Starting May 5, overseas visitors who got vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 outside of Hong Kong can get Provisional Vaccine Passes so that they can enter premises that are covered by the vaccine pass arrangement in the city. In other words, this pass will act as a subsitute for non-Hong Kong residents who don’t have local vaccination records so they can enter restaurants, malls, grocery stores, cinemas, etc.
More about the Provisional Vaccine Pass
From May 1, foreign nationals have been allowed to enter Hong Kong. The government has also stated that all citizens, unless exempted, must get their third vaccine shot by May 31 so that their vaccine pass remains valid. Visitors must also get a vaccine pass to enter establishments covered by the scheme.
Starting May 5, inbound travellers who have not been able to get their booster according to local vaccine pass requirements will be given a Provisional Vaccine Pass. This pass is valid for six months from the date of a traveller’s arrival into the SAR. It can be used in place of a vaccination record to enter establishments covered by the vaccine pass initiative.
From May 5, inbound travellers who meet these criteria can get their Provisional Vaccine Pass in the following ways:
- International arrivals who enter the city on and after May 5: Authorities at the airport and other entry points will issue anyone who enters the city from overseas a vaccination QR code and a Provisional Vaccine Pass.
- International arrivals who entered the city before May 5: After they finish their hotel quarantine, these travellers can get their Provisional Vaccine Pass from any one of 18 designated post offices, where they must first fill in a declaration form and present their ID and proof of arrival date.
- Travellers from Mainland China or Macau: Arrivals from these places who are exempt from quarantine can get a Provisional Vaccine Pass from a designated post office. They must fill out a declaration form, present their ID, and proof of their arrival date or the medical surveillance notice issued to people exempted from quarantine.
Visitors who plan to remain in Hong Kong for more than six months after they receive this temporary vaccine pass must get vaccinated in the city before it expires. They will then get an updated vaccination record QR code.
Covid-19 recovery record for non-locally recovered people
Inbound travellers who have recovered from Covid-19 can also receive a recovery QR code so that they comply with vaccine pass requirements. This code is valid for six months from the date of recovery and can be used in lieu of a vaccination record to enter places covered by the vaccine pass scheme. The code is issued in the following ways:
- International arrivals who enter the city on and after May 5: They can present their proof of recovery when they enter Hong Kong to get a non-local vaccination QR code that will include their recovery status.
- International arrivals who entered the city before May 5: They can submit their non-local recovery record at a designated post office after completing a declaration form, showing proof of identity, and their infection or recovery record. They will then get a recovery record QR code.
What happens to recovered visitors who test positive for Covid-19 at the airport? The Department of Health may allow a person who tests positive for Covid-19 via a PCR test at the airport and who has recovered from the virus within the past three months to stay at their designated quarantine hotel. They will make a decision based on the data provided in the PCR test results and the information in the recovery record.
Currently, anyone who tests positive upon arrival at the airport is transferred to a community isolation hotel. They can be discharged if they produce negative rapid antigen test (RAT) results on Days 6 and 7 after they initially tested positive.
Header image credits: Raysonho via WikiCommons
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