Travelling to Hong Kong? Here's what you need to know

Hong Kong residents do not need to be fully vaccinated to enter the city, but only fully vaccinated non-Hong Kong residents are allowed entry. Those who cannot get vaccinated for Covid-19 due to medical reasons must have valid proof. 

The government allows travellers who have recently recovered from Covid-19 to enter the city if they can show proof of recovery 14 to 90 days before boarding the flight. A negative rapid antigen test result within 24 hours of boarding a flight is also required.

If you're not a permanent Hong Kong resident and travelling under a work or tourist visa, ensure your visa has a sufficient validity period, or you will be denied entry. 

The Immigration Department (ImmD) provides electronic services for visa application and 'e-Visa' arrangements, allowing applicants to complete the entire process without going to the immigration office in person. Suppose your visa is under renewal and is getting delayed. It is best to send an authorised representative to the ImmD office to fix your reentry as emails and phone calls will take a long time. 

Visit this link to see ImmD online services for acquiring Hong Kong visas. 

• Negative RAT results taken within 24 hours or an RT-PCR test result conducted within 48 hours of boarding are not mandated, but the government recommends that travellers to still take and retain the photo of the RAT result or the PCR test report for 90 days. 
• Hong Kong residents do not need to be fully vaccinated to enter the city. Non-Hong Kong residents aged 12 or above are required to be fully vaccinated and show recognised vaccination records or obtain a medical exemption certificate.  
• Upon arrival, a PCR test will no longer be conducted at the airport.

For more updates, visit the government's website. For travellers who recovered from Covid-19, visit this link for relevant arrangements.

Yes. Since December 14, 2022, the 0+3 arrival arrangements that require travellers three days of medical surveillance no longer apply. Arrivals will no longer get an Amber Health Code and can freely move around the city but must follow the city's current social distancing regulations, which include mask-wearing in public places and on public transport. 

You don't need to present negative Covid-19 results when entering Hong Kong. Once you arrive in the city, RAT and RT-PCR tests are no longer required. However, you should keep your negative RAT or RT-PCR test reports for 90 days for presentation and checking on request by government personnel. This test may be declared voluntarily at the Department of Health's electronic health declaration form. 

To ensure a smooth and efficient arrival, prepare all your travel documents, including vaccination records for Non-Hong Kong residents. 

The government has implemented the upgraded health declaration system. This allows travellers to complete the electronic health declaration and input other information required for inbound travellers. Registration for the electronic health declaration must be completed before travellers can board a flight to Hong Kong. After registration, you will receive a generated QR code with all your supplied information. 

Printed health declaration forms are no longer applicable in the airport. Issuance of medical surveillance notices, vaccination records and Provisional Vaccine Pass QR codes will be done electronically. 

Should you encounter any hiccups while filing the form online, seek assistance from the airport staff upon arrival in Hong Kong. 

Delays, cancellations, and a whole lot of waiting may happen before departure, so make sure to be at the airport at least three hours before your flight. Account for extra time if you encounter any problems with airline check-in. 

Yes, you’re finally in Hong Kong… but not just yet. You still have a few more steps to finish before entering. Though the new system significantly cuts the waiting time in the airport, the influx of inbound travellers may affect processing time.

Once you get to the airport, you can proceed with immigration procedures, baggage collection, and continue to take any public transportation to your hotel or home.

Travellers arriving in the city can take public transport to their destination. Those who want a limousine service can contact their hotels for arrangements. One of the fastest ways to travel from the Airport to the city is through Airport Express.

Find more information here. 

If your Covid-19 test results come back positive during your stay in the city, infected individuals will be restricted from leaving home or their hotel. Those who test positive may voluntarily declare their RAT test on this government website, and request transfer to a public hospital facility should the patient require medical attention.   

The government has set up a page for all your questions about inbound travel to Hong Kong. Visit this link for all the latest travel regulations. 

Once you're free to roam Hong Kong, these itineraries will give you a dose of inspiration. Looking for hotel accommodations during your trip? Here's a guide to some of our favourite Hong Kong hotels – all tried and tested by our editors.