Skip to content
The COVID Project
  1. Library
  2. Foreign governments' orders (context)
  3. FOR-022

Ex. FOR-022 Context (guidance or announcement) Primary source read

Announcement on the Temporary Suspension of Entry by Foreign Nationals Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits (Mar. 26, 2020)

Temporary suspension of entry by foreign nationals

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China · China (national) (Foreign government)

The COVID Project
Context, not an order

This record is guidance or an announcement kept for context. It is not counted among the orders in force.

The record

Jurisdiction
China (national)
Level
Foreign government
Authority
Exit and Entry Administration Law; Frontier Health and Quarantine Law
Issued
2020-03-26 Mar. 26, 2020
Effective
2020-03-28 0:00 (read as 2020-03-28)
End
Partially relaxed for holders of certain residence permits from Sept. 28, 2020 with testing; most foreign nationals remained excluded through 2021 (successor history secondary) (read as 2021-09-30)
In force
Mar. 28, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021
Quarters
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
Limitation types
Travel and quarantine
Addressees
  • foreign nationals holding valid visas or residence permits
  • APEC Business Travel Card holders
  • airlines
Functions reached
  • TR U.S. sourcing, quality and engineering travel to Chinese suppliers
  • SC
  • MK Canton Fair and trade shows
Collection
Foreign governments' orders (context) FOR

Operative words

'China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from 0 a.m., 28 march 2020. Entry by foreign nationals with APEC Business Travel Cards will be suspended as well. Policies including port visas, 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy... will also be temporarily suspended.... Foreign nationals coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies or consulates.'

Enforcement

Exit and Entry Administration Law; carrier obligations

Notes

United States manufacturers, importers and retailers could not send personnel to their Chinese suppliers from Mar. 28, 2020 through the period; combined with the CAAC 'Five One' flight policy (secondary) and the United States' own Proclamation 9984, the largest bilateral goods relationship in the world ran without in-person contact.

Retrieval note

Context only.