Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh Facilitates Return of 1,816 Indonesian Citizens from Cambodia

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Phnom Penh has reported that between late January and 8 March 2026, it has facilitated the return of 1,816 Indonesian nationals (WNI) who were caught up in online scam networks operating in Cambodia.

According to a statement from the KBRI Phnom Penh received in Jakarta on Tuesday, the majority of Indonesian nationals whose repatriation was facilitated lacked passports and faced overstay penalties owing to expired residency permits.

The embassy noted that to accelerate the repatriation process, it has been issuing Travel Documents in Lieu of Passports (SPLP) for Indonesian nationals without travel documentation. “To date, more than 2,112 such travel documents have been issued,” the statement said.

Furthermore, the KBRI has coordinated closely with Cambodian authorities to facilitate the waiver of overstay fines for Indonesian nationals, with more than 3,211 citizens having received approval for fine exemption so far.

The KBRI Phnom Penh has pledged to continue coordinating with various parties in Cambodia and Indonesia to ensure that the repatriation process for Indonesian nationals proceeds safely, orderly, and smoothly.

According to the embassy, the surge in repatriation assistance requests is reflected in the rising number of Indonesian nationals visiting the KBRI Phnom Penh directly. Between 16 January and 8 March 2026, a total of 5,481 Indonesian nationals have requested repatriation assistance, surpassing the total number of cases handled by the embassy throughout 2025, which was 5,088.

The embassy stated that the increase in cases has occurred alongside Cambodia’s government crackdown on online scam networks that began in early January 2026.