[News] End of Quarantine for Incoming Travel to China

On December 26, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, issued the General Program for the Implementation of “Category B and B Management” for COVID-19 Infection (hereinafter referred to as “the Program”).

China will cancel inbound quarantine for international arrivals, and vows to orderly resume Chinese citizens' outbound travel as part of an overall plan to downgrade the country's COVID-19 management from January 8, 2023.

According to the Program, the policy will have the following changes:

1.  The PCR test will be conducted 48 hours before the arrival in China, and those with negative results can come to China without applying for a health code from Chinese embassies and consulates abroad and filling in the results into the customs health declaration card. If the result is positive, the relevant passengers shall be allowed to travel to China only after the result turns negative.

2. Cancel the compulsory requirement of PCR test and centralized quarantine after entry. Those with normal health declaration and no abnormalities in the routine checks at customs can carry out normal social activities upon arrival.

3. Cancel the "five-one" policy (i.e., one airline company, one country, one route, one week, one flight) and seat-rate restrictions on international passenger flights, as well as other control measures.

4. The airline companies shall continue to do a good job of in-flight epidemic prevention, passengers must wear masks when flying.

5. Further optimize the arrangements for foreigners visiting China for resumption of work and production, business, study, family visits and reunion, and provide corresponding visas. Gradually resume the entry and exit of passengers at waterways and land ports. Resume Chinese citizens' outbound travel in an orderly manner according to the international epidemic situation and the capacity of various services to protect them.