Cambodia Gives African Nationals Three Days to Leave or Face Arrest and an $8,000 Fine
Phnom Penh, 28 May 2026
Cambodia has ordered all African nationals to leave by 31 May 2026, with violators facing two years in prison and an $8,000 penalty. The directive is linked to cybercrime and human trafficking concerns.
A Deadline With No Room for Delay
With just three days remaining before the 31 May 2026 deadline, the urgency facing African nationals currently in Cambodia could not be more acute. The General Department of Immigration, operating under Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, issued an official directive ordering all African nationals — including citizens of Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, and Uganda — to depart the country on or before 31 May 2026 [1][2]. The order follows the expiration of a temporary waiver that had previously been granted to foreign residents in the Southeast Asian nation [2]. No detailed public explanation has been offered by Cambodian authorities as to why the waiver was allowed to expire, or why African nationals specifically have been singled out in this directive [1][alert! ‘No official Cambodian government press release or detailed public statement beyond immigration notices has been cited in available sources’].
The Penalties Are Severe and Explicitly Stated
The Cambodian government has made the consequences of non-compliance abundantly clear. According to the official notice issued by the General Department of Immigration, any foreign national who remains in or enters Cambodia from 1 June 2026 onwards will face a jail term of two years, a financial penalty of $8,000, and subsequent deportation before being permitted to leave the country [1][2][3]. The notice reads: “Any foreign national who enters, remains or is found in Cambodia from 1st of June 2026 will be arrested at the airport or at any location” [2]. The Royal Government of Cambodia reinforced this position with an unambiguous statement: “The Cambodia Police will start arresting any foreigner at any hideout in Cambodia from 1st of June 2026 for overstaying and will hand over to the immigration authorities for legal action. The Royal Government of Cambodia will not tolerate any violation of our immigration laws” [1]. The directive further stipulates that affected individuals must ensure all immigration fines are cleared prior to their departure [1][2].
Cybercrime and Human Trafficking: The Backdrop to the Expulsion
To understand the full context of this directive, it is necessary to examine the environment that has taken shape in the region in the years leading up to May 2026. Cambodia, alongside Myanmar and Laos, became increasingly identified as a hub for transnational cybercrime and human trafficking operations [1]. International watchdogs have documented how organised crime syndicates operating in these countries lured thousands of foreign nationals — including individuals from Africa and South Asia — with fraudulent job offers [1]. Upon arrival, victims frequently had their passports confiscated and were forced to work in guarded compounds conducting online fraud [1]. These scam operations drew international condemnation and placed Cambodia under significant scrutiny from global law enforcement bodies [1][alert! ‘Specific international watchdog reports or named organisations are not individually cited in the available sources; claims are derived from source summaries’]. It is within this context of tightening immigration controls and mounting pressure over illegal migration networks that the current expulsion directive must be understood [1][2].
What Affected Nationals Must Do Before 31 May 2026
For the Ghanaians, Kenyans, Cameroonians, Ugandans, and other African nationals currently in Cambodia, the immediate priorities are clear. The General Department of Immigration has stated that all concerned individuals must first ensure any outstanding immigration fines are settled before they can depart [2]. Those who do not hold valid travel documents are advised to seek emergency consular assistance from their respective embassies without delay [GPT]. The Nation Africa reported on 28 May 2026 that Kenyans and other East Africans in Cambodia were being urged to contact their nearest embassy and to make immediate travel arrangements [1]. Given that today is Thursday, 28 May 2026, affected individuals have an extremely narrow window — effectively three days — in which to resolve documentation, clear any outstanding fines, and arrange travel out of the country [1][2][3]. For those who may have been trapped in exploitative conditions as victims of trafficking or fraudulent job schemes, the situation is particularly precarious, as accessing consular services or financial resources to pay fines may not be straightforward [1][alert! ‘No specific data on the number of African nationals currently in Cambodia or the proportion who may be trafficking victims is available in the cited sources’].
A Directive That Raises Broader Questions
Beyond the immediate humanitarian concerns, the Cambodian directive raises significant questions about due process, diplomatic relations, and the treatment of migrant communities in Southeast Asia. The blanket nature of the order — targeting all African nationals regardless of their legal status, occupation, or reason for being in Cambodia — has drawn attention across the continent, with outlets in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda reporting extensively on the story as of 28 May 2026 [1][2][3]. The directive does not appear to distinguish between individuals residing legally under the now-expired waiver arrangement and those potentially in breach of immigration rules, which legal observers may find concerning [alert! ‘No legal expert commentary is available in the cited sources to confirm this interpretation’]. What is certain is that the clock is running. By the morning of 1 June 2026, Cambodian police will be authorised to arrest any overstaying foreigner — at airports, in residences, or at any other location across the country [1][2]. For the African nationals still within Cambodia’s borders as of 28 May 2026, the message from Phnom Penh is unambiguous: leave now, or face the consequences.