Korean Job Discussion Forums

[korea87]

I am planning on making the jump to China. I need to get a physical done for the visa. Can I go to any hospital/clinic to get the physical done? I want to go to local hospital in my town that can do it. but I was told by the school that I need to go to a place that China has certified. I tried calling the embassy but couldn't get anything in English. Maybe, i have the wrong number. So I am not sure where to find this list. How much do you think it will cost for me to get these tests done? Thanks .

[nukeday]

I went to the Hanaro Medical Foundation in Jongno.

170,000 won, however, I did not end up needing it as my visa application was REJECTED by the Chinese embassy becuase I had less than 6 months left on my ARC. This was me going through Soho travel, a fairly competent Korean travel agency, so you can contact them and ask them what's up...they may just cite my case from 2 weeks ago.

So,I ended up fedexing it to "Oasis China Visa" - a visa processing agent in Washington DC, and received my visa back in a few days...at an inflated cost. But, no health check necessary (it will be done in China...the preliminary one is only some more Chinese embassy of Korea BS)

Just my experience. Whichever route you decide to go with, good luck! 350,000 won more than it should've thanks to the superfluous medical check and the fedex + rush process fees, but in the end I finally got it.

[korea87]

nuke day did you use this for a tourist visa or a working visa

[korea87]

Nukeday did they send it to you to Korea bacause I dont see the an option to have it delivered internationally? Thanks

[nukeday]

This was for a work visa. I called them and it was no problem. I chose all rush services. I sent it on Thursday Korea time, they received it Friday US time, and mailed it back to me the same day. I got it on Tuesday - would've been Monday but that was a Korean holiday.

Nervous as hell fedexing my passport, though!

[WadRUG'naDoo]

Maybe you could come in on a tourist visa. That's what I did and I had no ARC. Haven't left China since I got here on May 28th, 2010. Just continued with my L visa (tourist) and got a position in Shanghai that June.

[D.D.]

any medical you do outside of china will be done again once you arrive in china so its best to get a gp that will just fill in everything and say all ok.

i think it is best to come to china and check everything out and worst case is that you will have to go to hk for a visa run if your school doesnt have the connections to do your visa in country.

[nukeday]

A lot of larger, more reputable schools (no offense, not always the case but sometimes) will want you to come with your z visa already in hand. It's really up to the OP's school if they're OK with letting him come in on a tourist visa - but that ALSO is not all that easy to get in Korea nowadays! And it doesn't cost any less, so might as well get your proper visa.

The Chinese embassy in Korea has become VERY wonky in the past year, DD and Wad'r...etc probably got sorted out back when things were a bit more normal.

[korea87]

Does anyone know the number of the chinese consulate? I need to figure out what clinics/hospitals that I can go to do medical test. Apparently, China does not accept the medical check from every place. Thanks

[WadRUG'naDoo]

The bigger schools know how to deal with the visa thing. Smaller schools may use an agent (which costs money, of course) to sort it out and that process doesn't take very long. I arrived on an L visa and my school got me the visa by just extending my L to a year by getting a foreign language expert cert (guess I might've already mentioned that). I've never had to leave China. Takes a little time to get the new yearlong visa. If you arrive on a 30-day visa, you might have to extend one more time. You can extend twice. Cost for Americans is quite high (940 rmb). For Canadians it's something like 160 to 180 rmb to extend the tourist visa for another month.

So your school should know. Ask them.

[korea87]

So I talked to the school. I need to get my physical done and give it to them . They need it to file my visa. After that I will mail my things to Hong Kong and from there I can get my visa. The only thing I need is the medical check so I need to figure out that information. So if anyone knows anything please let me know

[WadRUG'naDoo]

[nukeday]

give Soho travel a call/email and ask them which hospitals are Chinese embassy approved. There is, in fact, a list, but I dont have the url. I went to Hanaro Medical Foundation in Jongno. You'll need a few (3?) passport photos, your arc, passport, and 170,000 won or so.