CAMBODIA
Country Profile
Cambodia is home to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest temple complex, and a symbol of national pride that features on Cambodia’s flag. Once a French colony, in 1975 the nation came under the control of the Khmer Rouge, a communist party whose regime oversaw the four-year Cambodian genocide, resulting in the death of 25 per cent of the local population. Today, Cambodia is headed by a monarch and is, at least nominally, a parliamentary democracy. However, dominance of the Cambodian People’s Party has caused many to classify the nation’s Government as authoritarian. Having reached lower middle-income status in 2015, Cambodia aspires to attain upper middle-income status by 2030.
- Official name: Kingdom of Cambodia
- National anthem: Majestic Kingdom
- Location: Southeast Asia
- Capital city: Phnom Penh
- Official language: Khmer
- Independence: 9 November 1953, from France
- Government type: Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
- Head of State: Monarch
- Head of Government: Prime Minister
- Basis of legal system: French civil law
- Currency: Cambodian riel
- Climate: Tropical
Citizenship by Investment in Cambodia
- Naturalisation by investment was envisioned in 1996, when relevant provisions were made in Cambodia’s Law on Nationality. Sub-decree 287 of 2013 also affects the process.
- Two investment options, one for investments that are approved by either the Cambodian Development Council or the Royal Government, another for donations for the restoration and rebuilding of Cambodia’s economy
- Knowledge of Khmer history and language is required
- Travel is required to obtain good behaviour, police, and health certificates, as well as to sign the relevant citizenship oath
- Applicants who choose the investment option must register a residence in Cambodia at the time of the application, although they need not live there. This requirement is waived for applicants who choose to donate
- Applications are reviewed by the Ministry of the Interior; citizenship is granted by the King by Royal Decree
- Between three and six months to complete the process
- In 2013, it was reported by the Cambodian Ministry of Interior that 700 foreign nationals had applied for Cambodian citizenship since 2000
- Only Khmer citizens can buy real estate in Cambodia
