COVID-19 Test Required for Travelers from China

Due to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in China, travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau will need to show a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery in order to board flights to the United States effective January 5, 2023. 

Under the new requirement, travelers will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test that was administered either by an authorized telehealth service or licensed provider no more than two days before departing from China, Hong Kong, or Macau. Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation of recovery instead of a negative result. 

This new requirement applies to all air passengers two years old and above, regardless of nationality, vaccination or immigration status. Travelers who passed through China from a third country and those transiting through the United States also will be subject to the new requirement.

Travelers coming to the United States through Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test if they have been in China in the last 10 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) has chosen these three travel hubs because they cover a significant majority of travelers originating from China. The CDC will continue to monitor travel patterns and update this policy accordingly.

In related news, routine visa services have been suspended at all US Consulates across China effective December 15, 2022 due to the surge in COVID-19 infections in China.  

We will continue to monitor these situations and keep you updated. 

This alert is for informational purposes only.  Please contact us if you would like to discuss this development further.