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Pre-departure · 2026

Medical travel checklist
for China — 7 stages, 62+ items.

The print-ready pre-departure checklist for medical travel to China — from records and visa to medication, finance, and home-team coordination. Updated for 2026.

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Stage 01 · 8–12 weeks before travel

Records & clinical preparation

  • One-paragraph case summary in your own words
    Diagnosis, current treatment, what you’re hoping to achieve in China.
  • Full medical history including comorbidities
    Diabetes, hypertension, cardiac, renal, autoimmune, oncologic — list with year of diagnosis.
  • Current medication list with doses, frequency and indication
    Include OTC supplements and herbals — some interact with anesthesia.
  • Allergies (drug, food, latex, contrast)
  • Recent labs (last 6 months)
  • Imaging on disc / DICOM (CT, MRI, PET, ultrasound)
  • Pathology slides or blocks if oncology
    We can arrange international shipping with chain-of-custody.
  • Letters from each treating physician
    Diagnosis, current plan, reason for second opinion or treatment abroad.
  • Translation of non-English records
    Included free in our coordination package.
  • Home-team contact — name, role, email, phone
    For post-discharge coordination.

Stage 02 · 6–10 weeks before travel

Visa & immigration

  • Passport valid 6+ months from arrival, 2 blank pages
  • M-visa (medical) for any inpatient or surgical care
    L-visa (tourist) is acceptable only for short outpatient visits like LASIK or hair transplant.
  • Hospital invitation letter
    Provided by us once your booking is confirmed.
  • Visa application form, photo, proof of funds, return ticket
  • Companion / spouse visa
    Same M-visa type; mention relationship in application.
  • Confirmed accommodation booking
  • Apostilled / consular-legalized marriage certificate
    Required for IVF and some pediatric cases. Allow 4–6 weeks.
  • Travel insurance certificate
    Some Chinese consulates request proof for visa applications.

Stage 03 · 4–8 weeks before travel

Insurance & finance

  • Medical travel insurance with elective-procedure cover
    Confirm complications cover, not just trip cancellation.
  • Air-ambulance / repatriation cover
    $50k–250k recommended for high-acuity cases.
  • Pre-existing condition disclosure
  • Bank notification of overseas spend
    Avoid card freezes during hospital deposits.
  • International wire instructions for hospital fees
    Most hospitals require deposit before procedure scheduling.
  • Foreign-exchange margin and timing
    USD / CNY rate varies up to 3% across banks.
  • Receipts and bilingual invoices for home-insurance claims
  • Emergency cash reserve (CNY equivalent of $1,000–2,000)

Stage 04 · 2–6 weeks before travel

Medication & physical preparation

  • Medication supply for trip + 14 day buffer
    China has strict import limits for controlled substances; carry prescription.
  • Bilingual letter for prescription medication and devices
    Especially for opioids, ADHD meds, GLP-1s, CPAP and pacemakers.
  • Vaccinations confirmed up to date
  • Required pre-op fasting and bowel-prep instructions
  • Anticoagulant bridging plan if applicable
    Coordinate with home cardiologist + Chinese surgeon.
  • Stop / continue list for surgery
    NSAIDs, ASA, fish oil, herbals — confirm with operating surgeon.
  • Smoking cessation 4+ weeks before surgery
  • Pre-habilitation plan if applicable
    Physiotherapy and nutrition for orthopedic / cardiac / bariatric.

Stage 05 · 1–2 weeks before travel

Logistics & packing

  • Comfortable post-op clothing
    Loose-fitting, easy on / off.
  • Compression stockings for flight + post-op
  • Travel pillow, eye mask, ear plugs
  • Hospital essentials — slippers, towel, toiletries
    Most Chinese hospitals do not provide these.
  • Power adapter (Type A / I) and surge protector
  • International SIM or eSIM with data
    Confirm WeChat works on your line — required for many domestic services.
  • Entertainment for recovery — books, downloaded shows
  • Snacks tolerated by your diet — protein bars, electrolytes
  • Documents folder with passport, visa, invitation letter, records
  • Companion contact info, hotel and hospital addresses in Chinese

Stage 06 · 1 week before travel

Home-team & emergency

  • Confirm home physician will manage post-discharge follow-up
  • Share travel itinerary with home GP and one emergency contact
  • Power of attorney / advance directive if applicable
  • Emergency contacts — embassy, insurer, family — printed and digital
  • Will and important documents accessible
  • Pet care, plant care, mail forwarding
  • Out-of-office set up
    Auto-reply with hospital-only contact for true emergencies.
  • Decision-maker designated if you become unable to consent

Stage 07 · Trip duration

On arrival & through discharge

  • Airport pickup confirmed
    Most coordination packages include this.
  • Hospital registration with passport + visa + invitation letter
  • Pre-op workup attended
    Imaging, anesthesia consult, infectious disease testing.
  • Bilingual companion present for consent and operative briefing
  • Itemized written quote received and approved before procedure
  • Discharge summary, operative note, imaging on disc, follow-up schedule
  • Bilingual final receipt for insurance claim
  • Medication supply and prescriptions for return travel
  • Safe-to-fly clearance from operating physician
    Required for some procedures (cardiac, intracranial, GI surgery).
  • 30 / 60 / 90-day follow-up calendar with home and Chinese teams

FAQ

Common preparation questions.

When should I start preparing?
Aim for 12 weeks ahead for elective surgery; 4–6 weeks for outpatient procedures (LASIK, hair transplant, dental). Visa processing alone takes 4–6 weeks at most consulates; apostilling a marriage certificate for IVF can take 4–8 weeks. Air ticket pricing for 90-day-out booking is typically 25–40% lower than 30-day-out.
What about over-the-counter supplements and Chinese medicine?
Some supplements increase bleeding risk and must be stopped pre-op (fish oil, vitamin E, garlic supplements, ginkgo biloba, ginseng). Some Chinese herbals interact with anesthetic agents (ma huang / ephedra). Disclose all supplements and herbal medicine on the surgical intake form. We translate the surgeon's pre-op stop / continue list bilingually.
What medication can I bring into China?
Personal-use prescription medication is allowed in reasonable quantity (typically up to 90 days' supply) when accompanied by a prescription and original packaging. Strictly controlled substances (opioids, benzodiazepines, ADHD stimulants, GLP-1 agonists in some cases) require a bilingual physician letter and may need declaration on arrival. Cannabis-derived products are illegal in mainland China including CBD — do not bring them. Always carry medication in checked or carry-on baggage in original labeled bottles, never in pill organizers.
What insurance should I buy?
Look for a medical travel policy that explicitly covers: (1) elective treatment abroad and complications cover (most travel policies exclude elective procedures); (2) air ambulance and repatriation; (3) trip interruption due to medical reason; (4) pre-existing condition cover with disclosure. Names with strong elective-medical-tourism cover include Allianz Care, Cigna Global, GeoBlue, Bupa Global. We do not earn commissions on insurance — confirm cover language directly with the carrier.
Do I need a companion?
Strongly recommended for any inpatient surgery, oncology infusion, or procedure with anesthesia. Most Chinese hospitals require a designated companion for sign-in and consent procedures. We provide vetted bilingual medical companions for international patients when family or friends cannot accompany — they have hospital-ward experience and translate consent forms, brief physicians, and manage logistics. See our companion programme.
What about post-discharge and the flight home?
Confirm safe-to-fly clearance with your operating surgeon before booking the return flight; for certain procedures (sternotomy, intracranial, intra-abdominal, gastric) a 10–14 day delay post-op is standard. Wear compression stockings, hydrate, walk every 90 minutes, and consider chemoprophylaxis if your surgeon recommends. Carry the discharge summary, imaging and a 14-day medication supply in your hand luggage in case checked baggage is delayed.

Continue your planning

M-Visa Guide

Documents, timeline and country-specific quirks for the medical visa.

Read the guide

Travel Insurance

Policies that actually cover elective treatment and complications.

Read the guide

Records Translation

Bilingual translation of imaging, pathology and clinical notes.

Read the guide

Medical Companion

Vetted bilingual companions for hospital stays and consent briefings.

Read the guide

Medical Tourism Guide

End-to-end overview of travel logistics and coordination.

Read the guide

Cost Calculator

Estimate all-in cost: clinical + travel + accommodation + companion.

Read the guide

Best Hospitals

Top 15 hospitals ranked by clinical volume and infrastructure.

Read the guide

Cost Comparison

China vs US vs UK vs Thailand pricing across 25+ procedures.

Read the guide

Second Opinion

Cross-specialty written second opinion from $250 before booking.

Read the guide

Want this run for you?
End-to-end coordination.

Our coordination package handles records translation, M-visa invitation, hospital booking, deposit handling, airport pickup and bilingual companion — so you can focus on getting better.

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This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical, legal or visa advice. Visa rules and medication import limits change — confirm with the relevant authority before travel.