Teacher JP Hong shares the requirements and tips on how to fly back to China during the pandemic. Several OFWs and JP were able to successfully come back to China after almost 9 months of being stuck in the Philippines, since Chinese New Year. Once their China companies got their PUs in China, which the OFWs needed to apply for a visa at the China embassy, their adventure had just started. Commercial flights from the Philippines to China keeps getting cancelled. Shanghai does not accept any flights from the PH so far. So those flying back need to charter a flight to a China airport (Tianjin, Nanjing, Hangzhou as of last rumor), and get quarantined in that city for 14 days.
What is a PU and how to get it?
A PU is like a "Golden Ticket" in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can only get a visa to enter China if you have a PU. Your company in China must apply for it in China, for their employees and/or dependents. NOT every company is eligible, you need to check with your HR. Paying for an agent does NOT increase your chances of getting a PU.
What are the other watch outs?
Double check the requirements of BOTH the China Embassy and your airline. For example, the China Embassy may accept covid 19 test results for X, Y, Z companies; but your airline only accepts tests from X company.
Keep checking for updates in everything. Rules keep changing all the time. Good luck! -------------- MANILA~ TIANJIN CHARTERED FLIGHT Sept. 2, 2020, 11:00-16:00 Please check your airline's website for updates. Requirements are always changing. The forms needed and the procedure of other airlines might be different. Documents needed: 1. Passport 2. Printed Flight Itinerary 3. Printed COVID results with doctor's signature ***PAL asked my friend to show her result on St Luke's website. Remember your St Luke's username & password. Make sure you have 4g data. This is because digital result of St Luke’s doesn’t have doctor’s signature. So you have to go to St Luke’s and get a hardcopy with signature. If you book your swab test through an agent, they will be the one to go to St luke’s to get the hardcopies with signature. I heard that the flight next week requires everyone to have their swab test done ONLY in ST. Luke’s BGC. St. Luke’s Online Appt: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnKPzexhYtKCbGN2MiuCIj6cbuPl1psDwHiynwGuVMiRvREw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR0s2IR_Kn-F0lvV7OMbzv8UIRmYEwucw_zXXelbAOT5O2UeVv5FRKzDZq4 4. Printed Certified Health Declaration with Chinese embassy seal ***Since this is the first time PAL learned about this certification, they asked me to show the email from the Chinese embassy. 5. Printed OEC Exemption (for Overseas Filipino Workers only) 6. Copy of Chinese Visa (for Overseas Filipino Workers only) Arrive 4 hours before your flight. Don't forget your face mask and face shield. You need a powerbank! You need your phone to work until you check in in your hotel. Make sure your phone has a QR scanning app. I tried to scan one QR Code using my wechat but it didn't work. Bring a pen and 100ml alcohol or hand sanitizer. ------ 1. ENTER THE AIRPORT ~Show your passport and printed flight itinerary. ~Must wear face mask and face shield. 2. CHECK IN AT PAL COUNTER ~Inform the staff that you are an OFW so that they help you right away and skip the queue. ~Fill in 3 forms provided by PAL: a. Letter of Commitment b. Passenger Health Locator Form c. Exit/Entry Health Declaration Form of PRC (needed in China) ~Scan the ff: a. QR code version of Exit/Entry Health Declaration Form of PRC aka CHINA CUSTOMS app (provided by PAL). After completing, take a screenshot. Needed in China. b. QR code of Border Inspection Authority (provided by PAL). After completing, take a screenshot. Needed in China. ~ Submit your printed Swab Test Result and Certified Health Declaration from the embassy. *Seats are assigned by PAL. Food will be served on board. *PAL will provide the face shield they require for free. HENG DE Face Shield is not allowed. *7kg hand carry/ 25kg check in/ I heard it's 500/kg for excess weight but I’m not sure. 3. OFW REFUND (P520) ~You will be directed to go to PAL office to get a printout. ~ You will be directed to go to another window to submit that printout, printed OEC Exemption, and copy of Chinese visa. 4. IMMIGRATION Follow the usual procedure. OFW must show the OEC Exemption. Screenshot will do. ***My friend was asked to go to POEA counter because her OEC doesn't match with their records. She was also asked to sign a POEA Waiver. I was not. 5. BOARDING Documents will be rechecked. The correct face shield will be given at this point. Social distancing when seated. ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. PLANE DISEMBARK (18:00) Once landed prepare the following before disembarking: a. Exit/Entry Health Declaration Form of PRC b. QR code of customs health declaration form(screenshot) c. QR code of immigration entry document (screenshot)
Customs staff will board the plane and give everyone a Green Form. Fill in the information needed. Wait for your seat number to be called.
2. AIRPORT (19:30)
You will be interviewed via desktop monitor about your whereabouts, activities, and symptoms during your last 14 days. Then you will be asked to sign the Informed Consent for Sampling Form and show the Green Form (given to you on the plane).
Proceed to Swab Test: nose and throat
Proceed to Finger Prick Blood Test
Fill in the Immigration Entry Card
Go through Immigration
Proceed to the Hotel Bus Waiting Area. Passengers are divided according to unknown reasons. All foreigners in our flight are in one hotel with some locals. We are not given any hotel option to choose from.
Board the bus. It’s FREE!
3. TO HOTEL (21:30)
The bus will stop somewhere for a few seconds for passengers to pick up their luggage and put them in the bottom compartment of the bus.
Bus proceeds to the hotel which is an hour away.
4. HOTEL (22:30)
~You will be called to queue and register.
~They will give you your room key and a printout hotel covid guideline (in Chinese).
~You have to scan the Wechat groupchat specifically for the people on your hotel floor. Chinese daily announcements will be posted there.
~For our hotel, another swab test on the 13th day of quarantine. I heard in some cities it's on the 12th day. It will be inside your room. Just throat swab this time. You need to pay 120RMB.
~We were released on our 14th day at 7pm. We asked if we can stay in that night but the staff said it's not safe because it's a quarantine hotel. Also, a new batch will check in.
~You will be given a printout report (3 papers) stating that you have completed your quarantine and covid-free. You need these to check in in another hotel and when taking a train/plane. We were not asked to scan the Tianjin or Shanghai Health Code.
~In Tianjin airport , you need to scan a QR Code before you can enter. It is all in Chinese but you can ask the staff to help you. You need to show the printout report (3 papers) when you check in.
~In Shanghai, just pick up your lugagge and you are free to go! No need to scan any QR CODE. But I was advised to login to the SH Health Code in Alipay because some establishments might require it in Shanghai. The default color is GREEN.
HOTEL QUARANTINE INFORMATION
You have to check your temp daily at 7am and 2pm. Report it on the group chat. A mercury thermometer is provided.
Your room will be provided with tissues, towels, laundry soap, plastic basin, toothbrush, toothpaste, cleaning cloth, disinfectant spray, trash bags, and 2 small bottled water. No shampoo and soap.
Hotel room is 280rmb+80rmb (3 huge meals) per day. Pay through Wechat or Alipay.
Ø Food will be left outside your room on a stool. In our hotel they don't knock. Open your door to check if the food is there.
Ø You can ONLY order water or daily essentials tru ELEMA or other delivery apps. Dry or wet food, other drinks are not allowed. Some hotels in Shanghai allow you to order hotel food and drinks.
Ø Leave your trash outside your room anytime.
Bed linens will not be changed for the entire 14days.
No English channels.
I suggest you bring instant coffee, mug, cutlery (including knife), towel, and fruit juicer (if you can). They give 3 fruits a day. Might as well bring a resistance band to exercise.
The hotel staff will ask for your:
· ~Shanghai Chinese address
· ~District contact person and number
This is to ensure that you will be accepted in your district and flat when you fly back. Your HR can help you.
Don’t forget to ask for hotel and swab test fapiao.