Foreigners in Cambodia must register presence

PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Phnom Penh Post/ANN) - The Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Immigration (GDI) has announced that it would not grant visa extensions to foreigners staying in Cambodia if their names are not listed on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System (FPCS) by July 1.

Foreign nationals can register in the system online.

The announcement was made in a letter from GDI director-general Kirth Chantharith on the implementation of measures for non-immigrant visa renewal in Cambodia.

The letter was sent to police stations in the capital and provinces on Monday after it was approved on April 10 by Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.

“For purposes of urging effective implementation of the directive No 028 of the Ministry of Interior on control of the presence of foreigners in the Kingdom, the GDI will implement measures for non-immigrant visa renewals in Cambodia for foreigners whose names are not in the FPCS database from July 1 onwards, ” the letter read.

The GDI also requested that all police chiefs in the capital and provinces disseminate the guidelines for owners or occupiers of residences of all types to make a report on the presence of foreigners so that they will be allowed to stay in Cambodia.

GDI spokesman Ath Bony confirmed on Tuesday that foreigners who stayed in Cambodia had to register their names to make it easier for the GDI. He said the GDI has established an online digital system to make it easier to list foreigners in Cambodia.

“It means that both guesthouses and hotel [owners] have to register foreigners in the FPCS app using iOS or Android systems when foreigners come to stay. If foreigners don’t register their names in the system it means they are staying in Cambodia illegally, ” he said.

Bony confirmed that in the past, concerned police and GDI forces have attempted to instruct and educate residences across the Kingdom to register foreigners. “So, if they don’t follow the directions, the GDI will take legal action, ” he said.

However, he did not have an update on the number of foreigners staying in Cambodia, saying that a technical task force is tallying the data.