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Travel bans and cancelled flights have made headlines in the news the last few days. But what are the actual restrictions on entry and where can you go if you are thinking of leaving mainland China in the coming days? We’ve rounded up the current restrictions, as of Monday, 3 February, for a number of countries and regions. (This article was updated on 18 February to include Taiwan and Thailand.) If you plan to act on this information, please remember that the situation is changing all of the time and you should double-check our sources, your own sources and airline websites to see what may have changed.

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UNITED STATES

Status: Closed to non-citizens
Sources: The New York Times and the U.S. Embassy in China

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"The government… declared that the coronavirus posed “a public health emergency in the United States.”

The administration’s action will restrict all foreign nationals who have been to China in the past 14 days from entering the United States. The restriction does not include immediate family members of American citizens and permanent residents."

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“Any U.S. citizen returning to the United States who has been in Hubei Province in the previous 14 days will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine to ensure they are provided proper medical care and health screening.

To be clear, this applies only to U.S. citizens who have been in Hubei Province in the past 14 days prior to their attempted entry into the United States.

Any U.S. citizen returning to the United States who has been in the rest of Mainland China within the previous 14 days will undergo proactive entry health screening at a select number of ports of entry and up to 14 days of monitored self-quarantine to ensure they’ve not contracted the virus and do not pose a public health risk.”

CANADA

Status: Inconvenient but open
Source: Air Canada

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"Air Canada said that following the Government of Canada’s Advisory to avoid non-essential travel to mainland China, it is temporarily suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai effective January 30, 2020 until February 29, 2020.

"Flights to and from Hong Kong and Taipei remain unaffected."

UNITED KINGDOM

Status: Flight ban but open border
Source: Time Magazine

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"British Airways has cancelled all flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai until Feb. 29 following local authorities’ advice against “all but essential travel to mainland China.” Flights to and from Hong Kong will remain unaffected, the airline said."

EUROPEAN UNION

Status: Open
Source: Voice of America

Italy but not entry. No other EU members have reported travel bans to date.

AUSTRALIA

Status: Closed to non-citizens
Source: The Australian Home Affairs Office

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"The Australian Government has announced that as of 1 February 2020, all travellers arriving from any part of mainland China, regardless of nationality, will be subject to enhanced border control measures to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the Australian community.

"Australia will deny entry to anyone who has left or transited mainland China from 1 February, with the exception of:

Australian citizens
permanent residents
immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents including spouses, minor dependents and legal guardians

"Limited exemptions also exist for airline and maritime crew, where they have taken appropriate precautionary measures.

"These enhanced public safety measures will apply to those seeking to enter Australia as well as those seeking to transit through Australia en route to another country.

International Travellers

"If you have been in mainland China from 1 Feb 2020, and you are not an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or an immediate family member (spouse, minor dependent or legal guardian) of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, do not travel to Australia at this time.

"If you attempt to travel to Australia, either directly or indirectly, your airline will not allow you to board the flight. "If you do arrive in Australia and it is determined you have been in mainland China from 1 Feb 2020, your visa will be cancelled and you will be placed in an alternative place of detention for a quarantine period.

"Please do not attempt to travel to Australia unless you are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or an immediate family member (spouse, minor dependent or legal guardian), until these measures are lifted."

NEW ZEALAND

Status: Closed to non-citizens
Sources: New Zealand Immigration and The New York Times

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"New Zealand... became the latest country to impose restrictions on travelers from mainland China, saying it would deny entry to visitors departing from or transiting through the mainland for two weeks.

"Citizens and residents will be allowed entry to New Zealand, but will be required to quarantine themselves for 14 days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said."

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"Any foreign travellers who leave or transit mainland China after 2 February 2020 New Zealand time will be refused entry to New Zealand.

"This measure does not apply to flights to and from Hong Kong at this time. This decision to refuse entry does not apply to New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family,who will still be able to come to New Zealand. Australian citizens and permanent residents are also excluded if they ordinarily reside in New Zealand.The decision to restrict travel will be in place for up to 14 days and will be reviewed every 48 hours."

THAILAND

Status: Open, with 14-day self quarantine. (Updated: March 6)
Source: Reuters

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"The quarantine announcement, published in the official Royal Gazette on Thursday, classified South Korea, China, Macao, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran as “dangerous communicable disease areas".

This means that all arrivals from these places, including those that transit through them, will have to provide the authorities with their address and travel plan and be self-quarantined for 14 days.

“Thais and foreigners who came from these places will have to go through self-quarantine for 14 days at home or in a hotel room, where they have to report themselves to the authorities every day or officials will come to check on them,” health ministry spokesman Rungrueng Kitphati told Reuters."

VIETNAM

Status: General flight ban and partial closure for Chinese citizens
Sources: The New York Times and The Standard

: "Vietnam recently barred almost all flights to and from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau until May 1, according to the United States Federal Aviation Administration. But Vietnam then partly eased its ban, allowing flights from Hong Kong and Macau to continue, aviation authorities said."

: "Vietnam has stopped issuing travel visas to Chinese, including residents of Hong Kong and Macau.

"Its deputy prime minister said it has suspended the issuance of tourist visas for people from infected areas, including electronic visas, general visas and visas on arrival, except for emergency cases."

PHILIPPINES

Status: Closed to non-citizens
Source: Philippines Department Foreign Affairs

: "In view of the developing situation of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019 n-CoV) in China and its Special Administrative Regions, the Philippine Foreign Service Posts are temporarily suspending the issuance of visas, effective immediately, to the following:

• Foreign nationals directly coming from China and its Special Administrative Regions; and
• Foreign nationals, who, within fourteen (14) days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, have been to China, and its Special Administrative Regions.

Foreign nationals with visa-free entry privileges to the Philippines, falling under above-mentioned categories, are likewise covered by the temporary travel ban imposed by the Philippine Government."

SINGAPORE

Status: Closed to non-citizens
Source: Ministry of Health Singapore

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"From 1 February 2020, 2359h, all new visitors with recent travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into Singapore, or to transit through Singapore.

"In the same context, with immediate effect, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will suspend the issuance of all forms of new visas to those with PRC passports. We will also suspend Singapore’s status as a visa-free transit facility for those with PRC passports.

"Previously issued short-term and multiple-visit visas for those with PRC passports will also be suspended. During this period of suspension, they will not be allowed entry into Singapore.

Returning residents and long-term pass holders with travel history in mainland China

"With immediate effect, the following returning groups will be issued an advisory for them to be placed on a 14-day leave of absence from the day of their return from China:

a) Residents (Singaporean Citizens/ PRs) with recent travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days; and

b) Long-term pass holders (including Work Passes and Permits, Student Pass, Dependent Pass and Long-term Visit Pass) with recent travel history to mainland China within the last 14 days."

MALAYSIA

Status: Open with health checks except to residents of Hubei
Sources: Malaysia Airlines and The Straits Times

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"On 28 January 2020, the Ministry of Health Malaysia requires anyone originating, residing or travelling from China within the last 14 days, to identify themselves to health authority officials prior to the Immigration counters at KLIA. Passengers will be provided with a Health Alert Card (HAC).

"Those who are suffering from fever, difficulty in breathing and cough, is also required to identify themselves for further health screening by the health authority. All passengers are also subjected to body temperature screening at thermal scanner counters located at KLIA.

"From Mainland China, the screening is conducted by the Chinese health authority."

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"Based on the latest information, the Malaysian government has decided to temporarily suspend the eNTRY (no visa), visa on arrival, e-visa and manual visas to Chinese citizens from Wuhan and Hubei," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

TAIWAN

Status: Closed to mainland residents, quarantine for people who have traveled to mainland China in the past 14 days.
Sources: Eva Air, China National Immigration Administration (nia.gov)

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"From 10 February to 29 April, EVA will cut down its cross-strait route network to five destinations in China, including Beijing, Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Xiamen and Chengdu.

"For the purpose to control the spread of the new Coronal epidemic, all passengers with a history of travel to mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau prior 14 days of arrival in Taiwan are required to be under home quarantine

"Passengers should stay home (hotel), avoid going out as well as complying with related regulations. Violating home quarantine requirements such as going out or taking public transportation will be result in fines."

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"Since 6 February all mainland residents not allowed. Starting 10 February, all passengers who transferred through mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau will need to do a voluntary 14-day quarantine."

HONG KONG, CHINA

Status: Open except to Hubei residents
Sources: U.S. State Department and The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

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"In an effort to contain the novel coronavirus, the Hong Kong government has placed restrictions on entry to their special administration region to individuals who have been to Hubei Province, China within the previous 14 days and may quarantine those they believe might have been exposed to the coronavirus.

On January 30, Hong Kong temporarily closed certain transportation links and border checkpoints connecting Hong Kong with mainland China and restricted ferry services from Macau."

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"(a) On railway services, the services of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Intercity Through Train will be suspended;

(b) On aviation services, Mainland flights will be cut to about half;

(c) On ferry services, all cross-boundary ferry services to and from the China Ferry Terminal and the Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal will be suspended;

(d) On land-based cross-boundary transport, cross-boundary coach and shuttle bus services (including the short-haul cross-boundary coach service at Huanggang Port, Yellow Bus and Gold Bus) using the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, the Shenzhen Bay Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port will reduce the service frequency;

(e) The services of the West Kowloon Station, Hung Hom Station, China Ferry Terminal and Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal control points will be suspended. The passenger services in Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To will also be suspended, but the services for goods will not be affected.

The above measures will be effective from the early hours of January 30 until further notice."

SOUTH KOREA

Status: Open, for the moment, except to people who have visited Hubei
Sources: The New York Times and The Japan Times

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"South Korea will bar entry by foreigners who have visited China’s Hubei province, the epicenter of a new coronavirus outbreak, the country’s prime minister said Sunday, according to the Yonhap news agency.

"The entry ban will go into effect on Tuesday, Yonhap reported, citing Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun."

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"South Korea also said it would restrict tourism to and from China."

JAPAN

Status: Open, except to non-citizens who have visited Hubei and holders of Hubei-issued passports
Sources: Kyodo News and Japan Airlines

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"The government said Friday that Japan will bar foreign nationals who visited China's Hubei Province from entering the country as an additional precautionary step to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus from Wuhan, the province's capital.

"The emergency measure, effective Saturday, covers foreigners who stayed in the province within two weeks prior to their arrival in Japan even if they do not show symptoms. The government will also prohibit holders of Chinese passports issued in Hubei from entering the country in principle.

"The steps, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said will be in place "for the time being," come on top of Tokyo's decision not to allow foreign nationals infected with the virus to enter the country."

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"By directives enforced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, entry to Japan will not be permitted for passengers below, effective February 1st (Saturday), 2020 until further notice.

"Any non-Japanese passport holders visited Hubei Province, People's Republic of China in the past 14 days at the time of arrival in Japan.

"Passport holders issued by Hubei Province, People's Republic of China."

LAOS

Status: Closed for tourists coming from China
Sources: The Laotian Times and Newsweek

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"Laos has stepped up screening and quarantine measures and has temporarily sealed off its Golden Triangle border region to Chinese and Myanmar citizens.

Lao Airlines has suspended all flights from the capital Vientiane to three Chinese destinations—Changzhou, Shanghai, and Hangzhou—in response to coronavirus fears, according to the Laotian Times newspaper. The airline announced on social media that it would refund passengers who bought tickets to travel to mainland China between January 24 and February 24."

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The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a notice to all checkpoints bordering China to temporarily suspend the issuance of tourist visas to those entering the Lao PDR from China.

The notice reads, "due to the outbreak of the new Coronavirus originating in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, which has spread rapidly across China and other nations, causing widespread illness and death, in order to protect our nation from the threat of this virus, the consular department instructs all international checkpoints bordering China to temporarily suspend the issuance of tourist visas for entry into the Lao PDR for all visitors wishing to travel from China, commencing 2 February 2020 until further notice."

CAMBODIA

Status: Very open
Source: The New York Times

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"Prime Minister Hun Sen told a packed news conference on Thursday that he would kick out anyone who was wearing a surgical mask because such measures were creating an unwarranted climate of fear.

"'The prime minister doesn’t wear a mask,' he said, 'so why do you?'"

INDONESIA

Status: Closed to non-citizens who have been in China
Sources: The Jakarta Post and The New York Times

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"Indonesia is suspending its visa-free travel for Chinese citizens and barring passengers who have visited mainland China in the past 14 days."

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"Indonesia on Sunday barred entry to visitors who have been in China for 14 days over concern about coronavirus, as citizens evacuated from Hubei province faced protests by some residents on their return home.

Indonesia will also temporarily stop flights to and from mainland China starting Wednesday. It will immediately bar visitors who have been in China for 14 days from entering or transiting, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a televised news conference."