Immigration update: End of 0+3 regime for arrivals to Hong Kong

A series of anti-epidemic measures are adjusted for all arrivals to Hong Kong on Wednesday, 14 December 2022.

Who will be affected?

All travellers entering Hong Kong.

Background

The current arrangement of 0+3, in which overseas arrivals are required to complete three days of medical surveillance, and during this period, they are given an amber code on the government’s risk exposure app “Leave Home Safe”, which meant they were not able to enter restaurants, gyms and beauty parlours on the first three days of arrivals.

Impact

The Hong Kong government has announced that this will be scrapped as of 14 December 2022 and adopting 0+0 regime. All incoming travellers who tested negative will be given a blue code on their health app and can move freely about the city, including visiting restaurants, gyms, and beauty parlours.

Arrivals still need to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at the airport and on their third day in the city at a community test centre and a daily self-administering rapid antigen test (RAT) for five days. Travellers arriving in Hong Kong will still need to take a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 24 hours of departure to Hong Kong, replacing the previous requirement of a nucleic acid test (PCR).

Those who test positive will still get the red health code and must follow the usual isolation protocols.

For persons travelling to the Mainland China or Macao from Hong Kong

With reference to the latest anti-epidemic measures in the Mainland, in particular the inbound testing requirements of the Mainland, the Government will lift the additional pre-departure nucleic acid test arrangement at the control points for persons travelling to the Mainland or Macao effective 14 December 2022. Relevant travellers will still be required to obtain a negative nucleic acid test result within 48 hours prior to boarding (for travellers departing via the airport) or departure (for travellers departing via land boundary control points) as required by the destination.

Furthermore, along with the lifting of Amber Code and special nucleic acid test arrangement for travelling to the Mainland or Macao, inbound travellers who comply with the relevant requirements for entering the Mainland may travel directly to the Mainland or Macao via Hong Kong control points without any waiting for conversion of the Amber Code to a Blue Code. The relevant requirements include obtaining a negative nucleic acid test result conducted within 48 hours.

Impact

Expect an influx of people returning to Hong Kong in the coming months, especially business travellers and tourists.

Implementation date

14 December 2022

Santa Fe recommendation

Santa Fe advises all our clients to continue to take health and safety measures while they travel.

The HKSAR government is continuing to monitor the situation and is aiming to suspend all measures in phases.

While government policies are not always straightforward, you can reach out to your local Santa Fe consultant for more information and guidance.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

Jason Li
Immigration Manager – Hong Kong
​Santa Fe Relocation
Hong Kong
D: +852 2833 2526
M: +852 9768 0021
​E: jason.li@santaferelo.com

Robert Day
Group Head of Immigration Operations
Santa Fe Relocation
London, UK
E: Robert.Day@santaferelo.com
D: +44 7990 021125

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