Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng has instructed owners of residences throughout the Kingdom to report the presence of all foreign tenants.
In a letter dated Friday, Sar Kheng said the ministry had noticed that many residence owners had failed to duly fulfil their obligations as stated by existing laws and regulations.
Sar Kheng said the new directive aims to strengthen the enforcement of immigration law and to maintain security, public order and safety for all foreigners residing in the country.
“The owners of all kinds of residences must report the presence of foreigners residing in their properties to their respective commune administrative police no later than within 24 hours so the General Department of Immigration can maintain data on foreigners in its database.
“In case the residence owners or landlords are foreigners, they must also report their own presence and foreign tenants’ within no later than 24 hours too,” said the directive.
The directive further states that the property owners report must clearly state the duration of foreign tenants’ stay and the extension of their stay. They must also report any accidents happening to their tenants.
Failure to comply with the new instructions, the directive said, will result in punishment as stipulated in the laws.
Sar Kheng also instructed municipal and provincial police to provide a sample of the report on foreign tenants and an application form prepared by the General Department of Immigration to property owners to create a user account.
The interior minister stressed that municipal and provincial police must also report to the ministry through the General Department of Immigration about the death, disappearance, and any accidents happening to foreigners.
An Thida, the director of CBRE Cambodia Real Estate that has been providing hotel, condo and office renting services in the Kingdom, welcomed the new directive.
She said the company had always notified property owners to prepare documents in accordance with the ministry’s regulations and immigration law.
“So far, I have observed that not all property owners have given notice to the authorities. Some owners might think that when they give notice to the local authorities, they could be obliged to pay taxes,” she said.
