Background
The interministerial committee under the Ministry of Tourism serves as the coordinating mechanism for travel facilitation and passenger handling at Cambodia’s international checkpoints. An interministerial committee chaired by the Ministry of Tourism coordinates travel facilitation and passenger handling at Cambodia’s international checkpoints.
The Royal Government has authorized the establishment of information desks at international border checkpoints to deliver guidance to arriving tourists and support implementation of temporary policy measures. The interministerial committee reviewed implementation progress for the pilot visa-exemption covering 15 June–14 August 2026, while the official pilot period for the visa exemption for Chinese nationals is scheduled from 15 June 2026 through 15 October 2026.
Key Developments
On 14 August 2026, the Director General of the General Department of Immigration, Major General Sok Vassana, joined an interministerial meeting convened by Minister Hout Hek of the Ministry of Tourism. The meeting brought together 42 representatives from central ministries, the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, the National Police, tourism associations and other public and private stakeholders to review the pilot’s performance and identify operational issues observed during the initial implementation period.
Institutional Role
The General Department of Immigration participates in the interministerial committee responsible for coordinating border procedures and traveler processing at international entry points. In this role, the department contributes immigration operational perspectives to multi-agency decisions on facilitation measures, such as temporary visa exemptions and the placement of information desks.
Operational Implications
The meeting specifically evaluated strengths, weaknesses and operational challenges observed during the near two-month assessment window and sought practical solutions to improve execution and traveler experience. Implementation actions discussed included operational guidance for checkpoint staff, interagency coordination protocols and information-desk deployment to assist tourists and investors arriving during the pilot period.
