The China Visa Medical Exam, Explained
The mandatory medical exam for a China work (Z) visa and residence permit costs about ¥300–600 ($40–85) and is done at a government International Travel Healthcare Center. It takes 1–2 hours fasting, covers a fixed set of tests — chest X-ray, ECG, ultrasound, and blood work including HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B/C — and the stamped certificate is ready in about 3–5 working days, valid for six months. Tourists never need it; it applies when you're staying long term.
If you're moving to China on a Z visa (or a long-term study or family stay), you'll complete the Foreigner Physical Examination Record at your city's International Travel Healthcare Center for roughly ¥300–600. Book ahead, arrive fasting with your passport and two passport photos, and collect the red-cover health certificate a few working days later. It's a compliance screen, not a real checkup — many arrivals pair it with a proper screening the same week.
Who actually needs the visa medical?
There is no medical requirement for visiting China as a tourist — if that's your question, see our guide to visas for a health-checkup trip. The medical exam applies to long-term stays:
| Situation | Medical exam required? |
|---|---|
| Tourist / business visit (L, M, transit) | No |
| Work (Z) visa → residence permit | Yes — standard requirement |
| Long-term study (X1, over 6–12 months) | Usually yes |
| Family reunion / private affairs over 1 year | Often yes |
The exam is required by the exit-entry authorities when you convert your entry visa into a residence permit — typically within 30 days of arrival. Your employer's HR or your university will tell you the exact deadline for your city.
Where do you take it — and what does it cost?
The standard venue is your city's International Travel Healthcare Center (国际旅行卫生保健中心), the customs-affiliated clinic network that exists specifically for entry-exit health checks. Big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu) each have one or more, and most now take bookings through a WeChat mini-program. As a 2026 planning range the standard exam costs about ¥300–600 ($40–85); express service, where offered, costs more. Some authorized private international hospitals can also run the exam with fully bilingual service, at a higher price — convenient if you want English end to end, though the government centers are used to foreigners and the process is form-driven.
What the exam includes
- Basic physical — height, weight, blood pressure, vision.
- Internal-medicine check — a brief physician examination.
- Chest X-ray — primarily tuberculosis screening.
- ECG and abdominal ultrasound.
- Blood tests — including HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B/C.
The visit is assembly-line efficient: you move station to station with a barcode sheet, usually done inside 1–2 hours. Come fasting (water is fine), bring your passport and two passport-size photos, and avoid wearing metal jewellery for the X-ray. Results are compiled into the stamped certificate in about 3–5 working days, and the certificate is valid for six months.
The 体检表 — Foreigner Physical Examination Record
The paperwork behind the process is the standardized Physical Examination Record for Foreigner (外国人体格检查记录, commonly just "体检表"). Two routes exist:
- Complete it abroad — a licensed physician in your home country fills the form, attaches lab reports and a photo, and stamps every page. In practice the local center in China often re-verifies foreign forms (and repeats any missing tests), so this route mainly helps people with tight timelines.
- Do it in China after arrival — the route most expats take. It's cheaper than most Western private exams, the center issues the form itself, and there's no verification step.
Requirements do vary slightly by city and employer, so treat this page as planning information and confirm the current checklist with your HR contact or the local center before you go.
Visa medical ≠ health checkup
A common misunderstanding: the visa medical is not a health assessment. It's a fixed compliance screen for infectious disease — it won't assess your cardiac risk, screen for early cancers, or produce results your home doctor can act on. If you're relocating, it's an efficient moment to book a genuine comprehensive checkup in the same week: you're already fasting, already in a major hospital city, and packages run far below Western prices — see the 2026 cost guide and the Shanghai & Beijing package guide. And whatever you book, ask for results in English.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the China visa medical exam cost?
About ¥300–600 (roughly $40–85) at a government International Travel Healthcare Center, as a 2026 planning range. Express processing and authorized private hospitals cost more. Confirm the current fee with your local center.
Who needs it?
Not tourists. It's required when applying for a residence permit — typically after entering on a work (Z) visa, and for many long-term study (X1) or family stays over a year.
What is the Foreigner Physical Examination Record (体检表)?
The standardized government form documenting your exam. It can be completed and stamped abroad, but centers in China usually re-verify foreign forms, so most expats simply take the exam in China after arrival.
What tests are included and how long do results take?
Basic physical, internal-medicine check, chest X-ray, ECG, abdominal ultrasound, and blood tests including HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B/C. The visit takes 1–2 hours fasting; the certificate is ready in 3–5 working days and valid six months.
Is it the same as a health checkup?
No — it's a fixed infectious-disease compliance screen. For an assessment of your actual health, book a separate comprehensive checkup; many new arrivals do both in the same week.