Background
The General Department of Immigration (GDI) carried out coordinated removal operations over ten days from 11 to 20 May 2026 following instructions from senior Ministry of Interior leadership. The operation returned 3,598 foreign nationals to countries of origin, representing 38 nationalities and including 261 women.
GDI is the national authority responsible for implementing Cambodia’s immigration controls and for managing border inspections, visa administration, and removal procedures through its investigation and procedural directorates. The May 2026 activity was executed under internal directives to continue investigation and removal processes and reflects a system-level enforcement mechanism linking ministerial recommendations to operational action by the GDI.
Key Developments
The GDI statement and social-media release list the operation period as 11–20 May 2026 and report the aggregate removal figure and gender breakdown. Reported nationalities included Russia; Nepal; Bangladesh; Kenya; Uganda; China; Malaysia; Morocco; Pakistan; Taiwan; Cameroon; Indonesia; Ethiopia; Sri Lanka; India; the Philippines; Japan; Vietnam; Nigeria; Liberia; Ghana; Sierra Leone; Myanmar; Korea; Turkey; Benin; Laos; United Kingdom; Thailand; Zimbabwe; Burundi; Australia; South Africa; Namibia; Rwanda; Chad; and Egypt.
Institutional Role
The removal operation demonstrates the GDI’s role as the executing agency for migration-control actions that are initiated or endorsed at ministerial level. Coordination between the GDI investigation directorate and procedural units implements operational decisions communicated by Ministry of Interior leadership.
Operational Implications
The published figures provide a discrete data point for tracking large-scale removals and nationality composition in Cambodia’s immigration enforcement record for May 2026. The GDI release and social posts serve as primary operational documentation that embassies, consular services, and migration stakeholders can reference for case verification and bilateral follow-up.
Source: GDI social channels and public release (link above).
