Add this to your departure checklist when leaving for China from the Philippines: proof that you tested negative from COVID-19, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Wednesday.
The nucleic acid test must be taken within five days before boarding. The requirement will take effect on August 20, the embassy said. It also applies to Chinese nationals leaving the Philippines.
Here are the details as posted on the embassy's Facebook page:
1. All foreign passengers inbound China by flights from Philippine airports shall be required to take nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 conducted by designated institutions and get Nucleic Acid Test Certificates with negative result within 120 hours prior to boarding flights.
2. Passengers shall fill in and sign the Health Declaration Form and are required to send scanned copy of the signed Forms, together with the Nucleic Acid Test Certificates and the photocopies of the front-page of passports to the Chinese Embassy or Consulates (according to the location of the testing institutions) by email.
3. Certified Health Declaration Forms with a validity period of five days (starting from the issuing date of the Nucleic Acid Test Certificates from the designated institutions) shall be issued by the Chinese Embassy or the Consulates and sent back to the applicants by email. Please be noted that it shall take at least one working day for the verification by the Chinese Embassy or the Consulates.
4. Passengers shall be required to present the print-out certified Health Declaration Form within the validity period during check-in or before boarding flight and cooperate with airlines for further checking. Please be noted that passengers with expired Health Declaration Forms won't be allowed to board and are required to conduct new Nucleic Acid Tests as well as applying for new Health Declaration Forms.
5. All passengers inbound China from Philippine airports shall follow relative laws and regulations and provide genuine and effective Nucleic Acid Test Certificates. Passengers who provide false certificates or information shall bear corresponding legal liabilities.
6. For foreign passengers ultimately bound for China who transfer via other countries that require valid Health Declaration Forms for boarding will also be required to show Health Declaration Forms during transfer. Please make sure that the Forms will be still valid when boarding the connecting flights.
7. Please be noted that a certified Health Declaration Form is NOT a Chinese visa. For visa service, please refer to the Announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and National Immigration Administration on the Temporary Suspension of Entry by Foreign Nationals Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits on March 26, 2020. For queries, please contact [email protected].
