A guide for Hong Kong’s inbound travellers: How to get a Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code

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Relevant persons may carry with them or present the Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code as a substitute for the vaccination record to enter specified premises under the Vaccine Pass.

As non-Hong Kong residents (HKRs) are being allowed to enter Hong Kong from overseas from 1 May 2022, the Hong Kong government has announced the arrangements for inbound travellers from places outside Hong Kong to obtain a Provisional Vaccine Pass, and for non-locally recovered persons to obtain a COVID-19 recovery record QR code to align with the third stage of the Vaccine Pass arrangement.

Under the current Vaccine Pass arrangement, all applicable individuals in general have to carry with them or present the vaccination record QR code or a recovery record QR code to enter specified premises under the Vaccine Pass. Starting from 31 May 2022, people are required to receive a third dose to continue to use the Vaccine Pass. Recovered persons who have received two or three doses of vaccine are not required to receive additional doses of vaccine to comply with the Vaccine Pass requirement.

Currently, all inbound travellers who have stayed in overseas places in the past 14 days (including non-Hong Kong residents (non-HKRs) are required to be fully vaccinated (generally referring to two doses of vaccine) and hold a recognised vaccination record in order to board a flight for Hong Kong.

However, inbound travellers may not be able to receive the third dose of vaccine in relevant places for fulfilling the requirements under stage three of the Vaccine Pass. To provide convenience for persons staying temporarily in Hong Kong, inbound travellers arriving 1 May 2022 onwards from overseas (including HKRs and non-HKRs) will be issued with a Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code through the following channels.

How to obtain

Inbound travellers who arrived in Hong Kong from 5 May 2022 onwards and are subject to compulsory quarantine

• They can declare their non-local vaccination details and/or non-local recovery record (if applicable) when making the 'Health & Quarantine Information Declaration' at the Department of Health's online platform.
• Upon arrival in Hong Kong, they will be issued at boundary control points (including land and airport boundary control points) with:
  1. a compulsory quarantine order;
  2. a vaccination record QR code with recovery status (if applicable) for local use; and
  3. a Provisional Vaccine Pass.

Inbound travellers who arrived in Hong Kong before 5 May 2022 and are subject to compulsory quarantine

• They may visit the 18 designated post offices starting from 5 May or after completing quarantine to fill in the declaration form and present relevant proofs, including:
  1. their original identity document;
  2. their compulsory quarantine order;
  3. non-local vaccination record and/or and/or non-local recovery record (if applicable).
• Upon completion of declaration and confirmation, they will be issued immediately with:
  1. a vaccination record QR code with recovery status (if applicable) for local use; and/or
  2. a Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code (if applicable).

Inbound travellers who arrived in Hong Kong from the Mainland or Macao via the 'Return2hk', 'Come2hk' scheme on or after 1 May 2022 and are not required to undergo compulsory quarantine

• They may visit the 18 designated post offices starting from 5 May to fill in the declaration form and present relevant proofs, including:
  1. their original identity document;
  2. non-local vaccination record and/or and/or non-local recovery record (if applicable);
  3. Return2hk or Come2hk arrival health declaration QR code showing their arrival date;
  4. a medical surveillance notice issued to persons exempted from quarantine (if applicable).
• Upon completion of declaration and confirmation, they will be issued immediately with:
  1. a vaccination record QR code with recovery status (if applicable) for local use; and/or
  2. a Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code (if applicable).

Persons aged under 18 or persons with a disability can authorise a person to register on their behalf. 

Validity

• Provisional Vaccine Pass: within 180 days (i.e. six months) from the date of arrival.
• Recovery record QR code: within 180 days (i.e. six months) from the date of recovery.

The Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code may be saved in the ‘LeaveHomeSafe’ mobile application. During the period, relevant persons may carry with them or present the Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code as a substitute for the vaccination record to enter specified premises under the Vaccine Pass.

Recovered persons who have received two or three doses of vaccine can continue to use the vaccination record QR code with their recovery status incorporated to enter Vaccine Pass premises. Those who have not been vaccinated or who have only received one dose of vaccine are required to receive the required dosage of vaccine during the validity period of the Provisional Vaccine Pass/recovery record QR code locally to continue to comply with the Vaccine Pass requirement. Relevant persons will be issued with the updated vaccination record QR code, with their recovery status incorporated after getting vaccinated.

As a transitional measure, non-locally recovered persons may still present the infection or recovery record issued or recognised by the relevant health authorities of the place concerned on or before 30 June 2022 for the Vaccine Pass purposes. Subsequently, they are required to use the recovery record QR code, or the vaccination record QR code with their recovery status incorporated.

The spokesman said, "The implementation of the Provisional Vaccine Pass arrangement aims to provide a transitional period for inbound travellers to meet the Vaccine Pass requirements. We strongly appeal to members of the public who have not been vaccinated, members of the public who are currently eligible for a third or fourth dose should also get the dose as soon as possible with a view to building an immune barrier for Hong Kong."

For details, please refer to FAQ – Non-local COVID-19 Vaccination Record/Recovery Record/'Provisional Vaccine Pass' QR codes.

Image / 123RF

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