Chinese posts falsely claim EU 'cancelled' visa-free policy for Hong Kong passport holders

"Hong Kong has finally caught up with the mainland," read a post in simplified Chinese shared on X on August 29, 2024.

The post included a screenshot of an article from news aggregator NetEase, with a simplified Chinese headline that read: "The EU has cancelled the visa-free policy for Hong Kong passports! [Now] they share the same treatment as mainland China!"

It added this would take effect in June 2025.

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Screenshot of the false post, taken September 26, 2024

A similar false claim was also shared on X here and here and Facebook here and here.

Hong Kong's international standing has fallen in recent years after authorities quashed massive and at times violent protests in 2019 that pushed for more autonomy from Beijing. To quell dissent, China imposed a security law in 2020 that has effectively silenced opposition in Hong Kong. 

The city has since enacted a second security law, colloquially referred to as "Article 23", in March to "plug" legislative gaps, targeting other offences such as sedition and espionage.

Social media users left comments suggesting the EU had cancelled the visa-free policy for Hong Kong due to its weakening autonomy.

"Hong Kong finally enjoys the benefits it received after the handover," one comment said.

"Same standard," another wrote.

However, the EU has not removed visa-free travel to the bloc for Hong Kong passport holders, its office in the territory told AFP.

Travel authorisation

Reverse image and keyword searches on Google using the image seen in the false post led to an article by Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on June 19, 2024, with the headline "Hong Kong visitors to EU will need travel authorisation from next year" (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison of the image in the false post (left) and the SCMP article (right): 

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Below is a screenshot comparison of the photo in the misleading post and the SCMP report.

The report states the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) would apply to visitors from 60 visa-exempt countries, including Hong Kong, for a short-term stay.

The new system was meant to boost the internal security of the EU by pre-screening travellers, making travel to the bloc smoother for tourists. 

Thomas Gnocchi, ambassador and head of the Office of the European Union to Hong Kong and Macau, told SCMP at the time that the door to Europe remained open to Hong Kong residents and that the "visa-free regime is not being changed whatsoever".

The EU's Hong Kong office also confirmed the ETIAS is not a visa.

It told AFP on September 25: "We can confirm that the visa-free policy toward Hong Kong SAR passport holders will indeed not change." 

"ETIAS strengthens Europe's internal security by conducting pre-travel screening of visa-free travellers from third countries for security, irregular immigration and public health risks," the EU office said. 

It added that the system would facilitate smooth border crossings by reducing administrative requirements.