Sherpa's Blog

China Removes PCR Tests for All Arrivals

Wednesday

Apr

26

By:David A.Howard

Tuesday, April 25, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced at a regular press conference that it will abolish the PCR testing requirement for all international arrivals to China from April 29.

As an alternative to the PCR test results, passengers can present a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) issued 48 hours prior to check-in. This result can be confirmed upon arrival in the chinese mainland.

A reminder for anyone traveling abroad from the Chinese mainland – while many countries have scrapped COVID testing requirements, you may still need to prove your vaccination status. Make sure to double check the rules before you travel.

Locations: Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou

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It’s Happening! Visas For China Are Back!

Thursday

Mar

16

By:David A.Howard

We’re saying goodbye to the last vestiges of ‘Dynamic Zero COVID’! For the first time since the start of 2020, all visa types for foreigners are back to normal. This isn’t a rumor. The news comes directly from China’s Embassy in the United States and was later reported on by major media outlets like CGTN and Reuters.

This is fantastic news, as countless people have been separated from family members, delayed their studies, halted business travel, and put their dream travels on hold.

Here are five important details from the announcement:

1. Valid Visas Issued Prior to March 28, 2020 Can Be Used To Enter China

Holders of those 10 year tourist visas, rejoice! You won’t have to go through the process again. Any valid visa (not expired or cancelled) can be used to enter China. Regardless of whether it was issued before China imposed COVID restrictions on March 28, 2020 or after, all valid visas are good to use.

2. ALL Visa Types Will Be Issued Again

All means all! Tourist L Visas are on the table once again. Definitely check with the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate to see the specific application requirements before you go ahead and buy that plane ticket though.

3. Port Visas are Back

The port visa aka visa-on-arrival program is back again. Travelers from certain countries can secure visas on arrival for quick visits to certain cities. These are the locations that offered port visas before COVID restrictons started:

Beijing
Chengdu
Chongqing
Dalian
Fuzhou
Guangzhou
Guilin
Haikou
Hangzhou
Heihe, Heilongjiang province (bordering Russia)
Jinan
Kunming
Nanjing
Qingdao
Sanya
Shanghai
Shenyang
Suifenhe, Heilongjiang province (bordering Russia)
Tianjin
Wuhan
Xiamen
Xi’an
Weihai
Yantai
Zhuhai

Port visas are usually for quick visits – valid for anywhere between 48 to 144 hours. Make sure to check if your nationality is eligible for a port visa before hopping on a plane without a visa already secured.

4. Visa-Free Travel Resumes

We didn’t even realize this was a thing before, but visa-free travel for the following types of arrivals will resume:

Hainan Island tourism.

Entering Shanghai via cruise ship

Foreigners residing in Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions who travel to the Chinese mainland in a tour group

Those in ASEAN tour groups who visit Guilin in Guangxi Province.

5. Pre Arrival COVID Testing Update

Starting on March 1, 2023, a 48-hour negative PCR test is no longer required for those traveling to China. The PCR test can be replaced with a rapid antigen test (RAT) that allows for self-testing and isn’t even checked by the airlines at departure. However, travelers to the mainland are still required to fill out China’s Customs Declaration which asks for a negative rapid antigen test from 48 hours before arrival. Fingers crossed that testing requirements go away too!

So glad for another step towards full normalcy. Happy travels!

Locations: Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou

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6 Countries Scrap PCR Test for Returnees to China

Friday

Mar

03

By:David A.Howard

Big, big news, people – more and more Chinese embassies around the world are announcing that, starting from tomorrow, March 1, passengers taking a flight to China will no longer need to do a mandatory PCR test.

The PCR test can be replaced with a rapid antigen test (RAT), which not only allows for self-testing, but won’t even be checked by the airline at the point of departure.

The six countries (we know of) that have so far announced the new measures are:

Cambodia
Hungary
Malaysia
New Zealand
South Africa
Sri Lanka

We can only assume (hope… pray… beg!) that more and more embassies will be announcing the same.

Please do note, however, that anyone traveling to the mainland still needs to fill out China’s Customs Declaration, which requires a negative RAT 48 hours before arriving.

Interestingly, the Customs Declaration now only “suggests” that people traveling by plane wear a mask. This was previously mandatory.

Speaking of mask mandates…

Hong Kong & Macao Ditch Mask Mandate

From Wednesday, March 1, facemasks will no longer be mandatory in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), as the city ditches its sole remaining COVID-19 restriction.

The announcement was made by Chief Executive John Lee at an Executive Council news briefing on Monday. He quoted the move as another step toward “returning to normalcy.”

Facemasks will no longer be mandatory in most indoor and outdoor venues as well as on public transport.

On Sunday, February 26, the Macao Special Administrative Government also announced that people in the city would no longer be required to wear masks outside from Monday.

However, masks still need to be worn in Macao by patients, staff and visitors in medical institutions, visitors of elderly people in rehabilitation centers or care homes and drivers and passengers on public transport (except taxis).

Macao’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center said that mask-wearing requirements could be adjusted in the future according to “the actual development of the COVID-19 situation.”

The mask mandate was enacted in Hong Kong on July 15, 2020, following an outbreak of COVID-19 in the city, although most people were already voluntarily wearing face coverings.

Hong Kong was one of the world’s last remaining cities to still impose a mask mandate. Several other countries and regions in Asia, including Japan and South Korea, have already abandoned similar measures.

The move leaves the Chinese mainland as one of the few places on earth still requiring people to wear a mask when taking public transport.

Will the Chinese mainland follow suit and ditch the mask mandate? Surely a positive sign that they could.

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Countries with Entry Restrictions & Without Travel Restrictions

Friday

Jan

13

By:David A.Howard

Countries with Entry Restrictions

Morocco

All people traveling from China, regardless of nationality, are not allowed to enter the country.

Qatar

Passengers from China are required to provide a negative nucleic acid from the prior 48 hours to enter.

Iran

Entry requires certification for two or more vaccine shots or a negative nucleic acid test report from within 72 hours.

United States

All those who enter the country from China and those who have been to China within in the prior 10 days are required to present a negative COVID-19 test certificate (nucleic acid or antigen test within 48 hours before departure) or a recovery certificate before departure. However, travelers from China who transit in Greece are exempt from this requirement as recommended by international organizations and the European Union.

Japan

Travels to Japan who have been in China within the last 7 days will be subject to landing inspection when they enter Japan. If they test positive, they need to be quarantined for 7 days (temporarily free of charge).

South Korea

From January 2 to February 28, 2023, there will be no increase of flights or passenger ships from China to South Korea. All personnel must undergo nucleic acid testing. From January 7th, visitors from Hong Kong and Macau to South Korea must show a negative nucleic acid certificate from within 48 hours or a non-domestic fast antigen test from within 24 hours.

A negative antigen test certificate must be entered into the quarantine information system before boarding the plane(QR-Code) to fill in the quarantine information.

Thailand

Chinese tourists entering Thailand must be vaccinated with two or more COVID shots. They must also present a negative nucleic acid test result from with 48 hours or other proof of good health before entering the country.

Malaysia

All flights from China will have sewage samples taken from the aircraft, and all people with influenza-like or severe acute respiratory infections who have visited China in the past 14 days will need to undergo testing. All passengers arriving in Malaysia from abroad, including those from China, must undergo body temperature testing.

France

Passengers entering from China must submit a negative nucleic acid test within 48 hours before departure. Authorities will also implement random antigen screening on landing and require all passengers on the flight to wear masks.

Australia

All inbound travelers from China must provide a COVID negative certificate from within 48 hours before boarding. Australia is also considering implementing additional measures such as testing on-board waste and voluntary airport entry testing.

Canada

From January 5th, all children aged 2 and above from China must provide a negative COVID test result from within 48 hours before boarding.

Both rapid antigen detection and nucleic acid detection results are acceptable. Passengers who have tested positive within the prior 90 days may provide the airline with their prior positive test results. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, these temporary measures are valid for the next thirty days.

United Kingdom

The British government announced on December 30th that starting from January 5th, 2023, passengers entering the UK from China must obtain a negative nucleic acid certificate before departure. From January 8th, the British Health and Safety Agency will also impose additional sampling and testing restrictions of Chinese passengers arriving in the UK.

However, the British newspaper ‘The Independent’ has claimed that Chinese passengers can refuse to accept the inspection when they arrive and can then proceed to directly leave the airport.

Spain

Passengers traveling from China to Spain must test negative COVID test results. They must also prove that they have completed their COVID vaccinations before entering the country.

Israel

Airlines can only carry foreign citizens from China who have tested negative for COVID before entering the country.

Italy

Airlines can only carry foreign citizens from China who have tested negative for COVID before entering the country.

India

Passengers traveling to India from China, Japan, South Korea, and passengers transiting from Singapore and Thailand to India must provide negative COVID test results from within the prior 72 hours before departure. If passengers from those countries end up testing positive or developing symptoms, they will be quarantined.

Belgium

Belgium will test waste on incoming planes from China. Passengers who develop symptoms within 7 days of entering the country need to self-test to see if they are infected. However, this measure will not be enforced.

Countries Without Travel Restrictions

Germany

The Germans express opposition to the implementation of special measures against the epidemic in China.

They will continue to pay attention to the epidemic situation in China and believe that it is necessary to track the trend of the situation and make corresponding countermeasures, but it is currently not necessary to restrict entry.

Nucleic acid testing will not be implemented nor will flight bans be implemented in the future. According to the State Ministry of Health, there is no indication that China is a virus mutation zone.

Cambodia

Cambodia will not take any epidemic prevention and restriction measures against Chinese tourists. Chinese tourists are welcome to come to Cambodia.

Airports Association International: European Chapter

The Airports Association International European Chapter said that the implementation of special quarantine requirements of the European Union and many countries around the world towards Chinese travelers does not match up with the science and experience accumulated since the start of the pandemic. The evidence does not support these policies.

covid

Piture from CARNOC.COM