Danielinvesting

actually I feel extremely frustrated cause every country I have been checking has lots of complications, nothing run very smoothly and when you find something that looks promising along the way you find some hurdles,I feel like giving up and wait until September hoping situation will improve, the easiest way for me since I’m in London would be for UK to have direct flights to China no idea why an important country like UK hasn’t got direct flights, I guess cause all the geopolitic mess going on between UK and China? China strict entry rules doesn’t help either

uanj

Unfortunately Chinese consulate web pages are not known for being up to date so we all share that pain. And China has recently eased their requriements.

Anyone know of a specific travel forum (maybe something on reddit) that could help OP out?

Danielinvesting

exactly! And on top of that I emailed few times some of the embassies and never received a reply back

plunet

At a random guess, if you could get a WeChat contact for an embassy and start the conversation with a little red packet that might get their attention. But I agree that communication with embassies in general can be difficult, and those of the People's Republic can be especially challenging.

GinFizz

I apologize for being harsh here, but if you've got the balls to father a child, you should have the balls to deal with a bit of complex planning....

In any case you are making this much more complicated than it is. Sure, it will be a pain to get all the required tests (4 in total), but it is certainly not a Herculean task ...

Let's assume you take the option I listed above:
Sat 17th 20:50 LHR - ICN
Wed 21th 14:55 ICN - SZX

The requirements for travel to China in the UK and Korea are identical: two tests - one <48 hrs before scheduled departure; one <24 hours between scheduled departure; each test at a different institution; second test at least 24 hrs after the first test.

Note that there is in fact some English text on the Chinese Embassy website regarding the new relaxed rules - it's just a bit hard to find. This confirms very clearly that transit in a third country is allowed.

(weblink) Notice on Further Simplified Requirements for the Application of Health Declaration Certificate for Passengers form the UK to China

So ... here is a possible schedule.

Thur 7th:
Apply for the Korea electronic travel authority (visa-free route for EU citizens)
https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do (official Korean government website)
Do NOT use the link posted above by uanj - that is one of many fake websites that will overcharge you! See the notice on the Korean Embassy website: https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/gb-en/br...o?seq=1&page=3

Thur 15th:
22:00 Test #1 (you will need to find a place that stays open late for this one)

Sat 17th:
08:00 Test #2 (use somewhere at LHR that gives a result in < 4hrs)
(Test #1 <48 hrs to dep.; Test #2 < 24 hrs to dep.; Test #2 > 24hrs from Test #1)

12:00 approx: upload all documents to get the health code;
12:00 approx. use Test #2 result to fill in the pre-departure Korea information
(https://cov19ent.kdca.go.kr/cpassportal/). Note the "quarantine" name is misleading - you need to register your negative PCR test result and health condition to get a quarantine exemption - this name is a hangover from when quarantine was required for entries to Korea...)

20:50 Fly to Korea

Sun 18th:
16:00 Arrive in Korea

Now you have two sets of things to sort out:
(1) the arrival in Korea requirements
(2) the departure for China requirements

The requirement for Korea is basically a test within 72 hours：That means you can just use one of the tests you need in any case for China. A possible schedule is:

Mon 19th:
15:30 Test #1

Tues 20th:
16:00 Test #2
(Test #1 <48 hrs to dep; Test #2 < 24 hrs to dep.; Test #2 > 24hrs from Test #1)

Also Upload Test #1 result to the Chinese Embassy in Korea
(see II-1 in the notice: Testing and Health Code Application Requirements for Airline Passengers from South Korea to China)

Wed 21st:
08:00 Upload Test #2 result + other docs
14:55 Fly to Shenzhen

As stated in the updated notice on the Chinese embassy website in Korea
As such you don't need to use the "Reference List of Testing Clinics or Institutions" that you post above (in Korean/Chinese) - but even if you do, open the web-page in Chrome, right-click and select "Translate to English" and magic happens. Other lists of official sites offering tests in Seoul are available with some searching:

https://uploads.mwp.mprod.getusinfo....est-center.pdf
(link from US embassy in Korea: https://kr.usembassy.gov/022420-covid-19-information/)

There is a genuine logistical issue to solve in terms of finding test locations with suitable opening hours and getting the test results back in time to fit your schedule. Examples that could work (from the PDF above - linked from the US Embassy web-site) are:

Test #1 Monday @15:30 : Min ENT Clinic (Seoul) 08:30 - 17:00; PCR results available between within 24 hours (cost 140,000 KRW)

Test #2 Tuesday @16:00 : Seegene Medical Foundation (Seoul) 09:00 - 18:00 PCR result issued within 5-11 hours (cost 110,000 KRW)

I haven't checked where those places are in Seoul. In any case it doesn't matter. Book a hotel near the first one. Take a taxi to the second one. You only have two tasks to complete while in Seoul:
(i) get the tests done
(ii) don't catch covid-19!

Danielinvesting

many thanks for the detailed explanation, much appreciated

GJG

Hi All, just coming to this forum and reading through all the options. To me the Taiwan option makes the most sense.

I have legitimate business there and assume getting an ROC business visa would not be too tough (their missions in the US actually answer the phone and emails very quickly, allow you to FedEx in all the application docs, etc.), and I'm OK with doing 3 days quarantine on arrival, then visiting my suppliers, then traveling TSA-PVG. USA-TPE flights in September are cheap, under $1000.

My first question is would I still apply for the green code from the Chinese Consulate/Embassy in USA in that case? Second question is how to apply for the green code in Taiwan? Is there any PRC office there which would issue the green code? As far as I know there is no PRC Consulate/Embassy in Taiwan. FYI I am USA passport holder with a valid China residence permit, looking to travel to China in mid-September.

Palal

As the mainland considers it part of China, no green code is needed to fly from Taiwan, so you just show up with a test and fly.

Danielinvesting

if a flight to china departing at 6am how to account for the 48h testing time? Considering that testing facility will take around 2h to give you results thanks

GJG

Wow that's awesome, I didn't realize that. In this case I think Taiwan makes more sense for me than Korea. Thanks for your information!

GinFizz

Just note that at present the requirement seems to be two PCR tests taken within 48 hours of the departure time.

https://www.evaair.com/en-global/abo...n-pcrtest.html

moondog

Did you contact the Chinese yet? I get the fact that many embassy staff dislikes phone communication, but you kind of need to try first. If you call them and they reject you, I will get in touch somehow. Just PM me and we will move mountains. Like everyone else here, I want to help you, but the sob story doesn't work on us.

GJG

Thanks for the heads up. I would assume that PCR testing in Taipei is relatively accessible. Looking at this flight for example:



I would plan to do the first PCR test at 9:00 AM on 9/13 (assuming the test report would be available by 9:00 AM on 9/14), and the second PCR test at 9:00 AM on 9/14 (assuming the test report would be available by 9:00 AM on 9/15), then head right to the airport at 9:30 AM on 9/15. Therefore both reports would be within less than 48 hours before flight time. Let me know if I'm missing anything but this seems workable based on what I know so far. Thanks!

YariGuy

Looks about right. I'm assuming you're visiting business partners during your +4. Technically you're not supposed to do certain activities (no dinner parties, etc.) but I don't know how strict they are right now.

What you're planning is my plan B for entering China. Plan A is to fly directly from the US.

Palal

You're assuming, of course, that you can enter Taiwan.