Its Logan Ban in China Again

• Breaking News: Red china accepts US Travelers inoculated with American-fabricated vaccines. The Chinese Diplomatic mission in the Usa issued a notice on Apr 21, 2021, allowing U.s.a. passengers vaccinated with American-fabricated non-inactivated vaccines to depart from Dallas and enter the Chinese mainland. The accepted American-made not-inactivated vaccines include vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. The Notice required that passengers must get all the required shots before their trip to Mainland china. China-bound passengers are also required to provide positive IgM antibody exam results also as negative nucleic acid exam results.
• China will ease entry restrictions for foreigners inoculated with Covid-19 vaccines made in China, according to some Chinese embassies (See here). The said visa facilitation applies only to applicants who have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines produced in China (either having received two doses of Chinese-made vaccines with the stipulated gap in betwixt, or having received a single-dose Chinese-made vaccine at to the lowest degree 14 days prior to the application) and obtained the vaccination certificate. A proof of a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test result and the Health and Travel Record Declaration Form for Visa Application are no longer required. The new rules in some places have taken issue on March fifteen, 2021. In addition, according to China'south foreign minister Wang Yi, the country plans to issue international electronic health certificates and implement common recognition of other countries' nucleic acid testing and inoculation, to allow "a good for you, safe, and regulated new order for cross-border exchanges of people."
• Red china Briefing offers a few observations on the latest changes in travel / entry into China for foreign nationals: China to Allow Entry of Foreigners with Valid Residence Permits.
• According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Diplomacy and the National Immigration Administration on Wed, foreign nationals holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters, and reunion can enter China without applying for new visas – effective from 0 am, September 28, 2020. If these 3 categories of residence permits equally held by foreign nationals have expired (in the time since the travel ban was imposed on March 28, 2020) – the holders may use for relevant visas by presenting the expired residence permits and relevant material to the Chinese embassies or consulates on the condition that the purpose of the holder's visit to China remains unchanged (see here). All other measures in the March 26 Declaration by the Ministry of Strange Diplomacy and the National Clearing Assistants on the Temporary Suspension of Entry past Foreign Nationals Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits (meet here) will continue to be implemented.
• Chinese state media announced that starting September 3, the country is resuming straight flights from eight countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Pakistan, Greece, Kingdom of denmark, Sweden, and Canada.
• Latest update: Equally of August 27, China has opened its borders to 36 European countries and xiii Asian countries (come across the "International travel restrictions" section for more details).
• This article provides data on the latest travel policies in Red china – implemented temporarily due to COVID-19 – to assist business concern travelers empathise the current situation and develop feasible travel plans.
• We address some oftentimes asked questions with regards to foreigners managing their China residence and work permits when stuck abroad due to the travel banin our article here and share three successful cases of foreigners' special visa application in our article here.
  
• For timely updates, you tin track our COVID-19 timeline here, which is updated daily.

COVID-19 is now a global pandemic, and in a bid to prevent a 2d moving ridge of the outbreak at habitation, Cathay has not given up on drastic measures to contain infections or possibility of reinfection. Yet, with the epidemic in domestic areas basically under control, the country has recently begun relaxing travel restrictions.

Since March 28, the country's borders have been airtight to almost all foreigners. This looks to be slowly changing. On August ten, China announced that foreign nationals from 36 European countries who hold valid residence permits, including piece of work permits or permits for family reunion and personal matters, can apply for visas for complimentary and directly at whatsoever Chinese embassy or consulate to enter China. In addition to these European countries, according to official sources, foreign nationals with valid residence permits (employment, personal affairs, and reunion) from a list of thirteen Asian countries are also allowed to employ for visas at local Chinese embassy or consulate.

Since March 29, the Civil Aviation Administration of Prc (CAAC) has implemented the so-called five-one policy to cap international flights and reducing the number of international flights on China bound routes. This was relaxed from June 4, when the CAAC started allowing more international flights into Cathay.

While the virus hasn't fully disappeared, and sporadic outbreaks reported in private cities – Red china is notwithstanding adopting a strict isolate-and-tracking strategy in high-risk areas. (At the fourth dimension of this article update, near of the state has been classified every bit low-risk.)

This article provides information on the latest travel policies in Mainland china – implemented temporarily due to COVID-19 – and meant to contain whatever internal spread of the coronavirus.

International travel restrictions

Opening up Red china'southward borders

On August 10 – most four months from when its borders were kickoff closed – China fabricated its first official announcement assuasive strange nationals from certain European countries to brainstorm applying for visas over again at the local Chinese diplomatic mission or consulate in the stipulated countries.

The announcement, made by The Diplomatic mission of the Red china in Denmark, stated that foreign nationals who concord valid residence permits (including work permits and let for family reunion and personal matters) in 36 European countries may now apply for Chinese visas at whatsoever Chinese diplomatic mission or consulate inside the stipulated countries. These countries are: Republic of albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Frg, Republic of hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italian republic, Latvia, Republic of lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Republic of malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Kingdom of norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Espana, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, and the United Kingdom.

As of Baronial 27, according to official resources, nationals from thirteen Asian countries are also subject to the same treatment. Foreign nationals from Japan, South korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, or Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and belongings valid residence permits (including work permits and permit for family reunion and personal matters) can as well apply for visas at the local Chinese embassy or consulate.

Suspending the entry of foreign nationals

From midnight (0 a.grand.) of March 28, 2020, China suspended the entry of almost foreign nationals, citing the temporary mensurate as a response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world.

According to the proclamation was made by China'south Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 26, foreigners who agree the following visas, fifty-fifty valid ones, are not allowed to enter China now:

• Chinese visa;
• Residence permit;
• APEC business travel carte; and/or
• Port visa.

The ban likewise applies on those who are planning to enter the country under the following policies:

• 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policy;
• Hainan 30-day visa free policy;
• 15-24-hour interval visa free policy for foreign cruise group tours through Shanghai Port;
• Guangdong 144-hour visa free policy for foreign grouping tours from Hong Kong or Macao SAR; and/or
• Guangxi 15-day visa costless policy for strange tour groups of Association of southeast asian nations countries.

Still, those who hold the post-obit visas will non be afflicted:

• Diplomatic, service, courtesy, or C visas; and
• New visa successfully applied for from Chinese embassies or consulates overseas after the proclamation of the Ministry building of Foreign Affairs.

Obtaining COVID-19 negative certificates

Since July 20, 2020, the CAAC has required both foreign and Chinese passengers flying into China to obtain COVID-19 negative certificates earlier boarding if they are from or transferring via the listed countries. You may check the listed countries on the following official link for the existent-time updates: https://hr.cs.mfa.gov.cn/help_two/help-two/gj.html.

Passenger must consummate the nucleic acid tests at facilities designated or recognized by Chinese embassies in host countries inside v days before embarkation. Chinese embassies volition carefully appraise the testing capacity of host countries and formulate travel procedures when testing conditions are met.

Setting up fast rail channels with specific countries

Meanwhile, as the outbreak eases, to maintain the necessary international concern activities, China is communicating with the rest of the world to relax its edge restrictions.

Various countries' embassies and chambers of commerce have been negotiating with the Chinese government to found fast track channels. And then far, China has signed fast track agreements with Federal republic of germany, French republic, Southward Korea, UK, Nippon, and Singapore.

• On June iii, China and Singapore signed the understanding to launch a "fast rails", which will enable travelers from both sides to enter each other'south territories without serving quarantine periods.
• On May 22, a fast track for British business travelers to China engaged in key sectors was created in partnership with the British government, co-ordinate to the Chinese Ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming.
• On May 16,Beijing News, a state-run newspaper, had reported that the governments of China and Germany negotiated to fix a "fast track" procedure for personnel to travel betwixt each other's territories. The first charter flying carrying German businesspeople flew from Frankfurt to Shanghai on May 25.
• Earlier on April 21, MoFA revealed that People's republic of china and Due south Korea had reached an agreement in principle on establishing a fast runway arrangement for urgent essential travel between the two countries. On Baronial 5, China announced it was resuming visa issuance for S Korean students, employees hired to piece of work in China, and those with residence permits.

Co-ordinate to the European Bedroom of China, supporting measures to facilitate the return of foreign nationals to China for urgent or necessary purposes are beingness conducted at a local level, including in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanghai, and Tianjin.

In Shanghai, the Ministry of Strange Affairs (MFA) and the Shanghai Municipality Government have issued two channels – a normal aqueduct and a fast track channel – to facilitate the entry into Cathay of employees essential for business concern operations.

The fast runway aqueduct is only applied to employees of companies whose country of origin has signed a fast rail agreement with Communist china.

Employees entering Shanghai following the fast track process will be allowed to outset piece of work within 48 hours after arrival, subject to negative COVID-19 test results. Those entering Shanghai following the normal procedure will be subject to a 14-mean solar day quarantine at a designated central facility. Please check our article here to understand the detailed awarding procedures.

Cathay's international flight restrictions

On March 29, the Ceremonious Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had announced the then-called "Five 1" policy – Chinese airlines would be but immune to maintain i international route to whatsoever specific country – with no more than one flight every week. Foreign airlines are merely allowed to maintain i route to China, with no more than than 1 weekly flight.

All airlines shall employ for Pre-Flight Plans to the Operation Supervisory Centre of CAAC in advance. This policy will last until Oct 2020. Business concern travelers must check if their flying is canonical by the CAAC, or they will risk having their air tickets cancelled. International flights operating in June tin exist found here.

On June iv, the CAAC said it would let all foreign airlines, including those which were barred from operating flights to Prc, to choose from a list of approved cities to operate on one international passenger flight a week beginning June 8. The announcement came right afterwards the The states Trump assistants issued an order to suspend Chinese airlines. Subsequently Beijing said information technology would allow in more foreign carriers, on June 5, the Us amended its order to permit Chinese passenger air carriers to operate 2 flights per week.

Recently, co-ordinate to reporting from Caixin, Prc is adding more flights from Japan and South Korea. According to the Japanese embassy in China and airline companies, there will be xv rider flights betwixt Prc and Nippon every week in Baronial, up from 12-a-week in July. Weekly flights between China and South Korea are too increasing to 15 in August from nine in July, including eight operated by Chinese airlines and seven by Korean carriers.

Provincial travel restrictions

Domestically, many provinces and cities require mandatory dwelling-based or centralized quarantine for entering travelers either from overseas or other Chinese provinces and cities that are at medium- or high-risk level, although the policy details can differ.

Recent regional outbreaks

Recently, there have been new COVID-nineteen cases in Hong Kong, Urumqi, which is the upper-case letter of Xinjiang, and Dalian of Liaoning province. Passengers traveling from or to these risk areas will be tightly controlled.

In the Chinese mainland, the government has established a mature system to quickly implement large-calibration testing and screening and lock down specific compounds and streets to block the spread of the virus. The harsh measures have successfully controlled contempo outbreaks in Beijing, Xinjiang, and northeastern areas.

As of August 12, Xinjiang had 535 confirmed COVID-xix cases and 131 asymptomatic cases, and fourteen,569 people were still under medical observation. But the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases had reduced to nine on Baronial 12. As of August 11, Dalian had reported no new local confirmed cases; the metropolis has confirmed a full of 92 coronavirus cases.

Hong Kong is experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 11, Hong Kong recorded 33 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily full in almost a month. Guangdong province now requires those crossing the border from Hong Kong to present negative COVID-nineteen test results, on tiptop pf quarantine requirements.

Quarantine policies for inbound travelers

From April 1, the Customs authorities have said they would cooperate with local governments to carry out nucleic acrid testing for all overseas passengers entering China by air, sea, or state.

In Beijing, all international flights are currently beingness redirected to one of sixteen other cities – Chengdu, Changsha, Hefei, Lanzhou, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot, Jinan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shenyang, Dalian, Zhengzhou, and Xi'an, with Wuhan as back-up, which are officially called "the first entry point".

Travelers will exist subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine in the first entry point city. After they complete the fortnight quarantines and test negative for the virus, if they proceed to Beijing on the same or following mean solar day, they will not demand to undergo another 14-day quarantine in Beijing. Otherwise, they will be subject area to another 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Beijing.

Those older than lxx, younger than 14, pregnant, with underlying medical conditions, or in other special situations – tin can apply for cocky-isolation at dwelling house. Others must pay for their own fourteen-twenty-four hour period quarantine at designated hotels.

Domestic arrivals from other low-risk infection areas of China no longer demand to undergo the fourteen-day home isolation after the metropolis lowers its public health emergency response rating from level one to level two.

Similarly, from March 28, all international flights to Shanghai are directed to Pudong Airport. All passengers entering Shanghai from abroad, including those transferring in Shanghai, will exist bailiwick to virus testing and centralized quarantine for 14 days. Domestic travelers may not need to be quarantined if they come from low-risk areas.

Effective from March 25, Hong Kong banned all entry of non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane. And not-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macau, and Taiwan will be denied entry to Hong Kong if they accept been to whatsoever overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days. You may check the updates on Hong Kong'southward quarantine policy on this website: coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/entering-travel.html.

Red china's colour-coded health scheme to monitor for COVID-19

All of People's republic of china's provincial and municipal governments are adopting different quarantine policies or various restrictive measures – based on a health code scheme.

Since February, Chinese tech giants Tencent and Alibaba have launched health code related services around the country.

The health code systems of Tencent and Alibaba are embedded in their popular messaging app WeChat and payment app Alipay. Residents get a colored health lawmaking after reporting information, such as ID menu, accost, wellness status, contact history, and residence history in the apps.

The health code serves as a proof for citizens to enter or exit the public identify, also a necessary condition to resume work or study. In addition, enterprises and communities can classify citizens based on the color of the health code to acquit out correct controlling measures.

Each city's health code has a set of rules.

Taking Hangzhou as an example, after the systematic analysis of personal data, the system will generate a color code to be obtained by individuals. Amongst them, the 'green' code tin let citizens to motion around the urban center freely; the 'red' lawmaking and 'yellow' code may subject the code possessor to xiv days and 7 days of quarantine, respectively, at home or at a designated hotel.

Previously, the health color code systems in different provinces and cities showed variations, which added layers of inconvenience to intercity travelers.

To solve their complaints, on March 18, Beijing urged that local areas shall recognize each other's wellness certificates (color codes), stating that low-risk areas (those with no confirmed cases or no new confirmed cases for fourteen consecutive days) shall not "set barriers" or "accept isolation measures".

Now, localities have been completing technology docking to allow citizens to freely pass using one health code system. For instance, users of Alipay tin easily get a local colour code by entering the "wellness code" port and picking an area every bit the motion picture shown below.

Checking the regional risk level

China's National Wellness Commission launched a WeChat mini program (see the beneath graphic) for citizens to check out the infection gamble level of a special area, for epidemic personnel to check out the countries and cities visited (staying for more than than four hours) by the traveler during the past 14 days.

The program as well allows users to cheque if they used the same public transport as the confirmed cases during the last 14 days.

Similar to the colour scheme of the wellness code system, the outbreak gamble level system grants "greenish" color to low-take chances areas, "yellow" to medium-chance areas, and "carmine" to high-risk areas.

Risk levels are assessed based on the number of new cases.

• Low-take a chance areas – are areas with no confirmed cases or no new confirmed cases for 14 consecutive days;
• Medium-risk areas – are those with new confirmed cases inside 14 days – but the full new cases are no more than 50, or with cumulatively more than than 50 confirmed cases – only no cluster epidemic within 14 days; and
• Loftier-chance areas – are those where the cumulative number of confirmed cases take exceeded 50 cases, and a cluster epidemic was recorded within the last xiv days.

By August 11, the unabridged state has been classified as depression-run a risk except for several districts and streets in Liaoning province and Xinjiang Uygur Democratic Region.

Generally speaking, as long as you are traveling from a depression-risk surface area, the green colour in your health code arrangement won't change. Only if you lot are from medium or high-risk areas, your travel to other Chinese provinces and cities will probably be restricted.

Pay attention to micro-control measures

Overall, in a bid to boost business and consumption, China is relaxing travel restrictions within its borders. Nevertheless, while most business organisation operations are back to normal, many micro-command policies are still beingness implemented.

For example, some tourist and entertainment facilities have nevertheless suspended performance. Some part buildings, scenic spots, hotels, shopping malls, subways, public transports are still conducting measures to check trunk temperature and color code of passengers and require them to article of clothing a mask. Cinemas are allowed to reopen simply with strict control measures.

We recommend that travelers check their destination's risk level, quarantine policies, and local control measures and set up their colour code in advance – to avoid any obstacles on their way.

Editor's Note: This commodity was originally published April i, 2020. It was concluding updated April 23, 2021.

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About The states

China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into People's republic of china and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assist in China at mainland china@dezshira.com.

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