Several Chinese embassies relax the China health code requirements

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Several Chinese embassies have recently published notices relaxing the China health code requirements.

In this article, we will go through some of these notices:

United States

Starting May 20, 2022, the embassy in the United States announced the following changes regarding the health code requirements:

  1. Nucleic acid testing 7 days before boarding is cancelled.
  2. Remove the obligation for the 7-day self-health monitoring and instead encourage it prior to travel.
  3. All passengers, regardless of the vaccination status, will be tested for “nucleic acid” twice within 48 hours of departure; It is still necessary to use multiple laboratories for the “dual nucleic acid,” and one of them must be within 24 hours after boarding.
  4. No IgM antibody testing is necessary.

United Arab Emirates

According to the current situation of the epidemic and the mutation characteristics of the Omicron strain, the embassy made the following adjustments to the requirements for pre-departure testing and isolation of people from the United Arab Emirates going to China:

  1. All travelers to China must undergo “double nucleic acid” testing within 48 hours before travel and nucleic acid testing within 12 hours before travel as required.
  2. Cancellation of the test on the 21st or 14th day before the trip to China.
  3. The requirement for IgM antibody testing is canceled regardless of the vaccination status; Etihad Airways still requires all passengers taking its flight to China to undergo IgM antibody testing within 48 hours before departure.
  4. Cancel the CT or X-ray testing requirements for people with a history of previous infection. Persons with a history of previous infection should undergo two nucleic acid tests (sampling intervals greater than 24 hours and less than 168 hours) at the testing institutions designated by the embassies and consulates in the United Arab Emirates. After obtaining a negative report, they will start 6-week isolation and health monitoring, and then they can conduct a 48 hours pre-trip “Double nucleic acid” and nucleic acid detection within 12 hours to apply for a health code.
  1. The pre-departure closed-loop management requirements for enterprise personnel have been shorten from 21 days to 10 days.
  2. The crew members are no longer required to be quarantined for 21 days after landing, and they will be tested according to the requirements of ordinary personnel going to China.
  3. From the perspective of being responsible for the safety of themselves and others during their travels, please conduct self-health monitoring for 10 days before the trip, fill in the self-health monitoring form (see attachment) as required, and strictly take care of personal health before and during the trip. protection.
  4. Except for the above changes, other requirements for applying for a health code remain unchanged. The embassy will make dynamic adjustments to the relevant requirements according to the changes in the epidemic situation. Please pay attention to the website and public account information of the embassy in time for those who need to go to China from the United Arab Emirates, and provide the health code application materials according to the latest requirements.

Thailand

According to the latest domestic prevention and control regulations, starting from the June 2, 2022 (including flying on the 2nd), the Chinese embassy and consulates in Thailand will adjust the pre-departure testing requirements for those who depart from Thailand to China, and cancel the Nucleic acid testing and related antibody testing requirements on 14th and 7th day before departure. This adjustment is made based on multiple factors such as the epidemic situation and the characteristics of virus mutation. In the future, dynamic adjustments will be made based on the epidemic situation and overseas imports.

Ireland

Within 48 hours and 12 hours before flight departure (“within xx hours before flight departure” should be calculated strictly by hours, if the flight departure time is at 19:00 on May 25th, the 48 hours before flight departure is at 19:00 on May 23rd , and so on) completed 1 new coronavirus nucleic acid test in two different testing institutions in Ireland (excluding Northern Ireland). If both nucleic acid test results are negative, our embassy will issue a health code.

If the above tests cannot be completed within the time limit, you can complete a new coronavirus nucleic acid test at each of two different testing institutions within 48 hours and 24 hours before the flight departure, and complete an antigen test at the testing institution within 12 hours before the flight departure. detection. If the three test results are all negative, our embassy will issue a health code.

Denmark

From May 18, 2022, passengers who have not been vaccinated or have not been fully vaccinated from the new crown vaccine to China from Denmark will need to undergo a “double nucleic acid” test before boarding, and no serum antibody IgM test will be required.

The specific testing requirements are consistent with the “dual nucleic acid” testing requirements for those who have been fully vaccinated.

Spain

  1. All passengers going to China shall undergo “dual nucleic acid” testing and antigen testing (regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated or vaccinated), that is, two different designated tests in the same consular area within 48 hours and 24 hours before flight departure. The institution conducts a nucleic acid test. An antigen test at a designated testing institution within 12 hours before flight departure.
  2. Cancellation of the first nucleic acid test 7 days before the departure of the flight for people going to China.
  3. The detection of IgM antibody (including N protein) will be cancelled regardless of the vaccination status.
  4. Cancel the requirements for lung CT or X-ray examinations for people with a history of previous infection (those who have been diagnosed with new coronary pneumonia or who have not been diagnosed but have a positive nucleic acid test result).
  1. After landing in Spain, the crew members should follow the requirements of ordinary people going to China to undergo testing and apply for a health code, and do not need to be quarantined for 14 days.
  2. Those who go to China do not need to submit a self-health monitoring form and a vaccination declaration when applying for a health code.
  3. Except for the above changes, other requirements for applying for a health code remain unchanged.
  4. Currently, there is no direct flight between China and Spain. Our embassy can issue health codes for those who meet the transit requirements and travel from Spain to China via a third country. Those who plan to take a connecting flight to China should apply for a health code according to the latest testing requirements.

Poland

  1. All passengers who take flights from Poland to China (regardless of the vaccination status) should undergo two nucleic acid RT-PCR sampling tests within 24 hours before boarding the flight. The nucleic acid test must be completed at different designated testing institutions, and an antigen sampling test shall be carried out at the designated testing institution of the consulate within 12 hours before boarding, and a negative certificate of double nucleic acid test and a negative certificate of antigen test shall be obtained.
  2. For those who have not completed the vaccination, the detection of serum specific IgM antibodies will be cancelled.
  3. For those with a history of previous infection, the lung imaging test is cancelled.
  4. The closed-loop management requirements for enterprise personnel before boarding have been adjusted from the original 21 days to 10 days.
  5. The crew members who landed on the waves are no longer required to be quarantined in waves for 14 days, and can be tested normally according to the requirements of ordinary passengers.

Bangladesh

Since March 2022, the epidemic situation in Bangladesh has improved. According to the characteristics of the spread of the Omicron virus, after research, it is decided to adjust the remote prevention and control and new crown detection measures for personnel going to China from now on as follows:

  1. When doing business with various airlines, the closed-loop management time has been reduced from 7 days to 5 days (for example, the check-in time for a China Southern Airlines flight that takes off on Wednesday night is before 4 pm on Saturday last week, and the check-in time for a China Eastern Airlines flight that takes off on Monday afternoon is on Check-in time for US-BANGLA flights departing on Saturday nights before 4:00 on Thursdays is before 4:00 pm on Tuesdays of the same week).
  2. Cancellation of IgM and IgG antibody testing.
  3. Cancellation of lung CT imaging tests for persons with a history of infection. Persons with a history of infection only need to provide 2 nucleic acid test reports from the testing agency designated by the Bangladeshi government (with an interval of 24 hours) to the designated email address of the embassy [email protected] (file name: name + contact number + recovery materials).
  4. The closed-loop management time for personnel of Chinese-funded enterprises is adjusted from 21 days (14+7) to 10 days (5-day independent closed-loop + 5-day centralized closed-loop), the current pre-return filing management is cancelled, and the nucleic acid 21 days before boarding is cancelled. pre-check. If the health monitoring of the employees of the enterprise is normal during the 5-day closed-loop period of the enterprise, they can participate in the centralized closed-loop according to the requirements of ordinary passengers (the relevant enterprise personnel returning to China and the circuit breaker regulations are still implemented in accordance with the current regulations).
  5. The policy for people who come to Bangladesh temporarily to go to China is the same as that for people in Bangladesh, and the relevant pre-quarantine isolation is cancelled.

Egypt

  1. Airlines will shorten the closed-loop management time before boarding flights to China to five days and four nights. The departure day of Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8392 is every Friday, and passengers need to stay at the closed-loop hotel on Monday of the same week; the departure day of EgyptAir MS953 is every Tuesday, and passengers need to check in at the closed-loop hotel on the previous Friday.
  2. The closed-loop management time before boarding the crew from Egypt is the same as that of ordinary passengers, which are five days and four nights. Relevant ship/crew management companies are requested to report crew information to the closed-loop management party in a timely manner according to the requirements of our consulate’s previous notice, and accept epidemic prevention guidance and overall arrangements.
  3. Personnel of Chinese-funded enterprises shall arrange 10-day quarantine observation on their own before participating in the closed-loop management of airlines, and a quarantine certificate shall be issued by the affiliated enterprise.
  4. The requirement for serum-specific IGM antibody testing for passengers going to China is cancelled, and all groups (including those who have not been vaccinated or not fully vaccinated, and those who have been fully vaccinated with inactivated or non-inactivated vaccines) do not need to undergo serum antibody testing.

The above arrangements have been implemented since the closed-loop management of Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8392 on May 27.

Russia

Due to the characteristics of the recent outbreak of the Omicron variant strain, the Chinese Embassy in Russia strongly recommends that you “do not travel unless it is necessary”. If you really need to go to China, you must abide by various epidemic prevention regulations, and make reasonable arrangements for travel in combination with the entry and exit policies of China and Russia during the epidemic. From the date of publication of this notice, the following new requirements apply to the application of health codes (or health status declarations) by passengers going to China from Russia:

  1. All passengers going to China do not need a nucleic acid test on the 7th day before boarding. Antibody testing is also no longer required for all groups (regardless of the vaccination status). Proof of vaccination and Self-Health Monitoring Form are required.
  2. All passengers going to China must implement strict closed-loop isolation management for 7 days. Please check for the 2nd day with Moscow CMD and for the 1st day (Moscow ГЕМОТЕСТ) before boarding (for example: flight on April 8, must be closed on April 6 Two centralized nucleic acid tests (subject to the sampling time) were conducted at designated testing institutions in Moscow, respectively, and serum antibody tests were not required. The designated testing agency on the second day is CMD (address: г.Москва, Нижний Сусальный переулок, д.5, строение2), and on the first day ГЕМОТЕСТ (address: г.Москва, Рождественкийульвар21, строение2). For specific matters such as centralized testing and registration, please contact the corresponding airline. If the nucleic acid test results are negative on the 2nd and 1st day before boarding, please upload the following materials:
    1. The first page of the passport or travel document.
    2. Identity and residence permit.

For Chinese citizens, please provide:

  1. Valid residence certificates such as visas and green cards in Russia (for visa-free entry, you must upload a photo of the latest entry and exit stamp in your passport).
  2. One of the following certification materials:
    1. immigration card (small white strip);
    2. residence registration (visa on arrival);
    3. latest entry and exit stamp on passport;
    4. other identity documents proving legal residence in Russia.

For Russian citizens, please provide one of the following documents:

  1. Valid diplomatic, official or courtesy, C visa page.
  2. Visa pages for China issued after November 3, 2020.
  3. Approved residence permit that meets the requirements for going to China (please send it to [email protected] in advance, the subject of the email: health code + residence permit + applicant’s name. After approval, please upload the provided materials to apply for the health code).
  1. The nucleic acid test report issued by the testing agency in English or Russian (2 copies in total, i.e. the 2nd and 1st day before boarding).
  2. Enterprise isolation certificate (only for project personnel of Chinese-funded enterprises in Russia).
  3. Air ticket itinerary.
  4. For those who have been infected in the past, please provide the supplementary materials required by “4. Frequently Asked Questions (3)” in this notice after 2 months of recovery.
  5. Other documents required by the embassy and consulate in Russia.
  6. After obtaining the green health code, passengers going to China must conduct a rapid nucleic acid test before boarding at the airport on the day of flight. The airline is responsible for checking the report. For specific matters, please contact the corresponding airline.