1. In order to prevent infection from long-distance travel after testing, starting from December 23, 2020, passengers traveling to China must get their samples for the nucleic acid rt-PCR and IgM serum antibody tests collected in the departure city and its vicinity of their direct flight to China. Passengers must allow for the time to take nasopharyngeal swabs, venous blood and other sampling in the departure city and its vicinity of their flight and wait in place for the test results before the flight. Upon receiving the test reports, passengers need to apply for health code from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General (based on consular jurisdiction), travel before it expires and be prepared for checking by the airlines before boarding.

    2. In light of the latest developments concerning COVID-19, major changes have been made on the application procedures. Passengers who travel on and after January 13, 2022 are kindly required to read and follow procedures below.

    3. Foreign passengers can apply for health code at https://hrhk.cs.mfa.gov.cn/H5/.

    4. The Chinese Consulate General in New York is responsible for reviewing health code for passengers taking China Eastern Airline flight MU 588 (New York→Shanghai).

    5. Samples must be collected and tested at a laboratory institution accepted by the Chinese Consulate General in New York (for the New York flight, See Appendix 1). Please give consent to the sampling agency and testing laboratory to disclose the test results and other personal information to the Consulate. The Consulate will contact the issuing agency to verify the authenticity of all the submitted reports and certificates. If any of them cannot be verified, or contain false information, or are deemed altered or forged, the health code will not be issued.

    6. Please take corresponding steps according to your vaccination status.

    (1) For those who are fully vaccinated with inactivated vaccine:

    ① Take a nucleic acid rt-PCR test in the departure city (New York) of the flight 7 days before boarding (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, the sampling time should be anytime on January 12).

    ② Starting from the first nucleic acid rt-PCR test day, monitor your health for 7 days in the departure city (New York), and fill in the "Personal Health Monitoring Form" (see Appendix 2).

    ③ Within 48 hours before departure (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, the sampling time can be any time on January 17, 18, or 19), take the second and third nucleic acid rt-PCR tests respectively at two testing agencies accepted by the Consulate in the departure city (New York).

    ④ If an individual who has been fully vaccinated with inactivated vaccines also gets inoculated with non-inactivated vaccines, please follow the category of the fully vaccinated with inactivated vaccine.

    (2) For those who are fully vaccinated with non-inactivated vaccine:

    ① Take a nucleic acid rt-PCR test in the departure city (New York) of the flight 7 days before boarding (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, the sampling time should be anytime on January 12).

    ② Starting from the first nucleic acid rt-PCR test day, monitor your health for 7 days in the departure city (New York), and fill in the "Personal Health Monitoring Form" (see Appendix 2).

    ③ Within 48 hours before departure (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, sampling time can be any time on January 17, 18 and 19), complete the second nucleic acid rt-PCR, an IgM antibody, and an N protein IgM antibody tests at testing agencies accepted by the Consulate in the departure city (New York).

    (3) For the unvaccinated and the partially vaccinated:

    ① Take a nucleic acid rt-PCR test in the departure city (New York) of the flight 7 days before boarding (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, the sampling time should be anytime on January 12).

    ② Starting from the first nucleic acid rt-PCR test day, monitor your health for 7 days in the departure city (New York), and fill in the "Personal Health Monitoring Form" (see Appendix 2).

    ③ Within 48 hours before departure (e.g. If the flight departs on January 19, sampling time can be any time on January 17, 18 and 19), complete the second nucleic acid rt-PCR, an IgM antibody, and an N protein IgM antibody tests at testing agencies accepted by the Consulate in the departure city (New York).

    7. If passengers are vaccinated, they need to be fully vaccinated before planning a trip to China, i.e. 14 days after the last required shot. For example, if you take the last required shot on January 10, sampling date of corresponding COVID-19 tests within 48 hours before departure should be on or after January 24.

    8. Documents required for health code application:

    (1) Please follow the instructions on the web (https://hrhk.cs.mfa.gov.cn/H5/) to upload all required documents.

    (2) Passengers vaccinated with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are also required to upload "Letter of Commitment on COVID-19 Vaccination" (see Appendix 3) and the vaccination certificate.

    (3) Passengers vaccinated with non-inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are also required to upload “Letter of Commitment on COVID-19 Vaccination” (see Appendix 3), COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card issued by CDC and another vaccination certificate issued by local government or vaccination institute.

    9. Passengers with infection history

    (1) If you were diagnosed with COVID-19 or tested positive for nucleic acid rt-PCR or antibody (not due to vaccination), you are considered as having an infection history.

    (2) You can apply for a health code if you meet the following requirements:

    ① After full recovery, take COVID-19 nucleic acid rt-PCR tests twice with a sampling interval of over 24 hours at testing agencies accepted by the Consulate. Take a lung CT scan or X-ray at a local eligible medical agency. Submit the reports of lung CT or X ray examination and both nucleic acid rt-PCR tests to the Consulate via Email: 12308nyhs@gmail.com. Please note that the lung CT or X ray examination and both nucleic acid rt-PCR tests need to be conducted (sampled) within 3 days before submitting to the Consulate for Pre-approval.

    ② Upon approval of the Consulate, continue to conduct a 14-day self-quarantine and health monitoring and fill in the "Personal Health Monitoring Form" (See Appendix 2). 

    - If your health condition remain normal during the self-quarantine period, follow this notice to perform a nucleic acid rt-PCR test 7 days before boarding, monitor your health for 7 days, and perform corresponding tests within 48 hours before boarding. If the test result is negative, please upload the "Personal Health Monitoring Form" together with all other required documents when applying for a health code. If the test result is still positive, you will need to complete the previous steps again until you meet all the requirements.

    - If you develop any symptoms such as fever, cough, diarrhea during the self-quarantine, please notify the Consulate via Email: 12308nyhs@gmail.com for further directions. 

    10. Close contacts/showing suspected symptoms

    (1) Passengers who have had unprotected contact with confirmed, suspected or asymptomatic cases are considered as close contacts.

    (2) Close contacts or passengers showing suspected symptoms are expected to self-quarantine for at least 14 days. Please monitor your health conditions and take nucleic acid rt-PCR tests on the 1st, 4th, and 7th day of self-quarantine. After completing the above procedures, follow this notice to perform a nucleic acid rt-PCR test 7 days before boarding, monitor your health for 7 days, and perform corresponding tests within 48 hours before boarding.

    11. About transit

    (1) The Consulate does not issue health code for passengers who fly from the U.S. to China by transiting in a third country (region).

    (2) For passengers who plan to transit in the U.S. and then fly directly to China:

    ① No health code will be issued by the Consulate to passengers whose departure country has a direct flight to China.

    ② If there is no direct flight between the departing country and China:

    - Take a direct flight to New York from the departing country and take a direct flight from New York to China.

    - Follow the requirements of Chinese Embassy/Consulates in the departing country and apply for a health code before coming to New York. 

    - Follow this notice to perform a nucleic acid rt-PCR test 7 days before boarding, monitor health for 7 days, and perform corresponding tests within 48 hours before boarding. When applying for a health code, please also upload the itinerary from the departing country to New York, valid U.S. visa (or other lawful permit), the health code issued by relevant Chinese embassy or Consulates in the departing country.

    10. When should I be tested? 

    For example, if your flight date is January 19, the sampling time for the first nucleic acid rt-PCR testing should be 7 days before boarding, which is any time on January 12; the 7-day self-health monitoring should be from January 12 to January 18; the sampling date of corresponding COVID-19 tests within 48 hours before boarding should be any time on January 17, 18, or 19.

    Please fill in the "test sampling date" with the sampling date of the tests conducted within 48 hours before boarding (please do not fill in the date of the first nucleic acid rt-PCR test 7 days before boarding).

    11. Do babies and toddlers need to be tested?

    Babies and toddlers under the age of 3 do not need to be tested or apply for a health code.

    12. Am I sure to get the health code if I apply as required?

    Not necessarily. To ensure the health and safety of international travel and reduce the risk of cross-border transmission of COVID-19, the Consulate will decide based on a comprehensive review. Please plan your trip accordingly.

    13. This notice will be implemented starting from January 13, 2022. In the event of any inconsistency between the previously released information and this notice, this notice shall prevail. 

    14. Please pay close attention to the website of the Consulate for the latest updates on health code requirement for passengers taking direct China-bound flight departing from New York.