COVID-19 General Travel Restrictions by Country
As the fight against the pandemic continues globally, most countries are unceasingly trying to address and adapt to general travel, logistics and border restrictions of other regions as well as of their own. This is a major consideration which shipping companies are watching out for as the maritime industry struggles to continue its supposedly unimpeded service.
As of June 6, 2020, there are 137 countries that have completely restricted entry to non-citizens, while additional 66 countries have at least partial entry restrictions. With this in mind, Crossworld has consolidated top 10 regions where most crew changes are done and their general travel restrictions to provide as guidance for the gradual reopening of regional economies.
CHINA
China has restricted the entry of all foreign nationals except Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passport holders.
China has restricted entry and transit to all travelers except Chinese nationals, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan passport holders, and travelers with diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas, or visas issued after March 28, 2020. Travelers arriving at PEK will be given a PCR test and quarantined for 14 days at a designated location in Beijing. Travelers arriving at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) must undergo Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) and a 14-day quarantine in designated places for medical observation. Airline crew with a layover at the above airports must undergo NAT inside the passenger terminal, then self-isolate at their hotel temporarily before acquiring the NAT results. Airline crew arriving at the above airports will be quarantined after their last shift, and must self-isolate in crew hotels during shift breaks. Travelers arriving at Guangzhou (CAN) or Shenzhen (SZX) who live in or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, or the United States in the past 14 days must undergo 14-day quarantine at home or in designated places for medical observation. All passengers arriving at SZX will have a PCR test. Travelers arriving at XMN will be quarantined for medical observation at designated hotels for 14 days at their own expense. This does not apply to travelers under 18 years old or above 70 years old, pregnant women, and travelers suffering from illness, who must apply for permission to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home.
There have been 119 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in China and 4,638 deaths as of Jun 5 2020
CYPRUS
Cyprus has suspended all flights except repatriation flights in and out of the country and limited entry to Cypriot residents and nationals, who will have to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.
Cyprus has suspended all flights except repatriation flights in and out of the country until at least June 9. Cypriot nationals and residents may still enter the country. They will have to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival. Flights to Cyprus will be resuming beginning on June 9, 2020. However, the only travelers who will be granted entry will be Cypriot nationals and residents, travelers arriving from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia or Switzerland, and travelers with special permission from the government of Cyprus. Travelers arriving from the above-named list of countries will need a medical certificate stating a negative COVID-19 test result issued within 72 hours of their arrival. Nationals and residents of Cyprus will also be tested for Coronavirus upon arrival. Cyprus nationals and residents who are not arriving from the countries named above will be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their arrival.
There have been 145 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Cyprus and 17 deaths as of Jun 3 2020
GREECE
Greece has restricted the entry of all foreign nationals except nationals of EEA countries, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Greece has restricted the entry of all travelers with the exception of nationals, residence permit holders, or long-term visa holders of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, or their families. Greek nationals and residence permit holders may still enter the country. However, holders of certificates of application for renewal of a Greek residence permit may not enter. Healthcare professionals, government members, diplomats, military personnel, humanitarian aid workers, airline crew, travelers in transit, and travelers entering Greece for reasons authorized by the Greek embassy or consulate may also enter. Until June 15, all arrivals into Greece, on flights from all airports, will be tested for coronavirus. Travelers will be required to stay in Government-provided accommodation for the first 24 hours, until test results are available. The subsequent quarantine period depends on the test result. From June 15 onward, mandatory testing and self-isolation/quarantine will remain in place for anyone arriving into Greece from airports listed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Travelers arriving from other locations may be exempted from these requirements. Flights from Turkey, Albania, and North Macedonia are suspended except flights to repatriate Greek nationals and residents and special government-ordered flights. North Macedonian nationals may enter Greece via Thessaloniki (SKG) and continue on by road to North Macedonia. Their trip must be preapproved by an official body like the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs or North Macedonian embassy. Flights from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom are also suspended except for special categories of flights like those for cargo, humanitarian aid, military, and repatriation.
There have been 1,413 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Greece and 180 deaths as of Jun 5 2020
INDONESIA
Indonesia has restricted the entry of all foreign nationals.
Indonesia has restricted the entry of all travelers who are not Indonesia nationals, Temporary Stay Permit (ITAS) and Permanent Stay Permit (ITAP) holders, airline crew, diplomats, humanitarian aid workers, and foreigners working on strategic national projects. All travelers entering the country who are not Indonesian nationals must go through medical screening upon arrival and will be quarantined for a further 14 days. They must also either present a medical certificate issued within 7 days before arrival stating a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, or be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival.
There have been 17,951 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Indonesia and 1,663 deaths as of Jun 3 2020
MALAYSIA
Malaysia has limited entry to Malaysian citizens, residents and their family members. All arriving travelers will be subject to a 14-day quarantine.
Malaysia has restricted entry to all travelers except for citizens, permanent residents with a MyPR card, diplomats, embassy employees, and spouses or children of Malaysian nationals, who must have a sticker label visa in the passport specifically indicating this status. Travelers with a Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) permit may also enter the country. They must have a negative COVID-19 testing result prior to their flight to Malaysia. All arriving travelers must present a printed "Journey Permission Letter" issued by an Embassy or Consulate of Malaysia. They will also be subject to a 14-day quarantine at a designated quarantine station upon arrival. For Malaysian nationals, the government will bear half of the cost of MYR 150 per day for the quarantine. Other travelers will be required to bear all costs. Travelers may not transfer from international flights to domestic flights, except ifor Malaysian nationals who are traveling to Sabah or Sarawak.
There have been 1,292 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Malaysia and 115 deaths as of Jun 4 2020
PHILIPPINES
The Philippines has restricted the entry of all travelers who are not Philippines nationals and their spouses and children.
The Philippines has restricted the entry of all travelers who are not Philippines nationals and their spouses and children. Accredited diplomats or officials of international organizations may still enter the country. All arriving travelers and airline crew must present a Case Investigation Form upon arrival. They will be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) and placed in quarantine while awaiting the results of the test. Commercial flights to the Philippines can only land on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday and need approval from CAAP 48h before departure. Chartered flights can only land on Monday or Thursday and need clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and CAAP.
There have been 15,309 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Philippines and 987 deaths as of Jun 5 2020
SINGAPORE
Singapore has restricted the entry of all foreign nationals except those with prior approval from the government. Singapore has restricted entry and transit of all short-term visitors who are not residents of Singapore, Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, or Long-Term Pass Holders (including holders of Work Pass, Student’s Pass, Dependant’s Pass, and Long-Term Visit Pass). Travelers entering Singapore must self-isolate for 14 days at a dedicated Stay-Home-Notice (SHN) facility. Long-Term Visit Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass In-Principle Approval holders issued by ICA also need an Approved Letter for Entry (ALE) from ICA. Student’s Pass holders and Student’s Pass In-Principle Approval holders also need an ALE from the Ministry of Education (MOE). New and existing work pass holders are only allowed to enter Singapore with the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) prior approval. They are required to show the MOM’s approval letter to airline staff upon check-in and before boarding, as well as to ICA officers at the immigration checkpoint upon their arrival in Singapore. Short-term visitors with an ALE from ICA, Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or MOH may still enter the country. However, they may still be subject to health screening upon arrival. Having an ALE does not guarantee a Visit Pass to enter Singapore. All travelers entering Singapore, including Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Long-Term Pass (LTP) holders must submit a health declaration via the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) e-Service, at https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard, or the mobile app. Airlines are requested to inform passengers at check-in and before boarding, as well as in-flight, to submit their health declaration via the SGAC e-Service prior to their arrival in Singapore. The paper-based embarkation/disembarkation card has been discontinued and is no longer distributed by airlines operating into Singapore. There have been 12,950 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Singapore and 24 deaths as of Jun 5 2020
SOUTH KOREA
Mandatory 14-day quarantine for all inbound passengers. Short-term travelers will be quarantined at a government-designated facility at their own expense (approx. $100/night). Long-term/residential travellers will self-quarantine at home. Those traveling to South Korea for diplomatic, business, humanitarian, or, academic reasons may be exempt from self-quarantine requirements but will require pre-approved waiver from a Korean Embassy or Consulate prior to traveling.
THAILAND
Thailand has suspended all flights into the country.
Thailand has suspended all flights into the country and restricted the entry of all foreign nationals except those with a work permit until at least June 30. Emergency landings, humanitarian aid flights, medical or relief flights, repatriation and cargo flights, state or military aircraft, and technical landings without disembarkation may still enter the country. All arriving travelers must present a Certificate of Entry and completed Declaration Form issued by the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General issued in their country of departure, a fit-to-fly health certificate (issued no more than 72 hours before traveling), and proof of health insurance covering all medical expenditure up to USD 100,000 minimum while in Thailand. Upon entry into Thailand, all travelers will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at a Thai government-designated facility at their own expense The validity of all temporary visas has been extended until July 31, 2020.
There have been 59 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in Thailand and 58 deaths as of Jun 3 2020
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The United Arab Emirates has restricted the entry of foreign nationals who are not residents.
The United Arab Emirates has restricted the entry of foreign nationals who are not residents. UAE residents may re-enter the country, but must request and be approved for return by the UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship before arriving into the country. All arriving travelers will be tested for COVID-19 on arrival. There is no forced quarantine, but travelers will be directed to self-quarantine until their test results are confirmed. There are movement restricitons within the United Arab Emirates, including a ban on entering and exiting the emirate of Abu-Dhabi and moving between its regions which will is expected to last until at least June 9.
There have been 16,793 active cases of COVID-19 diagnosed in United Arab Emirates and 269 deaths as of Jun 3 2020
Data sources from Department of Foreign Affairs Philippines and Kayak.com websites claim all information are correct based on time of publication and updated daily and accordingly. For updates and more information, you may visit data source websites.