On Thursday, March 26, the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau issued a safety advisory for travelers to Hong Kong due to concerns over the Hong Kong government’s potential misuse of the so-called National Security Law imposed by the Chinese Communist Party. Prior to this, the Hong Kong government amended the implementation details of the CCP’s National Security Law, making it a criminal offense to refuse to hand over personal phone passwords to the government.
According to the safety advisory issued by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau on March 23, 2026, the Hong Kong government revised the implementation details of the National Security Law. It stated that now, individuals who refuse to provide passwords or decryption assistance to the Hong Kong police for the inspection of all personal electronic devices (including phones and laptops) will be considered as committing a criminal offense.
This legal change applies to everyone, including residents in Hong Kong, US citizens arriving in Hong Kong, or even transiting through Hong Kong International Airport. Additionally, the Hong Kong government has granted itself greater power to confiscate and detain any personal devices that it claims are linked to crimes related to national security as evidence.
The US Consulate recommended that if any US citizen is arrested or detained in Hong Kong, they should immediately contact the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau. Furthermore, US citizens can register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before their visit to receive alerts and information from the nearest US embassy or consulate.
According to the new regulations announced by the Hong Kong authorities on Monday, March 23, and effective on the same day, law enforcement officers can demand individuals suspected of violating the National Security Law to provide their phone passwords or other decryption methods. Failure to comply with password requests is considered a criminal offense and can result in a fine of HK$100,000 and a one-year imprisonment.
Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong forcefully on July 1, 2020. Since then, over 300 individuals have been arrested on charges related to national security or sedition.