Negative COVID-19 Test Required for Air Passengers Entering the U.S. from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that beginning 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time on January 5, 2023, the U.S. government will require all air passengers two years and older originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong or Macau, regardless of nationality or vaccination status, to present either a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than two (2) days before the flight, or a proof of recovery for those who tested positive more than ten (10) days before the flight.
Affected passengers include those:
Boarding a direct flight to the United States, regardless of duration of stay in the PRC, Hong Kong or Macau;
Boarding a direct flight to the United States for the purposes of transiting to a third country, regardless of duration of stay in the PRC, Hong Kong, or Macau; and
Transiting through Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport on their way to the United States, if they have been in the PRC, Hong Kong or Macau in the ten (10) days prior to departure to the United States.
Passengers may get a PCR test or an antigen self-test administered and monitored by a telehealth service or a licensed provider and authorized by the relevant national authority. For more information on which test to get, please see here. Please also see here for a list of authorized tests.
What this Means:
Anyone traveling from and through PRC, Hong Kong or Macau starting January 5, 2023 12:01 Eastern Standard Time should be on high alert. It is not clear from the CDC announcement whether the government requires travelers originating from the PRC, Hong Kong, or Macau who transit through airports other than Incheon, Toronto and Vancouver to present a negative COVID-19 test or a proof of recovery. It is particularly important that these travelers continuously monitor CDC guidance and check in with their airlines to ensure compliance.
Additionally, the CDC has also announced the expansion of the Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program which collects anonymous nasal swabs from arriving international travelers at major U.S. international airports. The program is being expanded with the addition of LAX and Seattle airports, bringing the total number of airports to seven, covering approximately 500 weekly flights from at least 30 countries. The TGS program may also cause delays for arriving travelers at major U.S. airports.