Hong Kong, New Zealand Reopening For U.S. Visitors in May

by SharonKurheg

Hong Kong

In January 2022, Hong Kong International Airport, citing fears of the Omicron variant, banned air passengers coming from more than 150 countries and territories from transiting through the city. Hong Kong began allowing residents to return, and transit passengers were also allowed, with that, commercial flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain and the United States, effective April 1st.

However effective May 1, Hong Kong will lift its ban on non-residents flying into the city.

Overseas travelers must be fully vaccinated, show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure and comply with Hong Kong’s quarantine requirements. Vaccinated overseas travelers are currently required to isolate for 14 days in a designated quarantine hotel, or for seven days if they opt into the early discharge program. In order to do so, travelers must take a PCR test on day five and rapid tests on days six and seven. All results must be negative in order to leave the quarantine hotel, and travelers are required to complete seven days of self-monitoring afterward.

New Zealand

New Zealand has been one of the most closed-up countries in the world throughout the COVID crisis. When they closed their borders in March 2020, even their own citizens who were overseas initially weren’t allowed to go back.

Effective April 12, as part of New Zealand’s “Phase Three,” the country reopened its borders to Australians. Just Australians. But the good news is that they’ll be able to enter without having to quarantine.

On May 1, fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and other non-visa countries will be able to enter New Zealand without a quarantine period.

Visitors will need to show proof of a negative pre-departure COVID test to enter the country and will be provided two free at-home rapid antigen tests upon arrival. The first test should be taken on the day of arrival and the second should be taken on day five or six.

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