Exemption from Compulsory Quarantine Arrangement for inbound travellers from the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan
Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for detailed information regarding the testing and isolation arrangement for exempted persons arriving Hong Kong at Hong Kong International Airport and land boundary control points. |
(Updated as at 20 November 2020)
Under section 4(1) of the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) (the Regulation), made under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), the Chief Secretary for Administration may designate any person or category of persons fulfilling certain criteria for exemption that –
- the person’s or persons’ entry into Hong Kong —
- is necessary for the supply of goods or services required for the normal operation of Hong Kong or the daily needs of the people of Hong Kong;
- is necessary for governmental operation;
- is necessary for the protection of the safety or health of the people of Hong Kong or the handling of the public health emergency within the meaning of section 8(5) of the Ordinance concerning the specified disease;
- is necessary for the person’s or persons’ receiving nursery, kindergarten, primary or secondary education at any school registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) in Hong Kong or for the provision of such education;
- is necessary for the safe travelling of any person for the purposes mentioned in subparagraph (iv); or;
- because of the exceptional circumstances of the case, otherwise serves the public interest of Hong Kong; or
- the person’s or persons’ travelling is necessary for purposes relating to manufacturing operations, business activities or provision of professional services in the interest of Hong Kong’s economic development.
In accordance with section 4(1) of the Regulation, the Chief Secretary for Administration has exempted the following categories of persons from the compulsory quarantine requirement.
No. | Category of persons | Enquiry | Application form |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers and necessary accompanying personnel |
Transport and Housing Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 7199 |
Not applicable |
2 | Cross-boundary coach or shuttle drivers and crew members | ||
3 | Crew members of aircraft who need to commute to and from Mainland, Macao and Taiwan for performance of necessary duties | ||
4 | Government officials carrying out governmental duties | Not applicable | Not applicable |
5 | Government agents and contractors supporting the operation of cross-boundary functions |
|
Not applicable |
6 | Crew members of goods vessels (with cargo operation) [Remark: Exemption of compulsory quarantine and crew change for goods vessels without cargo operation has been suspended from 29 July 2020 until the local epidemic situation is contained.] |
Transport and Housing Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 7199 |
Not applicable |
7 | Crew members of passenger ships (including crew members of vessels operating transit services for SkyPier at the Hong Kong International Airport) [Remark: Exemption of compulsory quarantine and crew change for passenger ships has been suspended from 29 July 2020 until the local epidemic situation is contained.] |
Transport and Housing Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 7199 |
Not applicable |
8 | Crew members of fishing vessels and fish collectors (including mainland fishermen deckhands) |
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2150 7101 |
Not applicable |
9 | Personnel of organisations commissioned by the Director of Social Welfare to provide welfare support for Hong Kong residents living in the Mainland |
Social Welfare Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2892 5214 |
Not applicable |
10 | Construction personnel tasked to carry out off-site duties in the Mainland that are essential and cannot be replaced by other means to ensure the quality, integrity and statutory compliance of services or components to be used in government projects, public housing projects and Airport Authority projects in Hong Kong |
Development Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 8801 Transport and Housing Bureau
|
Not applicable |
11 | Experts, personnel of the academic sectors or of international authorities who are engaged in research and/or provide advice in combating the COVID-19 infection to the HKSAR Government |
Department of Health Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2961 8989 or 2961 8991 |
Not applicable |
12 | Staff of Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse and livestock importers residing in the Mainland |
Food and Environment Hygiene Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2868 0000 |
Not applicable |
13 | Staff and personnel of public bodies and their partners for the supply of wristbands and related materials for home quarantine |
Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2582 4520 |
Not applicable |
14 | Personnel of public bodies and their partners, agencies, companies or organisations for the supply to Hong Kong of personal protective equipment (PPE) or materials / equipment for the production of PPE |
Department of Health Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2125 2512 or 2961 8989 or 2961 8991 |
Not applicable |
15 | The category of persons verified to be Hong Kong residents living in the Mainland side of Sha Tau Kok |
Security Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2810 2327 North District Office Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2675 1600 |
Not applicable |
16 | Staff of security companies who are responsible for transporting physical currency and bearer negotiable instruments (CBNIs) to and from Macao |
Customs and Excise Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3759 3184 |
Not applicable |
17 |
Personnel of companies engaged in manufacturing goods for supply to Hong Kong for its normal operation or for the daily needs of the people of Hong Kong:
|
Trade and Industry Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2398 5553 |
Link |
18 |
Personnel of Hong Kong enterprises with manufacturing operations in the Mainland:
|
Trade and Industry Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2398 5553 |
Link |
19 | Persons employed and so authorised by The University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen Hospital |
Food and Health Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 8953 |
Link |
20 |
|
||
21 | Veterinary surgeon, veterinary academics & relevant experts who may work with the Government on prevention and control of animal and zoonotic disease |
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2150 6824 |
Not applicable |
22 |
Construction personnel for provision of professional services in the Mainland:
|
|
Link |
23 |
|
Department of Justice Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3918 4570 |
Link |
24 |
A qualified legal practitioner acting for a party in an important and large-scale commercial transaction, being transactions for listing on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong or notifiable transactions of listed companies under the applicable listing rules of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, who either
|
Department of Justice Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3918 4570 |
Link |
25 |
|
Innovation and Technology Commission Enquiry: [email protected] Due to office relocation on 5 Sep 2020, the enquiry hotline has been updated as follows: Phone: 2180 9063 or 2180 9056 The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2780 6900 or 2780 6938 Cyberport Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3166 3891 or 3166 3709 |
Link |
26 | Certified public accountants (practising), partners, directors or employees of practice units registered with the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants under the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap. 50), who are required to travel to the Mainland to conduct audit work for companies listed on a recognized stock market (as defined by section 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571)) and having Mainland operations, to assist those companies to fulfil their obligations under relevant Ordinances or other regulatory instruments that govern the operation of the companies or their business |
Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3655 5158 The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2287 7228 |
Not applicable |
27 | Directors of the companies listed on Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK) or directors of companies applying for listing on SEHK (“listing applicants”) who are on duty travel from Mainland to Hong Kong, or return from duty travel in the Mainland to Hong Kong. The purpose of such duty travel is recognized by SEHK as essential to the operation of the listed companies or listing applicants. Specified duties include:
|
|
Link |
28 | Directors or executives of companies listed on the SEHK and included in the Hang Seng Index, Hang Seng China Enterprises Index or Hang Seng Composite LargeCap, MidCap or SmallCap Index who travel from the Mainland to Hong Kong, or return from the Mainland to Hong Kong for essential business activities | Listing Division of HKEX for listed companies | Link |
29 |
Logistics, Port and/or Shipping Business Activities in the Mainland:
|
Transport and Housing Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 8211 |
Link |
30 |
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2668 0197 (Agricultural trade) or 2150 7098 (Fisheries trade) |
Link (Agriculture) Link (Fisheries) |
31 |
Hong Kong residents who reside in the Mainland and have been enrolled at Secondary 3 to Secondary 5 levels in schools registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) in Hong Kong, and who have to enter Hong Kong from the Mainland for the purpose of receiving secondary education [Remark: Exemption from compulsory quarantine for cross-boundary students in the 2019/20 school year has ended on 17 July 2020.] |
Education Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 2891 0088 |
Not applicable |
32 | Personnel of the companies or organisations for the supply of COVID-19 testing services in Hong Kong |
Food and Health Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 8953 |
Not applicable |
33 |
|
Transport and Housing Bureau Enquiry: [email protected] Phone: 3509 8240 |
Not applicable |
For general enquiries on the exemption arrangement, please contact Food and Health Bureau ([email protected]).