Criminal Penalties:You are subject to Hong Kong SAR laws, including certain PRC laws applied to Hong Kong. If you violate Hong Kong SAR laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities, prior to practicing or operating a business. Furthermore, some crimes are prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website oncrimes against minors abroadand theU.S. Department of Justicewebsite.
Arrest Notification:
- If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau immediately. See ourwebpagefor further information.
- Hong Kong must notify a U.S. consular officer within four days; however, this does not always occur in a timely manner.
- The PRC and Hong Kong SAR governments do not recognize dual nationality. The PRC and Hong Kong SAR governments may prevent the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulates General from providing consular services to dual U.S.-PRC citizens and U.S. citizens of Chinese descent. Please see the page on dual nationality for more information on the limits on consular notification and access to dual nationals.
- A consular officer may be the only authorized visitor during your initial detention period.
- Detention may last many months before a trial.
- U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau is unable to represent you in a legal matter.
- Travelers to the PRC should enroll in the U.S. Department of State’sSmart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP),and you may wish to have someone contact U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau if you are detained.
Hong Kong law provides for an independent judiciary, but PRC actions have eroded the judiciary’s independence and ability to uphold the rule of law, particularly in cases designated as involving national security. U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC, including the Hong Kong SAR, should be aware of varying levels of scrutiny to which they will be subject from PRC state security and Hong Kong local law enforcement. In Hong Kong, police have the right to detain you for questioning if you are not carrying your passport.
SPECIAL CIRc*msTANCES
Assisted Reproductive Technology:Hong Kong strictly forbids surrogacy, and surrogacy contracts will not be considered valid. The use of reproductive technology for medical research and profit is strictly controlled.
Controlled Items in Hong Kong:Hong Kong customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning controlled items you might be carrying while transiting Hong Kong (temporary importation or exportation). Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) security routinely and thoroughly screens any luggage loaded onto an aircraft in Hong Kong, whether belonging to a departing or transiting passenger. Discovery of weapons or ammunition of any kind—including mace, pepper spray, stun guns, bullets, air gun pellets, switch blades, knuckle-dusters, and other self-protection weapons—during this screening will be referred to the police for investigation, leading to arrest and detention.
If you bring controlled items into Hong Kong without the necessary Hong Kong documents, you may be prosecuted, and the goods may be seized. The penalty for trafficking in dangerous drugs can be life imprisonment and a heavy fine. Among the other items that you must declare to customs officials are liquors, tobacco, cigarettes and cigars, methyl alcohol, and merchandise imported for commercial purposes. There are no currency restrictions for travelers.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of controlled and/or prohibited items:
- dangerous drugs
- psychotropic substances
- controlled chemicals
- antibiotics
- arms
- ammunition
- weapons
- fireworks
- strategic commodities
- rough diamonds
- animals
- plants
- endangered species
- telecommunication equipment
- game
- meat
- poultry
- eggs
- powdered formula
Please visit the website of theHong Kong Customs and Excise Departmentfor specific information regarding Hong Kong customs requirements.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection encourages the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes.
For additional information, please visit theU.S. Council for International Business websiteand the U.S. Customs and Border Protection web page onTraveling with Samples.
Please see ourCustoms Informationsheet for general information.
Dual Nationality:Dual nationality is not recognized underPRC nationality law. Be mindful of the following special circ*mstances for dual nationals when traveling in the region.
Enter the Hong Kong SAR on your U.S. passportto ensure U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau can provide consular assistance in case of arrest or other emergency. Regardless of your travel documents, if you are a dual national, or otherwise have ethnic or historical ties to the PRC, it is possible that Hong Kong authorities will assert that you are a PRC citizen and deny your access to U.S. consular representatives if you are detained.
Your child will be considered a PRC citizenif one or both of the parents are PRC nationals regardless of U.S. citizenship.
If traveling onward to mainland China, enter mainland China on your U.S. passport to ensure U.S. consular protection. See ourChina International Travel Informationpage for more information.
For further information on consular protection anddual nationality, please refer to our website.
Counterfeit and Pirated Goods:Although counterfeit and pirated goods are prevalent in many countries, they may still be illegal according to local laws. You may also pay fines or must give them up if you bring them back to the United States. See theU.S. Department of Justice websitefor more information.
Cruise Ship Passengers:Please see our Cruise Ship Passengers page forsafety information and travel advice.
Earthquakes:Earthquakes occur throughout the PRC and have affected Hong Kong in the past. Check here for information aboutpreparing for a crisis or disaster overseas.
Faith-Based Travelers:See the following webpages for details:
- Faith-Based Travel Information
- International Religious Freedom Reports
- Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
- Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
- Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad
LGBTQI+ Travelers:In Hong Kong, there are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTQI+ events in Hong Kong.SeeSection 6 of our Human Rights Practices in the Human Rights Report for Hong Kongand read ourLGBTQI+ Travel Information page.
Pets:You must have a permit to bring dogs and cats into Hong Kong. Dogs and cats imported from the United States may be exempted from quarantine when they have valid health and vaccination certificates and when the animal has been in the United States for at least six months immediately preceding travel.
Additional information on importing pets is available on theHong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department website.
Political Activity:Participating in unauthorized political activities, including participating in unauthorized public protests, or writing social media posts or other online publications critical of the government,may result in detention, criminal charges, and/or PRC government-imposed restrictions on future travel to the PRC, including Hong Kong.
Social Media:Social media accounts are widely monitored in the PRC, including Hong Kong. Social media posts—even content posted outside of Hong Kong—that local authorities deem illegal, including under the National Security Law or other Hong Kong laws, may result in criminal charges against both the poster of the material and the administrator of the social media forum.
Students: See ourU.S. Students Abroadpage andFBI travel tips.
Surveillance and Monitoring:Security personnel carefully watch foreign visitors and may place you under surveillance. Hotel rooms (including meeting rooms), offices, cars, taxis, telephones, Internet usage, and fax machines may be monitored onsite or remotely, and personal possessions in hotel rooms, including computers, may be searched without your consent or knowledge.
Transferring Money to/From Hong Kong:The U.S. Department of State may be able to help transfer funds to a destitute U.S citizen overseas through our office in Washington, D.C., to U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau. More information on this option is available on our Sending Money to Destitute U.S. Citizens Overseas page.
Travelers with Disabilities:Sidewalks often do not have curb cuts and many streets can be crossed only via pedestrian bridges or underpasses accessible by staircase. Assistive technologies for blind people and those with other vision disabilities are unreliable, and access to elevators in public buildings can be restricted. In major cities, public restrooms in places visited by tourists usually have a least one accessible toilet.
Hong Kong law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision of other state services, and the government generally enforces these provisions. The law mandates access to buildings, information, and communications for persons with disabilities. TheHong Kong Social Welfare Departmentis primarily responsible for coordinating and funding public assistance programs to persons with disabilities. TheHong Kong Tourism Boardpublishes “Accessible Hong Kong,” a guide for visitors with disabilities and theHong Kong Transport DepartmentpublishesA Guide to Public Transport for People with Disabilities. In addition, the Hong Kong government createdCyberableto provide one-stop information for persons with various disabilities.
Weather:The southeast coast of the PRC is subject to strong typhoons and tropical storms, usually from July through September. TheHong Kong Observatoryhas an excellent notification and monitoring system andissues typhoon warnings an average of six times a year and heavy rainstorm and hot weather alerts more frequently. Please be advised that if Hong Kongannounces a Typhoon Signal 8 or above or Black Rainstorm Warning, U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macauwill be closed for services. You may find additional information on Check here for information aboutpreparing for a crisis or disaster overseasonthe Bureau of Consular Affairs website.
For current information, please consult theJoint Typhoon Warning Centerand theNational Weather Service's Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Women Travelers:See our travel tips forWomen Travelers.
