I've done the nostril test in the States. The nurse simply swab around the frontal part of the nose, and I thought oh it was nothing. Then I did it in Taiwan. The doctor pushed it up, and I can definitely feel it deep inside my nostril, but again, not too bad. Then it's China. They pushed it up so far up my nostril I though they're going for my brain. And in the US and Taiwan it's both only one swab, but in China they did it twice (one up each nostril). Definitely not a very pleasant experience.

But I've seem they would switch to mouth for younger children. Make sure to ask for that if you are coming in with children.

I wonder what's the turnaround time from any of the consulates to email the approval.

Using the international health app, the initial delay when submitting documents for approval was a couple of hours, which turned out to be a rejection cos stuff wasn't clear, then resubmitting information was being rejected and accepted within a few 10s of minutes. Surprisingly efficient...

What's the point in having a separate international app? The domestic app works fine on Wechat, Alipay, and as standalone.

There isn't a separate app - it is actually a Wechat program (health code, international version mini program), but every English language reference that I have seen for this refers to it as an app, e.g.

Chinese embassy in Ireland - notice on PCR and IgM antibody tests

Is it only Chinese passport holders that use the app and then foreigners get the stamped document scans?

Probably, although depending on how well authenticated your identity is within WeChat you might be able to use the mini-program as a foreigner. I guess that might apply to some of those who do have permission to go back to China at the moment.

now you have to have a double negative test on the virus no longer than 48hour prior to the departing day

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-he...-idUKKBN27L09F
Notice on the Temporary Suspension of Entry into China by Non-Chinese Nationals in the UK Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits

China has barred non-Chinese travellers from Britain, France, Belgium, the Philippines and India.

policy
 

rumor that Air China- CA988 , from LAX to beijing ( Quaranteen in Tianjin) on Nov. 9th found 9 Covid+ cases. Might be another new policy or more cancelled flights ?

Today, someone in our Wechat group posted the following article about newly introduced policies regarding domestic travel to/from Shanghai because there has been a surge (e.g ~20) in imported cases here recently:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI...gw&wx_header=0

The stated policies don't seem especially onerous to me on the surface. Basically, as long as you have a green health code, you can avoid quarantine in most cases, but might need a recent nucleic acid test even to go to nearby cities like Hanghzhou and Suzhou. However, things aren't quite as rosy if you are going to or from a "high-risk" area (if there is a map in the above article, I didn't notice it, but I assume it is highly specific, and "high-risk" appears to be focused on parts of Pudong in the Shanghai case).

Looks like the Chinese border is further tightening up.

Saw an announcement today that new passports / renewals are on pause (you can claim hardship, but don't know how possible that actually is). The main reason cited is that the winter season is coming up and virus prevention needs to toughen up, but I'm not sure what the real reason is.

https://nimg.ws.126.net/?url=http%3A...ty=80&type=jpg

Article (in Chinese)

Furthermore, 46 land crossings have been closed.

That is what I referred to a while back in my post below about Current China Exit Policy - passports are just not being renewed.

I've just went to Hangzhou for business and return. There were absolutely no checks (yet) on both sides of train stations (Shanghai Hongqiao and Hangzhou East Station) - nobody check the color code or temperature. However, when JW Marriott in Hangzhou found that I'm from Shanghai, I needed to sign a couple of documents swearing that I've never been to Pudong, Shanghai, and then have to download an app and the code on it needed to be green. I had a foreign phone ID so the app wouldn't work from QR code scan, but I manually key in the search term in Wechat and it show up.

This was 2 days ago.

Has anyone been able to get a Chinese visa for "humanitarian" reasons? E.g. if a Chinese national has to go back to China for an urgent family matter, will the Chinese consulate at least consider issuing a visitor's visa for the spouse to come along? Or will the consulate outright refuse to entertain the idea?

This will be a very long longshot. Unless the Chinese national has some significant clout it is almost certainly a dead end. They don't even want their own citizens coming back for urgent family matters let alone foreigner.

I'm willing to bet that my expensive visa guy that I put you touch with has sufficient 关系 to pull this off, but even he gets slowed down by the bureaucracy at times.

Chinese citizens have no issue going back if they can afford the flight tickets that are more expensive than usual They do have to quarantine once they get there though. I know of several who have done so including one last week.

I know that, my comment was in relation to the foreigner spouse of the Chinese National being given a visa and allowed to enter. Even us foreigners who have valid residence permits can come and go with the quarantine. I did it myself last month.

Are you aware that some people cannot get approved with the green health code as their trips were considered non essential? They have bought the tickets and have all the documents except the approval code.

Last month was last month. AA127 on 1/3 only 80 people got the green code and were allowed to board the plane. Many waited at the airport hoping to receive the final approvals that never came.

I dare say that all of us that are in China now and posting here have green codes. If we leave, they will allow us to return (and do the hotel quarantine drill, of course).

I don't know exactly what the sign-up process for the health codes entails, but I do remember that my neighborhood committee lady did it for me in less than 30 seconds (she visited my apartment the morning after I returned from my month in Thailand last year; in addition to helping me with the health code, she gave me a thermometer, masks, hand sanitizer, and her WeChat).

As of last week it looked like if you are (a chinese citizen) in U.S. on F-1 or J-1 yeah you get the green code (from the consulate)... if not, tough luck. I think things are tightening up now that Chinese new year is coming up.

Did something change recently? Prior to this, I’ve been hearing that almost everyone who has the proper testing and itinerary documentation is getting the green HS/HDC codes.

So, you're saying that the WeChat health code miniprogram no longer works?

Notice on the Launch of QR Code with "HDC" Mark for China-bound Foreign Passengers ? Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America

Some reports at least that the Washington DC Embassy is playing hardball with giving out green codes - see the link below (in Chinese)
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA...445c7d47f76312

Summary:
First half of the article talks about the need for double testing (4 test in total - PCR and antibody from two labs to be uploaded at the same time) for flights from South Africa to China (and speculates this requirement may be extended to other countries).

Second half talks about some recent cases where green codes were not given - some cases where one family member got a green code but their child did not, noting that (i) seems confined to Washington DC, so some travellers have changed itinerary to fly out of SFO/NYC; and (ii) generally people not given green codes are US green card holders, and Chinese on work or tourist visas.

Caveats: (1) No links to original sources given though for any of the data and "reports" mentioned in the article; (2) the "news" story is basically a front for click-through advertising


.

It wouldn't surprise me if they were tightening the belt, but I'm still curious to hear about yoyo results using the WX miniprogram in the US last week (i.e. I can access it, but my interface only shows my code because I already have one).

I believe it still works but Chinese consulate is in control of who to issue the green code to and who to issue the red code to. So far only two flights (1 AA, 1 Delta）have seen people with J F US visa obtained green code and many other visa got red code so the data is still preliminary. I sure hope it does not become a trend.

Here is a wiki in Chinese that documents this issue:

https://www.uscreditcardguide.com/zh...ingfafanglvma/

It appears that only Chinese nationals holding US visas in the category F and J are being given green codes to board the flights. Everyone else is being denied unless they have humanitarian grounds for travelling (e.g., family member in ICU or passed away).

Completely different codes. You're talking about the code we use here in China. Yoyo is talking about the code you need to get from the Chinese embassy/consulate before boarding the plane for the flight to China. You need to upload your documents including testing results, passport info, visa info, etc. into their app and then wait for them to approve it. It has nothing to do with the health code we use here in Shanghai or elsewhere in China.

When I did it a month ago it was relatively painless and I got an approved code in about an hour. According to Yoyo, now they are not giving the codes out so freely which means they are using it as a way to limit the number of people coming back to China.

I'm not planning on leaving (and coming back) until May. hopefully they'll be a little more chill by then...and eliminate that hotel rule.

This really impact my plan to return home in FL/DC in the Spring.

Let's hope the tightening and restrictions will relax after CNY holidays and weather gets warmer. Also with increase vaccinations being rolled out in the US, those who got vaccinated don't need to get tests done before the flight back to China and vise versa.

My understanding is that the vaccines are pretty good at preventing the virus from development but aren't especially effective at slowing transmission. In other words after you get vaxed you can still catch the virus and pass it on to others.

I've been told that the issuance of business invitation ("PU" or whatever they're called) letters is being suspended until March
any corroboration? the chain of communication to my source is a bit too long for me to really be 100% certain of accuracy

I would venture to guess that your source simply isn't tight enough with the entry exit people to pull it off. When searching for agents don't limit yourself to Beijing and Shanghai. For example the guy who hooked me up in 2008 pre Olympics was based in Jinan but his letter got me a visa.

Anal swabbing for overseas arrivals is the latest example of tightening restrictions... I have personally given up on international travel until Q4 at the earliest. If you're already in China, think hard before leaving.

https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20210128A0FUJX00

This link is talking about locals in Beijing being swabbed anally. There is no indication that this is being applied on international travellers.

No, it's talking about overseas returnees.

"新冠肛测！回国华人称：“菊花”被捅2次，太羞耻"

"Covid anal testing! Overseas Chinese who have returned report--butthole got poked twice, too degrading"

As long as they let you poke your butthole yourself in a bathroom stall, I'm guessing the procedure is less painful than the nasal swab drill. I had to do the latter earlier this week because I had a slight (38C) fever that was sufficient to get me an orange code. It was definitely more comfortable than the one I had a year ago in Bangkok because the nurse only used a single swap/nostril, but she stuck that thing way up there! I haven't experienced a nucleic acid test yet.

That's just click-bait. Nowhere in the article does it talk about returnees getting tested anally.