‘No registry, no visa extension’
Visa extensions will not be issued for foreigners who fail to register in the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System (FPCS) by July.
Cambodia’s Immigration Department (GDI) director general General Kirth Chantharith said in a statement that municipal and provincial police chiefs have been told to enforce the Interior Ministry’s directive regarding the management of foreigners living and visiting the Kingdom.
“The GDI will not renew visas of foreigners staying in Cambodia who are not listed in the FPCS. This will be implemented on July 1 this year.”
According to the Khmer Times, the Interior Ministry’s Immigration Department said the electronic application form, which was created last year, aims to record data about foreigners living in and visiting the country.
In line with the directive, provincial and municipal police chiefs across the country should inform landlords to report foreigners staying in their houses so they could be listed in the app.
However, the new measure has raised concerns among some foreign residents.
According to its department’s homepage, the application will record information about foreigners upon their arrival in the country and again on the date of their departure.
Phnom Penh Municipal police chief, Lieutenant General Sar Thet, said the police have been disseminating information about the FPCS to landlords.
“We will implement the law on immigration if they (foreigners) fail to follow instructions.”
Non-Immigration and Technical Department director, Lieutenant General Sok Veasa, said a working group from the GDI was holding discussions about penalties for foreigners who fail to comply with the directive.