The Kingdom of Cambodia has announced a fresh immigration crackdown targeting African nationals, including citizens of La République du Cameroun, Kenya, Ghana and Uganda, ordering them to leave the Asian country before May 31, 2026, or face severe punishment.
In an official notice issued by Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior, authorities warned that all foreigners benefiting from immigration waivers must exit the country before the end of May 2026. The document, signed by Lt Gen. Som Sopheak, Director General of Immigration, and Gen. Sar Sokha, Cambodia’s Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior, states that any foreigner found in Cambodia from June 1, 2026, will be arrested, jailed for up to two years and fined 8,000 US dollars before deportation.
The fine amounts to nearly 4.8 million CFA francs, a heavy burden for many Southern Cameroonians and for citizens of La République du Cameroun who are trapped in Southeast Asia under difficult economic conditions.
The notice further stated that Cambodian police forces will begin hunting down foreigners in “hideouts” across the country beginning June 1. Those arrested will be immediately handed over to immigration authorities for prosecution under Cambodian immigration law.
The drastic move comes amid growing international concern over illegal migration networks, cybercrime syndicates and human trafficking operations spreading across parts of Southeast Asia, especially in Cambodia. Several international reports have linked criminal gangs in Phnom Penh and other Cambodian cities to online scam compounds where many Africans and Asians are allegedly trafficked and forced into cyber fraud operations.
Australian government travel advisories have recently warned foreigners against suspicious job offers in Cambodia, saying that many victims are lured into fraudulent operations before their movements are restricted.
While Cambodian authorities have not officially singled out citizens of La Republique du Cameroun for criminal activity, the inclusion of Cameroun in the immigration warning has sparked online reactions, with many Southern Cameroonians describing the development as another international embarrassment for the Yaoundé regime.
The Cambodian government has intensified immigration enforcement in recent months. Reports indicate that more than 13,000 foreigners from over 60 countries were deported from Cambodia in 2025 over immigration and criminal violations.
The immigration document circulating online also warned that Cambodia “will not tolerate any violation” of its immigration laws and urged all affected foreigners to comply immediately.
BaretaNews understands that many Africans currently stranded in Cambodia entered the country through questionable employment schemes promising lucrative online jobs and business opportunities.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, while the immigration sector is overseen by the Ministry of Interior.
Key officials named in the notice include:
• Lt Gen Som Sopheak, Director General of Immigration
• Gen. Sar Sokha, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior
The latest action by Phnom Penh authorities once more exposes the growing diplomatic and migration crisis facing citizens of La Republique du Cameroun abroad as many continue fleeing economic hardship, war and uncertainty at home.
