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091212m
Joined: 20 Oct 2011 Posts: 4
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:02 pm Post subject: Getting a Medical done out of your home country for Z visa |
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I'm going to be applying for my Z work visa but am having problems with the medical. I'm a Canadian resident currently staying in Brazil with my boyfriend while we get all of our paperwork sorted out before we go to China.
I have an appointment set up to get my medical done here in Brazil, then I will be going to Canada to apply for my Z visa. Has anyone gotten their medical done in a different country than where they are from? I'm worried that the Chinese Consulate in Canada won't accept a medical done out of the country, I called them to ask and they can't seem to give me a definite answer.
If anyone has experiences with this please share some information, it would be greatly appreciated! |
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dean_a_jones

Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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No specific experience, but something to consider:
You might just go ahead and get it done in Brazil, particularly if it is cheaper. Then take the results to the embassy and see what happens. If you are really worried, get the forms filled out and test results done etc. and bring them to your GP in Canada. Perhaps they will fill out the form on the basis of your results and not make you take the more expensive tests in Brazil. If you have a regular GP in Canada, call and explain the situation and ask if they would be happy to do this.
Worst case scenario, you need to get the test again in Canada (is it free, you guys have national health, right?).
Most annoyingly, you are likely to have to do it again on arrival in China anyway, as is quite common. |
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grape_fruit
Joined: 11 Aug 2011 Posts: 17
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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Please read the sticky for medical exams in the forum. The information you need is there - that's the purpose of sticky's. |
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Cairnsman
Joined: 22 Jun 2009 Posts: 203
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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�.. get my medical done here in Brazil, then I will be going to Canada to apply for my Z visa. Has anyone gotten their medical done in a different country than where they are from? |
I am from Australia. On one occasion I used a medical report from Thailand to get a Z visa in Thailand.
If I were working at the Chinese Embassy in Canada and a Canadian national applying for a visa in Canada submitted a Brazilian medical report, I would be highly surprised and very suspicious.
Worst case scenario, you need to get the test again in Canada (is it free, you guys have national health, right?).
Australia has a free national health service. Healthcare is free but medical checks for insurance / pre-employment, etc are not free. |
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lemak
Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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I'm in a similar situation. I already asked this question in the medical sticky around a month ago. Have an all clear medical report from a reputable hospital in South Korea, yet due to some shenanigans at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul I can't apply for a Z visa there. I *can* however apply in Bangkok.
If you're in no real rush, 091212m, I'm going to try and use my ROK health check in Thailand 2 weeks or so from now. Can let you know how it pans out. No huge deal if they say I can't, as the Thai medical is only a 6 hour or so turnaround.
Do you have any huge reason why you're not willing to do another check in Canada? Is it money, or time? My personal reason is having had to do one for Korean immigration last month (plus piss and drug check), one for my Chinese letter of invitation this month, another to get the visa in BKK, and another once actually in China. Four medical checks in two months seems a little excessive. |
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t-dawg
Joined: 03 Oct 2011 Posts: 13
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:53 am Post subject: |
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I'm a Canadian and I recently got to China, so I thought I would share my experience with you.
I spent months getting my medical check completed in Canada, including all my shots, blood tests, eye exams, etc. I printed off the proper forms from the Chinese embassy site in Ottawa, and had my doctor sign and stamp each page, as well as a 2x2 passport photo. I handed in a copy to the embassy, and two weeks later I was here in China.
Three days after my arrival, I was dragged off to the "tourist foreign health" clinic at the local hospital and forced to undergo the same tests again, with additional urine tests and even a liver function ultrasound. I tried to show them my original health certificate from my Canadian doctor, but was told that it wasn't good enough!
I'd say just save your money and have it done here at your employer's expense, since that's very likely what will happen to you on arrival anyway! Further inspection of the embassy's website suggests that the medical check is not necessary to get your entry visa anyway, it is strictly for the residence permit. |
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kimo50
Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Posts: 119 Location: Guam
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:37 am Post subject: Visa and Medical |
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I am American. Applied for my Z visa and had the medical check done in the Philippines. Upon arrival in China I was taken to a hospital for another medical exam. Fortunately I brought my med exam docs from the Philippines. The Chinese doctor looked over the docs and issued a medical clearance without a single exam or cost other than the certificate fee. |
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choudoufu

Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 10:42 am Post subject: |
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t-dawg wrote: |
...I'd say just save your money and have it done here at your employer's expense, since that's very likely what will happen to you on arrival anyway! .... |
yes, but in some provinces, a scanned/emailed copy of the completed
medical exam form is required in order to apply for the work permit.
medical was required at the consulate in china, i'd guess that goes for
most embassies/consulates. or you might get lucky. |
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Cairnsman
Joined: 22 Jun 2009 Posts: 203
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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due to some shenanigans at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul I can't apply for a Z visa there. I *can* however apply in Bangkok. |
I don�t want to cause you any unnecessary worry but, are you sure you can get a Z visa in Bangkok?
First point; does your invitation letter specify that Bangkok is the place where you�ll apply for your visa?
Secondly, I heard (unconfirmed) that, awhile back, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok adopted a policy of issuing Z visas only to persons residing in Thailand, i.e. holders on non-immigrant B visas.
If it were me, I would lodge my visa application as soon as I arrived in Thailand (the Chinese embassy will either accept your application and tell you to come back in 4 days or reject it on the spot), and have a back-up plan of traveling to Hong Kong to get my Z visa. |
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lemak
Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368
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Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 10:35 am Post subject: |
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Cairnsman wrote: |
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due to some shenanigans at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul I can't apply for a Z visa there. I *can* however apply in Bangkok. |
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I don�t want to cause you any unnecessary worry but, are you sure you can get a Z visa in Bangkok? |
Good questions. As of a couple of months ago at least it was fine to do so on a tourist visa.
http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/living-and-teaching-in-china/59010-getting-z-visa-in-bangkok-help-needed.html
Had a couple of friends do so similarly back in July or so. Will it be the case in a couple of weeks? God only knows. Very little consistency when it comes to these visa regs.
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First point; does your invitation letter specify that Bangkok is the place where you�ll apply for your visa? |
I repeatedly asked the future boss to request so, so whenever the LOI comes through it better specify it's okay to do so.
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Secondly, I heard (unconfirmed) that, awhile back, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok adopted a policy of issuing Z visas only to persons residing in Thailand, i.e. holders on non-immigrant B visas. |
Wouldn't be surprised a bit were it okay to do so last month, but not okay to do so this month. Interestingly same above friends claim to have been approached in the doorway by what they assure me are embassy workers encouraging them to offload a few hundred baht in exchange for expedited service. Not in the habit of willingly paying bribes, but were this the case it seems that whatever the regs are, most crap is bypassable.
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If it were me, I would lodge my visa application as soon as I arrived in Thailand (the Chinese embassy will either accept your application and tell you to come back in 4 days or reject it on the spot), and have a back-up plan of traveling to Hong Kong to get my Z visa. |
Good suggestion, thanks. That's essentially the plan. Will keep everyone updated anyhow re: Z visa success or rejection. |
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naturegirl321

Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:16 am Post subject: |
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lemak wrote: |
I'm in a similar situation. I already asked this question in the medical sticky around a month ago. Have an all clear medical report from a reputable hospital in South Korea, yet due to some shenanigans at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul I can't apply for a Z visa there. I *can* however apply in Bangkok.
If you're in no real rush, 091212m, I'm going to try and use my ROK health check in Thailand 2 weeks or so from now. Can let you know how it pans out. No huge deal if they say I can't, as the Thai medical is only a 6 hour or so turnaround. |
In the same situation. Can't go home since I'm from one country, my husband is from another and it would easily run $5K. Did you get your visa in Thailand? NO probs? |
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lemak
Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:31 am Post subject: |
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naturegirl321 wrote: |
lemak wrote: |
I'm in a similar situation. I already asked this question in the medical sticky around a month ago. Have an all clear medical report from a reputable hospital in South Korea, yet due to some shenanigans at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul I can't apply for a Z visa there. I *can* however apply in Bangkok.
If you're in no real rush, 091212m, I'm going to try and use my ROK health check in Thailand 2 weeks or so from now. Can let you know how it pans out. No huge deal if they say I can't, as the Thai medical is only a 6 hour or so turnaround. |
In the same situation. Can't go home since I'm from one country, my husband is from another and it would easily run $5K. Did you get your visa in Thailand? NO probs? |
Just answered your PM. To cut a long story short it was fine, but required an additional health check, meaning I had to do three (!) in total.
The embassy there wants to see plane tickets also. Stubbornly fixated on it these days. A Korea~Shanghai ticket on China Eastern is only around 120 bucks or so though.
By the way will your husband also be working?? Or on a spouse sponsored z visa?? |
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naturegirl321

Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:41 am Post subject: |
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lemak wrote: |
Just answered your PM. To cut a long story short it was fine, but required an additional health check, meaning I had to do three (!) in total.
The embassy there wants to see plane tickets also. Stubbornly fixated on it these days. A Korea~Shanghai ticket on China Eastern is only around 120 bucks or so though.
By the way will your husband also be working?? Or on a spouse sponsored z visa?? |
Thanks. Got your PM. Replied back. I'm hoping to fly one way to HK and then one way to SH. (Seoul to BKK, then BKK to SH)
Can't you get your invitation letter first though? I'd rather not be in Thailand waiting around for paperwork to come through.
Husband won't be working. Neither will the baby At least she won't have to be a pin cushion.
HOw much did the medical in Thailand run you? |
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lemak
Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:51 am Post subject: |
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naturegirl321 wrote: |
lemak wrote: |
Just answered your PM. To cut a long story short it was fine, but required an additional health check, meaning I had to do three (!) in total.
The embassy there wants to see plane tickets also. Stubbornly fixated on it these days. A Korea~Shanghai ticket on China Eastern is only around 120 bucks or so though.
By the way will your husband also be working?? Or on a spouse sponsored z visa?? |
Thanks. Got your PM. Replied back. I'm hoping to fly one way to HK and then one way to SH. (Seoul to BKK, then BKK to SH)
Can't you get your invitation letter first though? I'd rather not be in Thailand waiting around for paperwork to come through.
Husband won't be working. Neither will the baby At least she won't have to be a pin cushion.
HOw much did the medical in Thailand run you? |
They can send the invitation letter to you in Korea. As long as it specifies the visa is to be collected in Thailand it's no problem.
I did the medical check at Bumrungrad Hospital (http://www.bumrungrad.com/thailandhospital) in Bangkok. It cost about $110 or so. They gave the results on the spot.
A French co-teacher used a Thai local hospital for about a quarter the price but needed to wait a week for the test results. It was also accepted by the Chinese Embassy. |
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therock

Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China
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Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:46 am Post subject: |
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lemak wrote: |
They can send the invitation letter to you in Korea. As long as it specifies the visa is to be collected in Thailand it's no problem.
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Depends on the province and city! Some provinces and cities allow you to apply anywhere as long as the invitation letter specifies that location, others require you to go back to your home country. |
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