Send DICOM files, not films
Chinese radiologists read, measure and reconstruct from the original digital data. Printed films cannot be measured or 3D-reconstructed.
China Guide
The practical side of coming to China for treatment
Most of what goes wrong on a medical trip is not clinical. It is a visa application filed under the wrong purpose, imaging left at home on film, or a card that gets blocked at the payment counter. This page is the accumulated practical detail.
Visa and immigration rules change without notice and vary between consulates. The information here is general guidance, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements with the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for your jurisdiction, and with the hospital, before you travel.
China Guide
Which visa do you need?
China does not issue a dedicated medical visa. Treatment travel is handled under an existing category, and which one applies depends mainly on how long your treatment will take. Applying under a purpose that does not match your trip is a common cause of refusal — and of problems at hospital admission.
| Route | Official purpose | Best suited to | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 Visa | Short-stay private affairs | The standard route for hospital treatment. Surgery, chemotherapy cycles, inpatient care and post-operative recovery all fall comfortably within its range. Accompanying family members apply under the same category. | Up to 180 days |
| S1 Visa | Long-stay private affairs | Treatment expected to exceed 180 days. Must be converted to a residence permit within 30 days of entry. | 180+ days |
| M Visa | Business and trade activities | Officially a business visa. Some consulates accept it for medical travel when supported by hospital documentation; others do not. We confirm which category is being used for your jurisdiction before you apply. | Up to 90 days |
| L Visa | Tourism | Short outpatient consultations and minor procedures. Convenient, but weaker than an S2 for anything involving inpatient treatment. | Varies |
| Visa-free entry | Business, tourism, family visits, exchange, transit | Citizens of more than 50 countries may enter for up to 30 days without a visa. Suitable for short diagnostic or consultation trips; medical treatment is not among the listed purposes, so confirm with your consulate first. | Up to 30 days |
| 240-hour transit | Transit to a third country | Available to around 55 nationalities, for very short procedures combined with onward travel to a third country. You must remain within the designated region. | Up to 10 days |
Whichever route you use, carry your appointment confirmation or invitation letter. Border officers may ask what you are coming for, and a hospital document answers that question in one step.
China Guide
Documents to prepare before you travel
Gather these early. The slowest item is normally the hospital invitation letter, which cannot be issued until your case has been reviewed and accepted.
Passport
Valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure, with at least two blank visa pages.
Visa application form
Completed online through your local Chinese visa application system, then printed and signed.
Photograph
33mm × 48mm, white background, taken within the last six months. Photo rejections are one of the most common avoidable delays.
Hospital invitation letter
Issued by the hospital's international department. Names you as your passport does and states the medical purpose, the treating department and the expected dates.
Medical records summary
Diagnosis, key test results and current treatment, in English or Chinese. Some consulates ask for a short physician's summary.
Proof of funds
Bank statements or insurance cover demonstrating you can meet treatment and living costs. A margin above the estimate is advisable.
Return flight itinerary
A booking or detailed travel plan. Do not purchase non-refundable tickets before your visa is issued.
Accommodation confirmation
Hotel booking or hospital patient housing confirmation.
Proof of relationship
Marriage or birth certificate for each accompanying family member applying in their own right.
Travel insurance
Covering medical treatment abroad. Required for visa-free entry and strongly advisable in all cases.
China Guide
Your medical records decide the quality of your answer
This is the most commonly neglected part of the whole process — and the one with the largest effect on your treatment plan.
Bring the pathology block or slides
If a biopsy has been performed, the paraffin block or unstained slides allow for re-staining and second-opinion pathology in China. This is standard practice and frequently requested.
Medication list in generic names
Generic name, dose and frequency. Packaging alone is not enough — brand names differ between countries and tell the physician nothing.
Certified translation
Records not already in English or Chinese should be translated by a medical translation service. A mistranslated implant model or drug name can change a treatment decision.
Back everything up
Scan every document and store it in the cloud, then carry paper copies separately from the originals.
Indicative ranges only, compiled from common international patient cases at our partner hospitals. Not a quotation and not medical advice. Actual costs vary with hospital, physician, technique, length of stay and complications. Always confirm costs in writing with the treating hospital before travelling.
China Guide
Paying for treatment in China
Prepaid deposit system
Chinese public hospitals work mainly on deposit: you pay a sum at admission, and the hospital draws down against it for tests, medication and procedures. You may be asked to top up during a long stay.
Cards and limits
International cards are accepted at our partner hospitals' international departments, but a single large transaction can trigger a fraud block. Tell your bank before you travel and check your daily limit.
Bring more than one method
A card that works, a second card from a different issuer, and some cash. Mobile payment is near-universal in China and can be linked to an international card through Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Get the right paperwork
Request itemised invoices and an English discharge summary. Without them an insurance claim will stall, and getting them after you have left the country is considerably harder.
China Guide
Insurance: what to expect
Direct billing exists, but not everywhere
Our international partner hospitals direct-bill more than 100 domestic and international insurers, including major providers such as Bupa, Allianz, Cigna and AXA. Public academic hospitals generally do not — expect to pay and claim.
Confirm before you commit
Check your policy's overseas treatment terms and whether prior authorisation is required. Most insurers will not accept a claim filed after treatment without notice.
Pay upfront, claim on return
For treatment at a public hospital, you pay and file for reimbursement afterwards. Budget for the full amount, not just the excess.
China Guide
Staying in China
Accommodation
We select hotels and serviced apartments within walking distance of the hospital. For long stays, patient housing with a kitchen is usually more comfortable and cheaper than a hotel.
Food and dietary requirements
Hospital diets can usually be adapted. Halal, vegetarian and other requirements are available — tell us at the planning stage so it is arranged rather than negotiated on the ward.
Getting around
Metro systems in Beijing, Shanghai and Changsha are inexpensive and well signposted in English. For hospital visits we arrange transfers rather than leaving you to navigate.
Staying connected
A local SIM card gives you cheap data and a Chinese phone number, which you will need for hospital registration. We set this up on arrival. Several international apps are restricted in China, so install and test the alternatives you will rely on before you leave home.
Bringing medication in
Carry a physician's letter and your prescription for any medication you bring. Some controlled substances are restricted — check before travelling and declare what you carry at customs.
Who can come with you
Family members travelling as carers apply for an S2 visa in their own right, with proof of relationship. We arrange this alongside your own application.
Free Consultation
If something goes wrong
Our coordination line operates around the clock for patients who are in China with us. If you are still at home and your condition deteriorates before your trip, contact us and we will move your case forward or tell you honestly that you need care locally and immediately.
Questions
Answers to what patients ask first
Complex surgery commonly costs 60–80% less than the equivalent procedure in the United States, and health screening considerably less than that. Your own figure depends on the hospital, the physician, the technique and your length of stay. We give you an itemised cost range after reviewing your records, and the hospital confirms final costs in writing.
No. China has no dedicated medical visa category. Treatment travel is normally handled under an S2 visa (short-stay private affairs), supported by a hospital invitation letter. Longer treatment may use an S1. Citizens of more than 50 countries can currently enter visa-free for up to 30 days, which suits short diagnostic trips — but medical treatment is not among the listed visa-free purposes, so confirm with your consulate first.
At our international partner hospitals, yes — English-speaking physicians throughout, plus services in ten or more languages. At public academic hospitals, senior physicians generally read English medical literature but may not consult in English. A professional medical interpreter accompanies you to every appointment, and we recommend this regardless of your own English level.
Yes, and we encourage it. An accompanying family member or carer applies for an S2 visa in their own right, with proof of your relationship. We arrange their documentation alongside yours and can organise accommodation for both of you.
From first contact to arrival is typically three to six weeks: two to five business days for the specialist review, three to seven for the invitation letter, and four to seven for the visa. Cases can move faster where the condition is urgent — tell us if it is.
Sometimes, and it depends on your policy rather than on the hospital. Our international partner hospitals direct-bill more than 100 insurers. At public academic hospitals you generally pay upfront and claim on return, so budget for the full amount. Check your policy's overseas treatment terms before committing to travel, and ask your insurer whether prior authorisation is required.
That is a perfectly normal reason to contact us. Some patients arrive with a firm diagnosis and want a second opinion or treatment; others arrive with symptoms and no answer. Both are workable — for the second group, we usually begin with a diagnostic workup and a review before any treatment decision is made.
Yes, subject to immigration rules. We regularly coordinate patients from Russia, Central Asia, the Gulf states, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. We also tell you honestly when treatment closer to home would serve you better.
Start with a conversation, not a commitment
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