Synopsis: Passport Reports rankings highlight the contrast between ease of entry for tourists and severe travel restrictions the Kingdom’s citizens face abroad.
Cambodia is 13th in the world for welcoming foreign visitors, yet its citizens face limited outward mobility because of a weak passport, which is ranked 149th, according to the Passport Reports index.
The ranking highlights a contrast between Cambodia’s openness to incoming travellers and the international mobility available to its own citizens.
Passport Reports assesses 199 countries in 34 languages, placing Cambodia 13th for its welcoming entry conditions. However, outward mobility remains limited with a score of 49, providing access to just 24.7% of 198 foreign destinations.
Cambodian passport holders can travel to 20 destinations without a visa, while 24 offer visas on arrival or facilitated-entry arrangements. Five destinations require electronic travel authorisation.
Meanwhile, 149 destinations require visas before travel.
Within Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Singapore offer visa-free access for up to 30 days, subject to arrival cards. Thailand permits stays of up to 14 days.
Outside the region, Seychelles requires tourist registration for stays up to 90 days via electronic travel authorisation, while Nepal offers visas on arrival or electronic visas.
The disparity is clear in Europe. French passport holders can enter Cambodia via visa on arrival or electronic visa for up to 30 days, but Cambodians must obtain a visa before travelling to France.
Regionally, Cambodia ranks 33rd among 50 Asian passports and ninth among the 11 ASEAN members. It places 23rd among 25 parliamentary constitutional monarchies, 139th among 159 World Trade Organization members and 98th among 132 Group of 77 countries.
The platform suggests that gaining visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen Area would improve Cambodia’s standing. Currently, Cambodian citizens require visas for all 29 Schengen destinations. If those destinations granted visa-free entry, Cambodia’s mobility score would rise from 49 to 78. Its visa-free destination count would increase from 20 to 49, reducing visa requirements from 149 to 120 destinations. Overall international access would increase from 24.7% to 39.4%.
Applying ranking methodology to this scenario would place Cambodia 97th globally, sharing the position with Fiji. However, the calculation remains hypothetical and does not reflect any anticipated change in European visa policy.
Passport Reports calculates scores by combining visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and electronic travel authorisation destinations. Passports are ranked primarily by total mobility scores, with ties resolved by visa-free destination counts.
