Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Health certificate for your visa
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only)
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Deats



Joined: 02 Jan 2015
Posts: 503

PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:27 am    Post subject: Health certificate for your visa Reply with quote

In your experience, have you ever:

1) Had to send a health certificate to your job for them to apply for your invitation?

2) Or have you needed a copy for the embassy to apply for the Z visa?

3) Neither of the above.

I have never needed to do either 1 or 2, I have always just needed a health check once I arrived in China. I'm interested as to what would be seen as 'the norm'.

What have your experiences with the process been?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bestteacher2012



Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 160

PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would say number one is the norm, most places require a medical in order to apply for the invitation letter and work permit.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
OhBudPowellWhereArtThou



Joined: 02 Jun 2015
Posts: 1168
Location: Since 2003

PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Number 2 is my experience, though it was sent to the consulate, not the embassy. I work for public universities.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
buravirgil



Joined: 23 Jan 2014
Posts: 967
Location: Jiangxi Province, China

PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Number 2
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dan123



Joined: 08 Jan 2014
Posts: 112

PostPosted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm on my second job (first was in a training school, second is in a university), and I only did a medical check after I arrived. In fact, I even started working both times before going to the hospital.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've had to have a medical check every time I've renewed my Z visa/RP.

I have an appointment on Monday to do so again. Signing on for 2 more years in the glorious PRC, dependent on the med. check, of course.

--GA
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GreatApe wrote:
I've had to have a medical check every time I've renewed my Z visa/RP.

I have an appointment on Monday to do so again. Signing on for 2 more years in the glorious PRC, dependent on the med. check, of course.

--GA


Strange, haven't had one for 5 years (been here 7). Guess location matters.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GreatApe



Joined: 11 Apr 2012
Posts: 582
Location: South of Heaven and East of Nowhere

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 2:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wangdaning wrote:
Quote:
Strange, haven't had one for 5 years (been here 7). Guess location matters.


Location perhaps, and along with age, you're probably right.

I'm in Guangdong and quickly approaching 50. I've had to do medical checks for Z visa/RP renewal 4 of the 5.5 years that I've lived in China. No problems, really ... just the "hassle" of going through the motions.

--GA
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 2:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

GreatApe wrote:
wangdaning wrote:
Quote:
Strange, haven't had one for 5 years (been here 7). Guess location matters.


Location perhaps, and along with age, you're probably right.

I'm in Guangdong and quickly approaching 50. I've had to do medical checks for Z visa/RP renewal 4 of the 5.5 years that I've lived in China. No problems, really ... just the "hassle" of going through the motions.

--GA


You should at least ask not to be xrayed.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Listerine



Joined: 15 Jun 2014
Posts: 340

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Being China there is no "norm".

I don't think it's a *legal* requirement anywhere in the PRC to have the school require a medical check in advance before they begin processing your visa. Many schools however will require it before they outlay the $ to apply for your paperwork just in case you have cooties and your Z visa can't be converted to a residence permit
.
I applied for my Z visa in Bangkok and the embassy DEFINITELY required a recent copy of a medical check issued in country. Not all embassies / consulates will though.

Once you arrive in China an additional medical check is more or less guaranteed to be needed.

Talk to the school, contact your local Chinese embassy. I think whatever info you get here will be a little unreliable / varied.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Deats



Joined: 02 Jan 2015
Posts: 503

PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What you say is true Listerine. There is clearly no 1 given way. This topic is really interesting though to get a general gist of things.

I actually had the most ridiculous thing happen this week, when my uni started demanding a health certificate - 10 weeks after I was given the job. WTF is all that about?

In the end they said I needed to go to a hospital and get a medical check. I asked what checks. They said to show I was healthy. Again, I asked what checks, as what is the definition of 'healthy'? I got the same dumb reply. So I went to the GP, they tested my heart rate, blood pressure, used a stethoscope and then wrote on letter headed paper my name, date of birth, stamped it and literally wrote 'Healthy'. And that's it. WTF I say again. Obviously they openly said I would need another test when I arrived. What a waste of time and money.

This is for Guangdong

In Heilongjiang I needed nothing before I arrived BUT I needed a test EVERY year, like GreatApe, to get my new permit.

I'm curious as to whether there is a rule for each province, or each school makes up their own rule? Or is it the bureau who issue the invitations that want this?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was here at first the school shafted me by just making me teach on an L visa. Something the owner who I met in the states said would not happen. I left after a month or so and found the job I have been with for years. They sent me to HK to get my visa and no medical was required. I did a medical when I got back and the second year also, but since then no medicals for me. I have to say, in general, Chinese bureaucracy has been nice to me.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Unrung School Bell



Joined: 13 May 2015
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a thing to consider. These physical exams are very non-evasive and are given over about 20 minutes time by several doctors or medical-pseudo professionals that give not a toss what the results are. They barely pay attention as they examine you.

The school pays for it, a person from the school fills out the forms and speaks Chinese for you, if you cannot, and she may even by you a lollipop afterwards.

So what is the difficulty in getting an exam? The only thing that can go wrong is that you really are sick in some way - possibly in a way you did not know about. If that's the case you have a larger problem than a possible waste of an hour's time and a bit of money. It may even be fortunate that your medical problem has come to your attention earlier than it would have done.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wangdaning



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 3154

PostPosted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unrung School Bell wrote:
Here's a thing to consider. These physical exams are very non-evasive and are given over about 20 minutes time by several doctors or medical-pseudo professionals that give not a toss what the results are. They barely pay attention as they examine you.

The school pays for it, a person from the school fills out the forms and speaks Chinese for you, if you cannot, and she may even by you a lollipop afterwards.

So what is the difficulty in getting an exam? The only thing that can go wrong is that you really are sick in some way - possibly in a way you did not know about. If that's the case you have a larger problem than a possible waste of an hour's time and a bit of money. It may even be fortunate that your medical problem has come to your attention earlier than it would have done.


So, yearly xrays are healthy?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
7969



Joined: 26 Mar 2003
Posts: 5782
Location: Coastal Guangdong

PostPosted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wangdaning wrote:
Unrung School Bell wrote:
Here's a thing to consider. These physical exams are very non-evasive and are given over about 20 minutes time by several doctors or medical-pseudo professionals that give not a toss what the results are. They barely pay attention as they examine you.

The school pays for it, a person from the school fills out the forms and speaks Chinese for you, if you cannot, and she may even by you a lollipop afterwards.

So what is the difficulty in getting an exam? The only thing that can go wrong is that you really are sick in some way - possibly in a way you did not know about. If that's the case you have a larger problem than a possible waste of an hour's time and a bit of money. It may even be fortunate that your medical problem has come to your attention earlier than it would have done.


So, yearly xrays are healthy?

This hardly seems like the forum to debate this topic, but let's do it anyway. There are patients in hospitals who get xrayed a lot more frequently than once a year and they survive. We get radiation from many sources every day of our lives and hardly notice it. All those people suntanning at the beach every day in summer are probably causing more harm to their bodies than an annual xray. Given the condition of the bodies of some of the foreign teachers I've seen meadnering around an annual x-ray is the least of their worries.

Unrung School Bell wrote:
So what is the difficulty in getting an exam? The only thing that can go wrong is that you really are sick in some way - possibly in a way you did not know about. If that's the case you have a larger problem than a possible waste of an hour's time and a bit of money. It may even be fortunate that your medical problem has come to your attention earlier than it would have done.

Some people probably don't want to know the truth about their health.


Last edited by 7969 on Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:42 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) All times are GMT
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China