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I Traveled to Hong Kong As Soon As It Reopened to American Travelers, Here's What It Was Like

What you need to know about getting to Hong Kong right now, and what to do once you're on the ground.

DuKai photographer/Getty Images

After nearly three years, Hong Kong’s entry restrictions have been fully lifted, testing requirements are no more, and hotels, bars, and restaurants have their doors wide open. United Airlines also announced plans to restart flights to Hong Kong in March, and flag carrier Cathay Pacific will increase capacity throughout 2023, reaching 70 percent of pre-pandemic passenger numbers by end of year. 

While change is inevitable after years of isolation, travelers to this fiercely metropolitan city will find so much to love. Now is the time to visit — or revisit — this cosmopolitan megacity. 

What It’s Like in Hong Kong Right Now — and What to Know About Entry and Exit

The path to Hong Kong's reopening has been far from easy. Since 2019, Hong Kongers have faced seemingly insurmountable challenges. First, the government outright suppressed a pro-democracy movement, banning political demonstration and arresting those who defied. Then, the outbreak of the pandemic, along with subsequent extreme restrictions, forced the city’s residents into lockdown for months on end — and kept travelers at bay. 

It’s no doubt the one-two punch of political turmoil and a pandemic knocked Hong Kong down temporarily. But for the first time in years, Hong Kongers — and those visiting — have good reason to get back up swinging (and exploring) again. That’s because there’s a resurgent cultural and museum scene, new or refurbished landmark luxury hotels, and at the moment, fewer crowds to get in the way of it all. 

I arrived in early January, nostalgic and eager, to a quiet Hong Kong International Airport to discover that, at least on the surface, not much has changed since my last visit in mid-2019. There are no tests to take, no paperwork to fill out, and no apps to download. While tourists have yet to return in droves, the metropolis still has a steady pulse. I felt that energy as I criss-crossed Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Causeway Bay on a “ding-ding tram” and sailed through Victoria Harbor on my favorite mode of transportation, the long-beloved Star Ferry, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. In many ways, it feels like the ideal situation; the day-to-day fast-paced life of Hong Kong remains without the out-of-towners adding overwhelming volume to the city. 

The city’s vibrant streetscape — with throngs of pedestrians sharing the same thoroughfare as double decker buses and signature red taxis — hasn’t changed too much either. Hong Kong is a transportation lover’s dream where multi-modal transit and pedestrians coexist in organized chaos. Des Voeux Road at rush hour is still filled with the local after-work office crowd on their way to happy hour and dinner. After all, Hong Kongers, by the very nature of their small apartments, love to eat and drink out. It’s not all the same, though. While some of the city’s most popular pre-pandemic markets have thankfully survived — like the Temple Street Night Market in Jordan or Flower Market in Mong Kok — they don’t have the bustling energy and crowds that they used to, at least not yet.

The New Places to Stay in Hong Kong 

Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

Several high-end luxury hotels have either come on the scene, or thoroughly refreshed their offerings since the city’s pandemic-induced lockdown. Both Rosewood Hong Kong and the St. Regis Hong Kong debuted in 2019, less than a year before travel to the region came to a halt. Last May, the Fullerton Ocean Park Hong Kong opened with 425 rooms and an inviting infinity pool overlooking the South China Sea. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong , celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, unveiled a revamped food and beverage offering mid-pandemic, including an impressive top-floor Japanese izakaya restaurant concept with three distinct bars and sweeping views of the city. The hotel will also embark on a room modernization project later in 2023. And after its biggest transformation in 30 years, Regent’s flagship Hong Kong hotel (the former Intercontinental) is in the midst of its much-anticipated soft reopening. 

What to See and Do in Hong Kong Right Now

On the culture and heritage front, there has been a trove of recent developments. Few neighborhoods are more symbolic of Hong Kong’s new museum renaissance than West Kowloon . This cultural district created from reclaimed land, set across 100 acres, will be home to 17 arts, culture, and performance venues when complete. The centerpiece is the M+ contemporary art museum , Asia’s first venue dedicated to visual culture, which opened in November 2021. 

Across the harbor on Hong Kong Island, there is a hum of activity, too. Tai Kwun Center for Heritage and Arts, where 16 historic colonial-era buildings in the center of the city were converted to a multi-purpose enclave of buzzy exhibitions and galleries, alongside an array of international restaurants and bars, opened in mid-2018. An art exhibition focused on LGBTQ perspectives, called “Myth Makers - Spectrosynthesis III,” was a personal Tai Kwun highlight and shouldn’t be missed. 

Just up the road from Tai Kwun is the new, sixth-generation Peak Tram, Asia’s oldest funicular railway and one of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions pre-pandemic. The refreshed panoramic tram, with capacity for 210 passengers, opened in August 2022. For a little more adventure, consider hiking up to the Peak, enjoying a Hong Kong-style milk tea at Hong Kong Day, and taking the scenic tram down.

Digging deeper into the hearts and minds of many Hong Kongers, you may find a less rosy picture of the city, one in which leaders have restricted the rights to complete freedom of expression. However, the people here are rebellious by nature, and they openly spoke of their frustrations when prompted. Friends even told me how they have their own silent ways to revolt, such as supporting small businesses that embrace the color yellow, a hue symbolic of the pro-democracy movement. For all that Hong Kongers have had to endure (and will continue to endure), now feels like the best time to visit and show your support. Everything else the city offers is just the icing on top. 

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The 52 Places Traveler

We put hong kong on the 52 places to go list. things got complicated., the planned stops on the 52 places traveler’s trip around the world included a mainland china ski area — and hong kong. neither was quite as expected..

Photographs and Text by Sebastian Modak

Our columnist, Sebastian Modak, is visiting each destination on our 52 Places to Go in 2019 list. His last dispatch was from Japan’s Setouchi Islands, where he took in a once-every-three-years art extravaganza.

On Halloween night, defying a ban on masks put in place last month by the police, hundreds of protesters assembled in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park just after sunset, wearing masks of Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, defaced to look like the Joker and mash-ups of Chinese president Xi Jinping and Winnie the Pooh, an often cited resemblance that had Chinese censors ban the jovial bear .

I followed a group of young protesters as they made their way across town shouting slogans and exchanging handfuls of candy, but we never made it to the Lan Kwai Fong night life district. Somewhere in Central, with no warning, the riot police fired canisters of tear gas into the crowd. I momentarily lost my companions and when I found them again they washed out my burning eyes with contact lens solution they carried just in case.

And then we went out for yakitori and beer.

Ask Sebastian Modak a question, via video.

We’re collecting submissions for a video Q. & A. with Sebastian Modak, this year’s 52 Places Traveler. To be included in the montage, please submit your question about his year-long trip (or a general travel query) in a self-shot video, recorded horizontally. Please begin the video by stating your name and location — e.g., “Hi, I’m Sarah, from Sacramento, California, and I’m wondering: How big was your suitcase?”

When Hong Kong, the former British colony that was returned to Chinese control in 1997, was included in the 52 Places to Go list back in January, we didn’t foresee the months of increasingly tense and violent confrontations between protesters and police. In fact, one of the main reasons Hong Kong made it onto the list was a new rail link and 34-mile bridge connecting it to mainland China, which was supposed to bring them closer.

[The situation in Hong Kong has escalated since the 52 Places Traveler’s visit. Read the latest news from that city. ]

I visited Chongli, China, where a new ski resort also made the 52 Places list, and Hong Kong within a week of each other, and they instead felt farther apart than they have in decades.

Ski resort or post-apocalyptic movie set?

If there is one emotion that can be communicated without the need for language, it is confusion — and in Chongli, about 150 miles northwest of Beijing, I encountered plenty of it.

Chongli is set to host some of the skiing and snowboarding events for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics (a high-speed rail link, currently in development, would make the travel time short enough for it to qualify as part of the host city). But I was early — a month before ski season began, and three years before the events that are supposed to bring this place to the global stage.

Still, I was comforted by the flashy advertisements I found online, touting Chongli as a “four seasons” destination, with plenty of hiking, mountain biking and even archery to entertain me.

Those brochures, it turns out, were more aspirational than informational. Driving into Thaiwoo , one of a handful of ski resorts that have been set up as part of the rapid development in the region, I hit traffic — but not of tour buses or weekending Beijingers. Dump trucks and bulldozers crisscrossed the dirt roads under gray skies, and giant hotel blocks, the ones that were finished, rose out of the dust painted in whimsical shades of blue, pink and green. Snow, shot out by giant steel cannons, covered the slopes in sad patches. Everything else was a collage of brown.

Passing construction crews stretching in the main cobblestone courtyard of the resort, I walked by the shops selling ski gear and GoPro accessories, most of them closed. Plastic statues of cartoonish donkeys stood on street corners smiling — no, laughing — at me. I asked my hotel reception if I could rent a bike or if there was a trail I could hike or maybe a nice viewpoint somewhere? “Sorry, no, not now,” the man replied.

I sat down for a beer at a microbrewery at the bottom of Thaiwoo’s main ski slope. The bartender, seemingly annoyed at me for interrupting his video game, poured out a watery IPA and went back to his computer. There wasn’t even music playing. I was suddenly very thankful that I had only booked a night here. One hour down, 23 to go.

Chongli as a host for the world’s biggest skiing competition makes little environmental sense . For starters, the area gets only around 15 inches of precipitation a year, the majority of it in the summer. It’s cold enough for snow to stick around in the winter, but that snow has to be blasted out of machines over a land parched by droughts. Still, Chinese state-owned media has written extensively about the economic benefit of including areas like Chongli, once one of the poorer regions of China, in the Olympics.

Not surprisingly, I spent most of my time in Beijing instead of Chongli. There too, development is occurring at a breakneck pace, not just for the Olympics but as part of a greater plan for “Jing-Jin-Ji,” an integrated megalopolis that would include Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei — and about 130 million people. I confined my wanderings to Beijing’s core within the second ring road. In between walking, cycling and eating — for a concise introduction to the city’s incredible food scene check out UnTour — I talked to locals and expats about what was happening in Chongli.

If not quite a world-class destination, it is a popular as a winter weekend escape for domestic tourists — whether that will be enough to sustain it after the Olympics is yet to be determined. The Olympics are a source of fascination for some in Beijing and a reflection of the direction of development in the country. Beijing22 is an online archive created by artists, academics, architects, photographers, journalists and others to document the changes taking place in the region.

At I: project space , a tiny art gallery tucked behind a mah-jongg parlor, I spoke to Antonie Angerer and Anna Eschbach, two German expatriates who are part of the team that started Beijing22. They were careful to not take a position one way or another on all the highways, train lines and ski resorts being built in the run-up to the Winter Olympics. Instead, the focus of their work, they told me, was more about providing a platform for others, including local artists. And that it’s more about creating a public record in a place where that is not the norm.

“If we don’t document it now — all the construction, the speed that it’s happening at, the people who are being affected — in two years, all we will have to look at are the shiny buildings,” Ms. Angerer said. “It’s important to capture what’s happening along the way.”

A new normal in Hong Kong

For me, Hong Kong is a place of nostalgia. My first memories are from Hong Kong, where my parents moved in 1991 with my two older brothers and me. On my first day in the city, the memories came flooding back, sparked by the old apartment buildings painted in the blues and pinks of storybook nurseries; the Star Ferry, with its wooden benches, still chugging across Victoria Harbour on a 10-minute ride; the ubiquitous handcarts transporting boxes of goods from trucks to stores; the dense greenery that improbably hangs between office buildings and over the stairways that wind their way up the vertical cityscape.

It was hard to reconcile my memories — heavily clouded by a child’s innocence and wide-eyed wonder — with the reality today. Though a huge number of tourists are canceling their plans — tourist numbers were down 40 percent in August compared to last year — a visitor can come to Hong Kong and never come across a protest, especially on weekdays. But the evidence of upheaval is everywhere. On the Kowloon side of the harbor, graffiti covers the roads and the concrete dividers that line them: “Free HK,” “LeBron James: Shut up and dribble,” “Hong Kong is a Police State.” Lennon walls — named after the one covered in Beatles-inspired graffiti and notes in Prague — pop up in metro stations and on concrete pillars, where they are filled with leaflets and scribblings until authorities tear them down and another pops up somewhere else. Every conversation I had at least touched on the protests, now approaching their sixth month.

On my first night in Hong Kong, I had dinner with an old friend. At Happy Paradise , a funky, neon-lit spot in SoHo (that is, south of Hollywood Road) run by innovative local chef May Chow, we dug into twists on regional specialties, like an egg waffle made with sourdough and fried chicken zapped with Sichuan peppercorns. Harold Li works for a technology company, but has spent nights and weekends at protests. He has found renewed purpose alongside the black-clad protesters, most of whom are at least a decade younger than he is.

“I’ve never been more proud of being a Hongkonger,” Mr. Li said. “Sometimes when I go to the protests, I’m going just in solidarity with the other protesters.”

Protesters were given at least one victory when the extradition bill that sparked the demonstrations was withdrawn . But four other demands have emerged, including an independent inquiry into police brutality. Some protesters I spoke to, like Mr. Li, thought things could calm down if that inquiry was put together; others were unequivocal, and one of the popular slogans shouted out at protests is: “Five demands. Not one less.”

I felt uneasy being a tourist in Hong Kong, not because I felt unsafe — I didn’t — but because I felt callous enjoying myself. But Hong Kong, with its constant sensory overload, is easy to enjoy. I walked through the Sham Shui Po and Yau Ma Tei neighborhoods of Kowloon, where I ate approximately eight meals in two hours: slices of duck over slippery noodles sitting at a communal table with office workers on break, a bowl of rice rolls smothered in multiple sauces in an alleyway outside Heyitai, a street food stop recommended by the Michelin Guide; a mysterious (but delicious) fried meat I ate just because there was a long line to eat it.

One morning, I took the ferry to Cheung Chau, a speck of land southwest of Hong Kong Island. There it was even easier to forget that just six miles away, barricades were being set up in anticipation of a major protest in Mong Kok. I rented a bicycle — just like we used to do as kids — and rode along the seaside, past fishing boats and seafood restaurants, until I reached the cliffs on its southwestern coast. I climbed into a cave once used by smugglers and pretended I was a pirate. On my way back to the port, I stopped for fish balls, dense and pungent, and fresh mango wrapped in mochi dough.

One night, I met Mr. Li and some of his Hongkonger friends for dinner at Tung Po Kitchen , a sprawling food center in North Point. Urged on by the restaurant’s owner, Robby Cheung, a perpetually dancing man wearing sparkling white rain boots, dinner quickly became a party. Robby taught me how to open a beer bottle with a chopstick. We dug into plates of fried fish and grilled clams smothered in a thick garlic sauce. At some point, a bottle of whiskey appeared. My memories start to blur when Robby brought out corn on the cob, inexplicably, as a dessert.

That was a few nights before Halloween, when I reunited with some of the same people to follow them through the protests. After the tear gas, when we had found each other again on a street corner a few blocks away, I must have looked visibly shaken, as we saw riot police running down the same street we had come from.

“For me, there’s no spike of emotion when this happens anymore,” S., a photographer, who asked to be identified only by her first initial, said. “I mostly just feel worried for all the young people out here.”

Sebastian Modak is the 2019 52 Places Traveler. Before being selected to report on the annual New York Times list, he worked at Condé Nast Traveler as an editor and staff writer. More about Sebastian Modak

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Hong kong tourism board, getting around hong kong.

There are plenty of ways to get around Hong Kong, whether it’s by taxi, ferry, rail, bus or tram. The city claims one of the world's safest, most efficient and frequent public transport systems and there are multiple convenient payment methods in the form of cash, Octopus Card and e-Wallet.

HKeMobility mobile app — a one-stop journey planner covering all modes of public transport

Plan your journey with the help of ‘HKeMobility’ — an all-in-one travel mobile app developed by Hong Kong’s Transport Department. By providing information such as transport routes, fares, journey time, arrival time and real-time traffic conditions about MTR, buses, mini-buses, trams, ferries and water taxis, it enables you to find the best point-to-point transportation using public transport, and get around the city with ease. 

More info: https://www.hkemobility.gov.hk/

Getting to and from the Airport

ANNOUNCEMENT

The free in-town check-in services are suspended until further notice. For details, please check the  official website .

Located on the Lantau Island, the Hong Kong International Airport has a comprehensive and well-developed transportation network. One could easily commute between the airport and the city in around 30 minutes with a reasonable fare, using the Airport Express, buses, taxis or hotel shuttle buses.  

AIRPORT EXPRESS

The MTR’s high-speed  Airport Express  takes approximately 24 minutes to reach Hong Kong Island and is the fastest way to get between the city and the airport. Both Kowloon and Hong Kong stations provide free  in-town check-in services  for major airlines. Please contact your airline for further information.  

Taxis are readily available from the taxi pick-up area in front of the airport’s Arrivals Hall. If you’re travelling to Hong Kong Island or Kowloon you’ll need to catch a red taxi. If you’re headed for the New Territories you’ll need a green taxi, and those going to Lantau Island will require a blue taxi. All taxis in Hong Kong are able to take passengers to and from the airport. Fares are metered and detailed information about charges are clearly displayed inside each cab.  

There are more than 20 convenient Airbus ‘A’ routes that can take you from the airport to key locations on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and in the New Territories (including Lantau Island) with fewer stops than an ordinary city bus. When you exit the Arrivals Hall, turn right to find Airbuses and city buses .  

COACH AND LIMOUSINE CHARTER

Passengers who require their own personal limousines, minivans, vans and group coaches (buses) can book their transport from service providers located in the Arrivals Hall.

MTR – Hong Kong’s railway system 

Getting around Hong Kong couldn't be easier with the quick and efficient Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system . This covers all major districts in the territory, including stops at the boundary with Mainland China (Lo Wu Station and Lok Ma Chau Station).

The MTR also operates a light rail system that runs between Yuen Long and Tuen Mun in the New Territories.

Please note: Luggage size restrictions apply. Details here .

Buses and Minibuses

Buses in Hong Kong are plentiful, comfortable and air-conditioned. Especially popular are the double-deckers that offer great views of the surrounding city from the top deck. Route number and destination are displayed. Fares are paid upon boarding, based on distance travelled and exact change is required if paying by cash. Octopus cards are accepted on all buses in Hong Kong.

There are four major bus service providers in Hong Kong, operating across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Kowloon Motor Bus  and Citybus provide services around Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories; whereas New Lantao Bus mainly operates on Lantau Island and Long Win Bus covers the area of North Lantau Island and the airport.

Minibuses are small buses that carry up to 19 people. Green minibuses operate along specific routes at fixed prices. Fares are paid upon boarding, based on distance travelled and exact change is required if paying by cash. All green minibuses accept Octopus cards. Red minibuses operate along routes that are not always fixed and passengers can get on and off anywhere along the route, except where special prohibitions apply. Fares are paid as you alight when travelling on a red minibus and the driver can usually provide change for small notes.

The ability to speak a bit of Cantonese and having some familiarity with Hong Kong will be a bonus when travelling on minibuses. Passengers are required by law to wear seat belts when one is available.

Awarded with the Guinness World Record™ for the ‘largest double-decker tram fleet in service’ in 2021, Hong Kong’s historic street trams still operate on the north corridor of Hong Kong Island through Western District, Wan Chai, Happy Valley, Causeway Bay and North Point. These double-decker streetcars have been travelling through Hong Kong's busiest thoroughfares since 1904 and continue to be an affordable, inexpensive and fun way to get around.

No matter how far you travel, each tram ride costs the same flat fare and exact change is required if you are paying by cash. All trams accept Octopus cards. You need to get on the tram at the back and then pay the exact fare at the front when you’re getting off.

With the exception of some very remote areas, taxis are plentiful throughout Hong Kong. They can usually be hailed on the street (except in restricted areas) or summoned by phone. All are metered, relatively cheap, air-conditioned and clean.  

TYPES OF TAXIS

Taxis in Hong Kong are categorised by three colours, each indicating a geographical area. All taxis can travel to and from Hong Kong International Airport as well as Hong Kong Disneyland.

For taxi fares and additional charges, visit  Hong Kong’s Transport Department website .  

TIPS FOR A HASSLE-FREE TAXI TRIP 

• Taxis are usually easily hailed along the street, although they can’t pick up or drop off passengers in certain restricted zones. It’s often a good choice to opt for either a taxi queue at a hotel or a taxi stand.
• Drivers are required to use the taximeter and passengers are required to pay the exact fare as recorded by the taximeter.
• Always ask for a machine-printed receipt. If the machine is not functioning, the taxi driver is obliged to provide a hand-written receipt.
• Taxis in Hong Kong mainly accept cash. Some taxis accept electronic payments, such as Octopus, credit cards and Alipay.
• All taxis are regulated and taxi drivers are required to display their taxi driver identity cards on their dashboards.
• Passengers are required by law to wear a seat belt when one is available.
• Taxi fare information will be listed on the inside of the taxi, including surcharges e.g. for baggage and tunnels.
• If you can't read the price, the taxi number, or the fine print on the receipt, ask for a hand-written version.
• If you encounter any problems while using a Hong Kong taxi, such as suspected overcharging, take down the taxi driver's name and licence plate number as shown on the taxi driver identity card on the dashboard. Then contact the Transport Complaints Unit Hotline to lodge your complaint.

See a comprehensive list of tips for a hassle-free taxi trip in Hong Kong here or visit the Transport Department website .

USEFUL NUMBERS

• Transport Complaints Unit Hotline: +852 2889 9999
• Transport Department Customer Enquiries Hotline: +852 2804 2600
• Road Co-op Lost & Found Free Hotline for Lost Property on Taxis: +852 1872 920 /  Online Lost Property Registration Form
• List of Taxi Call Stations from the Transportation Department website: download here  

ACCESSIBLE TAXI SERVICE

Accessible taxi service is available for the elderly, people with disabilities and passengers with bulky luggage.

Learn more about accessible travel resources here .

As a coastal city, Hong Kong regularly operates ferry routes that connect Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the Outlying Islands.  

FERRIES BETWEEN HONG KONG ISLAND AND KOWLOON 

The cross-harbour ferries are a fun way to hop between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Enjoy the stunning harbour view as you sail between Central and Hung Hom or on the Star Ferry routes.

The Star Ferry is a charming vessel that transports passengers between Hong Kong Island (Central and Wan Chai) and Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui). It offers views of both sides of the harbour, and is as much an attraction as it is a mode of transport.

Fares vary slightly between the upper and lower decks, as well as between weekdays and weekends, and are paid at the barriers when boarding. Passengers can pay by Octopus Card, coins or use cash to purchase a token from the machines at the pier.  

FERRIES BETWEEN HONG KONG ISLAND AND OUTLYING ISLANDS

Ferries operating from the Central Ferry Piers on Hong Kong Island provide services to the main Outlying Islands. Two types of ferries operate along most routes: standard ferries and the slightly more expensive fast ferries.

MAJOR FERRY COMPANIES IN HONG KONG

There are other ferries between different points around Hong Kong — see full ferry details here .

Appreciate Hong Kong’s world-renowned Victoria Harbour and its stunning skyline in a unique way — by riding a water taxi! Hong Kong Water Taxi is the officially approved water tourism route of the harbour, passing by famous attractions such as the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, the International Financial Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Promenade, the Avenue of Stars, the West Kowloon Cultural District and more. With a capacity of 170 passengers, Hong Kong Water Taxi offers both air-conditioned viewing cabin and spacious open decks.  More details here .

Octopus — your essential travel card in Hong Kong

An Octopus digital or physical travel card is an essential purchase in Hong Kong. It’s a smart payment tool that allows you to pay cash-free for all major public transport services, as well as dining, entertainment, shopping and more. 

There are two types of Octopus for visitors:

• Mobile Octopus : simply download the Octopus App for Tourists to instantly add Octopus to your iPhone or Huawei mobile phone. Check your balance and top up without queuing with your credit or debit card anytime, anywhere on your phone. There is a refundable deposit of HK$50 for Mobile Octopus. When you no longer need the Mobile Octopus, you can easily apply for a refund of the deposit and remaining value through the Octopus App for Tourists.
• Tourist Octopus : a physical travel card, available from HK$39 without any deposit. It boasts an iconic Hong Kong design that makes it an ideal souvenir, which can be reused when you come back to Hong Kong in the future. There are many ways to get a Tourist Octopus after you arrive in Hong Kong; click here to find out how according to your mode of travel, or you can get one at the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Kowloon Visitor Centre  at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui.
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Travelling to Hong Kong? Here's what you need to know

A guide to help you prepare for your entry into the city

International travellers are free to come to Hong Kong, and there are no more restrictions upon arrival.  If you have some enquiries about travelling to the city, we've compiled a guide to help you with everything you need to know when entering Hong Kong, from things to prepare before arriving at Hong Kong International Airport to all the steps you must take as soon as you land.  

RECOMMENDED:  Keep updated with the  latest Covid-19 measures in the city . 

An email you’ll actually love

Who can visit Hong Kong now?

Hong Kong has already dropped the vaccination requirement for Hongkongers and international arrivals. Unvaccinated residents and non-residents will be able to enter the city without restriction .  

What are the requirements to enter Hong Kong?

With Covid-19 measures now eased in Hong Kong, including arrival restrictions, international travellers looking to explore the city are now free to enter. Of course, if your country requires a visa to visit Hong Kong,  please obtain one before your trip . 

Negative RAT or RT-PCR test results before boarding are no longer required . 

Will they allow entry if my visa is expiring?

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. 

Can arrivals move freely around the city?

Yes, Covid-19 regulations have already eased in Hong Kong. You can freely  explore all the incredible things to do in the city . Mask-wearing mandate, the last major rule to fight against Covid-19, has been lifted since March 1. 

For more clarity,  here's our guide on everything you need to know  about Hong Kong's current Covid-19 restrictions. 

Do I still need to take Covid-19 tests?

You don't need to present negative Covid-19 results when you arrive at the Hong Kong airport, but the government recommends taking daily RAT until the fifth day of arrival (arrival date count as Day 0). Those who take the test may voluntarily declare the result  via the Department of Health's Electronic Covid-19 Monitoring & Surveillance System (eCMSS) .  

Ok, so you finally booked your flight, what to do next?

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

What time should I go to the airport for departure? 

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. 

Arrival at Hong Kong International Airport

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.

After landing, all inbound persons will pass through temperature checks upon arrival. Those with symptoms will be referred to the Department of Health for further handling. If you're cleared, you can proceed with immigration procedures, baggage collection, and continue taking public transportation to your hotel or home.

What are the options for airport transfers?

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 . 

What if I tested positive for Covid-19?

Hong Kong government no longer issue isolation orders to infected Covid-19 cases since January 30. The government advises symptomatic persons to stay at home to rest and avoid going out. Those who are asymptomatic can go out at will or go to work.

If you belong to high-risk groups and suffer from fever, cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, and diarrhoea, the government recommends that you seek medical attention. 

For more information, visit this  link .   

Got more questions?

The government has set up a page for all your questions about inbound travel to Hong Kong . Due to the changing nature of Covid-19 measures, please  visit this link  to keep updated with the latest travel regulations. 

Feel 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. You can also check out   the most romantic hotels  in the city or schedule a weekend getaway from the  best beachside hotels ,  boutique hotels , or  luxury camping spots in town .  

You've been gone a while, here's what's new in HK

50 Most incredible things to do in Hong Kong

• Things to do

Whatever you're looking for, there are plenty of places to visit and activities to keep you entertained in the 852. 

50 Best bars in Hong Kong

• Bars and pubs

A definitive list of the 50 best Hong Kong bars to visit right now.

50 Best restaurants to try in Hong Kong

The best places to eat in the city, from traditional Japanese and fine French to hipster hangouts, hidden gems, and everything else in between.

New restaurants to try in Hong Kong

The latest and greatest restaurants to get stuck into this month

New bars to try in Hong Kong now

A  list of new drinking dens to add to your bar-hopping itinerary. 

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Welcome to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an urban epicenter teeming with authentic culture. It is also a veritable wonder of the natural world, a central figure in the global arts scene, and a diverse culinary destination. Explore the following articles and swipe through the images to learn more about Hong Kong and how it has risen to become a leader in 21st-century modernity while maintaining the culture and traditions that have made it wholly unique for generations. Start planning your trip at discoverhongkong.com .

Condé Nast Traveler: Exploring the Best of Hong Kong, Where Luxury Meets Authenticity | Read More

Vanity fair: an art lover’s guide to hong kong | read more, bon appétit: why hong kong is the culinary destination you need to explore now | read more, condé nast traveler: from skyline to shoreline: hong kong's ultimate outdoor guide | read more.

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Expanded mainland Chinese travel scheme to Hong Kong shows Xi Jinping cares for city, says Chief Exec. John Lee

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Beijing’s move to expand a travel scheme for mainland residents to visit Hong Kong shows President Xi Jinping’s care and support for the city, Chief Executive John Lee has said.

Beijing announced on Friday afternoon that residents from two more cities – Xian and Qingdao – are allowed to visit Hong Kong on an individual visa.

Currently, residents from 49 cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan can visit Hong Kong under the individual visit scheme.

The National Immigration Administration of China said on Friday in a Chinese statement that the expanded travel scheme will come into effect on March 6. Residents of Xian and Qingdao can apply for four types of visa: a visa valid for three months, two visas valid for three months, a visa valid for one year, or two visas valid for one year.

In response, Chief Executive Lee said he felt “very happy” about Beijing’s announcement as he met the press on Friday afternoon.

“This move reflects President Xi Jinping’s care and support for Hong Kong, especially in the area of economic development. I am grateful for the Central Government, for its positive reaction over the suggestion by the HKSAR,” Lee said in Cantonese.

Lee added that people in Xian and Qingdao are both “high-income” and “high-consumption” groups. He believed those travellers will help boost hotel and catering businesses in Hong Kong.

Chief Executive for Administration Eric Chan said last Saturday on Commercial Radio that the government was “discussing” bringing more mainland Chinese tourists to Hong Kong.

He added that authorities were studying an expansion of the individual visit scheme, and moves to revive multiple entry visas for Shenzhen residents.

In 2014, the Hong Kong government propose replacing the multiple-entry visa scheme with a once-a-week permit, following complaints from residents in the North District about parallel traders travelling from Shenzhen. The once-a-week permit for Shenzhen residents came into effect in 2015.

Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board Pang Yiu-kai, thanked Beijing in a statement on Friday: “The Mainland is Hong Kong’s largest visitor source market and Hong Kong is one of the travel hotspots for Mainland travellers. The expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme does not only unlock Hong Kong’s doors to travellers from more Mainland cities, which is conducive to exploring new sources of visitors for Hong Kong, but also brings about tremendous benefits to the city’s tourism-related sectors, including retail, food and beverage, and hospitality sectors, which helps boost the city’s economy.”

Chinese tourists return, but less consumption

Hong Kong has seen a slow recovery in the tourism sector since the city reopened all borders early last year following years of strict Covid-19 restrictions. The pace of international tourist arrivals to Hong Kong has resumed at a much slower rate than that of mainland Chinese tourists.

The government extended the working hours of some mainland border checkpoints during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday. From February 10 to 17, the city recorded around 1.436 million inbound visitors. Around 1.25 million tourists – or close to 90 per cent – were from mainland China.

Ming Pao reported that the number of mainland tourists arriving from February 10 to 16 was a little higher than the number of tourists seen during the week-long 2018 Lunar New Year break. However, the figures were 20 per cent lower than the numbers seen during the week-long 2019 Lunar New Year holiday.

Rayman Chui, chair for the Institute of Dining Professionals, told Ming Pao that mainland Chinese tourists were spending less compared to pre-pandemic levels: “Previously they would order a lot of food, just for a table of two people. Now [they order] one Pineapple bun and a cup of milk tea for photo-taking,” Chui said in Cantonese.

He added, according to his observations, many Chinese tourists will spend HK$100 per person whilst spending used to be HK$200-300 per person in 2019.

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Irene Chan is a reporter at Hong Kong Free Press and has an interest in covering political and social change. She previously worked at Initium Media as chief editor for Hong Kong news and was a community organiser at the Society for Community Organisation serving the underprivileged. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Fudan University and a master’s degree in social work from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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香港旅行・ツアー・観光は格安価格で予約！

• 香港旅行・ツアー・観光

多国籍文化が交じり合う香港は観光やショッピング、グルメや絶景の夜景など見どころ満載。HISの豊富なラインナップから、希望の香港旅行を簡単検索！

【首都圏発】HISおすすめ商品

往路：午前発/復路：午後発 香港航空で行く！「オープントップバス」＆「海老ワンタン麺」クーポン＆交通系ICカード「オクトパスカード」付！香港3日間

スーペリアクラスホテルに滞在

49,800円～69,800円

2024/05/07～2024/09/10出発

（ 燃油サーチャージ込み ）

ハーバーグランド カオルーン（コートビュールーム）に滞在

69,800円～92,800円

往路：午前発/復路：午後発 キャセイパシフィック航空で行く！香港ディズニーランド １デー・パーク・チケット付！香港4日間

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2024/05/01～2024/09/26出発

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キャセイパシフィック航空で行く！香港ディズニーランド 2デー・パーク・チケット付！香港ディズニーランド・リゾート直営ホテルに泊まる！香港4日間

ディズニー・エクスプローラーズ・ロッジ（スタンダード・ルーム）に滞在

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2024/04/19～2024/09/28出発

＜ゴールデンウィーク出発＞マカオ航空で行く！マカオ料理含む昼食付「マカオ市内観光」＆煌めく夜景を巡る「オープントップバスナイトツアー」付！ マカオ3日間

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2024/04/26～2024/05/05出発

【TV放送人気商品】キャセイパシフィック航空で行く！2つの憧れのホテルに滞在 優雅な香港＆マカオ 満喫紀行4日間

[1泊目]ハイアットリージェンシー ホンコン 沙田/[2泊目]ザ ヴェネチアン マカオ リゾート ホテル/[3泊目]ザ ペニンシュラ ホンコンに滞在

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【TV放送商品】キャセイパシフィック航空ビジネスクラスで行く！2つの憧れのホテルに滞在 優雅な香港＆マカオ 満喫紀行4日間

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香港 おすすめ航空券＋ホテル

香港 おすすめのホテル, 香港 おすすめの オプショナルツアー, その他おすすめ旅行特集.

• 言語 中国語(約88%が広東語)。イギリスの植民地だったことから英語も普及している。若年世代では北京語も普及している。
• 宗教 仏教、道教、キリスト教の順に多い。香港の街中には道教の神を祀った寺院もある。
• 気候 亜熱帯の気候で、春は平均気温20度前後でやや雨が多く、夏は30度を超える暑い日が続く。冬でも10℃を下回ることはほとんどない。
• 服装（あると便利な持ち物） 冬から春にかけては気温が下がるため羽織物・コートなどを用意しよう。夏場は高温多湿となるため、通気性の良い服装がおすすめ。また、建物や車内では冷房が効いているため夏場でも羽織物を用意しておくとよい。
• 通貨 香港ドル【HKD】
• チップ 長い間イギリス植民地だったことから、未だチップの習慣が残る。 【タクシー】不要。【レストラン】サービス料が含まれていることが多いので、お釣りの小銭を置いておく程度でOK。【ホテル】ポーターやベッドメイキングへは2～5香港ドル程度。
• 飲み水 水道水は基本的に飲めないのでミネラルウォーターか沸騰させた水を。できれば氷も避けた方がよい。
• マナー・習慣・文化 MRT（地下鉄）内での飲食やタバコやゴミの投げ捨てをすると1,500～2,000香港ドルの高い罰金が科せられる。また儒教の影響があるため、地下鉄やバスなどでお年寄りに気持ちよく席を譲ろう。
• トイレ 殆どのトイレでトイレットペーパーを流すことが可能。公衆トイレではペーパーが備えられていないことが多いため、ティッシュペーパーは常備しよう。
• 喫煙 公共の屋内では全面的に禁煙だが、喫煙ルームがあるホテルもある。道端にあるオレンジ色の灰皿周辺は喫煙可能。

香港 人気観光スポット

HISのお得なセール情報や割引クーポンをお届け

Update April 12, 2024

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Travel Advisory April 12, 2024

See summaries - mainland china, hong kong & macau.

Updated due to new national security legislation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Summary:  Reconsider travel to Mainland China due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions.

Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws .

Reconsider travel to the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to a limited ability to provide emergency consular services . Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Macau SAR due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws .

See specific risks and conditions in each jurisdiction . 

Consulate Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

One month beyond the date of your intended stay

One page required for entry stamp

Not required for stays under 90 days

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau 26 Garden Road Central, Hong Kong Telephone:  +852 2841-2211, +852 2841-2225, +852 2841-2323   Emergency After-Hours Telephone:  +852 2523-9011   Fax:  +852 2845-4845 Email:   [email protected]  

Destination Description

See the U.S. Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Hong Kong for information on U.S.-Hong Kong relations.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

Visit the  Hong Kong Immigration Department  website for the most current visa information. 

Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction , and  customs regulations  on our website.

To enter the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), you need:

• a passport that is valid for at least one month beyond the date of your intended stay;
• adequate funds to cover your stay without working locally; and
• evidence of onward/return transportation.

You only need a visa if:

• You plan to stay for more than 90 days – obtain an extension with the Hong Kong SAR Immigration Department, if necessary.
• You plan to work or study in the Hong Kong SAR – visas must be obtained prior to departing the United States.

You must possess a valid passport and PRC visa to enter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from Hong Kong. Further information on travel to and around the PRC is available on our  China International Travel Information and Macau International Travel Information pages.

West Kowloon Train Station:  The West Kowloon Train Station is the terminus of the Hong Kong section of the  Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link  (XRL). Once passengers pass through the Hong Kong immigration exit checkpoint on their way to mainland China inside the train station or on the train itself in that area, they are in the mainland Port Area. Likewise, passengers arriving from mainland China are in the mainland Port Area until they exit the Hong Kong immigration entry checkpoint. 

Health Requirements: There are no COVID-related entry requirements for U.S. citizens. The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of the PRC, including Hong Kong. 

Safety and Security

Since the imposition of the National Security Law on June 30, 2020, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has demonstrated an intent to use the law to target a broad range of activities such as acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign entities. The National Security Law also covers offenses committed by non-Hong Kong SAR residents or organizations outside of the Hong Kong SAR, which could subject U.S. citizens who have been publicly critical of the PRC and/or the administration of the Hong Kong SAR to a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution. Mainland PRC security forces, including an Office for Safeguarding National Security, now operate in Hong Kong and are not subject to oversight by the Hong Kong SAR judiciary.

Drug and Alcohol Enforcement: PRC law enforcement authorities have little tolerance for illegal drugs, including marijuana and products containing cannabidiol, also known as CBD . Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in the PRC, including Hong Kong, are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences, heavy fines, or the death penalty.

Hong Kong also has strict laws against driving under the influence of alcohol that can lead to immediate detention on a criminal charge.

Demonstrations:  Participating in demonstrations or any other activities that authorities interpret as violating Hong Kong law, including the National Security Law, could result in criminal charges. On June 30, 2020, as part of its color-coded system of warning flags, the Hong Kong police unveiled a new purple flag, which warns protesters that shouting slogans or carrying banners with an intent prohibited by the law could now bring criminal charges. Any protests that take place without a permit are considered illegal.

U.S. citizens are strongly cautioned to be aware of their surroundings and avoid demonstrations.

If you decide to travel to Hong Kong: 

• Monitor local media, local transportations sites and apps like  MTR Mobile  or  CitybusNWFB , and the  Hong Kong International Airport website  for updates and traffic advisories. 
• Avoid the areas of the demonstrations. 
• Exercise caution if you are in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests. 
• Avoid taking photographs of protesters or police without permission. 
• Be aware of your surroundings. 
• Keep a low profile. 

Hong Kong has a low crime rate. Even so, you should exercise caution when in congested areas and pay particular attention to personal belongings while in crowded areas and while traveling on public transportation. Violent crime, though rare, does occur.

• Take routine safety precautions. 
• Report any concerns to the local police. 
• Call “999,” the local equivalent to “911” 

Please note that mace, pepper spray, stun guns, bullets, switch blades, knuckle-dusters and other self-protection weapons are banned in Hong Kong. 

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but, if you purchase them, you may also be breaking local law. You may also pay fines or must give them up if you bring them back to the United States. See the  U.S. Department of Justice website  for more information.

Be alert to criminal schemes, such as internet, phone scams and dating scams, as well as financial scams. See the  U.S. Department of State's  and the  U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s  pages for information on scams. 

Victims of Crime:  Report crimes to the local police at “999” and contact U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau at +(825) 2523-9011. U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault should first contact U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau.

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime. See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

We can: 

• help you find appropriate medical care.
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police.
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent.
• Provide general information regarding the victim’s role during the local investigation and following its conclusion.
• provide a list of local attorneys.
• provide our information on  victim’s compensation programs in the United States .
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution.
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home.
• replace a stolen or lost passport.

Hong Kong has a crime victim compensation program available to U.S. citizens who are legal residents or tourists in Hong Kong. For more detailed information on the program and its requirements, please see the  Hong Kong Social Welfare Department webpage.  More resources for victims of crime in Hong Kong are available in our  Help for U.S. Victims of Crime in Hong Kong  information sheet. 

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence can/should contact the Hong Kong police and/or U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau for assistance. 

Tourism:  The tourism industry is generally regulated and rules with regard to best practices and safety inspections are regularly enforced. Hazardous areas/activities are identified with appropriate signage and professional staff is typically on hand in support of organized activities. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is widely available throughout Hong Kong. Outside of a major metropolitan center, it may take more time for first responders and medical professionals to stabilize a patient and provide life-saving assistance. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to Hong Kong SAR laws, including certain PRC laws applied to Hong Kong. If you violate Hong Kong SAR laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities, prior to practicing or operating a business. Furthermore, some crimes are prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  U.S. Department of Justice  website. 

Arrest Notification:

• If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau immediately. See our  webpage  for further information.
• Hong Kong must notify a U.S. consular officer within four days; however, this does not always occur in a timely manner.
• The PRC and Hong Kong SAR governments do not recognize dual nationality. The PRC and Hong Kong SAR governments may prevent the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulates General from providing consular services to dual U.S.-PRC citizens and U.S. citizens of Chinese descent. Please see the page on dual nationality for more information on the limits on consular notification and access to dual nationals.
• A consular officer may be the only authorized visitor during your initial detention period.
• Detention may last many months before a trial.
• U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau is unable to represent you in a legal matter.
• Travelers to the PRC should enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) , and you may wish to have someone contact U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau if you are detained.

Hong Kong law provides for an independent judiciary, but PRC actions have eroded the judiciary’s independence and ability to uphold the rule of law, particularly in cases designated as involving national security. U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC, including the Hong Kong SAR, should be aware of varying levels of scrutiny to which they will be subject from PRC state security and Hong Kong local law enforcement. In Hong Kong, police have the right to detain you for questioning if you are not carrying your passport.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Assisted Reproductive Technology:  Hong Kong strictly forbids surrogacy, and surrogacy contracts will not be considered valid. The use of reproductive technology for medical research and profit is strictly controlled.

Controlled Items in Hong Kong:  Hong Kong customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning controlled items you might be carrying while transiting Hong Kong (temporary importation or exportation). Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) security routinely and thoroughly screens any luggage loaded onto an aircraft in Hong Kong, whether belonging to a departing or transiting passenger. Discovery of weapons or ammunition of any kind—including mace, pepper spray, stun guns, bullets, air gun pellets, switch blades, knuckle-dusters, and other self-protection weapons—during this screening will be referred to the police for investigation, leading to arrest and detention.

If you bring controlled items into Hong Kong without the necessary Hong Kong documents, you may be prosecuted, and the goods may be seized. The penalty for trafficking in dangerous drugs can be life imprisonment and a heavy fine. Among the other items that you must declare to customs officials are liquors, tobacco, cigarettes and cigars, methyl alcohol, and merchandise imported for commercial purposes. There are no currency restrictions for travelers.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of controlled and/or prohibited items:

• dangerous drugs
• psychotropic substances
• controlled chemicals
• antibiotics
• strategic commodities
• rough diamonds
• endangered species
• telecommunication equipment
• powdered formula

Please visit the website of the  Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department  for specific information regarding Hong Kong customs requirements.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection encourages the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes.

For additional information, please visit the  U.S. Council for International Business website  and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection web page on  Traveling with Samples .

Please see our  Customs Information  sheet for general information.

Dual Nationality:  Dual nationality is not recognized under  PRC nationality law . Be mindful of the following special circumstances for dual nationals when traveling in the region.

Enter the Hong Kong SAR on your U.S. passport to ensure U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau can provide consular assistance in case of arrest or other emergency. Regardless of your travel documents, if you are a dual national, or otherwise have ethnic or historical ties to the PRC, it is possible that Hong Kong authorities will assert that you are a PRC citizen and deny your access to U.S. consular representatives if you are detained.

Your child will be considered a PRC citizen if one or both of the parents are PRC nationals regardless of U.S. citizenship.

If traveling onward to mainland China, enter mainland China on your U.S. passport to ensure U.S. consular protection. See our  China International Travel Information  page for more information.

For further information on consular protection and  dual nationality , please refer to our website.

Counterfeit and Pirated Goods:  Although counterfeit and pirated goods are prevalent in many countries, they may still be illegal according to local laws. You may also pay fines or must give them up if you bring them back to the United States. See the  U.S. Department of Justice website  for more information.

Cruise Ship Passengers:  Please see our Cruise Ship Passengers page for safety information and travel advice.

Earthquakes:  Earthquakes occur throughout the PRC and have affected Hong Kong in the past. Check here for information about  preparing for a crisis or disaster overseas .

Faith-Based Travelers:  See the following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Reports
• Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTQI+ Travelers:  In Hong Kong, there are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTQI+ events in Hong Kong. See  Section 6 of our Human Rights Practices in the Human Rights Report for Hong Kong  and read our  LGBTQI+ Travel Information page .

Pets:  You must have a permit to bring dogs and cats into Hong Kong. Dogs and cats imported from the United States may be exempted from quarantine when they have valid health and vaccination certificates and when the animal has been in the United States for at least six months immediately preceding travel.

Additional information on importing pets is available on the  Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department website.

Political Activity:  Participating in unauthorized political activities, including participating in unauthorized public protests, or writing social media posts or other online publications critical of the government,   may result in detention, criminal charges, and/or PRC government-imposed restrictions on future travel to the PRC, including Hong Kong.

Social Media:  Social media accounts are widely monitored in the PRC, including Hong Kong. Social media posts—even content posted outside of Hong Kong—that local authorities deem illegal, including under the National Security Law or other Hong Kong laws, may result in criminal charges against both the poster of the material and the administrator of the social media forum.

Students:  See our  U.S. Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Surveillance and Monitoring:  Security personnel carefully watch foreign visitors and may place you under surveillance. Hotel rooms (including meeting rooms), offices, cars, taxis, telephones, Internet usage, and fax machines may be monitored onsite or remotely, and personal possessions in hotel rooms, including computers, may be searched without your consent or knowledge.

Transferring Money to/From Hong Kong:  The U.S. Department of State may be able to help transfer funds to a destitute U.S citizen overseas through our office in Washington, D.C., to U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau. More information on this option is available on our Sending Money to Destitute U.S. Citizens Overseas page .

Travelers with Disabilities:  Sidewalks often do not have curb cuts and many streets can be crossed only via pedestrian bridges or underpasses accessible by staircase. Assistive technologies for blind people and those with other vision disabilities are unreliable, and access to elevators in public buildings can be restricted. In major cities, public restrooms in places visited by tourists usually have a least one accessible toilet.

Hong Kong law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision of other state services, and the government generally enforces these provisions. The law mandates access to buildings, information, and communications for persons with disabilities. The  Hong Kong Social Welfare Department  is primarily responsible for coordinating and funding public assistance programs to persons with disabilities. The  Hong Kong Tourism Board  publishes “ Accessible Hong Kong , ” a guide for visitors with disabilities and the  Hong Kong Transport Department  publishes  A Guide to Public Transport for People with Disabilities . In addition, the Hong Kong government created  Cyberable  to provide one-stop information for persons with various disabilities.

Weather:  The southeast coast of the PRC is subject to strong typhoons and tropical storms, usually from July through September. The  Hong Kong Observatory  has an excellent notification and monitoring system and issues typhoon warnings an average of six times a year and heavy rainstorm and hot weather alerts more frequently. Please be advised that if Hong Kong announces a Typhoon Signal 8 or above or Black Rainstorm Warning, U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau will be closed for services. You may find additional information on Check here for information about  preparing for a crisis or disaster overseas  on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

For current information, please consult the  Joint Typhoon Warning Center  and the  National Weather Service's Central Pacific Hurricane Center .

Women Travelers:  See our travel tips for  Women Travelers .

For emergency services in Hong Kong, dial 999.

Ambulance services are widely available.

Quality of Care:  Good medical facilities are available, and there are many Western-trained physicians. Hong Kong emergency service response times for police, fire, and ambulances are good.

We do not pay medical bills.  Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance. 

Medical Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage  for more information on insurance coverage overseas. Visit the  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  website for more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas.

We strongly recommend  supplemental insurance  to cover medical evacuation.

Payment and Insurance:  Travelers will be asked to post a deposit prior to admission to hospitals to cover the expected cost of treatment. Hospitals and clinics generally accept credit cards.

U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau maintains a list of local  English-speaking doctors and hospitals . We do not endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic.

Medication : Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. Prescription drugs are widely available, although names may vary. You need a prescription from a doctor in Hong Kong to purchase medications locally. Bring prescription medications to cover your stay in Hong Kong or plan to see a physician in Hong Kong to obtain a new prescription. If traveling with prescription medication, check with the  government of Hong Kong  to ensure the medication is legal in Hong Kong. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription. 

Air Quality : Visit AirNow Department of State for information on air quality at U.S. Embassies and Consulates. The air quality in Hong Kong varies considerably and fluctuates with the seasons. It is typically at its worst in the summer.

People at the greatest risk from particle pollution exposure include: 

• Infants, children, and teens;
• People over 65 years of age;
• People with lung disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema;
• People with heart disease or diabetes; and 
• People who work or are active outdoors.

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations  recommended by the CDC.

COVID-19 Testing: COVID-19 PCR tests are available at private laboratories and clinics in Hong Kong. The price for these PCR tests generally ranges from 50 to 100 US Dollars. The Hong Kong government maintains a list of recognized laboratories . Rapid COVID-19 tests are readily available at pharmacies and retail establishments throughout Hong Kong.   

COVID-19 Vaccines:  The COVID-19 vaccine is available for U.S. citizen residents of Hong Kong. U.S. citizens who are not Hong Kong residents are not eligible to receive Hong Kong government-provided vaccines.   Visit the FDA's website to  learn more about FDA-approved vaccines  in the United States.   

For further health information :

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Road conditions differ significantly from those in the United States. Each year there are approximately 14,000 traffic accidents.

• Traffic moves on the left.
• Speed limits vary depending on location.
• Use of seatbelts is mandatory.
• You can drive using your U.S. driver’s license for up to a year. If you hold a valid U.S. driver’s license and have resided in the United States at least six months, you can apply for a Hong Kong driver’s license. Visit the  Hong Kong Transport Department online  for further details. 

Traffic Laws:  Many traffic violations are similar to those in the United States, including penalties for reckless driving, driving under the influence, and using a hand-held device while operating a vehicle. Hong Kong law requires that all registered vehicles carry valid third-party liability insurance. 

Public Transportation:  Approximately 90 percent of the population in Hong Kong depends on public transport. Taxis, buses, and the mass transit railway (MTR) are readily available, inexpensive, and generally safe. The MTR, an underground railway network, is the most popular mode of public transport, carrying an average of 3.5 million passengers a day. Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department (CAD) as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Hong Kong's air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s Safety Assessment Page .

Maritime Travel:  Mariners planning travel to Hong Kong should check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Security Communications with Industry (MSCI) web portal. Information may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard Homeport website , and the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Navigational Warnings website .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Hong Kong . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report. 

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A Danish man who has visited almost every country in the world without flying has been stranded in Hong Kong for 4 months. He gave us a look inside a day in his life right now.

• " Modern Viking " Thor Pedersen is on a journey to become the first person to visit every country in the world without stepping foot on a plane.
• He left his native Denmark in October 2013, promising not to return home until he saw his project through. He's limited himself to a budget of $20 a day.
• In late January, Pedersen had just nine countries left to visit when the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to his plans.
• Pedersen has been living with a host family in Sai Kung, about an hour outside downtown Hong Kong, for four months — instead of the four days he'd originally planned.
• From hiking for 26 hours straight to exploring a downtown Hong Kong without tourists, here's what a typical day in his life looks like during the pandemic.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Six and a half years ago, Torbjørn "Thor" Pedersen left his home in Denmark on a quest to become the first person to visit every country in the world continuously without flying.

In late January, he had just nine left to go — Palau, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives — and was scheduled to travel on container ship from Hong Kong to Palau when news of the coronavirus outbreak swept the region and travel came to a halt .

Now, instead of spending four days in Hong Kong, as he had originally intended, Pedersen has been there for four months, the longest he's stayed in any place over the course of his around-the-world journey.

While Pedersen waits for another opportunity to travel to Palau, he's been adapting to his new life in Hong Kong and chronicling his experiences on his blog, " Once Upon a Saga. "

A large part of Thor's travel philosophy is prioritizing local, everyday experiences, instead of visiting tourist attractions. He also sticks to an average budget of $20 a day.

Pedersen has found that life hasn't changed drastically in Hong Kong during the coronavirus pandemic, partly because of cultural and institutional changes adopted in the wake of the 2003 SARS epidemic .

Business Insider caught up with Pedersen on May 20 to learn more how he's spending his time in Hong Kong and asked him to share images of his experiences over the past several weeks.

From hiking the 48-mile Wilson Trail for 26 hours straight to exploring a downtown Hong Kong devoid of tourists, here's what a typical day looks like for the world traveler Thor Pedersen in Hong Kong during the coronavirus pandemic.

Thor Pedersen, 41, had made it to 194 of 203 countries on his nonstop journey around the world when the coronavirus pandemic canceled his travel plans and left him stranded in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong declared a state of emergency on January 25 after the coronavirus outbreak spread to the region from Wuhan, China. Pedersen arrived by container ship on January 28.

Though Hong Kong imposed a handful of restrictions to contain the spread of the virus between January and early April, it was never on strict lockdown, and Pedersen told Business Insider that he hasn't observed a dramatic change in day-to-day life.

Hong Kong took early measures to contain the virus included closing schools , implementing testing and isolation measures , and encouraging telework .

Beginning in late March, Hong Kong imposed additional restrictions including closing borders to non-residents, asking restaurants to operate at half capacity , shutting down bars and karaoke rooms , and introducing a ban on public gatherings of four or more people . 

Pedersen attributes this to the 2003 SARS outbreak. Hongkongers were quick to adopt face masks and self-isolate when the coronavirus hit because "they knew the routine," he said.

The 2003 SARS outbreak  in Hong Kong infected more than 1,700 people and resulted in 300 deaths, according to a report from the World Health Organization.

"As one of the most heavily affected epicenters during the SARS epidemic in 2003, Hong Kong is better equipped to contend with an outbreak of COVID-19 than many other countries," Dr. Peng Wu of Hong Kong University's School of Public Health said in mid-April.

Peng cited "improved testing and hospital capacity to handle novel respiratory pathogens, and a population acutely aware of the need to improve personal hygiene and maintain physical distancing."

Hong Kong is beginning to reopen: Bars, entertainment venues, and schools reopened last month, and employees are returning to work. However, a ban on gatherings of eight or more people in crowded places is in effect through June 8 and border restrictions remain in place.

Currently, non-residents arriving by air to Hong Kong from destinations outside of mainland China, Macau, and Taiwan are denied entry, according to the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau. Non-residents arriving from mainland China, Macau, or Taiwan are allowed to enter only if they haven't traveled elsewhere overseas and must quarantine for two weeks.

While he waits for an opportunity to continue to journey, Pedersen has been staying with a couple and their two boys in Sai Kung, a residential area known for its scenic beaches and hiking trails about an hour and 15 minutes outside of Central, Hong Kong's downtown business district.

On a typical day, Pedersen wakes up at 8:30 a.m., switches on his phone, and writes good morning to his fiancée back home in Denmark.

Next, he splashes water on his face, does a few push-ups, and heads downstairs to greet his host family and prepare a light breakfast.

Around 9:15, a.m. he heads upstairs to brush his teeth and filter drinking water for the morning.

"Generally people say you can drink the tap water in Hong Kong, but most people I know boil it. I use a filter," he said.

By 9:30 a.m., Pedersen is at his laptop checking emails and doing interviews with local and international media.

An hour later, he changes into his running clothes, filters more water, and heads downstairs with shoes in hand. He tells his host family where he's headed, starts his watch, and sets out for a run.

Pedersen has been on the road years longer than he anticipated and misses his fiancée and parents. Running helps him stay motivated to see his journey through. "I am a firm believer in a healthy body being key to a healthy mind," he wrote in a blog post on May 22.

Pedersen has been running between four and 7.4 miles every other day despite temperatures hovering around 86 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of 88%, he told Business Insider.

"The humidity is a killer," Pedersen wrote.

To complement his runs, Pedersen has been hiking the network of trails around Hong Kong on weekends.

This past weekend, he through-hiked the 48-mile Wilson Trail with friends , which starts in Hong Kong Island and ends near the Chinese border. The trail took him 26 hours to complete.

"A little-known fact about Hong Kong is that it is 75% nature ," Pedersen told Business Insider.

Pedersen has noticed an influx of hikers on the trails as temperatures have risen and Hong Kong locals emerge from self-isolation. "The trails are very, very popular in Hong Kong in general," he said. "I think they've become even more so now."

While most residents choose to wear masks in public spaces , fewer wear them on the trails, Pedersen said. Hong Kong's current social distancing guidelines recommend that residents stay at least three feet apart from each other and wear a mask in crowded places.

Once Pedersen returns home from exercising, he immediately starts rehydrating and stretching. He then takes a shower and prepares to leave the house.

Pedersen always wears a brimmed hat, ties a scarf around his waist, and carries a few trusty accessories in his pockets when he heads out the door.

In one shirt pocket, he carries local cash and a face mask. In another, he carries his phone, a ball pen, his Octopus card for public transport, and a few business cards to hand out.

He also carries his passport, vaccination cards, spare passport photos, compact multi-tool, credit cards, driver's license, Danish Red Cross emblem (he's an ambassador), and Foreign Correspondents' Club membership card.

Pedersen first catches a bus to Sai Kung's town center where he has a light lunch. Restaurants have fewer customers than they did before the pandemic, but have remained open, he told Business Insider.

From Sai Kung, he catches another bus to Hang Hau MTR metro station in order to head into Central. The commute takes him about an hour and 15 minutes total.

Pedersen has seen photos of metro cars around the world where commuters are spaced out and observing social distancing. "That's never been the case in Hong Kong," he told Business Insider.

Commuters in Hong Kong continue to stand and sit next to each other. "It's like this Superman power — you put on the mask and you're fine and then you can almost do whatever you want," he said.

On weekdays in April, 2.8 million people rode the Hong Kong metro every day, according to MTR . That's down from 4.8 million riders in April 2019, but not an insignificant number considering Hong Kong's population is 7.4 million .

Because less than 25% of Hong Kong's landmass is developed, relatively few people own cars and instead rely on public transportation, Pedersen explained.

After arriving in Central around 2 p.m., Pedersen walks ten minutes up to the Foreign Correspondents' Club either to sit and work or for an afternoon meeting.

The club , which opened during WWII as a social club for international journalists, has granted Pedersen a guest membership.

During his time in Hong Kong, Thor has met with everyone from local  business owners to journalists to old friends .

When he doesn't have an afternoon engagement, he explores the city and takes photos for his blog and social media.

Typically, Hong Kong is flooded with tourists in April and May, and locals head out of town to escape the city heat, Pedersen told Business Insider. However, because the borders are closed, there are practically no tourists, and locals have to stay put.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board reported just 4,125 arrivals in April , down from 5.58 million arrivals in April 2019.

After an afternoon of exploring the city and engagements, Pedersen usually heads back to his host family in time for dinner, following the same route back.

In Sai Kung's town center, he quickly stops into a supermarket to pick up some groceries. His host family provides most meals, but he buys his own breakfast supplies.

Back home, he greets everyone and they about talk about their respective days. Dinner is usually served before 7 p.m. and "it is always good," Pedersen said.

Following dinner, the family might play a game like Monopoly, Uno, or Kahoot if the boys aren't watching YouTube or playing video games.

Occasionally, they will go out for a short evening walk together.

By 10 p.m. the family has retired for the day. Thor makes a cup of tea and heads upstairs to work for a few more hours.

"Depending on the day, I might be blogging, creating content for the Red Cross, replying to interviews, editing video, managing social media, or simply doing research," he said.

Pedersen tries to go to sleep no later than 2 a.m. "My phone always reminds me that my bedtime is at 12:30 am, but that never happens," he said.

Before bed, he watches a sitcom or videos on YouTube, then writes his fiancée goodnight.

Thor is in conversation with container ship operators about traveling to his next destination, Palau, but is not sure when his journey will resume. For now, he is taking it one day at a time.

Pedersen estimates that it will take him 10 months to complete his journey once he leaves Hong Kong.

• Main content

Hong Kong Visa Requirements: Visa-Free Countries/Stays

Find out if you can visit Hong Kong visa-free. Requirements for countries vary: for the USA it's 90 days visa-free, UK citizens 180 days...

Although Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China it remains a Special Administrative Region (SAR) with its own visa policy and requirements.

Please join our Facebook group to get the latest information about visa policies during the pandemic.

Who Needs a Visa to Visit Hong Kong

Nationals of about 170 countries and territories may visit Hong Kong without a visa, and can stay for periods varying from 7 days to 180 days depending on nationality.

Nationals of the US, Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand don't require a visa to enter Hong Kong for stays of 90 days, 180 days for UK nationals.

Nationals of Albania, Armenia, Cambodia, etc. require a visa to enter Hong Kong.

All visitors to Hong Kong must have a passport that is valid for at least one month to six months (depending on nationality) after the period of their intended stay in Hong Kong.

If you want to travel from Hong Kong to Chinese mainland, you may need to apply for a China visa . See our top Chinese mainland tours from Hong Kong .

How to Apply for a Hong Kong Visa?

Requirements.

An application for a visa to enter the HKSAR for a visit or transit may be favorably considered if:

• The applicant's bona fides are not in doubt.
• The applicant has adequate funds to cover the duration of his/her stay without working.
• The applicant holds an onward ticket to the place of his/her destination unless the destination is the Chinese mainland or Macao.

Visa Application Procedures

Travelers can apply for a Hong Kong visa from the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate. As an alternative, you may also submit your visa application to the HKSAR Immigration Department either directly by post or through a local sponsor.

To shorten the processing time, application forms and supporting documents can be sent by fax in the first instance. However, the original copy of the duly completed application form and the photographs required should be sent immediately to the HKSAR Immigration Department by air mail.

A visa/entry permit will be issued only on receipt of an original, properly completed visa application form.

Processing Time

It normally takes four weeks to process a visa application upon receipt of all required documents.

Visa Fees for Applying for a Hong Kong Visa?

(1 USD≈7.8 HKD)

Our Most Popular Hong Kong Tours

China Highlights has selected our most popular Hong Kong tour packages for transiting passengers and business travelers. We can also customize a visa-free Hong Kong tour according to your requirements.

• Half-Day Hong Kong Island Tour
• One-Day Macau Tour from Hong Kong
• 10-Day Beijing, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Hong Kong Tour
• More Hong Kong tours .

HKSAR Visa Requirements for the Following Countries / Territories:

The information is updated in March 2019. There may be subsequent changes.

Please note that the above information is for reference only. It is suggested that travelers contact and check with Chinese embassy or consulate in your country, or with Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government (Website: http://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html) for the most updated information on entry formalities.

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Cha Eun-Woo Is Coming To Hong Kong For His Solo Fan Meeting This April

Cha eun-woo will be performing in hong kong for his first solo fan meeting this april 26 at the asiaworld-expo..

By: Jianne Soriano Published: Apr 11, 2024 04:00 PM HKT

Just when you thought April couldn’t get any better here’s something to watch out for this month. Cha Eun-woo will be performing in Hong Kong for his first solo fan meeting and concert this April. This is great news for fans of the actor and singer, whether K-drama watchers or Arohas. 

The Astro member will be meeting his fans on April 26 at the AsiaWorld-Expo. The fan meeting is called ‘Just One 10 Minute Mystery Elevator in Hong Kong ’ and will be the singer-actor’s first performance in the city in five years. It will also be Cha’s first solo fan concert where he will tour parts of Asia.

Cha Eun-woo’s solo fan meeting in Hong Kong: Ticket prices, venue, date

Tickets for Cha Eun-woo’s fan meeting in Hong Kong costs HKD 1788 (VVIP), HKD 1388 (VIP), HKD 1088 (Category 1), and HKD 788 (Category 2) respectively. The ticket sale will be available on April 12 at 10 am at cityline.com and April 13 at 10 am via damai.com.

VVIP ticket holders and VIP ticket holders will get soundcheck access, digital photo postcards (30 sheets), a photocard, a signed poster, and a signed merchandise set. VVIP ticket holders will get an exclusive hi-bye session. Those who purchased Category 1 and 2 tickets will still get a photocard, signed poster, and signed merchandise set. Each benefit has a certain quota, for instance, only 80 VVIP ticket holders will get the signed poster.

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Don’t miss the chance to watch Cha Eun-woo perform live, as well as other fun activities such as games and open conversations.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by MAXPERIENCE(MPE) (@maxperience.asia)

Conquering the music, acting, and fashion scenes

Cha Eun-woo, whose real name is Lee Dong-min, is best known for being a member of the boy group Astro. T hey officially debuted in 2016 with the EP ‘Spring Up’. In the same year, Cha starred in My Romantic Some Recipe. He quickly followed it up with dramas   Hit the Top and Sweet Revenge .

Cha’s acting career continued to take off, landing roles in Top Management and eventually in Gangnam Beauty , his first leading role as well as Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung. Other notable projects included True Beauty, Island , A Good Day to Be a Dog , and Wonderful World . In addition, he’s well-praised for his outstanding features and charming personality.

Cha made his solo debut as a singer earlier this year with the EP ‘Entity’ featuring the lead single, ‘Stay’. Beyond music and acting, Cha is also a familiar face in the fashion industry. He’s the international ambassador for the Philippine clothing brand Penshoppe and the brand ambassador for Dior and Dior Beauty. He’s also the regional ambassador for Skechers, The North Face, Ricola, Cornetto, Milo Thailand, and more. As if that’s not enough, he has also been the face of Giordano, Chamet, and other popular brands.

This story first appeared here .

Related:  Music Festivals Across The Globe That Are On Our Radar In 2024

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Jianne Soriano

An introvert at heart, Jianne expresses herself best through her writing. Her passion lies in covering food and dining, music and entertainment, and arts and culture. When she\'s not writing, you can find her visiting art exhibitions, watching movies or Korean dramas, or travelling solo.

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Apec business travel card (abtc) scheme, before applying.

This webpage sets out the arrangement for bona fide business travelers who wish to apply for the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) under the ABTC Scheme for travelling within the APEC economies.

The aim of the Scheme is to enhance the mobility of business travellers among the APEC economies, thus promoting business within the region.

The ABTC is plastic and the size of a credit card. It is normally valid for five years Note 1 . The card is good for multiple visits of two to three months to participating economies Note 2  without the need for a visa if pre-clearance has been granted.

For card holders travelling to a participating economy where pre-clearance has been granted, they can use the special service lanes at selected control points for entry and exit clearance and enjoy streamlined immigration clearance upon presentation of the card and their valid national passport. In Hong Kong, card holders are allowed to use "resident" counters where available.

Card holders can use the special service lanes at selected control points of participating economies regardless of whether pre-clearance has been granted by that economy. For card holders travelling to a participating economy where pre-clearance has not been granted, they are still subject to usual immigration clearance process, such as presenting valid passports and where applicable, valid visas.

Card holders travelling to the United States can use the "fast-track" lanes (currently designated for aircrew) for passenger clearance at all international airports in the United States upon entry. However, ABTC holders are still subject to the usual immigration clearance process as applicable to other travellers, such as presenting valid passports and where applicable, valid visas for the United States. Should an ABTC holder require a visa for urgent business travel and find that there are no appointments available for the next working day, he/she may fax the US Consulate General's office at 2147 3586 to request a special appointment slot.

Card holders can also use the special service lanes for passenger clearance at the major international airports in Canada upon entry. ABTC holders may follow signage with the APEC logo to access the lane. However, they are still subject to the usual immigration clearance process as applicable to other travellers, such as presenting valid passports and where applicable, valid visas for Canada.

Note 1: Applications lodged on or after 1 September 2015 will be granted an ABTC normally valid for five years. Applications lodged on or before 31 August 2015 will be granted an ABTC normally valid for three years.

Note 2: The arrangement does not apply to Chinese citizen of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for entry into the Mainland. They should continue to use the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents (commonly known as the “Home Visit Permit”) for such entry. It also does not apply to ABTC holders of Hong Kong (China) for entry into Chinese Taipei.

The APEC economies participating in the Scheme are :

• Brunei Darussalam
• People's Republic of China
• Hong Kong (China)
• Republic of Korea
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• The Philippines
• Chinese Taipei
• Vietnam 

A business person residing in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may apply for an ABTC if he/she:

• holds a Hong Kong permanent identity card and a valid national passport;
• has not previously been denied entry to any of the participating economies;
• has never been convicted of a criminal offence;
• must be a bona fide business person who needs to travel frequently on short term visits within the APEC region to fulfil business commitments.

A bona fide business person is taken to mean a person who is engaged in the trade of goods, the provision of services or the conduct of investment activities. It does not include entertainers, musicians, artists or persons engaged in similar occupations.

To facilitate our referral of your application to other participating APEC economies, please complete the application form ( ID 900 ) in English with your recent colour photograph, and enclosed with:

• a photocopy of the applicant’s Hong Kong permanent identity card (only the side with his/her personal particulars and photograph is required);
• a photocopy of the applicant’s valid passport showing his/her personal particulars, nationality, dates of issue and expiry;
• another identical photograph of the applicant; and
• a letter from the applicant’s employing company supporting his/her application.

The applicant may nominate a maximum of five economies which the applicant needs to visit as a priority when he/she submits the application. The nominated economies will expedite the processing of the applicant’s application as far as possible. Nomination of economies is optional. If the applicant wishes to make the nomination, please complete the "Options for receiving an interim card" ( SF/IM/1609 ) and submit it together with his/her application.

The applicant may be required to submit further supporting documents and information in connection with his/her application when necessary.

Online Application

Click here for online submission of application and uploading of supporting documents.

Other Means of Submission

The completed application form and "Options for receiving an interim card" (if applicable) should be sent by post or in person to the Other Visas and Permits Section, Immigration Department, 7/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Underpaid mail items will not be accepted by the Immigration Department. For proper delivery of your mail items, please ensure your mail items bear sufficient postage with return address before posting. ( Details )

The current prescribed fee for new issue of the card is HK$540; a fee of HK$210 will be charged for card replacement for the remainder of its validity period. The fee is payable upon collection of the ABTC. The relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, Faster Payment System (FPS) or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, properly dated and signed. Application fee should not be sent.

After Applying

Once the receipt of application has been acknowledged, applicant can enquire the application status here  or through 24-hour telephone enquiry system (852) 3160 8663.

After the completion of local processing of the application for ABTC in Hong Kong, the application will be referred to other participating economies of the ABTC Scheme for processing of the applicant’s pre-clearance request. A notification letter with ABTC Application Number will be sent to the applicant’s business postal address. The applicant can then check the pre-clearance status via the ABTC System website by inputting ”Hong Kong, China” and his/her ABTC Application Number. Should the applicant find the pre-clearance results meet his/her business needs, he/she may request for the issue of an ABTC by sending a written request with his/her signature to the Department by post or by fax 2824 1161. The applicant will be informed by letter when the card is ready for collection.

If the applicant submitted "Options for receiving an interim card" upon submission of the application, an ABTC will be automatically issued when all nominated economies have processed the pre-clearance request and a letter will be sent to the applicant for collection of the ABTC.

The applicant may collect his/her ABTC either in person or authorise a representative to collect it on his/her behalf. Upon collection, the applicant or his/her authorised representative must produce the applicant’s original valid passport for inspection if this has not been done when the applicant submitted the application or if the application is submitted online , and submit the applicant’s previously granted ABTC for cancellation (if any).

ABTC is valid for a maximum of 5 years from the date of issue. There is no renewal process. If the 5-year validity has expired or is soon going to expire, the applicant is required to reapply a new ABTC in exactly the same way as an entirely new application. The old ABTC will be cancelled upon collection of the new ABTC. On the other hand, an ABTC may have a shorter validity if the applicant’s passport bears a shorter validity.

When one or more economies approved the applicant’s pre-clearance request after the issuance of his/her first ABTC, the applicant may request for the issuance of an ABTC with the most updated pre-clearance results. Please make the request* in writing with the applicant’s signature to the Department. Such replacement with only updating of pre-clearance results is free of charge.

When all concerned economies have processed his/her pre-clearance request, the applicant still needs to provide a written request for the issue of an ABTC regardless an interim ABTC had been issued to him/her or not.

Since the ABTC is linked to the applicant’s current passport, the applicant is required to apply for a replacement ABTC if his/her new passport bears a different number. Please make the request* in writing with the applicant’s signature and attach a copy of his/her new passport to the Department for issuance of replacement ABTC. A replacement fee will be charged for card replacement for the remainder of its validity period and is payable upon collection of the replacement ABTC. Upon collection, the applicant or his/her authorised representative must produce the applicant’s original valid new passport for inspection if this has not been done when the applicant submitted the replacement application, and submit the previously granted ABTC for cancellation (if any).

If the applicant lost the ABTC or if there is any card damage, please make the request* in writing with the applicant’s signature to the Department for issuance of replacement ABTC. A replacement fee will be charged for card replacement for the remainder of its validity period and is payable upon collection of the replacement ABTC.

* The request for the issue of replacement ABTC with the applicant’s signature can be sent to the Department by post or by fax 2824 1161. The applicant will be informed by letter when the replacement ABTC is ready for collection.

The current prescribed fee for new issue of the card is HK$540; a fee of HK$210 will be charged for card replacement for the remainder of its validity period. The fee is payable upon collection of the applicant’s ABTC. The relevant fee could be settled by cash, EPS, Octopus, Faster Payment System (FPS) or cheque. The cheque should be crossed, made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, properly dated and signed. Application fee should not be sent.

• APEC Business Travel Card website
• Application forms relating to APEC Business Travel Card

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