Citizenship by Investment

Cambodia

Cambodian Citizenship by Investment / Donation (Acquisition of Khmer Nationality by Naturalisation)

Cambodia grants full citizenship to foreigners who either make a qualifying investment or donate to the national budget, with the standard seven-year naturalisation residency requirement waived for investors. The pathway sits on the 1996 Law on Nationality (Royal Kram NS/RKM/1096/30), which originally set the investment floor at KHR 1.25 billion (Arts. 10/11, via the Council for the Development of Cambodia) and the donation floor at KHR 1 billion (Art. 12, approximately USD 245,000). Sub-Decree No. 225 of 2025 raised these to KHR 4 billion (approximately USD 1 million) in personal capital for an approved investment project, or a KHR 12 billion (approximately USD 3 million) cash donation to the national budget for socio-economic development or the humanitarian sector. Applications are filed in person at the Ministry of Interior's General Department of Identification, donations are routed through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, citizenship is conferred by Royal Decree, and approved applicants swear an oath before the Supreme Court. The trade-off for private clients is a regional travel document (no Schengen, UK, US or Canada visa-free access) and a higher post-2025 price, alongside 2025 amendments — passed together with a constitutional change — that introduced citizenship revocation for treason or collusion with foreign powers without a clear judicial appeal, which materially elevates the political and rule-of-law risk of this passport.

Indicative figures — we confirm the exact, current terms with licensed local lawyers before you apply

Investment routes

How you qualify.

Donation

USD 3,000,000

Cash donation to the national budget for socio-economic development or the humanitarian sector. Current threshold under Sub-Decree No. 225 (in force 1 December 2025): at least KHR 12 billion (approximately USD 3 million at roughly KHR 4,000/USD). Non-refundable; the donation must have a lawful source and be paid through the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This replaced the original Art. 12 floor of KHR 1,000,000,000 (approximately USD 245,000). The donation route requires only Art. 8 sub-paragraphs 1, 2, 5 and 6. The USD equivalent is indicative.

Business

USD 1,000,000

Personal capital invested to implement an actual approved investment project in a priority sector, with a valid investment permit (CDC-authorised, Art. 10; or Royal-Government-authorised, Art. 11). Current threshold under Sub-Decree No. 225 (in force 1 December 2025): at least KHR 4 billion (approximately USD 1 million) of personal capital actually spent. Funds must have a lawful source and be tax-compliant. The Art. 8(3) seven-year residency requirement is waived for qualifying investors. This replaced the original Arts. 10/11 floor of KHR 1,250,000,000 (approximately USD 305,000). This is an active-project investment, not a passive real-estate purchase — there is no real-estate-specific route.

What the passport grants

Global mobility.

~47 visa-free / visa-on-arrival destinations

Schengen

Visa required

— no visa-free access to the Schengen Area.

United Kingdom

Visa required

— no visa-free access to the United Kingdom.

United States

Visa required

— no visa-free access to the United States (no ESTA eligibility).

Canada

Visa required

— no visa-free access to Canada.

Approximately 47 destinations are accessible visa-free or visa-on-arrival as of 2026. The strength of the passport is regional — ASEAN free movement plus selected Asian, African and Middle Eastern destinations. None of the major Western blocs (Schengen, UK, USA, Canada, Australia) are accessible visa-free. This is a Plan-B and regional-presence passport, not a global-mobility document.

Weighing this against Europe?

What you’re really after — and the cleaner route to it.

Most clients who consider Cambodia want the same things: stronger mobility, a Plan B held in reserve, and optionality for the family. Cambodia can grant a second passport — but it confers no right to live, work or settle in the European Union, and no path to an EU passport.

If a European foothold is any part of your objective, residence by investment achieves it directly — a euro-denominated home, legal residence in the EU, and, held over time, a lawful route to European citizenship. We map both, honestly, against what you are actually trying to achieve.

Eligibility & process

What's involved.

Family inclusion: Sub-Decree No. 225 treats the family as a unit: parents may apply together with their minor children as a family unit, and children not included in the original application may be added later on proof of parentage; a foreign spouse may also be included. Sibling and dependent-parent inclusion is not provided for under the Cambodian programme. A separate marriage route exists under the 1996 Law (Art. 6: a foreign spouse of a Khmer national may apply after three years of marriage), and children of naturalised parents can acquire Khmer nationality by descent or declaration (Arts. 4 & 21).
Due diligence: General naturalisation conditions in Art. 8 apply (modified for the financial routes): a certificate of good behaviour/moral conduct from the commune/quarter chief; a certificate of clean past criminal record (never convicted of a criminal offence); current residence in Cambodia at the time of application; and — for naturalisation generally — Khmer language, script and history knowledge plus mental and physical fitness posing no danger to the nation. For the donation route (Art. 12) only sub-paragraphs 1, 2, 5 and 6 of Art. 8 must be met. Sub-Decree No. 225 requires applications to be filed in person at the General Department of Identification, mandates a lawful and tax-compliant source of funds, and sets review windows (approximately 45 working days initial review; 30 working days to remedy deficiencies; 15 working days re-evaluation; 30 working days appeal rights after rejection). Approved applicants swear an oath before the Supreme Court before the Royal Decree grant.
Timeline: There is no single statutory end-to-end timeline. Sub-Decree No. 225 sets administrative review windows of 45 working days (initial review), 30 working days (correct deficiencies) and 15 working days (re-evaluation), followed by the Royal Decree grant and the Supreme Court oath. Budget 6-12 months end to end, including investment execution or donation settlement and security review.
Physical presence: There is no minimum-stay or ongoing residence requirement once citizenship is granted, and the standard Art. 8(3) seven-year residency requirement is statutorily waived for qualifying investors (Arts. 10/11) and substantially relaxed for the donation route (Art. 12). Art. 8(4) requires current residence in Cambodia at the time of application, and Sub-Decree No. 225 requires in-person submission at the General Department of Identification and an oath before the Supreme Court — so at least one trip to Cambodia, and likely more, is needed. There is no annual presence requirement thereafter.
Tax: Cambodia taxes individuals on a residence basis (a person present 182 or more days in a tax year, or with a principal place of abode in Cambodia, is a tax resident taxed on worldwide employment income; non-residents are taxed on Cambodian-source income). Acquiring Khmer nationality does not by itself create Cambodian tax residency — that is driven by physical presence or abode. There is no net-wealth or general inheritance tax. Dual nationality is permitted under the Law on Nationality (Cambodia does not require renunciation of the prior nationality), though post-2025 dual citizens may face registration obligations and are barred from the four top state offices. Acquiring citizenship has no automatic effect on the client's home-country tax position; review any Cambodian-source income and structuring with local tax counsel.

Key provisions

Two financial naturalisation routes under the 1996 Law on Nationality: investment (Arts. 10 & 11, via a Council for the Development of Cambodia / Royal Government investment authorisation) and donation to the national budget (Art. 12).
Original 1996 thresholds: investment from KHR 1,250,000,000 (approximately USD 305,000) with the Art. 8(3) seven-year residency requirement expressly exempted; donation from KHR 1,000,000,000 (approximately USD 245,000) requiring only Art. 8 sub-paras 1, 2, 5 and 6.
Sub-Decree No. 225 of 2025 raised the thresholds to KHR 4 billion (approximately USD 1 million) for an approved investment project and KHR 12 billion (approximately USD 3 million) for a budget donation.
Donations must be paid through the Ministry of Economy and Finance and have a lawful source; investment funds must be lawful and tax-compliant.
Applications are filed in person at the Ministry of Interior's General Department of Identification; approved applicants take an oath before the Supreme Court; the grant is conferred by Royal Decree on the basis of a Sub-Decree.
General naturalisation conditions (Art. 8): good conduct certificate, clean criminal record, residence in Cambodia at application, Khmer language/script/history knowledge and fitness — partially waived for the financial routes.
Dual citizenship is permitted; Cambodia does not require renunciation of the prior nationality (subject to post-2025 registration rules and a bar on dual nationals holding the four top state offices).
2025 reform context: a July 2025 constitutional amendment to Article 33 permits the loss or revocation of Khmer nationality by law, and the Law on Nationality amendment passed on 25 August 2025 introduced revocation grounds (for example treason and collusion with foreign powers) applying to nationals, naturalised citizens and dual citizens without a clear judicial appeal — a material rule-of-law consideration for a citizenship applicant.

Documents you'll provide

Completed application for acquisition of Khmer nationality (filed in person at the General Department of Identification, Ministry of Interior)
Valid passport(s) — certified copies
Birth certificate of the applicant (and of each included dependant)
Marriage certificate (where a spouse is included) and children's birth certificates
Certificate of good behaviour and moral conduct issued by the chief of the commune / quarter of residence (Art. 8(1))
Certificate of clean past criminal record / police clearance attesting no prior criminal conviction (Art. 8(2))
Proof of current residence in the Kingdom of Cambodia at the time of application (Art. 8(4))
Evidence of lawful (and tax-compliant) source of the investment or donation funds
For the investment route: investment permit / CDC or Royal Government investment authorisation and proof the project capital of at least KHR 4 billion was actually spent (Arts. 10/11)
For the donation route: receipt of the at least KHR 12 billion cash donation paid to the national budget through the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Art. 12)
Recent passport-size photographs
Khmer language / script / history evidence where required for the route (Art. 8(5))
Health / fitness declaration as requested (Art. 8(6))
Powers of attorney where filed by a licensed representative

Legal basis & source documents

The governing law — in our library.

Primary statute: Law on Nationality, adopted by the National Assembly 20 August 1996, promulgated by Royal Kram No. NS/RKM/1096/30 dated 9 October 1996 — naturalisation by investment under Arts. 10 & 11, naturalisation by donation under Art. 12, general naturalisation conditions in Art. 8. 2025 reform: (i) the Constitution was amended — Article 33 changed by the National Assembly on 11 July 2025 (Senate 15 July 2025; promulgated by the King later in July 2025) so that acquisition, loss and revocation of Khmer nationality shall be determined by law; (ii) a Law amending the Law on Nationality was passed by the National Assembly on 25 August 2025 (all 120 members present), adding renunciation/revocation grounds and dual-citizenship provisions; (iii) Sub-Decree No. 225 on the Implementation of the Law on Nationality, issued by the Royal Government on 1 December 2025, sets the current financial thresholds and procedure (investment KHR 4 billion / donation KHR 12 billion). · Administered by Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia — General Department of Identification (applications filed in person). Cash donations are paid to the national budget through the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Qualifying investment projects are authorised by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) or the Royal Government. Khmer nationality is granted by Royal Decree (Reach Kret); approved applicants take an oath before the Supreme Court..

Law on Nationality (Royal Kram No. NS/RKM/1096/30 of 9 Oct 1996) — consolidated English text incl. Arts. 8, 10, 11, 12

Law · held by 8T20

Law on Nationality — official Khmer original (Royal Kram NS/RKM/1096/30)

Law · official source

Law amending the Law on Nationality (National Assembly, 25 August 2025) — revocation grounds & dual-citizenship rules

Law · held by 8T20

Constitutional amendment to Article 33 (July 2025) permitting acquisition/loss/revocation of Khmer nationality by law

Law · official source

Sub-Decree No. 225 on the Implementation of the Law on Nationality (1 Dec 2025) — current KHR 4bn / 12bn thresholds & procedure

Regulation · held by 8T20

Official application form for acquisition of Khmer nationality (Ministry of Interior, General Department of Identification)

Form · held by 8T20

Fee / threshold schedule — investment KHR 4 billion (~USD 1m) & donation KHR 12 billion (~USD 3m) per Sub-Decree No. 225

Fee Schedule · held by 8T20

Ministry of Interior / General Department of Identification procedural guideline (in-person filing, review windows, Supreme Court oath)

Guideline · held by 8T20

Documents marked “held by 8T20” are mirrored on our own servers from the official source, so the reference is always available.

Official sources

Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) — Law on Nationality (official English text)WTO accession legal repository — Cambodia Law on Nationality (government-submitted English text; Arts. 8, 10, 11, 12)Refworld (UNHCR) — Cambodia: Law on Nationality (1996)Open Development Cambodia (OD Mekong Datahub) — Sub-Decree No. 225 on the Implementation of the Law on Nationality (in force 1 December 2025)U.S. Library of Congress, Global Legal Monitor — Cambodia: New Constitutional Amendment Allows Revocation of Citizenship (Art. 33, July 2025)Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia — official homepage

Interested in Cambodia? We’ll open the right door.

Our own focus is European residence — but if Cambodia citizenship is genuinely of interest, leave your details and we’ll speak personally, understand your objectives, and introduce you to vetted, admitted counsel who handle this programme. No obligation, held in confidence.

This briefing is general guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are indicative and verified to 2026; final positions, eligibility and timelines are confirmed in writing by licensed counsel on engagement. 8T20 Capital coordinates the engagement and facilitates applications through admitted local counsel; it is not a law firm. Final eligibility, thresholds and timelines are confirmed in writing by licensed counsel before any commitment.