest inbound tourism market before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the same statement, the immigration department noted that the Royal Government has approved a trial visa exemption programme for Chinese citizens travelling directly from China.
Under the scheme, Chinese nationals will be allowed to stay in Cambodia for up to 14 days without a visa during a four-month trial period running from June 15 to October 15 this year.
The GDI urged the public not to believe or share unverified information circulating on social media platforms. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
