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Hong Kong (HKG)
(Please check latest updates from your country of destination)
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Travel Restrictions
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Flight Suspension Mechanism for India, Pakistan, and the Philippines effective April 20, 2021
- With effect from 00:00 20th April 2021, the HKSAR Government will prohibit all passenger flights from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines from landing in Hong Kong for 14 days; at the same time, these three places will be specified as Group A (extremely high-risk) specified places under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travelers) Regulation (Cap. 599H), to restrict relevant travelers from boarding for Hong Kong, if they have stayed in these places for more than two hours during the period on the day of boarding and 21 days before that day.
- Please find the relevant Government Press Release:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/18/P2021041800858.htm
Anti-epidemic Entry Restrictions on Non-Hon Kong Residents
- The anti-epidemic entry restrictions on non-Hong Kong Residents (non-HKRs) imposed since March 25, 2020 shall continue to apply with the exception of the following with effect from April 09, 2021:
- Non-HKRs who have not stayed in places other than Australia/New Zealand/Singapore (i.e. “Group D specified places” specified in Government Notice No. 198 of 2021) or Mainland China/Macau/Taiwan on the date of arrival and the preceding 14 days prior to arrival
- Notwithstanding the above adjustments, if non-HKR’s permitted limit of stay in Hong Kong in accordance with the existing immigration policy is shorter than the length of compulsory quarantine, passenger will continue to be denied entry into Hong Kong.
- If passenger has left the aircraft in a place of stopover, the passenger would be regarded as having stayed in that place of stopover for the purpose of counting relevant history in the application of prevailing entry restrictions.
To further prevent imported cases and cut the global and local virus transmission chain as far as possible, the following measures will be implemented with effect from 0.00am on March 25, 2020:
- All non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane will be denied entry to Hong Kong;
- Non-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan will be denied entry to Hong Kong if they have been to any overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days;
- All transit services at Hong Kong International Airport will be suspended; and
- All travelers coming from Macao and Taiwan, including Hong Kong and non-Hong Kong residents, will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine, which is the same as the
- arrangements for people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland.
Taking into consideration the practical situation, a small number of persons can be exempted from the above immigration restrictions and/or quarantine requirements, including:
- Macao residents who are registered under the Macao scheme under agreement between the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government that they will be immediately taken by coach back to Macao upon entry;
- Crew members of aircraft who need to commute to and from foreign places for performance of necessary duties or crew members of goods vessels;
- Government officials carrying out government duties including personnel of consular posts;
- Spouses and minor children of Hong Kong residents; and
- Personnel engaged in anti-epidemic work endorsed by the HKSAR Government.
- Diplomatic Passport holder Transit/Transfer via HKIA
- Mainland China now requires diplomatic pax to be tested again (PCR and Antigen) during transit.
- Since HKIA does not have testing capabilities in airside, all diplomatic transit to mainland China are required to obtain prior approval from Protocol on:
- being allowed transit;
- exempted from transit testing requirements before the connecting carriers can accept passenger.
- Non-diplomatic passengers are still banned from transiting into mainland China.
- Change in Visa Requirement for Holders of USA Diplomatic Passports: with immediate effect, holders of USA diplomatic passports will require a visa to visit Hong Kong unless they are in direct transit and remain airside.
- British National (Overseas) Passport No Longer Being accepted as a Valid Travel Document for Immigration Clearance in Hong Kong
- Effective January 31, 2021, the Immigration Department (ImmD) will no longer accept the BN(O) Passport as a valid travel document for arrival and departure clearance in Hong Kong.
- If Hong Kong resident presents a BN(O) passport, ImmD will require them to present a valid travel document (e.g. HKSAR Passport, Hong Kong Identity Card or HKSAR RE-entry permit) for immigration clearance.
- With effect from 0.00am on April 9, 2021, inbound travelers arriving at Hong Kong who have only stayed in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore on the day of arrival in Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day, their compulsory quarantine period will be shortened from 21 days to 14 days at designated quarantine hotels, in addition, they will be required to self-monitor for the subsequent 7 days and be subject to compulsory testing on the 19th day after their arrival.
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COVID-19 Health Requirements
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Boarding and Compulsory Quarantine Arrangement for Persons arriving at Hong Kong from Places outside of China effective April 20, 2021:
- Group A Specified places (Extremely High-risk): Brazil, India Ireland, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and the United Kingdom
- Persons applicable: Hong Kong residents who have stayed in Group A specified place(s) during the relevant period (the day of boarding for/arrival at Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day)
- Boarding Requirements:
a. Have not stayed in a Group A specified place for more than two hours during the relevant period;
b. Present a negative result proof of a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 conducted within 72 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the aircraft.
For the negative result proof of a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 conducted within 72 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the aircraft, relevant documents should include the following:
- A test report in English or Chinese issued by a laboratory or healthcare institution bearing the name of the relevant traveler identical to that in his or her valid travel document to show that:
- the relevant traveler underwent a nucleic acid test for COVID-19, the sample for which was taken from the relevant traveler within 72 hours before the scheduled time of departure of the specified aircraft;
- the test conducted on the sample is a nucleic acid test for COVID-19; and
- the result of the test is the relevant traveler was tested negative for COVID-19; and
- If the relevant report is not in English or Chinese or does not contain all of the above information, a written confirmation in English or Chinese issued by the laboratory or healthcare institution bearing the name of the relevant traveler identical to that in his or her valid travel document and setting out all of the above information. The said written confirmation should be presented together with the test report; and
- Documentary proof in English or Chinese to show that the laboratory or healthcare institution is ISO 15189 accredited or is recognized or approved by the relevant authority of the government of the place in which the laboratory or healthcare institution is located; and
b. Present confirmation in English or Chinese of room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong for not less than 21 nights starting on the day of the arrival of the relevant traveler in Hong Kong.
- Quarantine Requirement: Undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in a designated quarantine hotel
- The Government will issue a compulsory testing notice for persons who returned to Hong Kong from extremely high-risk places specified under Cap. 599H (that is the current Group A specified places). After completing the compulsory quarantine for 21 days as well as the testing on the 12th and 19th day during quarantine, these persons returning to Hong Kong will also need to self-monitor further for another seven days, and be subject to nucleic acid testing on the 26th day of their return to Hong Kong.
- The proof of ISO 15189 accreditation or recognition issued by a relevant authority:
- http://www.pabaccreditation.dti.gov.ph/public/public_med.php https://doh.gov.ph/licensed-covid-19-testing-laboratories
- A letter (or the test report itself) from the laboratory itself stating it is ISO 15189 accredited or recognized by the government is NOT acceptable.
- For the documentary proof of ISO15189 accreditation or recognition or approval by relevant authority of local government of the laboratory or healthcare institution, it can be in the form a copy of "Certificate of Accreditation", "Certificate of Compliance", or information printed out from/ shown at the official website of the relevant authority.
- The hotel room reservation confirmation at designated quarantine hotel (complete 21 days and 21 nights)
- Passengers who have a home or residential address in Hong Kong are also required to undergo a 21-nights of quarantine at a hotel.
- Please refer to the following link for details:
- https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html
- https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/designated-hotel-list_en.pdf
- Relevant traveler will be required to provide confirmation of room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong for not less than 21 nights starting on the day of arrival, otherwise they will refused to board the flight.
- Relevant travelers above mentioned include those on the day on which the travelers boarded a specified aircraft or during the 21 days before that day, has stayed in any country outside China.
- Travelers who are in transit in Hong Kong or exempted from compulsory quarantine will not be affected.
- Effective March 20, 2021 (coming Saturday) 0000 hours, all inbound travelers (including exempted persons) after specimen collection at the Department of Health's Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC), must also wait for the result at the TSCC (or the Government VIP Lounge inside HKIA for eligible exempted persons).
- Effective December 15, specimen collection method at TSCC HKIA has changed from self-collected "deep throat saliva " (DTS) to "combined nasal and throat swabs" (CNTS) collected by dedicated staff, for arriving travelers, including passengers and crew members.
- If their test results are negative, they will be allowed to go to the hotel for which they made the reservation to continue the 21-night compulsory quarantine until completion. If their results are positive, the travelers will be transferred to hospital for isolation and treatment. Close contacts of confirmed cases will be sent to quarantine center. Travelers have to bear their own cost for cancellation of hotel reservation or other relevant charges as a consequence of the positive test result.
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Required Forms
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- Video Guide for DTS collection:
- English: https://youtu.be/SUT-kbTVV3s
- Chinese: https://youtu.be/twyQNZrptZY
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Other Requirements
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- Signing on crew members should only arrive Hong Kong when their vessels are berthed in Hong Kong and should get onboard immediately upon arrival
- Shipping companies/agents shall submit the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) and Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) of vessel together with the details of the sign-on and sign-off crew to be changed (including their names and flight schedules) 72 hours prior arrival of the vessel for the Marine Department (MarDep)’s approval.
- Signing-on crew members arriving Hong Kong at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) must have a negative result of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test at an ISO 15189-accredited or a laboratory recognized by the Government where the laboratory is located with the specimen collected within 48 hours prior to boarding the flight to Hong Kong. Upon arrival they must only use the designated channel within the HKIA to arrive at the designated pick-up point. They should wear masks during the entire journey from the HKIA to the vessel.
- Shipping companies/agents should declare on a letter of certification that the signing-on crew member concerned has been tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid with the specimen collected within 48 hours prior to boarding the flight to Hong Kong. The letter should also include an emergency local contact phone number for prompt contact with the concerned crew under emergency situation.
- Signing-on crew members are required to present MarDep’s approval letter, the negative test report, and letter of certification to staff of DH when he/she enters Hong Kong at HKIA. The shipping companies/agents should prepare at least one copy of the certification letter to be carried by each crew when arriving Hong Kong for submission to DH staff. Crew members who fail to present and submit the abovementioned documents to DH staff will be denied entry, and the shipping companies/agents concerned are required to arrange these crew members to fly back to their originating country(ies) forthwith.
- Valid Seaman's Visa
- Seaman's Book
- Original Copy of the Letter of Guarantee
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Other Information
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- For the latest advice, information and resources, go to:
- the Government's thematic webpage (https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/high-risk-places.html)
- For more details regarding Cap.599H, please refer to the Government's thematic webpage (https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/high-risk-places.html)
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Travel Advisory
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- Virtual APEC Business Travel Card
- The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has introduced the Virtual APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) as an additional method of presenting the ABTC. The Virtual ABTC is a new method for presenting the ABTC on a smart device mobile app. Member economies should, at their ports of entry, accept the Virtual ABTCs issued by other member countries. Australia is the only economy which has indicated that will issue Virtual ABTC to its nationals starting from March 2021.
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