China travel restrictions

China Flights and trains canceled as Beijing authorities upgrade emergency response to COVID-19 (Business Standard, 17.06.2020)

*****Internationsl restrictions:
China has suspended entry to foreign nationals with visas issued before 27 March, this includes transit passengers. The only exemptions will be diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas. Individuals coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities, or for emergency humanitarian needs, may apply for new visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. All international passenger flights to Beijing will be diverted to 16 designated airports in Chengdu, Changsha, Hefei, Lanzhou, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Hohhot, Jinan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shenyang, Dalian, Zhengzhou, Xi’an and Wuhan. Health regulations surrounding passengers arriving from overseas are continuously changing. All overseas passenger arrivals are subject to health checks (likely involving nucleic acid or swab tests), including during transit, followed by a centralised quarantine period of at least 14 days – costs for which to be covered by the passenger. During this period follow-up swap tests are likely to take place. Those failing health checks may be sent to a designated hospital for treatment. Quarantine requirements can change at short notice and may differ from province to province. Families, including those with children, may be separated upon entering quarantine. Those undergoing centralised quarantine will be asked to cover the fees for the duration. Before you travel, check with your airline, travel operator or hotel for any changes or restrictions. China issued an order to ensure compliance with health and quarantine regulations at borders. Refusal to comply with procedures or testing put in place or any attempts to deliberately conceal health conditions can result in being sentenced to up to three years in prison. This applies to both Chinese and foreign nationals.

*****Internal Restrictions
Mandatory requirements to check temperatures and use health apps or scan QR codes to prove travel history are in place at transport hubs, hotels, commercial buildings including restaurants, residential compounds and other locations – such locations are also increasingly requiring use of ‘health kit code’ apps to demonstrate health condition and travel history. Restrictions on movement and quarantine arrangements remain for travel between different parts of the country. Some cities and provinces require travellers from high to medium risk areas to undergo 14 days of isolation in their place of residence or in centralised observation. Quarantine is enforced at the neighbourhood level, procedures vary, it is recommended to check in advance. The posibility that local authorities impose mandatory quarantine in response to fresh outbreaks is high There have been reports of individuals who have frequented bars or restaurants where there have been confirmed cases of COVID-19 being mandated to undergo 14 days of centralised quarantine. A record should be kept with the latest developments and this travel advice. There have been reports of discrimination against foreign nationals in China as a result of a perceived risk that they might re-import COVID-19.

China Flights and trains canceled as Beijing authorities upgrade emergency response to COVID-19 (Business Standard, 17.06.2020)

1. The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well.
– Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
– Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
– Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected.
2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days.
3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation.
4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test.
5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses.
– This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.
6. Airline crew of foreign airlines:
– are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR
– shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR
– are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.
7. A QR code generated from a completed “Health Declaration Form” must be presented to immigration upon arrival. The form can be obtained before departure at http://health.customsapp.com/ .

*****Entry restrictions:
Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan.
The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days.
All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.
The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future.
All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport.
Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

*****

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities.
Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests.

Beijing: Beijing is reintroducing strict lockdown measures and rolling out mass testing after a fresh cluster of novel coronavirus cases emerged. (CNN, 15.06.2020)

As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020)

Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III.
A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance.
As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside.
Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means:
A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.
Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc.
If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.
On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China Chinese government will allow some barred airlines to fly into mainland starting 8 June (Reuters, 03.06.2020). Aviation authorities to extend restrictions on international flights until 30 June (Reuters, 28.05.2020)

1. The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well.
– Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
– Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
– Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected.
2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days.
3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation.
4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test.
5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses.
– This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.
6. Airline crew of foreign airlines:
– are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR
– shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR
– are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.
7. A QR code generated from a completed “Health Declaration Form” must be presented to immigration upon arrival. The form can be obtained before departure at http://health.customsapp.com/ .

Entry restrictions:
Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan.
The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days.
All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.
The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future.
All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport.
Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities.
Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests.

Beijing: Beijing is reintroducing strict lockdown measures and rolling out mass testing after a fresh cluster of novel coronavirus cases emerged. (CNN, 15.06.2020)

As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020)

Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III.
A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance.
As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside.
Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means:
A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.
Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc.
If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.
On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China Chinese government will allow some barred airlines to fly into mainland starting 8 June (Reuters, 03.06.2020). Aviation authorities to extend restrictions on international flights until 30 June (Reuters, 28.05.2020)

1. The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well.
– Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
– Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
– Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected.
2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days.
3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation.
4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test.
5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses.
– This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.
6. Airline crew of foreign airlines:
– are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR
– shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR
– are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.
7. A QR code generated from a completed “Health Declaration Form” must be presented to immigration upon arrival. The form can be obtained before departure at http://health.customsapp.com/ .

Entry restrictions:
Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan.
The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days.
All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.
The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future.
All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport.
Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities.
Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests.
Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance.
As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020)

Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III.
A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance.
As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside.
Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means:
A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.
Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc.
If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.
On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China Aviation authorities to extend restrictions on international flights until 30 June (Reuters, 28.05.2020)
1. The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well.
– Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
– Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
– Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected.
2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days.
3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation.
4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test.
5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses.
– This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.
6. Airline crew of foreign airlines:
– are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR
– shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR
– are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.

Entry restrictions:
Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.
Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan.
The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days.
All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.
The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future.
All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport.
Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities.
Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests.
Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance.
As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020)

Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III.
A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance.
As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside.
Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means:
A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.
Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc.
If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.
On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China 1. The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well. – Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected. – Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. – Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected. 2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days. 3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation. 4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test. 5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses. – This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home. 6. Airline crew of foreign airlines: – are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR – shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR – are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections. Entry restrictions Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan. The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days. All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future. All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport. Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020) Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community. Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures. On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China Entry restrictions Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan. The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days. All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future. All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport. Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020) Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community. Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures. On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China Entry restrictions Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. Many local governments require inbound travellers to inform their local company office and neighbourhood committee in advance about their travel plan. The number of international passenger flights is reduced. In Beijing, international flights are not landing directly at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), but are diverted first to other domestic airports in Dalian, Hohhot, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai Pudong, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Xi’an and Zhengzhou for screening. Travellers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility upon entry. After clearing the 14-day quarantine, if the traveller enters Beijing after the second day the traveller clears the quarantine, the traveller will have to undergo another 14-day quarantine either at home or a designated facility for 14 additional days. All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The Chinese Government is in discussions with foreign governments on “fast-track” procedures to allow key employees of foreign companies to return to China. So far, “fast-track” commercial charter flights have been arranged with Germany and South Korea and may be extended to other countries in the future. All transit/transfer services, including air transit/transfer, cross boundary land transport and cross boundary ferry transfer, are suspended for all passengers at Hong Kong International Airport. Residents with travel history in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do in South Korea, Iran, as well as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in Italy in the past 14 days will be required upon entry to stay in a quarantine centre for 14 days. Residents with travel history in any other overseas locations in the preceding 14 days will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Internal restrictions:

Mainland China: Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended.All villages and residential compounds in the city were closed off, and only one person from each household allowed out for two hours every second day for essentials. (The Guardian, 19.05.2020) Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community. Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures. On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well. – Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected. – Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.

– Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected. 2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days. 3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation. 4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test. 5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses. – This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home. 6. Airline crew of foreign airlines: – are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR – shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR – are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.

Internal restrictions:

Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended. Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code.

Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures. On 13 May, Jilin city was announced to be ‘sealed’. Transportations services such as intercity buses and trains for Jilin city are suspended now. People who want to move out of the city need the nucleic acid test within 48 hours of travel and register the information according to official instructions.

China The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well. – Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected. – Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. – Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected. 2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days. 3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation. 4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test. 5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses. – This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home. 6. Airline crew of foreign airlines: – are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR – shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR – are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.

Internal restrictions:

Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Jilin: the northeast Chinese city of Jilin imposed fresh restrictions on travel in order to contain a new coronavirus outbreak. (Reuters, 13.05.2020) Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended. Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community. Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.

Source: https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/covid-19-information/ https://pandemic.internationalsos.com/2019-ncov/ncov-travel-restrictions-flight-operations-and-screening

China The mainland of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into the mainland of China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 00:00 local time, 28 March 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well. – Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected. – Foreign nationals coming to the mainland of China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. – Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected. 2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days. 3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation. 4. Passengers who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Spain or USA in the past 14 days arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test. 5. All passengers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at the designated hotels for 14 days on their own expenses. – This does not apply to passengers under 18 years old, passengers above 70 years old, pregnant women and passengers suffering from illness. They must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home. 6. Airline crew of foreign airlines: – are not required to undergo nucleic acid test if they have a short stay after landing then depart immediately, and do not leave apron during the transition; OR – shall receive nucleic acid test in the first port of entry if they need to enter the country to rest or continue to operate domestic routes. The test results will be confirmed by the local government in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention management. Only if the test results are negative, crews can continue the operations; OR – are allowed to return to their home country for isolation treatment when agreed by the local joint control mechanism, if they are symptomatic, in close contact with infected persons or tested positive. Airlines and crews shall make all commitments to bear their responsibilities and also carry out strict protections.

Internal restrictions:

Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities. Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests. Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance. As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. On 10 May, Shulan (Jilin province) raised its risk level to ‘high’ due to new local cases, and has re-strengthened restrictions on local movement and public gathering. Several train routes to/from Shulan have also been suspended. Another example is Taiyuan (who did so on 3 May), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level. In Shanghai and Guangdong, public health emergency response levels have been changed from level II to level III. A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside. Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means: A reduction of exit/entry access to the community. Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc. If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.

China As of 29 March foreign airlines will be required to maintain only one air route to China and operate no more than one flight per week. Chinese domestic airlines are also expected to further reduce available routes per guidelines. Flights to and from China should carry no more than 75 percent of the passengers that they are licensed to carry. (OSAC, 02.04.2020)

All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.

1. Passengers are not allowed to transit or enter China (People’s Rep.).
– This does not apply to nationals of China (People’s Rep.).
– This does not apply to passengers with a Hong Kong (SAR China) passport or a Macao (SAR China) passport.
– This does not apply to passengers with a Chinese Taipei (on the cover: Republic of China Taiwan) passport.
– This does not apply to passengers with a diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visa.
– This does not apply to passengers with a visa issued after 28 March 2020.
2. All passengers arriving at PEK will have a PCR test and be quarantined at the designated location in Beijing for 14 days.
3. Passengers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo a Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation.
– This does not apply to airline crew members.

Entry restrictions: Foreigners with visas or residence permits still valid from 28 March are restricted from entering China. This includes foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards, port visas, persons who qualify for 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policies, Hainan 30 day visa-free policy, 15 day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Regions and Guangxi 15 day visa-free policies for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries. Diplomatic, Courtesy or C-Class visas will not be affected. Foreign nationals involved in necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or for emergency and humanitarian needs may also apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates. All land border crossings between China and Russia have been closed to travellers. Yunnan province has banned citizens from leaving the country by more than 30 land and river ports at the province’s borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.

Internal restrictions:

Railway stations and airports have gradually resumed operations and most provinces have resumed their inter-provincial road passenger transportation. Restrictions on public transportation and private car movement have been lifted in most cities.
Hubei province: Restrictions on outbound travel from Hubei province were lifted on 25 March, and restrictions in Wuhan have been lifted on 8 April. Railway and passenger flights have started to resume accordingly with the lifting of restrictions (Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed domestic flights on 8 April); however, international flights and flights to/from Beijing will remain suspended until further notice. Those who want to leave Hubei should confirm with their destination city on the local requirements. Various cities and provinces require all travellers from Wuhan to take nucleic acid tests (including Shenzhen, Zhejiang, etc). Shanghai encourages employers to let returning staff from certain areas take nucleic acid tests.
Beijing: On 29 April, the Beijing government announced a new policy that business travellers and returnees who come from domestic ‘COVID-19 low risk’ areas to Beijing will NOT need the 14 days of home quarantine. People who have travelled from low risk areas to Beijing and are currently under home quarantine can halt their home quarantine and medical observation if applicable. The new Beijing policy does not apply to travellers from overseas, Hubei province or other domestic ‘medium and high risk areas’. Personnel returning from Hubei need to register information online in advance and get a negative nucleic acid test certificate before purchasing the returning ticket. After arrival, they need to show the test certificate to enter the community, follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, and take another test before lifting the quarantine. Domestic travellers planning to stay at hotels must present a ‘green’ health code. Chaoyang District has been rated as ‘high’ risk due to recent cluster cases. Travellers from ‘high’ risk areas are possible to face quarantine and other requirements when entering other provinces and cities. As such requirements vary across the country, travellers need to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel in advance.
As the situation continues to improve across the country, almost all the cities and provinces have declared the local risk level to be low. The latest city is Suifenhe, the border city with Russia in Heilongjiang province, who adjusted its risk level to low from May 6. However, some cities also chose to strengthen their quarantine measures due to re-emergence of local or imported cases. The latest example is Taiyuan (who did so May 3), Shanxi provincial capital, although it didn’t announce any change to its risk or response level.
A new directive has been issued providing more detailed guidance on community quarantine management, including a new clause that says for low-risk areas and communities with no cases detected, inbound travellers from non-high-risk areas are exempted from mandatory quarantine as long as they hold a ‘green’ health code and arrive directly (without a stopover in a high-risk area). As the risk levels still vary across the country, travellers are advised to confirm with the local residence committee or hotel about quarantine requirements in advance.
A mobile application called ‘health code’ (or similar) with different colour code (typically green, yellow, red) is being used to indicate the level of movement clearance for individual users. A green code gives permission to freedom of movement while yellow or red may indicate that 7-14 days’ quarantine is required. As each province has different variations of the application, travellers will need to check the relevant application for their destination and register their information online to get the ‘health code’ before the trip. Heilongjiang announced an ‘in-city code’ in addition to the three-colour health code. Personnel with ‘in-city code’ are restricted to travel out of their current city but can move freely inside.
Although such restrictions are easing, many provinces and cities still have in place community ‘close-off’ style management which means:
A reduction of exit/entry access to the community.
Access control of visitors and visiting vehicles: ID check/registration, temperature measurement at gate, delivery service is to be picked up at the gate of community etc.
If there are confirmed cases in a certain community, there might be a closure of certain units/areas for quarantine depending on the severity of the local outbreak. In Heilongjiang province, re-emergence of local cases has led to strengthening of such measures.
Hong Kong: The ten land boundary control points between Hong Kong and mainland China have been closed. The authorities have suspended ferries and high-speed trains, as well as the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Intercity Through Train which is served by Hung Hom Station.
Individuals who have visited Hubei province in the 14 days before arriving in Hong Kong are barred from entering the city.
Non-Hong Kong residents coming from mainland China, Macao (SAR) and Taiwan (China) will also be denied entry if they have been to any overseas countries or regions in the preceding 14 days.
All residents and non-residents coming from mainland China, Macao (SAR) and Taiwan (China) are also subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine. However, travellers entering Hong Kong for educational or essential business purposes (subject to the approval of the local authorities) are not required to undertake compulsory quarantine at designated facilities. Exempted travellers will be required to comply with the Department of Health’s medical surveillance program.
All travellers entering Hong Kong are required to complete and submit health declaration forms.
Schools will resume in three phases from 27 May until 15 June. A ban on public gatherings of more than eight people will be applied from 8 May, increased from four persons. From 8 May, entertainment and sports premises will reopen in stages. The first stage includes reopening of entertainment venues excluding karaoke bars, nightclubs and party rooms, as well as cinemas, gyms, and beauty and massage parlours. Each venue should not exceed more than 50 people or half of its capacity, though this restriction does not apply to restaurants. A 1.5m (5 feet) social-distancing rule remains applied in all businesses and public premises, as well as a maximum of eight people at a table. Most civil servants have returned to workplaces since 4 May.