According to the Angkor Times, Cambodia's four-month visa-free pilot program for Chinese tourists officially expired on October 15. As of October 16, the Cambodian government has not issued any formal notice regarding an extension or a new round of visa waivers. The official e-visa portal still displays October 15 as the policy's expiration date.
Under the pilot scheme that ran from June 15 to October 15, Chinese ordinary passport holders were allowed visa-free entry for stays of up to 14 days with multiple entries permitted, requiring only the submission of an electronic arrival card. This measure was part of broader efforts to boost arrivals, alongside the "2026 Cambodia-China Year of Tourism" and the "China Ready" initiative. In May, 15 tourism enterprises from Hainan had also pledged to strive to send 500,000 Chinese visitors to Cambodia by 2026. However, while tourist numbers saw a moderate recovery during the trial, arrivals did not see the sharp jump many had anticipated.
The pause on visa-free access directly impacts the recovery pace for airlines, local travel agencies, and hospitality and entertainment operators in hubs like Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. For Chinese expatriates and business travelers who relied on the 14-day policy for short, frequent trips, cross-border travel will once again involve standard procedures. Travelers heading to Cambodia are advised to verify updates via official embassy channels and the e-visa portal, and prepare for regular e-visas or visas on arrival as needed.
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