The government continues to ban most foreign nationals, except those with valid residence permits, from entering China. However, foreigners with invitations from provincial or municipal governments and some family members of foreign employees with emergency humanitarian needs can apply to enter the country. Authorities also permit foreigners fully vaccinated with Chinese-produced COVID-19 vaccines to apply for visas for work, business, or humanitarian reasons. Diplomatic personnel and C visa holders, generally flight and shipping crew members, are exempt from entry bans.
Officials continue to ban direct flights with the UK until further notice.
Essential business travel from Singapore, South Korea, and the US can occur under fast-track arrangements to certain cities and municipalities. Companies or government agencies can apply for special passes for inbound visitors, who must test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of departure from Singapore or within 72 hours before departure from South Korea and obtain a visa. Passengers must undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival in China and self-isolate at designated facilities until their results are available. Singapore travelers must also adhere to a preplanned itinerary, refrain from using public transport – except for private hire vehicles – for the first 14 days and download and use a health pass while in mainland China. Arriving passengers testing positive for COVID-19 will undergo treatment at their own expense.
Authorities require most inbound passengers to take a PCR test within 48 hours of boarding, another PCR test within 12 or 24 hours before departure depending on location, and additional COVID-19 testing in each country they transit. Shortened time limits for testing may apply to some locations and passengers from certain locations may be required to take an additional PCR test 72 hours before departure. Authorities could modify testing requirements for entrants at short notice; respective Chinese missions will update country- specific rules. Regardless of nationality or residency, most travelers are barred from using land border crossings. Exceptions exist for cargo transport, though backlogs remain possible at border checkpoints.
Before travel, all authorized passengers must apply for a health certificate via the local Chinese diplomatic mission. Authorities have adjusted health certificate requirements for some countries, including the US, permitting travelers to China to use transit flights. Chinese citizens must update their information through WeChat to obtain a health code before boarding flights. The government continues to conduct health screenings, including body temperature scans and nucleic acid testing, at ports of entry nationwide.
International arrivals in some locations, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Qingdao, may be subject to mandatory anal COVID-19 swabs. Most international travelers must quarantine for seven days at government- designated facilities at their own cost, undergo regular testing, receive a negative test result before exiting quarantine, and subsequently undergo three days of self-quarantine.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) manages international airline flight volume based on COVID-19 testing outcomes for passengers. Authorities could suspend a carrier’s route at short notice if more than five passengers test positive for COVID-19. Chinese and US regulators continue to limit available outbound flights. Authorities also restrict Chinese airlines’ international operations and limit capacity on aircraft. Some airlines continue to suspend services to and from mainland China due to significantly decreased demand. Land borders are prone to closures and processing delays during periods of increased disease activity.