Cambodia Adds Latin Script to Condo Titles to Boost Foreign Investor Confidence

Cambodia has introduced a significant reform to its condominium ownership registration system, allowing foreign property owners’ names to appear in both Khmer script and the Latin alphabet on strata title certificates. The change, announced by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC), is designed to improve the accuracy of ownership documentation, reduce administrative errors, and strengthen confidence among international investors in Cambodia’s real estate market. Previously, foreign buyers’ names were required to be transliterated into Khmer when ownership certificates were issued. While compliant with Cambodian regulations, the process occasionally resulted in spelling or pronunciation differences between an owner’s passport and the name appearing on the property title. Under the new system, ownership certificates will continue to display the owner’s name in Khmer while also including the name in Latin characters exactly as it appears on the passport. The update is expected to simplify identity verification, minimise translation-related discrepancies, and improve the overall efficiency of the land registration process. The ministry said the bilingual format will also assist cadastral officials by reducing translation errors when preparing ownership certificates, helping streamline Cambodia’s property registration system. Supporting Foreign Investment The reform applies to private units within co-owned buildings, including condominiums, where foreign ownership is permitted under Cambodian law. Cambodia allows foreigners to legally own condominium units located above the ground floor through strata title ownership. However, under the Law on Foreign Ownership, foreigners are not permitted to own land directly or purchase ground-floor units. The introduction of bilingual ownership certificates represents another step in the government’s ongoing efforts to modernise Cambodia’s property registration framework and improve transparency for international investors. By aligning ownership documents more closely with international identification records, the measure is expected to reduce administrative complexity during property transactions while providing greater certainty for foreign buyers. As Cambodia continues to attract regional and international investment into its property sector, the updated title format is likely to further enhance the Kingdom’s appeal as a destination for overseas real estate investment by making ownership documentation more accurate, efficient and investor-friendly.