Cambodia's four-month visa-free pilot for Chinese tourists expired on October 15, 2026. Previously, Cambodia's tourism industry had recommended extending the visa-free policy until the end of this year, but as of now, no public announcement formally approving an extension has been found.
According to arrangements previously announced, between June 15 and October 15, 2026, eligible holders of Chinese passports were allowed to enter Cambodia visa-free, for a maximum stay of 14 days per entry. Multiple entries were permitted during the pilot period, but an electronic arrival card still had to be filled out.
Why does the industry want to extend the visa-free policy? Chinese tourists are an important international source market for Cambodia. Ministry of Tourism figures show that from January to April 2026, Cambodia received approximately 331,200 Chinese tourists. More visitors mean more than just hotels, restaurants and travel agencies; they also boost transport, shopping and local employment.
On August 19 this year, Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism held a meeting with representatives of the aviation industry and the private sector to discuss extending the visa-free pilot to the end of the year, as well as strengthening cooperation between tourism and aviation to drive industry recovery. However, the proposal raised at the meeting does not mean the extension has been approved.
For Chinese tourists planning to travel to Cambodia in the near future, the most important point is to follow subsequent announcements from the Cambodian government and not to base their travel plans solely on the previous visa-free news. Whether the visa-free arrangement continues and whether entry conditions are adjusted should still be judged by the latest official policy.
