The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected international travel on an unprecedented scale, and severely limited the foreign destinations which air passengers are able to visit, including for transit to an onward destination. This has been the case for transit through Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), as well as any number of other major air hubs in Asia.
In April 2020, the number of passengers traveling through HKG had dropped a dramatic 99.5% compared to the same month the previous year, and seen a 73.5% drop in the number of arriving and departing flights.
This is largely because Hong Kong Airport was closed to non-residents of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) in March, including transit passengers, in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Is HKG Open to Transit Passengers?
HKG reopened its transfer services on June 1st, and international passengers on a layover can now continue to transit through Hong Kong on their way to a third destination.
Nevertheless, the airport has introduced several Hong Kong travel restrictions for coronavirus that transfer passengers must respect if they are planning a layover through the airport.
It is also important to meet HK SAR visa requirements and how to check Hong Kong visa status to ensure that all passengers have valid documentation in order to pass through the airport without any issues.
Is it safe to transit through Hong Kong now?
It is generally safe to transit through Hong Kong International now that the Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AA) has implemented a range of health measures for passengers changing flights at the transport hub.
Vivian Cheung, executive director of airport operation, has said that the AA has “been working closely with the government, airlines and our business partners to put in place a set of comprehensive measures to ensure a smooth resumption of transfer/transit services and a safe end-to-end journey for passengers”.
These measures include:
- Cleaning and disinfection of the boarding gate area after each arriving flight
- Obligatory use of face masks in all passenger-accessible areas of Hong Kong Airport
- Placement of alcohol-based hand gel dispensers and sanitizing floor mats at each arrival gate and through the entire airport terminal
- The use of protective screens at all service counters
- Designated dining areas for transfer passengers.
Hong Kong Airport transit restrictions
Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier of Hong Kong, has also outlined a number of Hong Kong airport transit COVID restrictions that all passengers planning a layover in the Special Administrative Region must comply with.
These include:
- All transit passengers must travel for all legs of the journey on the same ticket/itinerary and with the same airline
- Check-in for all flights must be completed before arrival at Hong Kong Airport
- All boarding passes and luggage tags must be printed out in advance
- All luggage must be checked through to the final destination
- The connection time between flights must be no more than 24 hours.
Upon arrival at Hong Kong International, all transfer passengers must:
- Undergo body temperature screening
- Go directly to the boarding gates for their connecting flights
- Be given stickers at their transfer point for identification purpose
- Keep a physical distance of at least 1.5 meters from each other when standing in queues.
Additional Hong Kong transit restrictions apply to all passengers arriving from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and the USA. These travelers must present a medical certificate with a negative COVID-19 test result on arrival, or face paying a fine or even jail time.
Who needs a visa to transit through Hong Kong?
While a number of nationalities do not need a visa or travel authorization to transfer through HKG, citizens of the following countries need a Hong Kong transit visa to pass through the airport, even if they remain within the airport transfer zone:
| ● Afghanistan
● Angola ● Bangladesh ● Burundi ● Cameroon ● Central African Republic |
● Congo1
● DR Congo ● Eritrea ● Ethiopia1 ● Gambia |
● Ghana
● Guinea Bissau ● Iran ● Iraq ● Ivory Coast |
● Liberia
● Libya ● Nepal ● Nigeria ● North Korea |
● Pakistan1
● Rwanda ● Somalia |
● Sudan
● Sri Lanka ● Syria ● Togo ● Yemen |
Please note it is necessary for visa-required visitors to Hong Kong to obtain a separate visa if they plan to travel to mainland China.
How to get a transit visa for a layover in Hong Kong
Visa-required citizens with a flight to Hong Kong for transit purposes are currently required to obtain a visa from the nearest embassy or consulate of Hong Kong in their country of residence before departure.
An application should be submitted well in advance of the expected date of arrival in HK SAR, as it may take up to 4 weeks for processing and approval of the visa to be completed.
As part of the application process, it is necessary to have a passport from an eligible country with at least 1 month of validity beyond the date of their intended stay.
Applicants may also be requested to supply proof of sufficient funds to cover the stay in Hong Kong, as well as to present evidence of confirmed flight bookings for onward travel.
Author Bio: Abhirup Banerjee is an experienced content writer. He is associated with many renowned travel blogs as a guest author where he shares his valuable travel tips with the audience.
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