Indian travelers to Hong Kong currently face restrictions on entry to the Special Administrative Region. Find out the current rules for visitors from India.
Hong Kong is home to many Indian families and is a popular destination for people from Southern Asia. However, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic travel to the region has been greatly restricted.
Indian passengers were first prohibited from entering Hong Kong on April 20th, 2021 following rapidly rising case numbers in the country. However, as the situation in India starts to stabilize and the number of COVID patients falls questions are being asked about whether HK has changed its policy.
Read on below to find out the current situation for Indian travelers planning to visit Hong Kong.
Is it possible for Indians to enter Hong Kong right now?
At the moment Indian visitors to Hong Kong may not enter the territory and will not be allowed to board flights to the destination. This includes passengers with a Hong Kong pre-arrival registration for Indians.
The government of Hong Kong has placed India on its “extremely high risk” COVID list and has yet to change this categorization. This is partially due to the number of positive tests in the country and the prevalence of the Delta variant of the virus in the country.
These rules also apply to anyone who has spent at least 2 hours in India within the past 21 days before their arrival in HK.
Are there any exceptions?
Yes, there are a couple of exceptions. Indian citizens who haven’t been in India in the past 21 days may enter but with restrictions and must hold one of the following official documents:
● HK permanent identity cards
● Residence or study visas
● Diplomatic or service passports
● Proof of spousal or familial relationship with an HK resident
Merchant seamen arriving in Hong Kong are also exempt from these requirements.
Arriving passengers who have not been to India or any high-risk countries within the 3 weeks prior to entry may visit Hong Kong SAR provided they follow the correct quarantine procedure.
What are the quarantine requirements for Hong Kong?
At the moment Hong Kong has a hotel quarantine system in place for arriving foreign visitors. All arriving passengers must undergo quarantine for a period of time depending on the risk level of their departure country.
Visitors to the country must also prove they have a valid quarantine hotel booking written in English or Chinese. For Indian visitors who have the correct documentation to enter this reservation must be for no less than 21 days.
Passengers from high-risk countries must also provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test. This must have been taken within 72 hours before departure. Indian visitors undergoing hotel quarantine must also undergo 4 additional tests during self-isolation.
What vaccinations are accepted in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is allowing visitors with vaccinations to enter the Special Administrative Region, albeit with some restrictions. However, this does not apply to travelers that have departed or transited through India in the past 21 days.
Yet, for those that are permitted to enter, visitors must have been vaccinated using one of the following brands of vaccine:
● AstraZeneca
● Anhui Zhifei
● CanSinoBio
● Janssen
● Moderna
● Pfizer-BioNTech
● Covishield
● Sinopharm
● Sinovac
● Sputnik V
Also, passengers who have received their vaccination must show a valid certificate for their doses. This must demonstrate that the vaccine was administered within the previous 14 days before arrival in Hong Kong.
Is there a lockdown in Hong Kong at the moment?
There is a partial lockdown in effect in Hong Kong currently. However, many local activities and amenities are open with some restrictions on capacity in bars, restaurants, and shopping centers.
Additionally, social distancing is required in public places and masks must be worn to prevent further outbreaks of the virus.
The situation is changing rapidly each day and it is unsure when Indian citizens will be able to visit Hong Kong once again. However, it is hoped that should the current epidemiological situation continue to improve and more people get vaccinated that passengers may start arriving again.
