The US is warning its citizens traveling to Hong Kong that they must give phone passwords to cops if they ask because Hong Kong has now made it mandatory.
The United States has told its citizens traveling to Hong Kong that they must now provide their computer or mobile phone passwords if asked by police there. Refusing to give out passwords or provide access to personal electronic devices can now be treated as a criminal offense in Hong Kong.
The US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau issued the warning after the Hong Kong government amended the rules for implementing the national security law earlier this week, giving police powers to access digital devices.This new rule applies to everyone in Hong Kong – residents, visitors and even those transiting through Hong Kong.
Read the US Consulate’s alert
“On 23 March 2026, the Hong Kong Government changed the implementing rules relating to the National Security Law.
It has now become a criminal offense to refuse to give Hong Kong police passwords or decryption assistance to access all personal electronic devices including mobile phones and laptops. This legal change applies to everyone, including US citizens, in Hong Kong arriving at or transiting through Hong Kong International Airport only.
In addition, the Hong Kong government also has greater authority to seize and retain, as evidence, any personal devices that it claims are related to national security crimes,” the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau notified.
What is the new rule in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong police can now demand phone or computer passwords from those suspected of breaching a wide-ranging national security law. Those who refuse could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to HK$100,000 (US$12,700), and individuals who provide “false or misleading information” can face up to three years in prison. The new amendments also give customs officials the power to confiscate items they deem to have “inflammatory intent.”
