Starting next Tuesday, nationals from Eswatini will be required to apply for a visa when planning to travel to Hong Kong after the government has decided to cancel the visa-free arrangement for visitors from the southern African Kingdom.
In addition, on Tuesday, the Immigration Department confirmed that visitors from the country in transit who remained in the airside zone would also be subject to visas, VisaGuide.World reports.
With a view of ensuring a proper balance between facilitating the entry of genuine visitors and the need to safeguard the integrity of immigration control, the visa policy is subject to constant review. Changes will be introduced if circumstances warrant.
The department spokesperson said that Hong Kong has adopted an open visa policy under which nationals of about 170 countries and territories are eligible to visit Hong Kong without visas for periods ranging from seven to 180 days.
At present, holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passports require a visa to visit Eswatini.
The spokesman recalled HKSAR passport holders to check with authorities in Eswatini on the latest visa requirements before heading to this country.
Eswatini is placed in the 128th position in the Passport Index of VisaGuide.World, while Swazi passport holders are eligible to travel visa-free to 46 countries.
The Passport Index ranks 199 countries in terms of the strength of their passports, revealing that Swazi passport holders can apply for e-visas for a total of 12 countries, or more specifically, Angola, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Georgia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar São Tomé and Príncipe, South Sudan, Suriname as well as Taiwan.
On the other hand, holders of Hong Kong passports are eligible to travel visa-free to a total of 140 countries worldwide. The Hong Konger passport occupies the 44th position in the Passport Index of VisaGuide.World, based on the January update.
At the same time, 19 countries issue eVisas for Hong Konger passport holders, or more specifically, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Guinea, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam.
Citizens of Hong Kong are required to get a visa on arrival in 29 countries and are subject to visa requirements when planning to travel to 38 countries.
In spite of being highly affected by the spread of COVID-19, the tourism industry in Eswatini has significantly improved, with the country intensifying efforts to bring a larger number of internationals to this territory.