Entering China Becomes Easier... Quarantine for Arrivals Lifted Starting Tomorrow

On the 6th, the second day of mandatory registration for the 'Quarantine Information Pre-Entry System' (Q-CODE) for arrivals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau, a sign for the 'China-dedicated lane' was installed at the arrival hall of Incheon International Airport. [Image source=Yonhap News]

China will completely abolish quarantine for incoming travelers starting from the 8th.

According to the guidelines announced by the Chinese government on the 26th of last month, from the 8th, both domestic and foreign nationals entering China can proceed directly to their homes or other destinations without quarantine if there are no abnormalities during the health declaration and general quarantine procedures conducted at the airport upon arrival.

Foreigners who have obtained visit or residence permits such as visas issued by the Chinese government can enter the country if they have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted within 48 hours before departure.

The health code, which had to be applied for at Chinese embassies or consulates in the country of departure, will no longer be required. The PCR test that travelers had to take at the airport upon arrival will also be abolished.

Previously, since March 2020, the Chinese government had implemented strict facility quarantine for incoming travelers to block the inflow of COVID-19. The quarantine period was once extended up to three weeks but was recently eased to "5 days of facility quarantine + 3 days of self-quarantine" (based on Beijing).

This quarantine significantly restricted the entry of foreigners into China unless for essential work or life-related reasons.

China also plans to resume the acceptance, review, and approval of general passport applications for its citizens for tourism and other purposes starting from the 8th.

However, it is still uncertain whether the number of people traveling to and from China will surge in the short term. This is because many countries, including South Korea, the United States, and Japan, are implementing strengthened quarantine measures for arrivals from China due to concerns about a large influx of COVID-19 cases from China.

South Korea recently restricted the issuance of short-term visas for travel from China to Korea and the addition of flights, and mandated COVID-19 testing before and after entry for travelers arriving from China.