Disclaimer: This article details steps on how to travel from Hong Kong to China mainland in 2022, however, with the pandemic situation in both Hong Kong and China Mainland, things could change without notice, please refer also to the risks and warnings regarding the transfer via HK.
List of documents needed to travel from Hong Kong to China Mainland:
1. Health Station Room Reservation
If you are planning to enter China mainland via Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint then you must reserve a room on the Online Health Station Room Reservation System (https://hk.sz.gov.cn:8118/) up to 7 days in advance.
At the time of writing this article, the system has a daily quota limit of 600 bookings (down from the initial 2000 when the system was first made available) and operates daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
After a reservation is made successfully, you must confirm the booking on the day of travel and save the green QR Code as a screenshot on your phone or print it out.
Travelers must present the reservation confirmation document at checkpoint to the immigration officers so that room arrangements can be made for their 14-day quarantine.
2. Nucleic Acid Test (PCR):
Although nucleic acid testing is required on-site when traveling through Shenzhen Bay Port, this does not mean that Hong Kong nucleic acid testing reports are not required as well.
So, you need to schedule an appointment ahead of time on the Community Testing Centers website at https://www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/.
Making an appointment on that website is simple, cheap, and quick. It is recommended that you take the test 1 to 2 days before traveling. When scheduling an appointment, make sure to select “Yes” when asked if the test results will be used for travel.
According to the website, a test can be conducted within 10 minutes. However, due to the Omicron situation in Hong Kong and that mandatory testing was required at some point, the testing time may take longer as some community testing centers may have a large number of people applying for tests.
After 24 hours, you will receive an SMS that contains links to two password-protected PDF files. You must print out those two documents using a color printer as phone screenshots will NOT be accepted.
How to make an appointment?
- On the home page, click on 1. Book Online
- For Identity document type of applicant, make sure to select Other passports or travel documents
- Input the passport number and click Start Booking
- Input the name of the person being tested (the name must be the same as the name on the identification document)
- Enter a local mobile phone number to receive local SMS and select your preferred language (Chinese or English).
- Select a Community Testing Center
- Select an appointment slot. The available slots are from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM and from 2:30 PM to 8:00 PM.
- Check and DOUBLE CHECK the reservation information carefully before confirming: input of a wrong phone number will prevent you from receiving relevant notifications.
After completing and confirming the reservation, the system will display a confirmation page, and you will receive an SMS containing:
- Date and time of your appointment
- Name and reference number of the Community Testing Centre where you should go to get tested.
Please make sure to keep the SMS confirming your appointment and go to the Community Testing Center on the date and time of your appointment.
3. Health Declaration
On WeChat, go to Mini Programs and search for Customs Pocket Declaration or you can scan the QR code below:
Click on Health Declaration / Edit Health Declaration to fill in a Health Declaration form. When filling out the form, make sure that you select Entry under Entry/Exit Information.
Note: The Health declaration is valid for 24 hours so make sure you submit the health declaration no more than 24 hours before departure.
Once you have completed the health declaration form successfully, you will get a black QR code. Make sure to save a screenshot on your phone.
Travelling process from Hong Kong to China Mainland
Land entry via Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint:
According to the latest policy, all those who enter Shenzhen from abroad must go to hotel quarantine for 14 days, and bear the cost of centralized isolation food and accommodation by themselves.
Make sure to carry with you the relevant documents stated earlier, black pens, and various epidemic prevention supplies.
The Shenzhen customs clearance is as follows:
- Fill in the entry and exit declaration card and form + temperature measurement
- Go to the sampling room for nucleic acid testing
- Scan the health declaration code to fill in the relevant information or show the already filled health declaration done 24 hours prior.
- After clearing immigration and collecting luggage, a pandemic prevention staff will randomly assign you to an isolated hotel in Shenzhen. Please note that different hotels have different quarantine and meal fee.
- You will be directed to a bus that will take you directly from the port to the hotel, and when you get to the hotel, you will redo another nucleic acid test.
Air travel to China Mainland
Hong Kong has several direct flights to major cities in China: (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, just to name a few).
Travelers entering China mainland from Hong Kong must undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine, and the quarantine policies are different according to the city or province you are traveling to, so you can call the airport to consult the latest local policies before departure.
Let’s use the Hong Kong – Shanghai air route here as an example:
- Fill in the health declaration card after boarding. Please not that for pandemic prevention reasons, you can’t choose your own seat, passengers will sit apart.
- After disembarking from the plane, you must undergo a nucleic acid test.
- After clearing immigration and collecting luggage, a pandemic prevention staff will randomly assign you to an isolated hotel in Shanghai. Please note that different hotels have different quarantine and meal fee.
- If Shanghai is not your final destination then you can either undergo the full 14-day hotel quarantine in Shanghai (or 3 days in Shanghai and 11 in the final destination hotel quarantine if you are heading for Jiangsu, Zhejiang or Anhui)
- Destinations that are Shanghai/non-Shanghai will be diverted
- Staff will direct to a bus that will take you to your quarantine hotel.
- After the end of the hotel quarantine followed by another 7 days home quarantine, you will get a green health code that will allow you to travel freely.