There come times when one is required to obtain a health examination. Many times, it’s a requirement for getting a China visa for work or study or perhaps as a requirement for applying for a driver’s license in Beijing. We’ll briefly go over the steps required for obtaining a health examination below.

Health exams vary by the amount of detail required. The most basic are nothing more than an eye exam to prove you can see properly and are not colorblind. For applying for a China visa, whether for employment or study, the amount of detail is much greater. These more stringent health examinations require blood tests, EKG scans, X-ray, etc. What matters most is to inquire what type of health examination you are required to take, so that you come prepared. For the more comprehensive health examinations, you should begin fasting starting from the night before. This is because having food in your system prior to a blood test will greatly affect the results due to a spike in your blood glucose levels.

Getting a health examination may or may not require you to visit a specific facility to process your health exam. For the most basic health examination, such as for a driver’s license application, you are free to choose any medical facility. Normally for more stringent health examinations, there is usually a specified facility that specializes in processing your health exam quickly and efficiently. These require you to take a checklist and visit numerous departments to get your health exams. Many facilities in Beijing make this a quick process, usually taking less than an hour from start to finish.

The cost of a health exam varies by how extensive it is. For the most basic health exam that requires no more than an eye exam, it costs about 10 RMB. For more comprehensive health examinations, the cost is 100-200 RMB.

One tip to follow is to come prepared with the correct size photo you will need to have attached to your health exam papers. Some require a 1-inch white background photo (for the most basic health examination) or a 2-inch white background photo (others). Usually one photo is enough, but do bring extras just in case.

Some things to remember if you need to navigate hospitals for the proper department are to follow the words 体检中心 (ti jian zhong xin), which means health exam center. You will need to first inquire at the proper department and perhaps complete paperwork and payment at a different location.