Getting medical care in China: what the visa rules actually say
Most guides tell you to apply for an M visa. The regulation text does not support that, and the visa category turns out not to be the real barrier. This is general information from official Chinese sources, not immigration or legal advice.
Visa & entry matrix
Choose your nationality to see the visa route, maximum stay and medical-treatment caveats. Every verified row carries an official source and retrieval date.
Overview by visa route
Unilateral visa-free20
Mutual visa exemption5
Medical green channel1
Visa required6
Needs confirmation28
Check by nationality
Results are a planning reference only; the embassy, consulate, visa centre or 12367 make the final decision.
Kazakhstan
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Listed as permitted
Medical treatment is explicitly listed among eligible purposes under the bilateral agreement; stay limit still applies.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
All nationalities in this list
Unilateral visa-free
Saudi Arabia
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Argentina
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Australia
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Austria
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Belgium
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Brazil
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Canada
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
France
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Germany
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Italy
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Netherlands
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
New Zealand
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Poland
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Portugal
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
Russia
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Spain
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Switzerland
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Sources
United Kingdom
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Japan
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
South Korea
- Visa route
- Unilateral visa-free
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not a listed purpose
Visa-free entry covers listed purposes only (business, tourism, family, exchange, transit); medical treatment is not listed — apply for/confirm an appropriate visa before travel.
Unilateral visa-free for listed purposes; confirm medical coverage with 12367/embassy.
Mutual visa exemption
Kazakhstan
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Listed as permitted
Medical treatment is explicitly listed among eligible purposes under the bilateral agreement; stay limit still applies.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
Malaysia
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Listed as permitted
Medical treatment is explicitly listed among eligible purposes under the bilateral agreement; stay limit still applies.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
Sources
Singapore
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
No explicit official statement on medical treatment was captured; confirm with the embassy/12367.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
Sources
Thailand
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
Medical treatment is not explicitly listed or requires a visa; confirm the category and documents with the embassy.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
Sources
United Arab Emirates
- Visa route
- Mutual visa exemption
- Maximum stay
- 30
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
Medical treatment is not explicitly listed or requires a visa; confirm the category and documents with the embassy.
Mutual visa exemption for eligible ordinary-passport holders; confirm purpose and stay before travel.
Sources
Medical green channel
Bangladesh
- Visa route
- Medical green channel
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
Medical treatment is not explicitly listed or requires a visa; confirm the category and documents with the embassy.
A visa is required; the Embassy runs a medical-visa green channel (simplified documents, priority processing) but issuance is not guaranteed.
Visa required
India
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
Medical treatment is not explicitly listed or requires a visa; confirm the category and documents with the embassy.
A visa is required; apply in the appropriate category and confirm documents/stay with the embassy.
Sources
Laos
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
A visa is required for medical treatment; apply in the appropriate category and confirm with the embassy.
Visa required; confirm the category, documents and stay with the embassy.
Sources
Myanmar
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Conditional — confirm
A visa is required for medical treatment; apply in the appropriate category and confirm with the embassy.
Visa required; confirm the category, documents and stay with the embassy.
Sources
Philippines
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
No explicit official statement on medical treatment was captured; confirm with the embassy/12367.
A visa is required; apply in the appropriate category and confirm documents/stay with the embassy.
Sources
Vietnam
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
No explicit official statement on medical treatment was captured; confirm with the embassy/12367.
A visa is required; apply in the appropriate category and confirm documents/stay with the embassy.
Sources
United States
- Visa route
- Visa required
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
No explicit official statement on medical treatment was captured; confirm with the embassy/12367.
A visa is required; apply in the appropriate category and confirm documents/stay with the embassy.
Needs confirmation
Kyrgyzstan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Tajikistan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Turkmenistan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Uzbekistan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Afghanistan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Maldives
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Nepal
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Pakistan
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Sri Lanka
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Brunei
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Cambodia
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Indonesia
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
No explicit official statement on medical treatment was captured; confirm with the embassy/12367.
Only the official visa entry was retrieved; the visa-requirement page was blocked by redirect/WAF. Confirm with the embassy; no regime is asserted.
Timor-Leste
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Bahrain
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Iran
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Iraq
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Israel
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Kuwait
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Oman
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Qatar
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Türkiye
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Chile
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Greece
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Hungary
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Mexico
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
Hainan regional visa-free (including medical) may be available but is limited to Hainan; report cities are not covered. Confirm mainland rules with the embassy.
Mongolia
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Nigeria
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
South Africa
- Visa route
- Needs confirmation
- Maximum stay
- —
- Medical treatment
- Not confirmed
Confirm with the embassy / 12367 before travel.
No verified mainland conclusion in this release; confirm with the embassy/Visa Center.
Documents commonly requested
Requirements differ by nationality and visa category; the list below is a general checklist, not an official document list.
- Passport valid for the planned trip (and old passports if requested)
- Completed visa application form and a recent photo
- Hospital appointment / invitation letter stating the treatment and estimated stay
- Medical records, diagnosis or doctor's referral supporting the treatment purpose
- Proof of funds and travel/accommodation plan
Scope & limits
- This page is general information, not legal or visa advice.
- We are not a visa agency and do not submit applications, guarantee approval or issue invitations.
- Visa-free entry arrangements usually do not list medical treatment as a permitted purpose; confirm before travelling for treatment.
- Rules, required documents and stay lengths can change; the embassy, consulate, visa centre or 12367 prevail.
Read this before the rest of the page: visa-free entry does not list medical treatment
China's unilateral visa-free entry covers business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits and transit. Medical treatment (就医) is not one of them. The National Immigration Administration states that where the purpose of entry does not match the visa-free purposes, the border inspection authority may refuse entry, and that visa-free entrants may not engage in activities inconsistent with the purpose of entry.
If you are coming to China for treatment, apply for a visa whose stated purpose matches your actual purpose through the Chinese embassy or consulate responsible for your country, and carry the documents that support it. Do not plan to be treated on visa-free entry, and do not be treated on a tourist visa. We cannot decide which category your case falls under; that is a question for the immigration authority.
There is no medical visa
The Regulations on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners list the ordinary visa categories in Article 6: C, D, F, G, J1/J2, K, L, M, Q1/Q2, R, S1/S2, X1/X2 and Z. None is a medical or treatment visa. The 2025 revision added the K category for young foreign science and technology talent, not medical care.
The M visa is issued for commercial and trade activities and requires an invitation from a commercial and trade partner in China. A hospital is not a commercial trade partner. Medical visits are sometimes filed under L (tourism), S2 (private affairs) or M in practice, but no provision explicitly says medical treatment.
The real barrier: visa-free entry does not list treatment
China unilaterally allows visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders of a number of countries, for stays up to 30 days. The permitted purposes are fixed and short: business, tourism, visiting relatives or friends, exchange visits and transit.
Medical treatment is not on the list. The official Q&A says that where the purpose of entry does not match the visa-free purposes, the border inspection authority may deny entry, and that visa-free entrants may not engage in activities inconsistent with the purpose of entry. We could not find official text that directly addresses whether visa-free entry may be used for medical treatment. That is a genuine gap, not something we will fill with a guess.
The one exception is Hainan
Hainan runs its own visa-free policy. The National Immigration Administration announcement of 9 February 2024, expanding permitted purposes for 59 countries, lists medical treatment among them.
The constraints are strict: the permitted area is Hainan Province only; you must enter through a Hainan port open to foreign nationals; and you may not stay beyond that area. This is why much English-language medical-travel content is about Hainan and Boao Lecheng.
Travelling with a companion is the clearest gap
If someone travels with you as a carer, no category clearly fits. S1/S2 cover family members of foreigners in China for work or study, or relatives of Chinese citizens. A patient coming for treatment is neither. There is no medical companion visa.
In practice a companion may enter visa-free alongside the patient (if eligible, with the same purpose mismatch) or apply for an L visa. We found no official document that says which category a carer should use.
Why agencies say medical visa
Hainan guidance for Boao Lecheng tells medical institutions to provide concierge, travel planning, payment assistance and medical visa liaison services. That phrase exists in industry language even though the regulations do not create a medical visa category.
When an agency uses medical visa, ask which official category it means and where that rule is published. A hospital invitation letter may support a visa application; it does not create a new visa category.
The one authoritative channel: 12367
The National Immigration Administration runs the 12367 hotline, 24 hours a day, with Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Russian, Japanese and Korean support. For a specific question about your purpose of entry, a companion, or extending a stay, it is a better source than an agency, and it is free.
Proof of funds: no published single minimum
Visa application forms may ask for proof of funds, but the official public material we checked does not list a universal minimum bank balance. Requirements can differ by nationality, visa category, the embassy or visa centre handling the application, length of stay and stated purpose.
That does not mean every post has no internal guidance. It means there is no single public number we can responsibly publish, and a bank balance is not a guarantee of approval. Consular officers assess the application as a whole.
Prepare the documents your own visa centre asks for: recent bank statements, evidence of the source of funds, employment or income evidence, a trip budget, and a hospital appointment, invitation or written estimate if you have one. Never submit altered or borrowed financial documents.
If an agency says a specific balance guarantees approval, ask for the official rule it relies on. No agency can guarantee a visa outcome.
What we could not verify
We list these as open questions because they are. If a guide gives a confident answer to any of them, ask where the answer comes from.
- Whether visa-free entry is actually refused when the purpose is treatment: the permitted purposes do not include it, but no official document addresses the question directly.
- Which visa category a companion should use: no official statement found.
- What consulates actually ask for when the stated purpose is treatment: neither the consular service site nor the consulate material we checked lists a medical treatment item.
- Whether continuing treatment is grounds for extending a stay: the rule allows an application with proper and reasonable grounds but gives no examples.
How to use this page
Use this page to prepare questions, not as a substitute for the embassy, consulate, visa application center or 12367. Rules change. Check the official source for your nationality and purpose before paying for travel or treatment.
Sources
- Regulations on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council, revised 2025)
- National Immigration Administration — publication of the revised regulations
- NIA — unilateral visa-free entry Q&A
- China Consular Services — applying for a visa
- Hainan visa-free purposes announcement (59 countries)
- Hainan Provincial Government — background on visa-free entry
Last verified: 2026-10-26