Background
The General Department of Immigration (GDI) administers border control, visa enforcement, and removal procedures at Cambodia’s international entry points. GDI maintains operational responsibility for passport and visa checks at airports and land border checkpoints and for coordinating repatriation with foreign diplomatic missions.
On 11–12 June 2026 the GDI executed deportations of 237 foreign nationals linked to online fraud and unlawful stay or employment in Cambodia. Chinese diplomatic staff in Phnom Penh cooperated with GDI procedures to repatriate 165 Chinese nationals on a special flight from Phnom Penh International Airport, while 72 Vietnamese nationals were removed via the Prey Veng international land border checkpoint.
Key Developments
The removals followed high-level direction to the immigration investigation directorate and operational units to investigate and apply deportation procedures. Official tallies reported 165 Chinese nationals (including five women) and 72 Vietnamese nationals (including 17 women) removed from Cambodia during the 11–12 June actions.
Institutional Role
The GDI coordinated with the Ministry of Interior investigation units and with foreign embassies to arrange repatriation logistics and travel documentation. Designated repatriation channels used in these operations included a special flight departing from Phnom Penh International Airport (Techo) and the Prey Veng land border checkpoint for overland returns.
Operational Implications
These deportations illustrate the use of immigration removal procedures and embassy-level coordination as primary mechanisms for repatriating non-citizens alleged to be involved in cross-border online fraud and unauthorized work. Immigration checkpoints and repatriation logistics remain central operational elements for handling suspected transnational online-crime cases affecting Cambodia.
