Tanzania: Covid-19 Clearance a Must for Tanzanian Passengers, Says Chinese Embassy

By The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam — China has on Wednesday August 26, announced that all China-bound passengers from

Tanzania will have to obtain COVID-19 negative certificates before boarding flights.

The embassy warns that anyone who fails to obtain COVID-19 negative certificates, green health codes with "HS" marks or valid health declaration forms will be denied boarding the relevant flights.

The statement was made jointly by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the General Administration of Customs and the Chinese foreign affairs ministry, and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Tanzania.

According to the statement, with effect from September 4, all passengers traveling from or transiting through Tanzania to China are required to obtain COVID-19 negative certificates prior to flight departures.

"Both Chinese and foreign passengers traveling from or transiting through Tanzania to China or ultimately bound for China via any other countries must apply for Green Health Codes (for Chinese citizens only) with an "HS" mark or Health Declaration Forms (for foreign citizens only) by submitting their COVID-19 negative certificates for nucleic acid tests to Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in Zanzibar," reads the statement.

The statement further adds: Airlines will check the health codes or health declaration forms prior to flight departures. Original test reports are highly recommended to be kept on hand in case of further inspection.

The embassy advises passengers to get nucleic acid tests for Covid-19 within three days prior to their flight departures in testing facility designated by Chinese Embassy.

The embassy recommends that travelers take the tests at National Public Health Laboratory in Dar es Salaam.

To obtain a Green Health Codes for Chinese nationals who are resident in Tanzania or visiting, the embassy says they should upload photos of their COVID-19 negative certificates to the WeChat mini program COVID-19 Prevention Health Code International Version within 24 hours after obtaining negative certificates.

"Those approved by the Chinese embassy will obtain Green Health Codes with an "HS" mark for a certain validity period. All passengers are required to travel within the validity period, and cooperate with airlines for health codes checking,"

According to Tanzania's ministry of health, travelers can get clearance certificates at a cost of Sh40,000 for Tanzanian nationals, whereas foreigners who are residents will pay Sh60,000 with visitors paying $100 for the test.