- Entry Restrictions
The entry to China by foreign nationals is currently restricted, except for the following:
- Travelers holding visas issued by a Chinese Embassy/Consulate after 28 March 2020, provided they do not arrive from one of the following countries:
- Bangladesh, Belgium, France, India, Italy, Philippines, Russia or the United Kingdom
- Travelers holding visas issued by China after 3 November 2020;
- Travelers holding valid permanent residence permits issued by China;
- Travelers holding valid temporary residence permits issued by China issued for the purpose of Work/Employment, Personal Matters or Reunion, provided they do not arrive from one of the following countries:
- Bangladesh, Belgium, France, India, Italy, Philippines, Russia or the United Kingdom
Please note that entry to China with an APEC Business Travel Card has been temporarily suspended until further notice. Similarly, the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit and other visa-free policies have been temporarily suspended.
All travelers arriving in China must present a completed Exit/Entry Health Declaration Form upon arrival.
COVID-19 Testing Requirements
Nationals of China PRC arriving in China from or transiting through the countries/regions below must have a green QR code with an “HS” annotation that can be obtained by uploading a medical certificate showing a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test taken within 3 days prior to the departure to China to the WeChat App “Fang Yi Jian Kang Ma Guo Ji Ban”:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo (Dem. Republic), Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Swaziland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Tanzania, East Timor, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam or Zambia
Foreign nationals arriving in China from or transiting through the countries/regions below must have a Health Declaration Form issued by a Chinese Embassy/Consulate that can be obtained by uploading a medical certificate showing a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test taken within 3 days prior to the departure to China:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo (Dem. Republic), Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Swaziland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Tanzania, East Timor, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam or Zambia
Travelers arriving from Chinese Taipei must obtain a medical certificate showing a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test taken within 3 days prior to the departure to China.
Nationals of China PRC arriving directly from one of the countries below must have a green QR code with an “HS” annotation that can be obtained by uploading both a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test and a negative IgM anti-body test taken within 48 hours prior to the departure to China to the WeChat App “Fang Yi Jian Kang Ma Guo Ji Ban”:
- Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, or Zimbabwe.
If Chinese nationals transit through another country not listed above, they must repeat both tests and obtain a new QR code.
Foreign nationals arriving in China directly from one of the countries below must have a green QR code with an “HDC” annotation that can be obtained with both a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test and a negative IgM anti-body test taken within 48 hours prior to the departure to China:
- Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States or Zimbabwe.
Foreign nationals arriving in China directly from Canadamust have a green QR code with an “HDC” annotation that can be obtained from the Chinese Embassy/Consulate by uploading both a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test and a negative IgM anti-body test taken within 48 hours prior to the departure to China.
2. Quarantine/Self-Isolation Requirements
All international travelers arriving at Beijing (PEK), Guangzhou (CAN), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shenzhen (SZX) or Xiamen (XMN) are subject medical screening (likely involving nucleic acid or swab tests) and mandatory centralized quarantine for 14 days at an accommodation designated by the local authorities. The exact requirements for the quarantine period will vary depending on the destination city in China.
For example, Chinese and foreign nationals residing in Shanghai and Xiamen may be able to leave centralized quarantine after 7 days and complete the remaining 7 days of their quarantine at home, provided they meet all applicable conditions set out under the local regulations (e.g. take a COVID-19 test on the fifth day of their centralized quarantine and, if the test is negative, move to home quarantine on the 8th day if the quarantine period, etc.).
Please note that this page is updated on an ongoing basis, but COVID-19 related restrictions and policies are subject to frequent and sudden change, often with little to no advance notice to the public. Therefore, to ensure that you have the latest updates, we recommend that you reach out to T&S at apac@tandslaw.com for additional information.
