Hong Kong Lifts International Travel Quarantine After More Than Two Years

The Hong Kong government has announced the end of mandatory quarantine for international arrivals, bringing an end to over two and a half years of strict pandemic measures.

Starting September 26, new regulations will require incoming travelers to self-monitor for three days upon arrival.

Amid economic struggles, an outflow of foreign nationals, and concerns about Hong Kong losing its global status as 'Asia’s World City,' the government faced pressure to ease restrictions from the business community and some public health experts.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive, John Lee, confirmed in a highly awaited press briefing that the city's infection rates have stabilized, making the end of quarantine measures possible.

"We aim to provide maximum flexibility to reconnect Hong Kong and rejuvenate our economy," Lee stated.

Travelers will have the option to complete their three-day self-monitoring period at home or any other location of their choice. They will be allowed to go outdoors, but certain places will remain off-limits.

Travelers will no longer be required to show a negative PCR test before boarding. Instead, they must present a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) result taken within 24 hours of their flight.

During the three-day self-monitoring period, individuals will be assigned an amber status on the city's digital health code, preventing them from entering certain venues like bars and restaurants.

Arrivals will need to take PCR tests on days 2, 4, and 6 after their arrival, along with daily RAT tests for seven days following their entry.

The policy change came after Japan revealed plans to reopen its borders on October 11 and Taiwan announced it would lift its mandatory quarantine on October 13, contingent on the island having passed the peak of its latest Omicron BA-5 wave.

Pressure to ease restrictions mounted as two major international events, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament and a global banking conference, were set for November, with many seeing these as key to revitalizing the city, which has been battered by pro-democracy protests and a subsequent crackdown on civil rights by Beijing.

While many countries introduced border controls at the start of the pandemic, most have since relaxed them, including Singapore, which competes with Hong Kong to attract international business and talent.

However, unlike other global cities, Hong Kong's Covid-19 policies have remained tightly aligned with mainland China's stringent zero-Covid strategy, which still includes border quarantines and continues to prioritize infection control over relaxation.

Under Carrie Lam, Lee's predecessor who left office on June 30, calls to loosen border restrictions were complicated by the opposing demand for quarantine-free travel to the mainland—a proposal that has yet to be realized.

A clear sign of Beijing's endorsement for Hong Kong’s new policy approach came on September 20, when Huang Liuquan, the deputy head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, stated that the Hong Kong government had been aligning its policies with local circumstances and that recent adjustments should not be ‘overanalyzed.’

Although Hong Kong’s new policy for international arrivals may not signal immediate shifts in mainland policy, it highlights the growing differences between the two regions.

While Hong Kong kept local Covid-19 cases relatively low during the first two years of the pandemic, the city faced a dramatic surge in cases earlier this year due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. Since then, it has avoided returning to a zero-Covid strategy and continues to report hundreds to thousands of daily cases. Official records show over 1.7 million cases in the city of 7.4 million, though experts believe the true number is even higher.

In contrast, mainland China’s population has largely remained unexposed to the virus, leaving it vulnerable due to a lack of natural immunity. This has raised concerns among health officials who worry about the strain a widespread outbreak could place on the country's healthcare system.

Hong Kong’s new measures come more than 900 days after the city first implemented border restrictions in March 2020, and nearly two years since it imposed hotel quarantine for all international arrivals in December 2020. At its peak, the quarantine period lasted 21 days, with travelers who tested positive being relocated to government-designated facilities, including at times, camps.

The program became more controversial as Covid-19 vaccines became widely available, local case numbers increased, and countries with similar systems, such as New Zealand and Australia, began reopening their borders.

This summer, a shortage of available hotel rooms and limited flight options sparked public frustration, as travelers feared being stranded outside the city until a room became available, particularly if their plans were disrupted by catching Covid-19 or having their flights rescheduled.

In recent months, some restrictions have been relaxed. In May, non-residents were allowed to enter Hong Kong from overseas for the first time in over two years, and in July, the policy that suspended some flights carrying Covid-positive passengers was lifted.

Earlier this summer, the administration of Chief Executive John Lee shortened quarantine from one week to three days, followed by four days of health monitoring, during which arrivals are prohibited from visiting places like bars, gyms, and restaurants.

Hotel quarantine and pre-flight testing had remained significant barriers to entry into Hong Kong, but questions still persist about how the new policy will impact the revival of the city’s once-thriving tourism industry.