Medical Exam Question

[philo-publius]

On the visa paperwork it says:

"Any person suffering from a mental disorder, leprosy, AIDS, hepatitis, venereal diseases, contagious tuberculosis or other such infectious diseases shall not be permitted to enter China."

Are checks for venereal diseases done during the medical exam? I've recently had a venereal disease check-up in my home country (I traveled Asia for 6 months) and everything came up negative, but some diseases aren't detected until several months, or even half a year, after contracting them. Would I fail the exam if say, they found I had the clap?

No, I'm not joking.

[xiexieniii]

To be quite honest I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia. But I did not disclose this on the visa application form, nor will I for any other official documents. I'm asymptomatic anyway.

I always thought they only know you have a health problem if you disclose it or if it's physically very obvious.

[liuzhou]

Bear in mind that, depending on your location, you may have to have a local medical examination, too.

If they detect an STD, they should, under immigration law, refuse to issue you with a residence permit and should cancel your visa.

You've travelled in Asia for six months and felt the need to have an STD check-up? Haven't you heard of safe sex?

[philo-publius]

I did, an do, practice "safe sex", but no contraceptive is 100% safe. Didn't you receive sex-ed in school?

An STD check up every 6 months or so is just common sense. I included the fact that I had just returned from Asia after 6 months travel because I'm therefor much more likely to have contracted an STD.

So, back to the question: Is anybody aware of any instances when an STD check was a mandatory part of the medical exam?

[imron]

A blood test that tests for at least syphilis and HIV is mandatory.

[abcdefg]

So, back to the question: Is anybody aware of any instances when an STD check was a mandatory part of the medical exam?

It's always a mandatory part of the medical exam.

I had the official visa medical exam a few weeks ago in Kunming. It included blood tests for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C.

The only two ways to check for gonorrhea ("clap") in a male are by a urethral swab or by a special analysis of the urine. They only did a basic urinalysis (no special gonorrhea test) and no urethral swab.

So if you've got AIDS or syphilis or hepatitis, they're going to find out. If you have the clap you will slip through the screening process and live to deal with the medical and social consequences at a later date.

Hope I've answered your question. I'm a physician back home (USA.)

Edited June 5, 2009 at 02:41 PM by abcdefg
typo

[philo-publius]

I had the official visa medical exam a few weeks ago in Kunming. It included blood tests for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C.

So if you've got AIDS or syphilis or hepatitis, they're going to find out. If you have the clap you will slip through the screening process and live to deal with the medical and social consequences at a later date.

Firstly, thanks for answering my question. Secondly, congratulations on deducting I am male.

And lastly, as it were, I'll be taking the exam in Kunming in a couple of months, so thanks for confirming what was previously reported.

[abcdefg]

It might be worthwhile mentioning here as a reminder that Yunnan has lots of AIDS. At one time most of it was among intravenous drug abusers, but now it's transmitted mainly via heterosexual intercourse. So by all means have fun during your sojourn there, but take appropriate precautions as well.

[Meng Lelan]

Thanks abcdeg for bringing back pleasant (?) memories of my translator days translating tons of newspaper articles about Yunnan's AIDS and drugs.

Thank G-d I don't translate anymore.

Edited June 6, 2009 at 01:55 AM by Meng Lelan
typo