A new year and new opportunities but the pace of change in the Kingdom of Cambodia on all fronts means there are always procedural, technological and other updates to be aware of - no more so if you are planning on visiting Cambodia in 2025 to look into property investment opportunities in 2025.
Arriving As A Tourist In Cambodia - What Do You Need in 2025
Tourist Visas (Visa T) are for travellers who know they will be staying for 30 days or less and is a single entry-only visa. Visitors to Cambodia can apply for an E-Visa in advance or get a visa on arrival. These can now be paid for via credit cards on arrival (implemented in 2024 at international airports) and price reductions were announced for visas which came into effect at the start of 2025.
The E-Visa is an electronic online Visa and all requirements are explained online on the processing site - some countries are not eligible for the E-visa on arrival so the E-visa online might be preferable.
The launch of the Cambodia e-Arrival (CeA) system (online and via the app) in 2024 replaced the previous paper forms used for immigration, as well as the Health declaration form and Customs Declaration form - it's much more seamless and easier than the older paper system.
Keep in mind that by mid-year, the new Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh, is due to launch and it was selected as one of 11 architecture projects set to shape the world in 2025 by CNN.
Travelling to the Property Hot Spots in Cambodia
Arriving in Cambodia via international airports and land borders is easier, so once you are here, where are some of the property investment opportunities?
The capital of Phnom Penh still offers some of the newest and most diverse range of property and below are just some of the areas to keep an eye on.
You can also see some of the Top Property Condo Handovers Expected In Phnom Penh In 2025
- Southern Phnom Penh: The new airport in Phnom Penh is due to open in mid-2025 and has resulted in several adjacent infrastructure projects such as road junctures and bridges - the area is poised for growth.
- Northern Phnom Penh (Chroy Changva): The construction of the Cambodia-Korea Friendship Bridge means riverside apartments remain an even more appealing investment choice.
- Eastern Phnom Penh (Koh Pich & Koh Norea): The construction of the “Mekong Quay City” and potential bridges (such as linking Akreiy Ksatr to Koh Norea which the Cambodia Prime Minister has called a feasibility for in December 2024) means the city is becoming accessible in all areas - but luxury villas here are a highlighted opportunity.
Travelling to the coastal hub of Sihanoukville is easily completed in just a couple of hours by road via the Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh Expressway, but there are also flight and train options. Kampot and Kep can also be easily reached from there and also sit on the southern train line.
The islands offshore the southern coast are accessible via multiple fast ferries, but there are private charter aircraft options too.
Travelling to Siem Reap to the northwest as well as Battambang can also be completed via air, train and road with some interchanges.
Cambodian Property Tax Incentives & Legal Standing
It is important that Cambodia does allow foreigners to buy and own certain types of properties - mainly condos - but Trusts and other mechanisms have also allowed for legal purchases of land and other types of property via partnerships.
2025 has seen several tax incentives announced which aim to support and create favourable conditions for housing developers, investors and all property owners.
Notably, these include:
- Exemptions on Property Transfer Tax - Certain property transfers, particularly in boreys (housing development) projects valued at or below USD 210,000 are exempt from transfer taxes. \
- Capital Gains Tax Postponed - The implementation of the capital gains tax on immovable property in Cambodia has been postponed until December 31, 2025.
New Digital Service for Land Management
The Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning & Construction (MLMUPC) has launched a new digital service to improve the process of land-related transactions and management which falls in line with the macro-efforts of the government to implement and improve digitalisation across all sectors to increase efficiency, transparency and accountability.
Various land-related services have been made accessible online through cadastral.mlmupc.gov.kh, which intends to simplify procedures and replace time-consuming paperwork. These services include:
- Land title registrations can be managed and property ownership can be registered via the portal.
- Ownership transfer services allow for the facilitation of legal property sales and streamline the transfer of property ownership.
- Gift services allow for property transfers (without financial compensation and with clear legal validation).
- Mortgage and pledge services allow for collateral management to secure debts, and provide creditors priority over claims in case of default.
- Documents can be reviewed and tracked online through the portal ensuring greater transparency and ease of access to important records.
The MLMUPC’s digital service means property transactions can be completed more efficiently, and thus create a seamless experience. Although these were only launched at the start of January 2025 and currently are more applicable to Cambodian citizens, we hope that the tools will be made accessible to international users too who own property or need to make use of the services. The Ministry has indicated plans to further expand the system over time.
A new online Trust Registration System was launched in October 2024 to help the growing appetite in the trust property sector in Cambodia.
Payments Are Easier Than Ever
The digital services for land management in Cambodia mentioned above are integrated with two Cambodian financial institutions at the launch phase - the Advanced Bank of Asia Limited (ABA) and ACLEDA Bank Plc. This already makes payments much easier and can be done cashless.
There are more than 65 financial institutions providing mobile banking services in Cambodia according to reports by the National Bank of Cambodia. Most of these are connected via the award-winning Bakong payment network and many leading banks offer ESCROW services for secure financial transactions.
The rise of cashless payments since the pandemic in Cambodia has been evident and has impacted how daily payments are made, and how businesses run. International payments are becoming easier too as the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) pursues remittance and cross-border payment partnerships with leading payment providers.
KHQR are now available to residents, as well as tourists and the NBC has also clarified its stance on cryptocurrency and does allow commercial banks to handle certain types of crypto assets, which include tokenised securities and stablecoins, yet another milestone in Cambodia’s financial evolution.
Finally, the Bakong Tourists app was released in late 2024 and allows visitors to make use of KHQR as the app can seamlessly allow for payments to local vendors and to local banks, and can be connected to certain credit cards from overseas - so there is less need to handle cash while exploring the Kingdom for your next property investment.
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