Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior and the country’s General Department of Immigration have denied circulating reports claiming African nationals face arrest, imprisonment, or deportation beginning June 1, 2026.
In a new press clarification issued in Phnom Penh on May 29, 2026, Cambodian authorities described the widely shared immigration notice as “completely untrue” and labeled the reports “fake news.”
The clarification directly responded to online publications and viral social media claims alleging that Ghanaians, Kenyans, Cameroonians, Ugandans, and other African nationals had been ordered to leave Cambodia before May 31 or face severe punishment.
According to the official statement, Cambodian immigration authorities rejected the authenticity of the reported directive.
“The General Department of Immigration of the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to clarify that the information published on those websites is completely untrue.”
Officials also identified specific websites they said published the false information, including campaigneronline.com and newsghana.com.
The ministry urged the public to rely only on verified government communication channels for immigration updates and legal notices.
“To obtain official information, the national and international public are requested to visit the official website of the General Department of Immigration,” the statement said.
The clarification contradicts earlier reports that claimed African nationals staying in Cambodia under immigration waivers would be arrested from June 1, jailed for up to two years, and forced to pay an $8,000 penalty before deportation.
Authorities now say no such official directive exists.
The updated statement comes after the viral notice triggered concern across African communities abroad, particularly among Ghanaians living or working in Southeast Asia. The claims also gained traction during a period of heightened anxiety surrounding migration and the treatment of African nationals overseas.
Cambodian officials have not announced any mass deportation exercise targeting Africans, according to the latest clarification from the immigration department.
The statement was issued by the General Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh on May 29, 2026.
