Effective October 16th, 2024 arrival card is not required to clear Hong Kong immigration. Prior to this new policy, when arriving in Hong Kong, you had to fill out Hong Kong arrival card and submit the arrival card to the immigration officer for immigration clearance.
Not so long ago, we wrote a simple guide on filling out Hong Kong arrival card. And just before 2024 ends, Hong Kong authority has moved on to scrap the paper-based arrival card policy in order to streamline the immigration process for visitors to Hong Kong.
No Arrival Card, No Digital Arrival Card
You may speculate that under the new policy, Hong Kong will replace the paper-based arrival card with a digital version of arrival card. Some countries have been doing so in transitioning from paper-based arrival card. For example, Thailand will transition into Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system in January 2025. Similary, United Kingdom has also introduced its ETA program, effective from January 2025, and start requiring travelers to pay for the ETA application. Other countries such as Malaysia and Singapore already require arriving visitors to fill out digital arrival card.
In case of Hong Kong, it is the full elimination of arrival card requirement. No replacement in digital form whatsoever. With this new policy, visitors to Hong Kong can clear the immigration with less requirement and thus shortening the immigration clearance process.
However, it is important to note that the elimination of the arrival card requirement does not affect existing visa requirement. Ensure that your passport grants you visa exemption to visit Hong Kong. If your citizenship results in a visa requirement to enter Hong Kong, make sure that you have already obtained a valid visa prior to walking to Hong Kong immigration checkpoint for entry to Hong Kong.
e-Channel Service (Automated Immigration Clearance) vs Manned Immigration Clearance
When you arrive in Hong Kong by landing at Hong Kong International airport (HKIA), there will be two options for clearing immigration: e-Channel service and manned immigration clearance. Not all options are available for visitors, though. While manned immigration clearance be used by all visitors, e-Channel service can only be used by eligible visitors on enrollment basis.
e-Channel Service
The e-Channel service is automated immigration clearance service provided to eligible visitors to Hong Kong. Visitors with enrollment to e-Channel service can use the automated gates for self-service immigration clearance when entering Hong Kong. Furthermore, e-Channel service can also be used at Smart Departure gates for self-service travel document check and departure clearance when departing from Hong Kong.
To be eligible for e-Channel service, a visitor must meet any of the following criteria:
- Thailand passport holders
- Singapore passport holders
- Australia passport holders
- South Korea passport holders
- Germany passport holders
- Macao permanent residents
- Holders of electronic exit-entry permit for traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (e-EEP holder)
- Frequent visitors to Hong Kong
If you travel frequently to Hong Kong and are not a holder of Thailand / Singapore / Australia / South Korea passport, you can apply for e-Channel service enrollment as a frequent visitor. The requirement to be classified as a frequent visitor is to have made visits to Hong Kong at least 3 times in the last 12 months right before the enrollment. Alternatively, if you are a holder of HKSAR Travel Pass, APEC Business Travel Card with HKG printed on the back side, or a Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) member from airlines participating in the e-Channel Service, you are also classified as a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and eligible for enrollment in e-Channel service.
You can check more details on the e-Channel service eligibility from the official portal administered by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
If you are interested in applying for e-Channel Service enrollment, you can visit the e-Channel enrollment offices at Hong Kong airport located at the North and South arrival hall after arrival counters. Refer to the map below for the location of the enrollment offices.
Manned Immigration Clearance
As the name hints, manned immigration clearance is conducted by an immigration officer. When you use manned immigration clearance at Hong Kong airport, you will need to locate the human-staffed immigration counters. You can look at the signboard that displays “Visitors” or ask an officer nearby if you’re in doubt.
After getting into the immigration queue, you then walk to an available immigration counter and submit the required travel document to the immigration officer at the counter. Since arrival card is not required anymore, you will only need to provide your passport and boarding pass. However, if your country is not under Hong Kong visa-free scheme, you should also present a valid visa to the officer.
Upon receiving travel document, the officer will inspect the document and give you the immigration clearance. A landing slip will be provided to you. The landing slip contains relevant information related to your stay in Hong Kong, including your duration of stay.
The human-staffed immigration counters can be used by all visitors. It is the default immigration clearance process for entry to Hong Kong.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is arrival card required for entry to Hong Kong?
A: Starting from October 16th, 2024, arrival card is not needed at all when clearing immigration for entry to Hong Kong. Refer to the section above for more details.
Q: Do I still need visa to visit Hong Kong?
A: Even though arrival card requirement has been eliminated, Hong Kong visa policy stays the same. You need to check for the visa requirement prior to visiting Hong Kong. Citizens from most countries can visit Hong Kong visa-free. However, there are still some countries with visa requirement for visiting or even transiting in Hong Kong.
Q: If I clear Hong Kong immigration through e-Channel service, will I still get the landing slip?
A: Yes, when clearing Hong Kong immigration using e-Channel, you will still get a landing slip upon completion of arrival clearance. However, the landing slip is different with that of manned immigration clearance. For e-Channel immigration clearance, the landing slip bears the Smart Departure logo to indicate your eligibility for self-service departure clearance through an automated gate. An e-Channel landing slip specimen is provided in the image below for your reference.
Q: Can I use manned immigration clearance if I am already enrolled in e-Channel service?
A: Yes, the manned immigration clearance is available for all visitors to Hong Kong, including those with e-Channel service enrollment. However, manned immigration clearance process will usually take more time due to longer queue and human-assisted travel document inspection.