1. No certification of nucleic acid test is required for direct commercial flights from the United States to China. However, a foreign passenger leaving the U.S. for China via a third country where such certification is required for boarding (see list of countries) should take the test before departing from the U.S. Negative report of nucleic acid test needs be emailed or submitted to the Chinese Embassy or Consulates General in the U.S. according to the consular jurisdiction (map) once it is issued (no later than 24 hours before boarding in the U.S.), along with the scanned copy of the valid passport information page and the signed health declaration (see the attachment below the notice).
Embassy in the United States: embchn@gmail.com
Consulate General in New York: cnnyhdf@gmail.com
Consulate General in San Francisco: health.sfconsulate@gmail.com
Consulate General in Los Angeles: Please click here to submit online
Consulate General in Chicago: 12308chicago@gmail.com
It usually takes one business day to process the health declaration. If the test report submitted needs to be verified with the issuing agency, the processing time will be extended accordingly. After approval, the scanned copy of the health declaration will be emailed back to the passenger and needs to be printed out and carried throughout the journey. The health declaration is valid through the 5th day of the issuance of the nucleic acid test report. Passengers are advised to transit before it expires, and be prepared for checking by the airlines before each boarding.
2. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in the U.S. have not designated specific institutions to perform the nucleic acid test. Test reports issued by eligible medical or testing institutions are currently approved. But only the negative report of novel coronavirus nucleic acid test (COVID-19 nucleic acid RT-PCR test, which uses a swab to collect a respiratory sample from your nostrils or throat) is accepted. The results of rapid test, antigen test, antibody test or serology test are not accepted.