PASSPORT: I have a US passport and Grenada passport. With a Grenada passport, I can enter China visa-free for 30 days (it is one of the only kinds of passports in the world with visa-free access to China!)
ENTRY POLICY OF CHINA: Tourist visas or non-essential business/student visas are not issued, but those with a visa-free passport (ex. Grenada passport) can enter as a tourist. Land borders are closed to foreigners except the HK/Macau ones.
GREEN HEALTH CODE: If you fly to China, you need a Green Health Code from your local Chinese embassy (unless you fly from HK/Macau which are considered as a part of China). Getting a green health code is extremely hard and they always find reasons to refuse it. So after attempting to fly to China from the USA, I eventually gave up and decided to do the HK route.
ATTEMPT 1: USA - China (Failed):
I did 2 PCR tests at designated labs, costing me hundreds of dollars, and applied for a green health code. My health code was refused just 3 hours before my flight for 3 reasons: 1) I had covid before and need to follow a special procedure for ex-covid passengers; 2) I failed prove that I am a US resident (yes, you can only apply from your country of residence); 3) the CDC vaccination card isn't acceptable and I need to provide more official proof such as a stamped paper from the pharmacy or health department... So I cancelled my refundable plane ticket and booked a new one after 2 weeks of "Self-quarantine" as required for ex-covid passengers...
ATTEMPT 2: USA - China (Failed):
This time I completed the procedure for those who had covid before (2 extra PCR tests and 2 week self-quarantine) and showed my US driver's license as my proof of residency in the US (even though I am also a US citizen, I don't want to show my US passport or it will nearly for sure be denied). Then 5 hours before the flight, the Chinese consulate called me and asked why I wanted to travel to China. I explained my situation with the bank account and she said nope and asked me to travel there after covid is over... I argued that I did not need a visa to travel as a tourist, but the officer said yes I could enter China as a tourist, but I could not get a green health code to fly to China as a tourist! After the call, my green health code account was locked by the consulate so I couldn't even apply again...
So I decided to try the HK route which might allow me to enter China without a green code!
ATTEMPT 3: US-HK- Shenzhen by land (Failed):
This time I traveled to HK, quarantined there for 3 days in a designated hotel (the day before I arrived, HK shortened the quarantine to 3 days!) I headed over to the land border, but the guard in HK refused me to continue to proceed because I have no reservation for quarantine in Shenzhen!
ATTEMPT 4: HK- Beijing by Plane (Success!):
A green health code is not required when you travel from HK, since HK is a part of China. But I still had to take the PCR test at the designated labs in HK. However, I need 2 PCR tests; 1 of them needs to be done in the city and another 1 is done at the airport.
At check-in, I showed 2 PCR tests in PDFs and the custom declaration form. Because I had no Chinese visa, there was some significant delay. They had to call lots of people and someone who might be a Chinese official based in HK came to me and asked the purpose of my trip. I showed him lots of documents, including my vaccination and onward ticket. He eventually let me board the plane.
ARRIVAL IN BEIJING:
The arrival process took about 2 hours. First I was taken to the health declaration desk and the officer asked me lots of questions about what I have done over the past 3 week, followed by a very painful PCR test. The immigration officer first was a bit confused that I had no visa but then figured out that I don't need one; she asked me some questions about what I do and what my plan in China is and let me in. Later on, everyone is taken to a random quarantine hotel for a 10-day quarantine. Those who have a home in Beijing can spend the last 3 days at home. My quarantine hotel is a nice one, and it costs $90 a day including 3 light meals (not enough for me haha). Food delivery isn't allowed but I could pay more for some more delicious food. They took my Visa credit card which is nice, because many small hotels in China don't accept it.
TRAVELING AROUND BEIJING:
After quarantine, my Beijing Health Code turned green. Beijing has probably the world's strictest covid measure. There is no lockdown since there is no case, but everyone needs a PCR test to enter anywhere (bus/subway/taxi/shops/restaurants/hotel/office...) They check it by looking or scanning your green code which has test information on it. So you pretty much need a test every other day (since it is valid for 72 hours but takes some time for results to come up), unless you just stay inside of your hotel. Test centers can be found everywhere especially near the city center and are free of charge to everyone, even foreign visitors! Temperature is also checked everywhere and I think they are required to call the police if you are over 37 or something. Also if you go to a pharmacy and ask for cold or allergy medicine, you might also be sent to hospital, so be careful.
There is stricter security right now in Beijing, especially if you go to the city center. When the police or hotel checked my passport and asked for my visa, I showed them the visa policy on immigration's website that I am visa-free. Also, you need to make a reservation to travel to almost all tourist attractions. You don't rarely see any foreigners anymore, unless you go to the Sanlitun region which still has many foreigners. People are overall nice to foreigners and I haven't had any issues.
LEAVING CHINA:
Leaving China is not restricted for foreigners. No PCR test is required except the regular one you have to do anyway to enter the airport terminal. When I left, the officer asked a few questions like where I went and how was my trip and I am free to go! Also Macau is now open to foreigners who are currently in China with visa-free passports, so I could also go to Macau and then return for another 30 days of visa-free visit.
