Considering that COVID-19 vaccine has been widely administered in places outside Hong Kong and the local Vaccine Pass requirements will be further strengthened (lowering the applicable age starting from September 30, and requiring all persons aged 12 or above to be vaccinated with three doses starting from the end of November), the Government announced today (September 16) revision to the Provisional Vaccine Pass applicable to all inbound travellers, requiring them to have received at least two doses starting from tomorrow (September 17).

     In order to facilitate the implementation of Vaccine Pass, the Government launched the Provisional Vaccine Pass arrangement for inbound travellers in May this year. The consideration then was that inbound travellers from places outside Hong Kong (including those from the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan, and overseas places) might not be able to receive the required dosage in relevant places as stipulated under the local Vaccine Pass. The relevant arrangement at the time could provide sufficient time for inbound travellers who intend to stay in Hong Kong for a longer period of time to receive additional dose(s) of vaccine in the city to comply with the Vaccine Pass requirements. It has also facilitated short-term travellers to Hong Kong in entering Vaccine Pass applicable premises for their daily activities. Under the relevant arrangement, the Government has issued since May Provisional Vaccine Pass to inbound travellers arriving from places outside Hong Kong (including Hong Kong residents (HKRs) and non-Hong Kong residents (non-HKRs)) at boundary control points or 18 designated post offices (Note) (See relevant press release for details).

     Under the current national framework of joint prevention and control, having vaccinated is not a general requirement for cross-province/city/district travelling. There is also no vaccination requirement for travellers entering the Mainland from Hong Kong. As such, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has no plan to impose vaccination requirement to travellers from the Mainland so as to avoid hindering the normal flow of personnel between the two places.

     The implementation arrangements to be effective from 0.00am tomorrow are as follows:

     The vaccination requirements for inbound travellers to be issued the Provisional Vaccine Pass will be aligned as follows:

(1) Persons aged 12 or above are required to be fully vaccinated in order to comply with the requirement to be issued the Provisional Vaccine Pass. Being fully vaccinated means the required dosage has been administered in accordance with the List of COVID-19 Vaccines Recognised for Specified Purposes, referring to two doses in general. As for recovered persons who had been infected with COVID-19, they are required to have received one dose in order to be classified as fully vaccinated.

(2) Persons who are unfit for vaccination due to health reasons bearing relevant proof issued by a medical practitioner, or persons who have received one dose of recognised COVID-19 vaccine and hold a vaccination record but unfit to receive the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine because of health reasons, bearing relevant proof issued by a medical practitioner, will also be considered as eligible to be issued the Provisional Vaccine Pass. The relevant medical certificate must indicate in Chinese or English the health reasons for the relevant person being unfit for vaccination.

(3) Considering that in places outside Hong Kong, vaccination for children aged 11 or below has started later than that for adults, children aged 11 or below will be issued the Provisional Vaccine Pass without having vaccinated at this stage.

     A government spokesman said, “The Provisional Vaccine Pass arrangement is applicable to all inbound travellers, including HKRs and non-HKRs as well as travellers from the Mainland, Macao, Taiwan and overseas places.”

     “The Provisional Vaccine Pass aims to provide a transitional period for inbound travellers to receive vaccination upon their arrival at Hong Kong to meet the vaccination requirements under the Vaccine Pass, and at the same time allow those who are in Hong Kong for a short stay to enter Vaccine Pass applicable premises. For eligible inbound travellers who intend to stay in Hong Kong for a longer period of time, we call on them to receive the required dosage of vaccine at venues providing COVID-19 vaccination in Hong Kong according to the vaccination requirements under the Vaccine Pass as soon as possible upon their arrival in Hong Kong, such that they can secure protection by vaccination early and continue to enter premises subject to the Vaccine Pass after the expiry of the Provisional Vaccine Pass.”

Note: Channels of obtaining a Provisional Vaccine Pass:

(i) Persons subject to compulsory quarantine and eligible for obtaining a Provisional Vaccine Pass will be issued a compulsory quarantine order together with a Provisional Vaccine Pass for local use at boundary control points (including land and airport boundary control points) upon arrival at Hong Kong.

(ii) Persons arriving Hong Kong from the Mainland or Macao and are not subject to compulsory quarantine (including persons who enter Hong Kong through the Return2hk Scheme or Come2hk Scheme) may declare their arrival record at the 18 designated post offices for obtaining a Provisional Vaccine Pass.