What is included in the physical to get a student visa?

[Pengyou]

I have a friend in the U.S. who is being treated for hepatitus C His medication does not prevent him for working or other non-strenuous activities so he wants to take a year off and come to China to study. NOTE: I don't know if this is wise or not - just trying to get a question answered for him. He wants to know what is included in the medical examination to get a student visa in China. Will they pick up his hepatitus and tell him that he can't come? what do they look for in this physical?

[liuzhou]

According to the "Rules Governing the Implementation of the Law of the PRC on the Entry and Exit of Aliens" anyone with an contagious disease should be refused entry.

See here.

Hepatitis C is considered contagious.

[Paolo]

I am afraid liuzhou is right.

I remember when I first took one year off and went to China, I had to submit a lot of medical check documents, including the ones for various forms of hepatitis. Even so, when I got there, in order to complete my registration I had to repeat some hepatitis tests because both the local police department and the school thought the documents I had submitted weren't reliable enough (???), so I guess in China they will still pay great attention to this kind of contagious disease-related issues.

[smalldog]

The form that the doctor fills in (click here) seems to indicate that only HIV and syphillis are included in the blood tests. I think there's a good chance he'd get through the physical -- whether this would be a wise thing to do, as you say, is another matter.

[roddy]

I'm not sure the physical is consistent across provinces, and therefore I don't think there is any definitive answer - referring here to the examination you do after arrival as part of the residence permit application, rather than anything you do at home.

A couple of thoughts. Short term (or short term and then extended) study on an F or L visa would mean there's no need for any physical examination, and if I remember correctly hepatitis isn't one of the diseases covered on the health declaration form you fill in on the plane, so your friend could probably take that route and stay within the rules. However, health insurance, any medical care necessary while you are here . . . It was only a year or two back hepatitis sufferers were being barred from applying from government jobs in some areas.

[wfujkramer]

Yes - there is no reason to get a medical exam. Just have him come in on a tourist visa to Beijing, and then buy a type F visa from an agent.

In addition:

1) even when I was on a student visa in Kunming, I was able to put off my medical exam for close to a year.

2) While I can't imagine why you wouldn't just buy a type F visa, I have heard that in Beijing they don't make student visa holders do a medical exam. but no first hand experience there.

[imron]

I have heard that in Beijing they don't make student visa holders do a medical exam. but no first hand experience there.

I have first hand experience with this, and I can confirm that they do make you take a medical exam for student (X) visa holders.

[pandaxiongmao]

I can tell you on my last physical exam for my current student visa, they did in fact test for 丙型肝炎, which in English is Hepatitis C. The other posters here might not have noticed it because the form translates it as "Anti-HCV".

My exams have occurred after I arrived in China, but before I got the residency permit. So your friend might be able to come, but will soon get kicked out.

[roddy]

Have you got the form handy? Would be interesting to have a full list of the stuff they test for. I've done a few medicals over the years, but the actual forms have never made their way into my hands.

I know in the past people applying for six month or less residence visas haven't had to do the physical. I don't know if / how widely that still applies.

[pandaxiongmao]

My last visa physical exam lists the following test results:

艾滋病病毒抗体 Anti-HIV

梅毒初筛试验 Syphilis (screen)

乙肝病毒表面抗原 HBsAg

丙肝病毒抗体 Anti-HCV

丙氨酸氨基转移酶 ALT (GPT)

ABO血型 Blood type

乙肝病毒表面抗体 Anti-HBs <--- this test is good if it is positive, shows you got immunised

乙肝病毒e抗原 HBeAg

乙肝病毒e抗体 Anti-HBe

乙肝病毒核心抗体 Anti-HBc

Note there are a lot of tests pertaining to 乙肝 (Hepatitis B). Only one for Hepatitis C though. All the tests have results that are positive (阳性）or negative（阴性）except for "丙氨酸氨基转移酶 ALT (GPT)" (result listed as IU/L) and "ABO血型 Blood type" (listed as A,B,O, or AB).

Besides the laboratory tests above, they also tested my vision and hearing, took my weight and pulse, and took a chest X-ray and ultrasound. So it is potentially a good study guide if you want to learn body parts in Chinese.

The tests might vary based upon where in China you get them, so other people might want to indicate if they have these same tests, more tests, or less tests. After I got my residence permit, the student office handed me back all the health forms and results.