China’s National Health Commission (NHC) announced Monday that it is ending the country’s longstanding COVID-19 quarantine requirement for inbound travelers on January 8, 2023. 

From January 8 onwards, those traveling to China will only need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result from no more than 48 hours prior to their departure. They will no longer need to submit their results to the Chinese embassy or consulate to apply for a code prior to boarding. In addition, they will not be subject to quarantine once they arrive in China.

This is a significant change from the previous rules, which required five days of mandatory quarantine at a hotel, followed by three days of home isolation.

According to the NHC, further steps will be taken to “optimize” rules and requirements for those looking to visit China for business or education purposes, and to make it easier for them to apply for a visa. It will also make reentering the country less time-consuming for Chinese nationals who have been working or studying abroad, some of whom have now not been able to return to China for nearly three years.

However, the NHC has left the door open for additional restrictions to be implemented or reimplemented as necessary, even if only on a local level. Therefore, those planning on traveling to China soon should do their best to stay up to date on any restrictions that are specific to the region of the country they are traveling to.

Travel Insurance for China

Regardless of quarantine or testing rules, it is important to always have appropriate international insurance coverage whenever traveling abroad. Doing so will allow you to stay prepared for unexpected mishaps, without risking your bank account balance.

It is recommended that all visitors to China purchase travel medical insurance. Travel medical insurance can help cover the treatment costs for unexpected injuries or illnesses that occur after the effective date of the policy while traveling outside your home country, allowing you to get the care you need for a predictable price.

If you are primarily interested in protecting your prepaid travel costs in case of trip cancellation for a covered reason, consider China travel insurance. It can shield your finances in case of a canceled trip, trip interruption, travel delay, or lost or delayed baggage by reimbursing you for covered expenses in accordance with the policy/certificate wording. Travel insurance can also provide coverage for emergency medical treatment.