The government of Cambodia has denied reports claiming that African nationals were ordered to leave the country before May 31, 2026, describing the widely circulated notice as fake and misleading.
In a statement released on Friday, Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior said the alleged directive, which was widely shared on social media and reported by several African news platforms, did not originate from the government.
“It is fake news fabricated to distort the situation and mislead domestic and international audiences,” the ministry said.
The disputed notice claimed that Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration had ordered citizens of Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda and several other African countries to leave the country before May 31 or face penalties including a two-year prison sentence and an $8,000 fine from June 1.
The document was reportedly said to have been signed by Lt. Gen. Som Sopheak, Director General of Immigration, and approved by Gen. Sar Sokha of Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior.
However, Cambodian authorities strongly denied issuing any nationality-specific expulsion order or immigration waiver targeting African nationals.
“There has been no official order requiring African nationals to leave Cambodia,” the ministry stated, adding that the reports were “a deliberate attempt to damage Cambodia’s reputation and create unnecessary fear.”
The General Department of Immigration also identified several Ghana-based websites among platforms that published and amplified the disputed claims.
Cambodian officials urged the public to rely only on verified government sources for immigration information, including the official website of the General Department of Immigration and its hotline services.
“We encourage both residents and international audiences to verify all immigration-related information through official government channels,” the statement added.
The controversy had sparked widespread concern online after the alleged notice circulated across social media platforms and news outlets in several African countries.
Authorities in Cambodia said investigations into the source of the false document are ongoing.
