A review of the travel regulations in effect since 2020
Edited by Yang Jian. Subtitles by Yang Jian.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, travelers coming into the country have had to go through centralized quarantine and mass nucleic acid testing. As of January 8, these rules will no longer apply.
Below are some of the major policy decisions taken in the past three years related to COVID-19 travel.
March 23, 2020
International flights for Beijing redirected to 12 other cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing and Shenyang, as their first points of entry.
March 28, 2020
China suspends the entry of foreigners holding visas or residence permits. Those with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas are not affected.
March 29, 2020
The number of international passenger flights is slashed, allowing each operating foreign airline only one inbound route with no more than one flight per week. Their number drops sharply by over 85 percent to 108 per week.
April 13, 2020
China's State Council announces that all overseas arrivals must receive two weeks of central quarantine plus one week of home quarantine.
June 8, 2020
The Civil Aviation Administration of China unveils its suspension mechanism for international passenger flights. If the number of passengers testing positive touches five, the airline's flights are suspended for a week, and for four weeks if 10 passengers test positive.
July 21, 2020
Passengers on China-bound flights have to provide negative nucleic acid test results before boarding. The PCR tests have to be done within five days of embarkation and conducted at facilities designated or recognized by Chinese embassies in host countries.
September 28, 2020
Foreign nationals holding valid Chinese residence permits for work, personal matters and reunion are allowed to enter China without having to apply for new visas.
December 16, 2020
The CAAC releases tougher criteria for the suspension of international flights. If five passengers on a flight test positive, flights are grounded for two weeks. Ten positive passengers still means four-week suspension.
March 21, 2022
To help ease COVID-19 prevention pressure on Shanghai, a total of 106 international flights are rerouted to one of a dozen domestic airports.
June 28, 2022
The State Council slashes the quarantine period for inbound travelers by half to seven days of central quarantine and three days of home monitoring in the ninth edition of the COVID-19 control protocol.
August 24, 2022
China allows foreign holders of valid APEC Business Travel Cards and study-type residence permits issued in China to enter the country.
November 11, 2022
Overseas travelers to China are now required to undergo five days of central quarantine, plus three days at home. Meanwhile, overseas flights are no longer grounded for bringing COVID-19 infections into China.
January 8, 2023
No centralized quarantine or on-arrival PCR testing for international travelers. But they still have to produce 48-hour PCR test results prior to departure.
