In an effort to ensure the health and safety of international travels, and to reduce the risk of the cross-border transmission of COVID-19, based on the joint announcement made by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on 20 July, all passengers, including the Chinese nationals and foreign nationals departing New Zealand, are required to provide the negative result of COVID-19 test before boarding China-bound flights. The details are as follows:
1. General Requirement
Commencing from 3 September 2020 (inclusive), all passengers, including the Chinese nationals and foreign nationals, departing from New Zealand on flights travelling to China (including direct flights and flights transiting through any third country or territory), and passengers transiting through New Zealand to China, must complete the COVID-19 test within 3 days before boarding China-bound flights, and obtain green health QR code with the "HS" mark or the Health Declaration Form indicating the negative result of COVID-19 test. Airlines will conduct the inspection and verification when passengers check in for boarding. A passenger who does not hold the valid green health QR code with the "HS" mark or the Health Declaration Form will be denied boarding.
2. Testing Time, Testing Institutions and Testing Criteria
2.1 Testing time: A passenger should obtain the report of negative COVID-19 test result within 3 days before boarding China-bound flights, the difference between the issuance date of the report (if there is no issuance date of the report, then the latest date as shown on the report will be regarded as the issuance date) and the date of boarding the China-bound flight must not exceed 3 days.
2.2 Testing Institutions: at present, passengers are free to choose to have their specimen for COVID-19 test collected through hospitals or GPs, and the test will be completed by relevant testing institutions (laboratories). The Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand will accept the official testing reports issued by qualified health centres or testing institutions.
2.3 Testing Criteria: the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand only accept the negative result of the nucleic acid test using a nose or throat swab specimen. A digital version of the test report can also be submitted. A report must include passenger's full name, date of birth, testing (reporting) date, test result, and the name of the test institution. Testing results submitted through mobile text messages or with incomplete information will not be accepted. A passenger should claim the official report of COVID-19 test in advance and make sure that the report meet the requirements.
3. For the Chinese Nationals to Obtain the Health QR Code
Please refer to the relevant information in Chinese published on the Chinese version of the official website of the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions.
4. For Foreign Nationals to Obtain the Health Declaration Form
A foreign national passenger, having received the report of negative test result, is requested to email a clean scanned copy of each of the data page of the passport, the report of negative test result and completed and signed Health Declaration Form (see Appendix) and flight details to China, such as departure date, to one of the following designated email addresses of the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand according to their consular jurisdictions. The Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand will verify the reports and return a scanned copy of Health Declaration Form by email, and the passenger must print it out and bring it for inspection at the airport. Please make sure to board the aircraft before the valid date shown on the Health Declaration Form, and to present it to the airlines upon boarding.
● Chinese Embassy in New Zealand (Wellington): hdf.chnemb@gmail.com
● Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland: chinaconsulate2020@gmail.com
● Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch: consulate.chc@gmail.com
5. Important Reminders
5.1 Please read this notice carefully if you intend to travel to China. You do not meet the requirement for boarding the aircraft if you are unable to complete the COVID-19 test and to obtain the report of negative test result in time, and do not have the green health QR code marked with HS or the valid Health Declaration Form.
5.2 In order to avoid delays and disruptions of your travel due to a failure to obtain the green health QR code with the "HS" mark or the Health Declaration Form in time, please consult your local testing institutions on the timeframe of testing procedure. Please also submit your test report to the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand as soon as it is available.
5.3 At present, there is no testing facilities at the transit areas at any airports in New Zealand as transiting passengers are not allowed to enter New Zealand. For a passenger arriving in New Zealand from any third country to catch a flight for China, the green health QR code with the "HS" mark or the Health Declaration Form must be obtained in advance from the Chinese diplomatic or consular missions at the country where the passenger originally departed. It is also important to make sure that the green health QR code with the "HS" mark or the Health Declaration Form remain valid upon departure from New Zealand to China. Otherwise, the passenger will be denied boarding, and may face deportation or be stranded.
5.4 Children under the age of 5 (exclusive) are not required for the pre-departure COVID-19 test, and the green health QR code with"HS"or the Health Declaration Form are also not required when accompanied by an adult who has already obtained the green health QR code with "HS" or the Health Declaration Form.
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand
26 August 2020