In an unannounced move aimed at reigniting inbound tourism and retail spending, Cambodia’s government has waived visa requirements for holders of Chinese ordinary passports from 15 June to 15 October 2026. Shanghai’s port authority and China’s embassy in Phnom Penh jointly issued a travel advisory on 24 June confirming that Chinese travellers—regardless of whether they depart the Mainland or a third country—may enter Cambodia multiple times and stay up to 14 days per trip simply by completing the new Cambodia e-Arrival Card.
![Cambodia Grants Limited-Time Visa-Free Entry to Chinese Nationals]()
For those looking to navigate the new policy seamlessly, VisaHQ offers an easy-to-use platform that can pre-file the Cambodia e-Arrival Card, provide real-time updates on entry requirements, and coordinate additional visas for onward travel. Chinese passport holders and corporate travel planners can learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
The waiver comes as Cambodia prepares for the high-season return of Chinese tour groups and duty-free shoppers. Before the pandemic, China accounted for more than one-third of all foreign arrivals. Cambodia’s tourism ministry expects the four-month pilot to restore at least 40 percent of those volumes, and local retailers in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville have begun hiring Mandarin-speaking staff in anticipation of the surge. For Chinese corporates, the exemption strips out roughly USD 35 in visa fees and at least two days of processing, making it easier to dispatch engineers and sales teams to Phnom Penh’s fast-growing construction sector and to China-funded special economic zones. The advisory nevertheless reminds travellers to register via the Cambodia e-Arrival system within seven days of entry, to carry passports at all times, and to refuse any illegal “facilitation” payments sometimes demanded at land borders. China’s mission published a hotline list for reporting corruption and providing consular help. Because the waiver is temporary, policy and mobility managers should flag 15 October as the sunset date. Unless the pilot is extended, travellers arriving on or after 16 October will again need either an e-visa or visa-on-arrival approval letter. Early evidence from travel-platform bookings suggests seat capacity between Chinese hubs and Phnom Penh has already risen 18 percent for July–September, hinting that carriers will redeploy wide-body aircraft on the route if demand materialises.
For those looking to navigate the new policy seamlessly, VisaHQ offers an easy-to-use platform that can pre-file the Cambodia e-Arrival Card, provide real-time updates on entry requirements, and coordinate additional visas for onward travel. Chinese passport holders and corporate travel planners can learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
The waiver comes as Cambodia prepares for the high-season return of Chinese tour groups and duty-free shoppers. Before the pandemic, China accounted for more than one-third of all foreign arrivals. Cambodia’s tourism ministry expects the four-month pilot to restore at least 40 percent of those volumes, and local retailers in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville have begun hiring Mandarin-speaking staff in anticipation of the surge. For Chinese corporates, the exemption strips out roughly USD 35 in visa fees and at least two days of processing, making it easier to dispatch engineers and sales teams to Phnom Penh’s fast-growing construction sector and to China-funded special economic zones. The advisory nevertheless reminds travellers to register via the Cambodia e-Arrival system within seven days of entry, to carry passports at all times, and to refuse any illegal “facilitation” payments sometimes demanded at land borders. China’s mission published a hotline list for reporting corruption and providing consular help. Because the waiver is temporary, policy and mobility managers should flag 15 October as the sunset date. Unless the pilot is extended, travellers arriving on or after 16 October will again need either an e-visa or visa-on-arrival approval letter. Early evidence from travel-platform bookings suggests seat capacity between Chinese hubs and Phnom Penh has already risen 18 percent for July–September, hinting that carriers will redeploy wide-body aircraft on the route if demand materialises.
