Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Cambodia Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Cambodia Property Pack
Cambodia is one of the few countries in Southeast Asia where foreigners can legally own property, though with important restrictions that many buyers don't fully understand until it's too late.
This guide explains what foreigners can actually buy in Cambodia, how property investment connects to residency and citizenship pathways, and what changed with the December 2025 nationality law overhaul.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest legal and regulatory developments in Cambodia, so you're reading information that reflects the situation as of early 2026.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Cambodia.
Insights
- Foreigners in Cambodia can only own condo units above the ground floor, and no more than 70% of units in any single building can be foreign-owned, so checking the remaining quota before buying is essential.
- Cambodia's CM2H program requires a minimum USD 100,000 real estate investment for a renewable 10-year visa, making it one of the most affordable long-stay-by-investment routes in Southeast Asia in 2026.
- The December 2025 nationality law amendment raised the direct citizenship-by-investment threshold from about USD 312,000 to USD 1 million, and the donation route jumped from roughly USD 250,000 to USD 3 million.
- CM2H visa holders in Cambodia can apply for a Cambodian passport after five years of holding their visa, which is currently marketed as the only official government-recognized pathway to citizenship through residency.
- Cambodia does not have a formal permanent residency card system like Western countries; most foreigners stay long-term through renewable visa extensions, which makes the CM2H's 10-year validity period unusually long for the region.
- Cambodian strata-titled condos cannot be located within 30 kilometers of a land border, which rules out some border-town developments that occasionally target foreign buyers.
- Nominee ownership structures, where a Cambodian citizen holds the land title on your behalf, are widely used but carry real legal risk because Cambodia's Land Law explicitly punishes fraudulent identity arrangements with seizure.
- Cambodia's amended nationality law, effective December 2025, now formally recognizes dual citizenship, removing a long-standing legal ambiguity that previously made some investors hesitant about applying for Cambodian nationality.
- Rental yields on Cambodian condos in Phnom Penh averaged around 7% to 8% in 2025, which is significantly higher than Bangkok at roughly 4% to 5% and Singapore at about 2%, though vacancy rates in some luxury segments remain elevated.
Can buying property help me get permanent residency in Cambodia?
Does buying a property qualify or at least help for residency in Cambodia?
As of early 2026, buying a property in Cambodia does not automatically qualify you for residency, but investing in approved real estate through the CM2H (Cambodia My 2nd Home) program is one of the only officially recognized ways to connect a property purchase to long-term legal stay in Cambodia.
The estimated minimum property investment required to qualify for the CM2H program in Cambodia is USD 100,000 (roughly EUR 92,000), which must go into a government-approved real estate project rather than any property you choose freely on the open market.
Beyond the investment amount, applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold a passport from a country recognized by Cambodia, pass a background and due diligence check conducted by the Ministry of Interior, and have no criminal record.
Even without the CM2H program, owning a condo in Cambodia can serve as practical supporting evidence when you renew an Ordinary (Type E) visa extension, because having a stable local address and utility trail helps demonstrate genuine ties to the country.
Is there any residency visa directly linked to property ownership in Cambodia right now?
The CM2H (Cambodia My 2nd Home) program is the only government-recognized residency visa in Cambodia that is directly linked to a real estate investment, and it offers a renewable 10-year visa to qualifying applicants as of early 2026.
Buying a primary residence (your main home) can qualify for the CM2H visa in Cambodia, but only if the property is part of a government-approved real estate project, which means you cannot simply pick any condo off the market and expect it to count.
Buying a rental or investment property also qualifies under the CM2H framework in Cambodia, as long as it meets the same government-approved project requirement, and the program does not distinguish between properties you plan to live in and those you plan to rent out.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Cambodia. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What exactly do I get with a property-based residency in Cambodia?
Is this residency temporary or permanent in Cambodia right now?
The CM2H visa in Cambodia is technically a temporary residency permit, even though its 10-year validity period is much longer than what most countries offer for investment-linked visas.
The official name is the CM2H Golden Visa, issued under the authority of Cambodia's Ministry of Interior and General Department of Immigration, and it sits outside the standard Ordinary (Type E) visa extension system that most foreigners use.
The key legal distinction is that temporary residency in Cambodia (like the CM2H visa) must be actively renewed and can be revoked, while permanent residency, which Cambodia does not offer as a standard published program, would in theory grant indefinite stay rights.
In practical terms, CM2H holders enjoy broad rights including the ability to live, study, and conduct business in Cambodia, but working as an employee still requires a separate work permit from the Ministry of Labor.
How long is the initial residency permit valid in Cambodia in 2026?
As of early 2026, the CM2H visa in Cambodia is issued with an initial validity of up to 10 years, which makes it one of the longest single-issuance investment visas available in Southeast Asia.
This 10-year duration has been the standard since the CM2H program launched in July 2022, and there have been no publicly announced changes to the validity period as of early 2026.
The validity period in Cambodia begins from the date the CM2H visa is physically placed in your passport, which requires you to travel to Cambodia in person after your application is approved.
Because the CM2H visa has such a long validity, there is no urgent renewal pressure in the early years, but it is wise to start the renewal process at least six months before expiry to account for any processing delays at Cambodia's Ministry of Interior.
How many times can I renew residency in Cambodia?
The CM2H visa in Cambodia is described as renewable, and the program does not publicly state a maximum number of renewals, meaning you can theoretically keep renewing as long as you maintain the qualifying investment.
Each renewal period is also up to 10 years under the current CM2H framework in Cambodia, which means a single renewal effectively extends your legal stay to 20 years from the original issuance.
There is no publicly available information suggesting that renewal conditions in Cambodia become stricter with each cycle, but you should expect the Ministry of Interior to verify that your investment is still in place and that you remain in good standing.
The most common reason a CM2H renewal in Cambodia could be rejected would be if the applicant has disposed of the qualifying property, developed a criminal record, or failed to maintain the investment conditions set out in the original agreement.
Can I live and work freely with this residency in Cambodia?
CM2H visa holders in Cambodia can live freely and set up a business, but working as an employee for a Cambodian company requires an additional work permit issued by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training.
The CM2H visa in Cambodia does not automatically grant unrestricted employment rights, so if you plan to take a salaried job rather than run your own business, you will need to go through the standard Cambodian work permit process on top of your visa.
There are certain professions in Cambodia that are reserved for or restricted to Cambodian nationals, so foreign residents (including CM2H holders) should check sector-specific regulations before assuming they can work in any field they choose.
In practice, many CM2H holders in Cambodia use the program's built-in support services (which include assistance with business registration and work permit applications) to bridge the gap between having a visa and having full work authorization.
Can I travel in and out easily with residency in Cambodia?
CM2H visa holders in Cambodia enjoy unrestricted entry and exit, meaning you can leave and re-enter Cambodia as many times as you want without needing a separate re-entry permit.
Unlike standard visa extensions in Cambodia (where some are single-entry and leaving the country can void your status), the CM2H visa does not impose a maximum time you can spend outside Cambodia before losing your residency.
Holding a CM2H visa in Cambodia does not grant visa-free access to other countries, because the visa is a Cambodian domestic immigration document and foreign governments do not recognize it as a travel credential.
When re-entering Cambodia, CM2H holders should carry their passport with the CM2H visa sticker and any supporting documentation from the program, since immigration officers at Cambodian airports and border crossings will check these on arrival.
Does this residency lead to permanent residency in Cambodia eventually?
Cambodia does not currently offer a formal, published permanent residency program that CM2H visa holders can "graduate" into, so the pathway is more about moving from long-term temporary residency to citizenship rather than to a separate permanent residency status.
CM2H visa holders in Cambodia become eligible to apply for Cambodian citizenship after five years of holding their visa, which effectively serves as the closest thing to a permanent residency upgrade the program offers.
Beyond the five-year holding period, applicants for Cambodian citizenship must pass a Khmer language and history examination, demonstrate good conduct, and meet the other naturalization conditions set out in Cambodia's nationality law.
If you do obtain Cambodian citizenship, the requirement to maintain the original CM2H property investment becomes irrelevant because you would hold full citizen rights, including the right to own land directly in Cambodia.
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What conditions must I keep to maintain residency in Cambodia?
Do I need to keep the property to keep residency in Cambodia?
If your residency in Cambodia is based on the CM2H program, you are generally expected to maintain the qualifying real estate investment for the duration of your visa, because the investment is the legal basis for the visa itself.
If you sell the qualifying CM2H property before your visa expires in Cambodia, the program terms suggest your visa could be affected or revoked, though the exact enforcement mechanism is not fully detailed in publicly available program documentation.
The CM2H program in Cambodia does allow you to reinvest in another government-approved property, but you should confirm this with the program administrators before selling, because not all replacement properties may qualify.
Cambodia's Ministry of Interior, which oversees the CM2H program, verifies ongoing property ownership through documentation including your Sale and Purchase Agreement and title records, so keeping your paperwork organized is essential for smooth renewals.
Is there a minimum stay requirement per year in Cambodia?
The CM2H program in Cambodia does not impose a minimum number of days per year that visa holders must spend in the country, which makes it unusually flexible compared to similar programs in the region.
Because there is no minimum stay requirement, enforcement is essentially a non-issue for CM2H holders in Cambodia, though immigration authorities can still track your entry and exit patterns through passport stamps and airline records.
If you fail to enter Cambodia at all for an extended period, it is unlikely to affect your CM2H visa status directly, but it could raise questions during renewal if authorities want to see evidence of genuine ties to Cambodia.
However, if your longer-term goal is Cambodian citizenship rather than just residency, physical presence becomes much more important because the naturalization process in Cambodia requires demonstrated residence and integration into Khmer society.
Can I rent out the property and keep residency in Cambodia?
Renting out your CM2H qualifying property in Cambodia is generally allowed and does not automatically affect your visa status, because the program's main condition is that you maintain the investment rather than live in the specific unit.
Cambodia does not currently impose formal restrictions on short-term versus long-term rentals for residency-linked properties, but individual condo buildings may have their own internal rules about short-stay or Airbnb-style lettings.
Rental income from your property in Cambodia is subject to Cambodian tax (typically a 14% withholding tax on gross rental income for non-residents), so earning rent does not threaten your visa but does create a tax obligation you need to manage.
While there is no specific CM2H-related requirement to register rental activity with Cambodian authorities, landlords in Cambodia are generally expected to comply with local tax registration and reporting rules, especially if the rental generates regular income.
Can residency be revoked after approval in Cambodia right now?
Yes, any immigration status in Cambodia (including the CM2H visa) can be revoked after approval if the holder commits a criminal offense, engages in fraud, violates immigration rules, or fails to maintain the conditions of the visa.
The revocation process in Cambodia is handled by the General Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior, and it typically involves a review triggered by a compliance issue or a report, rather than routine inspections.
Cambodia's legal framework does not currently provide a well-publicized formal appeals process for visa revocation, so in practice, hiring a licensed Cambodian lawyer to negotiate with the authorities is the most effective route if you face a revocation.
If your CM2H visa in Cambodia is revoked, you would generally be expected to leave the country within a reasonable period or regularize your status through another visa category, though exact grace periods are handled on a case-by-case basis rather than through a published standard timeline.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Cambodia versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
Can real estate investment lead to citizenship in Cambodia?
Can property investment directly lead to citizenship in Cambodia?
Since the December 2025 nationality law amendments, the direct citizenship-by-investment route in Cambodia now requires a minimum investment of KHR 4 billion (about USD 1 million or EUR 920,000) in a government-approved project, or a cash donation of KHR 12 billion (about USD 3 million or EUR 2.76 million) to the national budget.
A higher investment amount does not formally guarantee a faster citizenship timeline in Cambodia, because the process is ultimately discretionary, but meeting the higher donation threshold (USD 3 million / EUR 2.76 million / KHR 12 billion) does waive the residency requirement entirely, which can significantly shorten the overall path.
The typical timeline from initial investment to citizenship approval in Cambodia ranges from roughly 3 to 12 months for the direct investment route, though the December 2025 reforms introduced enhanced due diligence that may extend processing times in the short term.
The key difference is that the direct citizenship-by-investment route in Cambodia grants nationality without years of prior residency, while the CM2H residency path requires five years of holding the visa before you can even apply for citizenship through naturalization.
Is citizenship automatic after long-term residency in Cambodia?
Citizenship is never automatic after long-term residency in Cambodia; it always requires a separate application through the naturalization process, reviewed and ultimately granted by Royal Decree.
Under Cambodia's standard naturalization pathway, you need at least seven years of continuous lawful residency (with a residence card) before you are eligible to apply, though this period can be reduced to five years for CM2H holders and even further for large-scale investors.
Applicants for Cambodian citizenship must pass a Khmer language and literacy examination, demonstrate knowledge of Cambodian history, show good moral conduct certified by local authorities, and clear a criminal background check.
The typical processing time for citizenship applications in Cambodia after meeting all eligibility requirements has historically been a few months to over a year, though the December 2025 reforms introduced a 45-working-day review window for initial processing (with additional time for corrections and oath-taking).
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What are the real requirements to become a citizen in Cambodia?
Do I need physical presence for citizenship in Cambodia right now?
For standard naturalization in Cambodia, you need seven years of continuous residence with a valid residence card, which effectively means you should be physically present in Cambodia for the vast majority of each year during that period.
Cambodia's physical presence requirement is calculated based on continuous residence from the date you receive your official residence card, not on calendar years or a rolling count of days, which means breaks in residence can reset or complicate your timeline.
Cambodian authorities track physical presence through passport stamps, entry/exit records at the General Department of Immigration, and local commune-level residence documentation, so maintaining a clean paper trail is critical for citizenship applicants.
The main exemption in Cambodia is for investors: if you invest at least KHR 4 billion (about USD 1 million) in a government-approved project under the new December 2025 rules, or donate at least KHR 12 billion (about USD 3 million) to the national budget, the standard seven-year residency requirement is waived entirely.
Can my spouse and kids get citizenship too in Cambodia in 2026?
As of early 2026, Cambodia's Nationality Law allows a foreigner to file a naturalization application on behalf of their entire family (defined as spouse and children under 18) in a single filing, rather than requiring separate individual applications.
Family members in Cambodia can apply together with the main applicant, which means your spouse and minor children do not need to wait for your citizenship to be approved before starting their own process.
Children must be under 18 years of age to be included as dependents in a Cambodian citizenship application, and adult children would need to apply through their own qualifying pathway.
Foreign spouses of Cambodian citizens face a slightly different process: they can apply for Cambodian citizenship after three years of marriage, with specific residency and documentation requirements that differ from the standard naturalization track.
What are the most common reasons citizenship is denied in Cambodia?
The most common reason citizenship applications are denied in Cambodia is incomplete or inconsistent documentation, including mismatched names across passports, missing criminal record certificates, or improperly legalized foreign documents.
Two other frequently cited reasons for citizenship denial in Cambodia are failing the Khmer language and history examination (which is a genuine test, not a formality) and having a criminal record or adverse findings during the Ministry of Interior's background check.
Applicants whose citizenship is denied in Cambodia have the right to appeal through the courts within 30 working days of notification under the new December 2025 Sub-Decree, which represents a clearer appeals pathway than what existed previously.
The single most effective step you can take to avoid citizenship denial in Cambodia is to hire a licensed Cambodian immigration lawyer who can review every document, prepare you for the language exam, and ensure your application meets all the requirements before it reaches the Ministry of Interior.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Cambodia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.