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Visa Policy
7 min read
Cambodia's Visa-Free Trial for Chinese Travelers Has Ended: What Applies Now
Cambodia's 14-day visa-free trial for Chinese passports ended on October 15, 2026 with no extension; e-Visa or visa on arrival applies again, e-Arrival is still required.
Cambodia waived visas for holders of People's Republic of China passports for four months, from June 15 to October 15, 2026. The trial period is over. As of November 8, 2026, no Cambodian authority has published an extension, so mainland Chinese, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passport holders again need a visa to enter Cambodia. The e-Arrival Card never stopped being required.
TL;DR: The June 15 – October 15, 2026 visa exemption for PRC passports (mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR; Taiwan excluded) has ended, with no extension announced as of November 8, 2026. Chinese travelers now apply for the Tourist e-Visa (Visa T, USD 30, 30-day stay) or get a visa on arrival, and every traveler still submits the free Cambodia e-Arrival within 7 days before or on arrival.
This article records what the trial allowed, what the official channels show now, and what Chinese passport holders need for a trip to Cambodia now.
Direct Answer: Status as of November 8, 2026
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Is the visa exemption still running? | No. It applied from June 15 to October 15, 2026 and no extension has been announced. |
| Who did it cover? | Holders of PRC passports: mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR. Taiwan passports were excluded. |
| What did it allow? | 14 days per entry, multiple entries during the four months, no visa application and no fee, from any departure country. |
| What do Chinese passport holders need now? | A Tourist e-Visa (Visa T: USD 30, single entry, valid 3 months, 30-day stay, 3 business days) or a visa on arrival at an international checkpoint. |
| Is the e-Arrival Card still required? | Yes, for all travelers, visa or not. Submit it free of charge within 7 days before arrival or on arrival. |
1. What the Trial Allowed
The Cambodia Ministry of Tourism announcement No. 009 MOT of January 15, 2026, issued with the Prime Minister's approval, set these terms:
- Period: June 15 to October 15, 2026.
- Passports: PRC passports, "including Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, excluding Taiwan".
- Departure point: "Regardless of whether they travel directly from China or from any other country" – the exemption was tied to the passport, not the route.
- Stay: 14 days per entry, with no visa application and no fee.
- Multiple entries: "Chinese tourists may enter Cambodia multiple times as they wish" during the period.
- Condition: travelers had to complete the e-Arrival Card.
The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia repeated the same terms on June 20, 2026 for holders of PRC ordinary passports, including departures from third countries. The Macao SAR Government and the Hong Kong Immigration Department confirmed the arrangement for their passports with the same dates; Macao's notice added that outside the trial Macao SAR passport holders apply for a visa on arrival or an e-Visa.
2. What the Official Channels Show Now
Nothing has been published that extends the exemption, and the agencies that listed it have taken it down:
- Ministry of Tourism: the ministry's news section carries no announcement about Chinese visa exemption after August 20, 2026. That August item reports a consultation at which extending the trial and adding other markets were discussed as proposals for the Prime Minister to decide; no decision has been published since.
- Chinese Embassy in Cambodia: its most recent consular advisory mentioning the exemption, dated September 24, 2026, still gives the window as June 15 to October 15, 2026 and notes that travelers outside the exemption obtain a visa through a Cambodian embassy or consulate, the online e-Visa, or visa on arrival. No later advisory announces an extension.
- Hong Kong Immigration Department: the visa-free access list for HKSAR passports no longer shows Cambodia; the 14-day remark that was displayed during the trial has been withdrawn.
- Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs: its standing visa exemption table (as of September 25, 2026) gives holders of ordinary PRC and Hong Kong SAR passports no exemption; only diplomatic and official passports are exempt. With the trial over, this is the rule that applies again.
If Cambodia publishes an extension or a permanent exemption, this article will be updated with the new dates and source.
3. What Chinese Passport Holders Need Now
With the exemption over, the standard visa rules apply to mainland Chinese, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passports:
- Tourist e-Visa (Visa T): the official portal
evisa.gov.khlists USD 30, single entry, validity 3 months, length of stay 1 month (30 days), processing 3 business days. The e-Visa is accepted at Techo International Airport (KTI), Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS) and the Bavet and Tropaeng Kreal land checkpoints; as of November 8, 2026 the portal lists Cham Yeam and Poipet as temporarily closed for e-Visa entry. Pay only on the official portal. - Visa on arrival: available at international checkpoints. Which option fits your route and documents is covered in Cambodia Visa on Arrival vs eVisa.
- e-Arrival Card: required for all travelers, including visa holders. The General Department of Immigration states that it can be submitted within 7 days before or on arrival and that submission is free. Keep the confirmation available for the entry inspection.
If you booked a trip assuming the exemption, add the visa step before departure: an e-Visa application needs 3 business days, and the visa on arrival queue comes before immigration.
Avoid Typos in Your e-Arrival Registration
When registering for the Cambodia e-Arrival Card, carefully check your passport number, travel details, and itinerary before submission. If you spot a mistake after submitting, use "Update e-Arrivals" on arrival.gov.kh to edit and resubmit; the portal's FAQ says this is possible until an immigration officer has processed you.
When preparing it for yourself or several family members, eVisaFlow Southeast Asia can autofill saved passport, flight, hotel, and contact information on the official Cambodia e-Arrival website.
Quick Checklist for Chinese Travelers:
- A visa: Tourist e-Visa approval from
evisa.gov.kh, or the documents and fee the visa-on-arrival counter asks for (see the linked guide). - Your completed e-Arrival confirmation.
- An itinerary within the stay your visa allows (30 days for the Tourist e-Visa).
References
Verify the current rule against Cambodian government channels before travel, and submit your e-Arrival registration directly through the official Cambodian government portal:
- Cambodia Ministry of Tourism – Announcement No. 009 MOT, January 15, 2026 (copy hosted by Open Development Cambodia; the ministry's original URL no longer resolves): https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/announcements/announcement-visa-exemption-for-chinese-tourists-for-a-period-of-four-months/
- Cambodia Ministry of Tourism – news and announcements: https://tourism.gov.kh/news/app-news-and-media
- Chinese Embassy in Cambodia – consular advisory on visa-free travel to Cambodia, June 20, 2026: https://kh.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfws/lsbh/202606/t20260620_11949230.htm
- Chinese Embassy in Cambodia – National Day holiday consular advisory, September 24, 2026: https://kh.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfws/lingshifuwu/202609/t20260926_12031577.htm
- Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – visa exemption between Cambodia and other countries (as of September 25, 2026): https://recberlin.mfaic.gov.kh/en-us/visa-exemption
- Official Cambodia e-Visa portal: https://www.evisa.gov.kh
- Cambodia General Department of Immigration – e-Arrival notice: https://immigration.gov.kh/post/1134
- Official Cambodia e-Arrival portal: https://www.arrival.gov.kh
- Macao SAR Government – notice on the four-month trial, June 12, 2026: https://www.gov.mo/en/news/402591/
- Hong Kong Immigration Department – visa-free access or visa-on-arrival for HKSAR passport: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/service/travel_document/visa_free_access.html
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