I. Understanding Eligibility and Costs

Navigating a new healthcare system can be daunting, especially in a fast-paced city like Hong Kong. For foreigners, the city offers high-quality medical care through an extensive network of public hospitals and clinics managed by the Hospital Authority (HA).^{[Fees and Charges]}

Can foreigners use public hospitals in Hong Kong?
Yes. All foreigners can attend public hospitals and clinics, but the fee level depends on whether you are classified as an Eligible Person or Non‑eligible Person under HA rules, not simply on whether you hold an HKID.^{[Fees and Charges][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

• Eligible Persons (subsidized):
• Holders of a valid Hong Kong Identity Card issued under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, except those whose previous permission to land or remain in Hong Kong has expired or ceased to be valid.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}
• Children who are Hong Kong residents and under 11 years of age.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

• Other persons specifically approved by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]} These persons pay subsidized (local) fees.

• Non‑eligible Persons (full-cost / non‑subsidized rates):

• Anyone who does not meet the above Eligible Person definition, including most tourists and short-term visitors without eligible resident status.^{[Fees and Charges][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}
• Non‑eligible Persons are charged according to the “Public Charges – Non‑eligible Persons” schedule, which reflects most or all of the cost of services.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

The HKID itself is not the only determinant of your billing category; what matters is whether your resident status is valid at the time of using public services. From 2013, hospitals and clinics routinely verify eligibility online using identity documents to apply either Eligible or Non‑eligible fees.^{[Permanent residents vs non-permanent residents – Senior CLIC][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

II. Step‑by‑Step Guide: Registering for Public Healthcare

Step 1: Obtain Your HKID Card (if eligible)

If you are staying in Hong Kong long term under an appropriate visa, you are normally required to apply for a Hong Kong Identity Card within the statutory period. Once issued with an HKID and while your permission to stay remains valid, you may normally be treated as an Eligible Person for public healthcare fee purposes, provided you do not fall into an excluded category (for example, if your previous permission has expired).^{[Permanent residents vs non-permanent residents – Senior CLIC][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

Even if you have not yet received the physical card, hospitals often accept the acknowledgement slip/receipt issued by the Immigration Department, together with your passport, to locate your record, though final eligibility is still subject to HA’s rules and system checks.^{[Permanent residents vs non-permanent residents – Senior CLIC]}

Step 2: Locate the Nearest Public Hospital or GOPC

The Hospital Authority divides Hong Kong into geographic clusters (e.g. Hong Kong East, Kowloon West, New Territories East). For non‑emergency primary care, you usually attend a General Out‑patient Clinic (GOPC) in your area, while serious or urgent problems should be directed to an Accident & Emergency (A&E) department at a public hospital.^{[Fees and Charges]}

• HA’s official website and the HA Go app list all hospitals and clinics by cluster, address, and service type, which helps you identify the most appropriate facility.^{[Hospital Authority launches mobile application][Fees and Charges]}

Step 3: Present Required Documentation

When you arrive at the registration counter of a public hospital or clinic, you should generally present:

• Original passport or other travel document
• Hong Kong Identity Card (or acknowledgement slip) if you have one
• Proof of valid stay or visa where relevant (for long‑term residents)
• Payment method accepted by the institution (commonly Octopus card, EPS, or credit card; some locations may also accept cash)^{[Fees and Charges]}

Specific document requirements can vary slightly by institution and service type, so individual Admission Leaflets or hospital information pages should be checked for the most precise list.^{[Fees and Charges]}

Step 4: Managing Records for Minors

For children under 11 years of age who do not yet hold their own HKID, hospitals will typically require:

• The child’s birth certificate or relevant travel document
• The parent or guardian’s HKID and visa or other proof of resident status

This allows their records to be linked and, where the child is a Hong Kong resident, ensures that Eligible‑person fees are correctly applied.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

III. Emergency Services and Hospital Admission

The Triage System

Public A&E departments in Hong Kong use a five‑category triage system: Category I (Critical), II (Emergency), III (Urgent), IV (Semi‑urgent), and V (Non‑urgent). Patients are treated based on clinical urgency rather than on a first‑come, first‑served basis, so those in Categories I–II are attended to before less serious cases.^{[Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform]}

From 1 January 2026, under the A&E fee reform for Eligible Persons, Category I and Category II patients have their A&E attendance fee exempted or refunded, while other categories pay a revised A&E fee (HKD 400 for a first attendance for Eligible Persons). Non‑eligible Persons are charged at the separate, much higher “Public Charges – Non‑eligible Persons” A&E rate, for example more than HKD 1,000 per attendance under the current schedule.^{[Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

What to Bring for Admission

Public hospitals provide necessary medical treatment but only basic personal amenities. If you are admitted, you should bring:

• Toiletries (toothbrush, soap, towel)
• Personal clothing (pajamas, gown, slippers)
• Mobile phone and charger, and any essential personal items

Valuables should be kept to a minimum, and you should also have your documents and means of payment accessible for billing and follow‑up arrangements.^{[Fees and Charges]}

Contact and Communications

Hospitals may contact you via telephone for appointment changes, test results, or admission arrangements, and some institutions use recognizable caller IDs for outgoing calls. To avoid missing important communication, keep your contact details updated with the hospital and answer calls from unknown local numbers when expecting medical follow‑up.

IV. Public vs Private Healthcare for Travelers

Public healthcare in Hong Kong is generally high quality but operates with limited resources and prioritizes urgent or serious conditions. For foreigners, it is important to understand the trade‑offs between public and private care.^{[Fees and Charges]}

• Wait times: Specialist outpatient clinics and non‑urgent public services can have long waiting times, especially for non‑urgent Category IV–V A&E attendances and elective procedures. Private hospitals and clinics usually offer shorter waits but charge significantly higher fees.^{[Fees and Charges]}

• Costs and insurance:

• Eligible Persons enjoy heavily subsidized fees in the public system, but charges still apply for many services and have been revised upwards under the ongoing fees reform.^{[Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform][Fees and Charges]}
• Non‑eligible Persons pay full‑cost public charges (for example, A&E, inpatient daily rates, and procedures at non‑subsidized levels), which can be substantial.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

• Comprehensive travel or international medical insurance is therefore strongly recommended for tourists and short‑term visitors to cover both public non‑eligible charges and potential treatment in the private sector.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

• Language support: Most doctors and senior nursing staff in public hospitals speak functional or fluent English, and interpretation services for other languages may be arranged or signposted by HA when needed.^{[Fees and Charges]}

V. Essential Digital Resources

To navigate the system more efficiently, foreigners can make use of several HA digital resources.

• HA Go App
• Official HA mobile application allowing users (primarily HKID holders) to view scheduled appointments, pay hospital bills, and access dispensing records and drug information.^{[Entering The Digital World Of Hospital Authority Through The Patient Mobile App, HA Go – First An…][Hospital Authority launches mobile application]}

• Real‑name registration and in‑person activation at a hospital or clinic with your HKID and a QR code are required, and currently the app is designed for Hong Kong identity card holders aged 18 or above.^{[Hospital Authority launches mobile application][Entering The Digital World Of Hospital Authority Through The Patient Mobile App, HA Go – First An…]}

• Smart Patient Website / Patient Information Portals

• HA’s English‑language patient information platforms provide details on diseases, self‑care, available services, and community resources.^{[Fees and Charges]}

• These resources are helpful for understanding diagnoses, medications, and follow‑up arrangements in the public system.

• Fees and Eligibility Information

• The HA “Fees and Charges” pages list current fees for Eligible and Non‑eligible Persons across inpatient, outpatient, A&E, and other services.^{[Fees and Charges]}
• Separate pages define “Eligible Persons” and “Non‑eligible Persons”, which are crucial for determining what you will pay as a foreigner in Hong Kong.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

Downloads and reference documents (such as admission guides for individual hospitals) can usually be accessed directly from HA or hospital websites and may include admission checklists, visiting rules, and specific departmental instructions.^{[Fees and Charges]}

Summary & Action Plan

Can foreigners use Hong Kong public hospitals?
Yes—access is open, but cost depends on whether you are an Eligible or Non‑eligible Person, which is linked to your resident status and identity documents.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges][Fees and Charges]}

Quick Eligibility Cheat Sheet

• Holding a valid HKID with unexpired permission to stay and being recognized as a resident under HA rules → usually treated as Eligible Person with subsidized rates.^{[Permanent residents vs non-permanent residents – Senior CLIC][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}
• Tourist / short‑term visitor without eligible resident status → treated as Non‑eligible Person, paying higher public charges.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

Step‑by‑Step Access Flow

1. Long‑term stay and appropriate visa?
   → Apply for HKID within the legal timeframe and keep your stay conditions valid.^{[Permanent residents vs non-permanent residents – Senior CLIC]}

2. Need non‑emergency primary care?
   → Use a General Out‑patient Clinic (GOPC) in your HA cluster, which you can locate via HA’s website or HA Go.^{[Fees and Charges]}

3. Medical emergency?
   → Go to an A&E department at a public hospital; triage categories determine priority, not arrival time.^{[Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform]}

4. At registration, bring:

5. Passport / travel document
6. HKID card or Immigration Department acknowledgement slip (if applicable)
7. Proof of visa / permission to stay where relevant

8. Payment method accepted by the hospital or clinic^{[Fees and Charges]}

9. Bringing a child under 11?
   → Bring the child’s birth certificate or travel document, plus the parent’s HKID/visa, so that resident children can be charged at Eligible rates.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}

10. If admitted, pack your own:

11. Toiletries, pajamas, slippers, and essential personal items
12. Mobile phone and charger, keeping valuables to a minimum

Pro Tips

• Download or review information on HA Go and HA’s fee schedules in advance so you understand likely charges, especially if you might be classified as a Non‑eligible Person.^{[Hospital Authority launches mobile application][ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges][Fees and Charges]}
• For visitors and business travelers, comprehensive travel or international medical insurance is strongly advisable to cover potential public Non‑eligible charges or private hospital care.^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}
• English is widely used in clinical settings, and interpretation support can often be arranged if you inform staff of your language needs.^{[Fees and Charges]}

Key Links

• HA Fees and Charges (Eligible & Non‑eligible Persons)^{[Fees and Charges]}
• Definitions of Eligible / Non‑eligible Persons^{[ha.org.hk – Haconnect / Feesandcharges]}
• HA Go App information page^{[Hospital Authority launches mobile application]}
• Cluster and hospital information (HA website)^{[Fees and Charges]}