Requirements for mandarin language training visa

[CaliGirl]

Hi 

can someone please outline to me what the requirements are for obtaining a language student visa after acceptance into a university mandarin language program? 

I am reading about a medical exam that appears a bit intrusive. I don’t have any medical issues but I also don’t have any medical records.

how much is the medical visit and who conducts it? Are there any other things I will need to spend money on besides visa and plane ticket? I will be in china for one (1) semester only. 

Thanks 

[roddy]

If it's only one semester, you'll probably be on an X2 visa, which won't require a medical (last I knew, anyway). It's also really not intrusive, apart from the wallet probe.

[CaliGirl]

Ok thanks. And is the medical for a long study stay conducted in the home country or once in China? Is there a set fee for it or any private physician would do. 

[roddy]

Some people do seem to get it done at home, but then end up having to get it done in China as well. I'd imagine it depends on your local embassy and what they want for the visa application. If you're getting it done in China it's very simple - there are big designated clinics that do the medicals, there'll quite possibly be buses put on to take you back and forth (the entire year's intake will need one) and the cost is fixed - it'll vary depending on where you are, but I think 300Y is about right?

[NinjaTurtle]

When I first went to China, I was required to get the physical exam in my home country (which was quite expensive). I was then required to get the physical exam again in China. Getting a chest x-ray in my home country was the most expensive part of the physical exam in my home country. (Walking in the front door of a hospital in America and asking for a chest x-ray is NOT cheap.)

 

Roddy, these things were required by the visa-issuing office in my province in China, not the embassy. In my case, the embassy only got involved after the visa was issued, and the physical exam in my home country was required to be done before the issue was ever issued.

 

I wonder if these requirements in China vary from province to province.

[js6426]

I had the same experience as NinjaTurtle - physical before going to China, and then one once I was here. 

If you are here on a year long visa then you will need to get a new medical every year, unless you don't leave the country (I only discovered that this was the case this year, right after paying 400RMB to get my medical done).  A 6 month visa won't require it.

 

As Roddy said, it's very easy, and all arranged for you by the university (here at least). 

[DavyJonesLocker]

I didn't need one in my home country but needed one as soon as I came to china. That was for an x1 visa 4+ years ago. I wouldn't say it's  intrusive. It's just blood samples, eyesight test, heart check up , x Ray. You keep your clothes on for the whole time including the x ray. You go yourself from room to room all in the one building for foreigners all looking clueless. Whole  process takes about 1.5 hours I think. 

 

4 hours ago, js6426 said:

If you are here on a year long visa then you will need to get a new medical every year, unless you don't leave the country

 

Is this a new rule? I left a whole heap of times and didn't need a medical . Only had one at the start of 3 x X1 visa and then when I changed to a working visa. However changing from x1 to working visa I didn't leave the country . 

[Jim]

I've only done the one medical (in country at the designated clinic, whistle stop run round several clinicians and done in an hour or two) for a multi-year residence permit.

[js6426]

2 hours ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

7 hours ago, js6426 said:

If you are here on a year long visa then you will need to get a new medical every year, unless you don't leave the country

 

Is this a new rule? I left a whole heap of times and didn't need a medical . Only had one at the start of 3 x X1 visa and then when I changed to a working visa. However changing from x1 to working visa I didn't leave the country . 

 

Could be, or it might just be the way they do it up here! I was surprised to learn that you had the option of not getting it done if you didn’t leave the country, and now I’m jealous to hear people only having it done once!

 

This year I got my medical done before my wife, and when I went to do my visa I asked if she was ok not getting one, as she hadn’t left the country since the previous one. They said she needed to get it done again.

 

Maybe it’s one of those ‘open to interpretation’ rules!

[DavyJonesLocker]

11 minutes ago, js6426 said:

Maybe it’s one of those ‘open to interpretation’ rules!

 

 

somehow I think you're right.  Even though I work for a state company there was still a lot of chopping and changing of minds about what procedures I had to do, e.g. leave the country, police report, verify my degree etc. In the end I didn't do any of it to go from an X1 to work visa, whereas others on this forum reported that they had a lot of hoops to jump through