By James Amoh Junior, GNA
Accra, May 29, GNA – Social media posts and some online publications have circulated claims that the Government of Cambodia has ordered citizens of Ghana and other African countries living in the Southeast Asian nation to leave by May 31, 2026, or face arrest, imprisonment and financial penalties.
Claim
Cambodia has directed Ghanaians and other African nationals residing in the country to leave by May 31, 2026, or risk sanctions for immigration violations.
Verdict: FALSE
What GNA Found
The Ghana News Agency reviewed an official press clarification issued by the General Department of Immigration of the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia on May 29, 2026.
In the statement, Cambodian immigration authorities said reports published by certain websites alleging that Africans with expired immigration waivers had been ordered to leave Cambodia by May 31 were “completely untrue.”
The department specifically referenced online reports carrying the headline “Cambodia Orders Africans with Expired Immigration Waivers to Leave by May 31, 2026” and stated categorically that no such directive had been issued.
The Cambodian authorities urged the public to rely only on official information from the General Department of Immigration and other authorised government sources.
Further Verification
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana also issued a press release on May 29, 2026, after engaging Cambodian authorities on the matter.
According to the Ministry, diplomatic consultations confirmed that the purported immigration notice was fake and had not been issued by any Cambodian state institution.
The Ministry noted that Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration had officially clarified that the information was false and advised the public and media organisations to disregard the document.
Context
The false claim gained traction amid ongoing efforts by the Government of Ghana to facilitate the voluntary return of some Ghanaian nationals from Cambodia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 85 Ghanaians had already been assisted to return home between March and May 2026 through Ghana’s High Commission in Malaysia, which is concurrently accredited to Cambodia.
The Ministry further disclosed that arrangements were underway to assist an additional 76 Ghanaians who had voluntarily expressed a desire to return to Ghana.
However, these voluntary repatriation efforts are separate from the fake notice and do not constitute a deportation order or directive from Cambodian authorities.
Why this matters
False information relating to immigration policies can create panic among migrants, their families and communities. Such misinformation may also undermine public confidence in official communication channels and diplomatic processes.
The case highlights the importance of verifying claims through official government sources before sharing them on social media or publishing them in news reports.
Conclusion
There is no evidence that the Government of Cambodia has ordered Ghanaians or other African nationals to leave the country by May 31, 2026.
Both the General Department of Immigration of Cambodia and Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that the circulating notice is fake.
GNA Fact Check Verdict: FALSE
Source: Official press clarification issued by Cambodia’s General Department of Immigration and a press release from Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated May 29, 2026.
GNA
Factchecker: James Amoh Junior
Email: [email protected]
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong