Beijing accepts visa applicants in PH vaccinated with China-made COVID-19 vaccines

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) – The Chinese Embassy in Manila announced on Monday it will allow the processing of visa applicants in the Philippines who have been vaccinated with China-made COVID-19 vaccines.

“To make visa facilitation arrangements for foreigners fully vaccinated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines is a helpful effort and try, based on full consideration of safety and efficacy, to facilitate the cross-border personnel exchanges after massive vaccination,” the embassy said in its social media post.

Those who will apply need a vaccination certificate as proof that they have been vaccinated with a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine.

The Chinese embassy said visa applicants travelling to China for “necessary resumption of production and business activities” can prepare and submit requirements issued before the pandemic.

The scope of visa applicants for “emergency humanitarian needs” was also expanded such as foreign family members of Chinese nationals or foreign nationals with Chinese permanent resident permit, including spouse, parents, children, and other dependent close relatives (siblings, grandparents and grandchildren), traveling to China for family reunion, family supporting, family visit, funeral of relatives or visiting relatives in critical medical condition.

Those who hold a valid APEC Business Travel Card could apply for M visa with an invitation from the inviting entity.

The Chinese embassy said it will keep its eye on the vaccination progress in the Philippines and the issuance of COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

“The Chinese embassy will keep close contacts with the relevant Philippine authorities on establishing a mechanism for verifying vaccination certificates, discussing a mutual recognition mechanism for international travel health certificates, to facilitate healthy, safe and orderly bilateral personnel exchanges,” the embassy stated.

Beijing clarified that passengers flying to China are still required to provide negative antibody or swab test certificate before boarding and are subject to quarantine protocols.

China has closed its borders to foreigners after the COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan city.

Manila received around 600,000 Sinovac vaccine doses from Beijing this month to start the national vaccination program in the country. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said another batch of one million Sinovac vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country by March 21 or later. The Chinese government also donated 400,000 more doses that will be administered to medical frontliners.