China Travel Restrictions 2022 - Updated Aug. 8, 2022

China still retains its tight border restrictions in 2022. Currently, foreign travelers may enter China for work or humanitarian reasons. Quarantine at a designated site is needed depending on different cities' policies. Read on to know more about 2022 China travel restrictions.

Will China Open Its Borders In 2022?

According to China travel restrictions 2022, China will still retain its tight border restrictions. Most foreigners are still not allowed to enter China.

According to the latest policy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Immigration Administration of China, a small group of foreign nationals is allowed to enter the country.

Who Can Enter China Now?

In order to reduce cross-border transmission of COVID-19, China has temporarily suspended the entry by foreign nationals holding valid visas issued before March 28th, 2020. But three groups of foreigners can enter China at this moment:

• Foreigners who hold one of the three categories of valid Chinese residence permits for work, reunion, and personal matters.
• Foreigners holding Chinese diplomatic, service, courtesy, or C visa.
• Foreigners holding a new China visa (issued after March 28, 2020) only for work or humanitarian needs, such as visiting a seriously ill family member.

China’s Travel Restrictions in 2022

In the pandemic period, if you are a Chinese citizen or a foreign national residing in low-risk areas in China, you can travel around normally under a few travel restrictions.

Travel Restrictions for Travelers Residing in China

Restrictions on movement and quarantine arrangements sometimes remain for travel between different provinces of China. Each city has slightly different requirements. For example, some cities and provinces need travelers from high-risk and medium-risk areas to take nucleic acid and IgM anti-body tests and undergo 14 days of isolation in their residence or in centralized observation.

Click for more information on China Domestic Travel Restrictions 2022 - Updated Aug.4, 2022.

Tibet Travel Restrictions 2022 - Updated Aug.4, 2022.

Xinjiang Travel Restrictions 2022 - Updated Aug.4, 2022.

Travel Restrictions for Inbound Travelers

Passengers traveling to China must get their samples for the nucleic acid rt-PCR and IgM serum antibody tests collected at the departure city of their direct flight to China. Upon receiving the reports, passengers need to apply for a health code from the Chinese Embassy or the Consulate-General, travel before it expires, and be prepared for checking by the airlines before boarding.

1. You must take a first nucleic acid test 7 days before boarding. 

2. Fill out a Personal Health Monitoring Form.  

3. Within 48 hours before boarding, take a second nucleic acid rt-PCR test, one S protein IgM antibody test, and one N protein IgM antibody test at a listed laboratory

4. and the last nucleic acid test shall be taken within 24 hours.

5. Submit three negative nucleic acid test certificates, a Personal Health Monitoring Form, and a Letter of Commitment on COVID-19 Vaccination on the China Health Declaration Certificate website for applying for a health code. If you are fully vaccinated, you should apply for the health code 14 days after the last required shot. 

6. If the result is negative, you will get a Health Declaration Code (HDC) from the website within 3 hours.

7. Take the antigen test at the departure city within 12 hours before boarding.

Latest Hong Kong Travel Restrictions

Hong Kong will reduce the mandatory hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals to 3 days, then undergo 4 days of medical surveillance at home, come into operation from Aug.12.

For transit travelers, you can choose to stay 4 more days in the hotel, allowing go out to office and malls (but cannot go to restaurants, gyms, schools and places with entry restriction).

Please make sure you’ve checked the latest entry restrictions before your trip.

Who Can Enter Hong Kong?

• Hong Kong residents
• Travelers, including Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents, from the Mainland or Macao who have not been to any other country/region in the past 14 days
• Travelers, including Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents, from a low-risk country, the mainland, or Macao who have not been to any other country/region in the past 14 days can enter Hong Kong if they are fully vaccinated
• All travelers to Hong Kong will be required to take a COVID-19 test before clearing immigration and baggage collection

What are the Requirements to Enter Hong Kong?

• 1. Fully vaccination
• 2. Receive PRC nucleic acid test and get negative results
• 3. Book the designated quarantine hotel before flying to Hong Kong
• 4. Arrive at Hong Kong International Airport will have to undergo a PCR test and rapid antigen test. Travelers will be required to remain at the airport waiting for the results of the rapid antigen test.
• 5. All arrivals including those who test negative for coronavirus need to undergo 7-day quarantine in a designated hotel.

Can I Transit Through Hong Kong?

• Travelers from the Mainland, Macau, and Taiwan who have not been to high-risk countries can transfer to Hong Kong International Airport
• Travelers from low-risk countries/regions can transfer to Hong Kong International Airport
• Travelers from any other destination will not be able to transfer to Hong Kong

Can Foreign Travelers in Hong Kong Enter the Chinese Mainland?

Yes. Foreign nationals who work in the Chinese Mainland or who need to visit family can apply for a visa to enter the Mainland. Quarantine at a designated hotel is needed depending on different cities' policies. 

Procedure Required for Hong Kong to Enter the Mainland

Health Station Appointment

There are limited quotes of 2000 reservations per day, and best to make an appointment one week in advance. A green code will be generated on the day of clearance, and a screenshot needs to be saved.

Click here to Make a Health Station Appointment

Black Code

Search for the "海关旅客指尖服务" small program on WeChat, select "Entry Information", and fill in the information to automatically generate, this is valid for 24 hours.

On the day of entry mainland

Inbound passenger track pass, which is only used in the last step of customs clearance. It can be filled in customs.

Macao Travel Restrictions

Here are the latest travel restrictions for travelers visiting Macao:

Who Can Enter Macao?

• Macao residents
• Travelers who reside in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
• Foreign nationals for business, study, and humanitarian needs who have been in the Chinese Mainland for 21 days before entering Macao.

All travelers must have proof of a negative result for the COVID-19 test issued no more than 48 before departure. Travelers arriving from high-risk countries/regions must undergo a 14-day quarantine.

China's Current Entry Policy

Foreign nationals who meet the requirements of the above entry policy can enter China in accordance with China’s epidemic prevention regulations. Certain documents and a 7+3 days quarantine (7 days' centralized quarantine at a designated site + 3 days' home health quarantine) are required when entering the country.

How to Enter China:

• 1. Ensure you have a valid visa or a valid Residence Permit in accordance with the latest entry policies.
• Take nucleic acid and IgM anti-body tests two days before boarding the flight.
• Submit the negative COVID-19 tests to the Chinese embassy or consulate departure to apply for a Health Declaration Form (HDF) prior to departure and have a green health declaration code (HDC) handy - electronic or hardcopy.
• Upon arrival, you will fill out a Declaration of Health, have your body temperature measured, and have a nucleic test at the airport.
• Nucleic test results from the airport will be communicated within 24 hours. During this time, you will go to wait to be transferred to your designated hotel.
• All travelers aboard are required to be centrally quarantined for 14 days upon arrival. After receiving your negative result from the airport, you will be transferred by a special bus to your designated hotel. You cannot choose a hotel by yourself. Decisions on hotels are based on your address and arrival time. Families will be placed in the same hotel. The cost of accommodation and food during the quarantine will be paid for by yourself.
• When the 14 days of quarantine are over, if you don’t develop any COVID-19 symptoms, you will receive a release certificate. Then you will need to stay at home for 7 days and not be able to go out.
• After the housing compound, you can go out but need to measure your body temperature every day and report immediately if you feel unwell.

China Quarantine Rules

Inbound travelers, whether vaccinated or not, are required to quarantine at a designated place. The length of the quarantine period was reduced to 10 days ("7+3": 7-day centralized quarantine and 3-day home health quarantine). These measures will change from time to time, depending on the local pandemic situation.

China Travel Restrictions for U.S. Citizens

Travelers from the United States with valid residence permits and visas are allowed to enter China under limited conditions. As of May 20, travelers from the United States and Canada no longer have to take a PCR test and self-health monitoring seven days before flying to China.

Travel Restrictions for U.S. Citizens

• Within 48 hours before boarding, passengers are required to take two times nucleic acid rt-PCR tests, no matter fully vaccinated or not. IgM antibody test is not mandatory. The two times of nucleic acid tests must be taken in two different listed laboratories, the last test must be taken within 24 hours before boarding.
• Submit negative nucleic acid test certificates, personal information and a Letter of Commitment to COVID-19 Vaccination on the China Health Declaration Certificate website.
• If the result is negative, you will get a Health Declaration Form (HDF) Certificate or a Health Declaration Code (HDC) from the website within 3 hours
• Take the antigen test at the departure city within 12 hours before boarding.
• Quarantine at a designated site is needed depending on different cities' policies (please refer to the table above for quarantine rules)

Are There Any Other Asian Countries Open for Traveling?

It has been two years since COVID-19 emerged, with almost every country affected by the pandemic. But more countries are deciding to safely reopen their borders to travelers once again, including several Asian countries.

Asian Countries Open for Travel

• Singapore: all fully vaccinated travelers can enjoy quarantine-free travel to Singapore with simplified COVID-19 measures in place.
• Malaysia: fully-vaccinated inbound travelers are no longer required to undergo pre-departure and on-arrival COVID-19 tests.
• Thailand: open to fully vaccinated travelers from around the world. Thailand Pass registration is being removed by July 1.
• India: open to fully vaccinated international tourists.
• Sri Lanka: open to international travelers who have completed that second dose of COVIV-19 vaccine, with a few travel restrictions.
• The Maldives: open to travelers from around the world who have negative COVID-19 PCR test results performed 96 hours before departure.
• Vietnam: open to fully vaccinated international travelers, RT-PCR test + visa + travel insurance are accepted for entry.
• Indonesia: partially opened Bali and Riau Islands to travelers from 19 countries.
• Cambodia: open to foreign travelers from around the world.
• South Korea: open to international travelers with negative COVID-19 PCR test results performed 72 hours before departure.

Plan a trip to Asia? Contact us for customizing a fantastic holiday!

What Should I do if COVID-19 Outbreaks during Travel?

1. Stay at your hotel and call your doctor if you feel unwell: Isolate yourself at home if you feel unwell to avoid contact with others; when you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

2. Keep calm: Stay informed on the latest information about COVID-19. Follow the advice given by your healthcare provider, including any restrictions put in place on travel, movement, and gatherings.

Recommended China Tours for Expats

As the policies changed frequently over the course of pandemics, the rules are different from place to place in China to react to the pandemic situation. Plan a tour with a trustful local tour provider will ensure you a safe and pleasant tour, and always get up to date on travel restrictions of the place you travel. 

Low-Risk Travel Destinations with Amazing Culture and Sceneries

• 8-Day Memories of Xinjiang Tour
• 8-Day Tibet Mt.Everest Tour
• 8-Day Authentic Yunnan Discovery

We can also customize your own trip based on your group size, budget, interests, preferences, and other requirements. Please contact us.

Amid the coronavirus crisis, any customer who has booked a trip with us can cancel or reschedule it for free.