Medical Checkup within China for Z-Visa

[Susi12]

So, it looks like I might have found a good job in China. We are already living in China, I am currently accompanying my husband on an S2-Visa and will therefore have to change to a Z-Visa.

 

I had a first talk with HR about the necessary documents today and it seems like they have not had the case of a foreigner changing visa types yet. My actual question revolves around the health check. I had this check done in my home country in order to enter China on the S2 visa, but as this was about 1 year ago I was told I would have to repeat the check.

 

The company now literally send me the form and the location of the "Shanghai International Travel and Healthcare Centre" today and that I should get a doctor to fill in the form and then have it "chopped" (any ideas on this chinenglish word?!?) at the Centre. We have an agent from my husband's company but she wouldn't say anything and will only do so for extra cash, of course.

 

So, my question: has anyone ever been through this process within China? Is it difficult and therefore worth getting an agent for this? Everything else for the visa will be organized by the company. Or is it really just... make doctor's appointment and make second appointment then to have the results checked and signed at the Centre. I have no idea if my insurance would cover this health check in the nice international hospital I usually have the privilege to go to. My Chinese is basic to intermediate at best, so I certainly would not be able to handle any medical questions in Chinese. Simple instructions like go there, sign here, pay here...  would probably be ok.

 

Any suggestions, experience? Thanks for sharing.

[Lu]

On 4/16/2024 at 5:08 PM, Susi12 said:

and then have it "chopped" (any ideas on this chinenglish word?!?)

'Stamped' would perhaps be a good translation. 盖章 is the Chinese.

 

No insight on your actual question, I'm afraid. Last time I had this circus done it was before I came to China. If you're not the first foreigner in your new company, perhaps your company and/or a future colleague has some advice? It's quite possible that the whole thing is very straightforward and routine once you get to the right doctor at the right hospital. As to whether your health insurance covers this, can you perhaps just contact them and ask?

 

And congratulations on the job! No more bore-out then, hurray.

[yueni]

Quoting from the South China Morning Post:

Quote

From the Hindi chaap, meaning stamp, imprint, seal or brand, or instrument for stamping (used already in 17th-century colonial Indian English), the word entered English in the early 19th-century as chop

Where I grew up in Singapore, we often had to get things "chopped". It's probably used throughout various British colonies. I think Hong Kong also uses this word. I imagine it's more appropriately Hinglish/Inglish rather than Chinglish. lol.

 

Congrats on the job.

[Susi12]

On 4/16/2024 at 11:22 PM, Lu said:

If you're not the first foreigner in your new company, perhaps your company and/or a future colleague has some advice?

I'm working on that but haven't found anyone who has done the complete Health Check within China, so far. Most expats will have this done at home before they leave for China, just like I did when I arrived with the S2-visa. This is a bit special case as I'm already staying in China and am not planning on making an extra travel for this - also doesn't make any sense to me .

 

On 4/16/2024 at 11:22 PM, Lu said:

As to whether your health insurance covers this, can you perhaps just contact them and ask?

True, I did enquire in the morning, seems I am lucky. That's only part of the question though, the other is if it can at all be done in a private hospital or if - this being an governmental requirement - has to be done in a public hospital. As they want to make money they said yes of course. I'll have them confirm this at lengths before doing the tests.

 

On 4/17/2024 at 12:13 AM, yueni said:

the word entered English in the early 19th-century as chop

That's an interesting one. My dictionary did not reveal anything fitting at all, so I doubt a little it really "entered English" with this but thanks for the explanation! Next time I come around I'll know.

 

On 4/17/2024 at 12:13 AM, yueni said:

Congrats on the job.

Thanks, but better not be to quick about it. It's already the 4th time I'm starting over with this process and it never worked out in the past - I'm not yet enthusiastic, to be honest. Hopefully soon 😅

[Moshen]

Here is some interesting background information about Asian "chops":

https://www.ptl-group.com/guides/the-red-seal-that-cuts-the-deal/

[Jim]

I've done a medical for a residence permit before, which I presume will be similar. The designated clinic was a one-stop shop where you went from room to room clutching your paperwork to see different doctors/clinicians who administered the various tests, then paid separately at the main desk for them to courier the results round once they came out a day or two later. Various bloods and breathing tests as I recall, can't remember if eyesight was included, nothing too alarming at any rate. Since they are the designated clinic, they will produce a stamped set of results that meet the requirements.

[cncorrect]

Here is the process: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/650390857. Here is another useful link: https://www.internations.org/shanghai-expats/forum/guide-for-expats-to-do-the-physical-exam-in-sh-1697376.

 

As mentioned, you should search '上海国际旅行卫生保健中心' on WeChat and follow their official account (公众号). From there, you can make an appiontment, as illustrated in the attached image.

 

The most challenging part might be communicating what you need and comprehending their directions on where to proceed and how to make the payment. Presumably, you won't need to say much during the actual medical check-up.  Shanghai International Travel and Healthcare Centre (上海国际旅行卫生保健中心) is a dedicated institution for these types of services. I suspect many of the staff there are fluent in English.

 

Why not try it yourself first? The worst that could happen is that you'll waste some time. But, you can also seize the opportunity to practice your Chinese.

 

[Susi12]

On 4/17/2024 at 3:50 PM, Jim said:

The designated clinic was a one-stop shop where you went from room

Aaah wow thank you Jim, that's just the insight I needed. Yes, this sound very similar. What do you think, would you have gotten along with some basic Chinese only? When we did this last time the company send us an agent to usher us from room to room, so I have no idea how difficult (or even easy?) this might have been. But then again, I arrived with almost 0 Chinese so we more than happily accepted 😁

[Susi12]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:11 PM, cncorrect said:

Here is the process

Ooooh, thank you so much for the links!!! I'll get to work right away 😁 andet you know how it goes! 

[Jim]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:14 PM, Susi12 said:

What do you think, would you have gotten along with some basic Chinese only?

I suspect so, though I had been in the country for some years by that point and spoke Chinese pretty well. Think I do recall (it is some years back) some of the doctors starting to speak to me in English anyway before realising I could understand Chinese; as cncorrect has suggested, they must deal with a lot of non-Chinese speakers.

As an aside, I do recall a large group of young Chinese men being herded through the process by their employment agent who was sending them all off to work on sheep farms in Australia!

[Susi12]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:11 PM, cncorrect said:

Here is the process

 

So your information was absolutely correct and perfect. Thank you SO much for this helpful advice. With your help I was able to find the website and make an appointment for next week. ✌️ In English, that is - so I agree that they will have to cope with a lot of foreigners if they even invest in English apps/websites. 

 

On 4/17/2024 at 8:11 PM, cncorrect said:

Why not try it yourself first? The worst that could happen is that you'll waste some time

Well, we are under a bit of time pressure - the company first "slept" a couple of months to now come around and say they need me ASAP please could you be here by June 😆But absolutely yes, I'll go with your suggestion and just give it a try, charge my translator just in case and try to go through on my own. 

On 4/18/2024 at 2:22 AM, Jim said:

On 4/17/2024 at 8:14 PM, Susi12 said:

What do you think, would you have gotten along with some basic Chinese only

I suspect so

Thanks for your feedback. This gives me a little confidence 🙂 I'll let you know how it goes next week.

 

On 4/18/2024 at 2:22 AM, Jim said:

As an aside, I do recall a large group of young Chinese men being herded through the process by their employment agent who was sending them all off to work on sheep farms in Australia!

This is funny indeed. The sheep herders being herded themselves... I'll think of that image in the waiting area when I feel like a sheep 🤭

[cncorrect]

@Susi12You are welcome! Searching and reading in Chinese must simplify your life considerably.

[Susi12]

First of all, thank you for the encouragement given in this thread, it was absolutely justified. I thought it might be worth giving an update on how it went.

 

I arrived in time for my appointment (special thanks to @cncorrect for the most helpful links on how to make the appointment in the first place!) and was herded through the process like any other laowei. Of course, there were additional requirements not mentioned on the website (copy of passport), but this was easily resolved (go to the service center and get a copy for a nominal fee). Of the 15 people I spoke to, most spoke English to me and the others spoke slowly and clearly enough for me to understand. Although most of the conversation was just the number of the next room to go to. Some people were actually friendly to me, which was a little confusing.

One nurse was really funny though. She would look at me and ask, "你说中文吗?" and when I answered, "一点," she would gesture me to the changing room and say a few sentences, which of course I didn't fully understand. Then, in the best Oxford English (better than most I've heard in China!), she would tell me what I should be doing. And in the next sentence, praise me for at least trying to learn and speak Chinese. 

 

In the end, the whole process, including registration, the copying, the payment, the medical questionnaire, the customs check, the x-ray, the ultrasound, the eye test (a total of 6 medical checks) and checkout took only a little more then 60 minutes. Quite an achievement for about 12 steps in the individual process! I asked for the documents to be mailed and they were professional as well. Send the Chinese address to this Wechat and you're done. And so, when I returned from my vacation, I found the documents waiting for me on my doorstep.

 

So my resume: here in Shanghai, this would have been possible without any knowledge of Chinese, if you had maybe a little preparation and knew what to expect. Since I had been there before and had done part of the process, that was more than enough preparation and my mediocre Chinese was just a little "bonus" that was nice but completely unnecessary.

[Susi12]

Ahh, and maybe one P.S. : Although there were even some findings, overall I was granted permission to work. My company is not quite ready with everything they have to prepare, but I can say that I did my part fast and perfect to not cause any delay. And that without any more help than you guys gave me 😉.

[abcdefg]

Glad it worked out well!

[richardmote]

Hi, I want to schedule for physical examination at Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center through WeChat. However, the system requires a China telephone number while I do not have one. Could anyone please provide solution for this issue? 

Thank you in advance!