Coronavirus border closures & re-openings

[cztt346]

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said it would divert all international flights bound for Beijing to 12 other Chinese cities as an epidemic prevention and control measure.
1. Since the start of March 23rd at 0:00 (Beijing time), all international passenger flights for all destinations in Beijing must enter from 12 designated entry points: Tianjin(TJN), Shijiazhuang(SJW), Taiyuan(TYN), Hohhot(HET), Shanghai Pudong(PVG), Ji'nan(TNA), Qingdao(TAO), Nanjing(NKG), Shenyang(SHE), Dalian(DLC), Zhengzhou(CGO), Xi'an(XIA).
2. Passengers taking the above international flights will conduct quarantine inspection at the first entry point and go through the entry formalities to clear their luggage. Passengers who are eligible for boarding can travel to Beijing on the original flight. The cargo carried in the abdominal compartment will be cleared at Beijing.

The first entry point designated for each airline are hereby listed:
Air China (CA) :Tianjin(TJN), Shijiazhuang(SJW), Hohhot(HET), Qingdao(TAO), Shenyang(SHE), Dalian(DLC), Shanghai Pudong(PVG), Zhengzhou(CGO), Xi'an(XIA).
China Southern (CZ): Ji'nan(TNA),Shenyang(SHE)
Hainan Airlines(HU): Taiyuan(TYN)
Emirates(EK):Shanghai Pudong(PVG)
Etihad(EY): Xi'an(XIA)
Ethiopian Airlines(ET):Taiyuan(TYN)
Korean Air(KE): Qingdao(TAO)
Aeroflot(SU): Tianjin(TJN)
Asiana Airlines(OZ): Dalian(DLC)
Air Asia(D7): Zhengzhou(CGO)
Thai Airways(TG): Shijiazhuang(SJW)
Singapore Airlines(SQ): Nanjing(NKG)

SOURCE:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-03-22/C ... index.html
http://www.caac.gov.cn/XXGK/XXGK/TZTG/2 ... 01625.html
http://www.caac.gov.cn/XWZX/MHYW/202003 ... 533717.pdf

[Christian77]

The Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border is closed as of today. The Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border is closed as of yesterday. Tajikistan is effectively shut to the world.



Your only option out of Tajikistan is the occasional emergency charter flight arranged through embassies.

[cztt346]

China will temporarily suspend entry of foreigners with valid visas and residence permits from March 28, due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration.
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjbxw/t1761867.shtml
https://www.nia.gov.cn/n741440/n741542/ ... ntent.html

Announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration on the Temporary Suspension of Entry by Foreign Nationals Holding Valid Chinese Visas or Residence Permits

March 26, 2020

Inview of the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world, 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 0a.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, Hainan 30-day visa-free policy, 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign cruise-group-tour through Shanghai Port, Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR, and Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy specified for foreign tour groups of ASEAN countries will also be temporarily suspended. Entry with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected. 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. Entry by foreign nationals with visas issued after this announcement will not be affected.

The suspension is a temporary measure that China is compelled to take in light of the outbreak situation and the practices of other countries. China will stay in close touch with all sides and properly handle personnel exchanges with the rest of the world under the special circumstances. The above-mentioned measures will be calibrated in light of the evolving situation and announced accordingly.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
National Immigration Administration

[adventuretourchina]

This article (https://www.roadpioneer.com/news/immigr ... -covid-19/) summarizes the latest immigration policies for almost 180 countries and regions.

We recommend that you reduce unnecessary travel during this period. If you have a recent plan to enter / leave a country or territory, be sure to check the latest immigration and visa policies in advance https://www.roadpioneer.com/news/immigr ... -covid-19/ and https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/. Most important, Please be sure to take protective measures.

Let’s meet on the road after the epidemic.

[cycleourworlddotcom]

I just noticed that the Azerbaijan e-visa website is up and running again after being closed for about a week - has anyone applied yet? They don't refund application money and I've already lost $25 on my first visa they cancelled so I'm curious as to whether they're really giving visas again to use at the end of their 45 day shutdown or not

[cycleourworlddotcom]

Asking for a friend trying to get into Georgia from Turkey - does anyone know if the land border is open to foreigners and what the rules would be? Can't find any up to date info. Thanks!

[Milad]

Foreign citizens are banned from entering Georgia until further notice.

[HLJHLJ]

Kazakhstan has suspended all visa-free travel until 1st November 2020
https://primeminister.kz/ru/decisions/17042020-220

It says it covers entries and exits, so I don't know what that means for people who arrived visa-free and then got stuck when the borders closed.

[northinsouth1]

Kazakhstan has suspended all visa-free travel until 1st November 2020
https://primeminister.kz/ru/decisions/17042020-220

It says it covers entries and exits, so I don't know what that means for people who arrived visa-free and then got stuck when the borders closed.

Is it safe to assume they're doing this to close down any international tourism at this point? Or is it to monitor people if they get into the country? I'm still slated to go mid to late summer, but not particularly confident this will really take place.

[Milad]

Is it safe to assume they're doing this to close down any international tourism at this point? Or is it to monitor people if they get into the country? I'm still slated to go mid to late summer, but not particularly confident this will really take place.

At the moment, we're in a rare situation: The hotbeds of an international crisis are the EU, the USA and other parts of the "rich" world, not so developing countries of which we are used to reading headlines about catastrophes. This may change as soon as the virus arrives in the slums all over the world and the barely existing health systems there are being overwhelmed, but for the time being, we are unwelcome in many countries around the world. For them, we're potential virus carriers now. The infection rates are simply much higher: At the moment, one in 700 Europeans has been diagnosed with Covid-19, while one in 15.000 Kazakh people has.

As harsh as it may sound, it is totally unrealistic that there will be any western tourists in Central Asia (or in any other developing country in the world) this summer. As it looks now, Europeans will be lucky if international travel within the EU becomes possible this summer (and while these border closures are politically motivated bullshit as border closures only help against transmission if the infection rate is significantly different, which is not the case within the EU except Italy, it does make sense for Central Asia and many other developing countries as their infection rates are much lower). And the situation in North America does not look any better.

I know that it's a crappy situation (literally for the entire world) right now and had to cancel/postpone a few travel plans myself, but we should be keeping it realistic. Lots of time to make travel plans for 2021, when there hopefully is a vaccine...