Short Answer
The Foreigner Physical Examination Form is the Physical Examination Record for Foreigner (外国人体格检查记录), completed and stamped at a designated International Travel Healthcare Center (国际旅行卫生保健中心) — not at an ordinary hospital. The exam commonly runs about 8 stations in 60–90 minutes (fasting required), the stamped record is typically ready in 2–4 working days, and it is generally accepted for 6 months from the exam date. Exams done abroad can sometimes be recognised via a Verification Certificate instead.
What the Form Is
The 外国人体格检查记录 is a standardised national form used mainly for work-permit applications and residence permits covering stays longer than 180 days. The completed record carries the examining center's official seal — commonly stamped across your photo — and the examining physicians' conclusions. Receiving institutions (employers, permit authorities, some universities) may ask for their own template in addition; bring any such template to the exam so both are completed in one visit.
What the Form and Panel Cover
| Section / station | What it typically includes |
|---|---|
| Identity page | Passport details and photo (commonly 2 passport-style photos, or photographed on site) |
| Medical history | Declared conditions, medications, prior surgeries |
| Basic measurements | Height, weight, blood pressure, vision |
| Internal medicine, surgery, ENT | Brief physician exams at separate stations |
| Blood draw | Commonly HIV antibody, syphilis serology, and liver-function values — fasting required |
| Chest X-ray | Standard screening film |
| ECG | Resting electrocardiogram |
| Abdominal ultrasound | Included at many centers |
The exact panel varies slightly by center and by what the receiving institution requests. The full circuit commonly takes 60–90 minutes once registered.
Where to Get It Done
Designated International Travel Healthcare Centers — the exam-center network operating under China Customs, with at least one in every provincial capital and most major cities — complete and stamp the form. Ordinary public hospitals generally cannot issue the required stamped format, even when they run their own checkup centers; starting at the wrong facility typically costs 1–2 days rebooking. In several large cities, registration has moved into an app or online booking, so confirm the local center's current intake process before going.
Turnaround and Validity
| Step | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Exam circuit | 60–90 minutes (morning fasting intake, commonly about 8:00–10:30) |
| Stamped record issued | 2–4 working days; express at some centers; same-day uncommon |
| Pickup | In person with passport/receipt at some centers; courier at others |
| Validity | Generally accepted for 6 months from the exam date |
| Holiday effect | Spring Festival and National Day (October 1–7) weeks can add several days |
If You Already Did an Exam Abroad
An International Travel Healthcare Center can review an exam completed outside China and issue a Verification Certificate (境外人员体格检查记录验证证明) recognising it, commonly within a few working days. Verification generally succeeds only when the overseas exam covers the full panel — including HIV and syphilis serology, chest X-ray, and ECG. Missing items are typically repeated in China, so many applicants find doing the entire exam in China simpler.
Practical Checklist
- Confirm the designated center for your city and whether intake is walk-in or app-registered.
- Fast 8+ hours before the visit; arrive in the morning intake window.
- Bring passport, commonly 2 passport-style photos, payment, and any receiving-institution template or written requirements.
- Schedule at least 1–2 weeks before your application deadline; the record is typically ready in 2–4 working days.
- Confirm pickup method (in person vs courier) and keep 1–2 photocopies of the stamped record.
- Applying with an overseas exam? Ask the center about the Verification Certificate route before re-testing.
Related Jade Crane Guides
- China Medical Visa for Medical Tourism
- How Foreigners Use Hospitals in China
- Translated Health Checkup Results in China
- How to Make Health Checkup Results Usable Back Home After China
- How Foreigners Use Chinese Hospital Apps for Booking, Payment, and Results
FAQ
What is the Foreigner Physical Examination Form officially called?
The standardised national form is the Physical Examination Record for Foreigner (外国人体格检查记录). It is the medical form most commonly required for China work permits and for residence permits covering stays longer than 180 days. The completed record carries the examining center's official seal, commonly stamped across the photo, and is generally accepted for 6 months from the exam date. A separate document, the Verification Certificate (验证证明), is used when an exam done outside China needs to be recognised.
Where do foreigners get the physical examination form completed in China?
At a designated International Travel Healthcare Center (国际旅行卫生保健中心), the network of exam centers operating under China Customs, with at least one in every provincial capital and most major cities. Ordinary public hospitals generally cannot issue or stamp this form, even if they run their own checkup centers — patients who start at the wrong facility typically lose 1–2 days rebooking. Confirm the local center's address and intake process before going, as several large cities have moved registration into an app or online booking.
What tests does the foreigner medical exam include?
The standard panel commonly runs about 8 stations in 60–90 minutes: basic measurements (height, weight, blood pressure, vision), internal medicine and surgical exams, ENT, a blood draw (typically including HIV antibody and syphilis serology plus liver-function values), chest X-ray, ECG, and at many centers an abdominal ultrasound. The exact panel can vary slightly by center and by what the receiving institution requests, so bring any written requirements. Fasting beforehand is commonly required because of the blood draw and ultrasound.
How long does the exam take and when do results come back?
The exam itself commonly takes 60–90 minutes once registered. The stamped Physical Examination Record is typically ready in 2–4 working days; some centers offer an express service and some deliver by courier, while others require in-person pickup with your passport or receipt. Same-day issuance is uncommon. Public-holiday weeks — especially Spring Festival and the National Day holiday (October 1–7) — can add several days, so schedule the exam at least 1–2 weeks before any application deadline.
Do I need to fast before the foreigner physical examination?
Commonly yes — centers typically ask for a fast of 8 or more hours because the panel includes a blood draw and, at many centers, an abdominal ultrasound. Plain water is usually acceptable; confirm locally. Most centers run fasting intake in the morning, commonly registering examinees between about 8:00 and 10:30, so plan to arrive early. Eating beforehand can mean repeating the blood draw or ultrasound another day, which adds 1–2 days to an already 2–4 working-day turnaround.
How long is the Physical Examination Record valid?
The record is generally accepted for 6 months from the exam date for work-permit and residence-permit purposes. Timing matters in both directions: an exam done more than 6 months before the application is typically rejected, while doing the exam at the last minute risks missing a deadline if results take longer than the common 2–4 working days. A practical window is to complete the exam 2–8 weeks before the application that requires it, and to keep 1–2 photocopies of the stamped record.
Can a medical exam done outside China be used instead?
Sometimes. If you completed the standard form abroad, an International Travel Healthcare Center can review it and issue a Verification Certificate (境外人员体格检查记录验证证明) recognising the overseas exam — commonly within a few working days. In practice, verification succeeds only when the overseas exam covers the full panel, including HIV and syphilis serology, chest X-ray and ECG; if items are missing, the center typically repeats the missing tests or the full exam in China. Many applicants find doing the whole exam in China (2–4 working-day turnaround) simpler than assembling compliant overseas records.
What should I bring to the examination center?
Bring your passport (the exam is registered against it), commonly 2 passport-style photos, any form or written requirements from the receiving institution, and payment. Some centers photograph examinees on site instead of using printed photos, and several large-city centers require advance registration through an app or website. If a receiving institution gave you its own template in addition to the standard 外国人体格检查记录, bring both and ask the center to complete both — returning for a second visit typically costs 1–2 extra days.
Is this medical, legal, insurance, customs, or visa advice?
No. This page is general planning information for foreign patients and travelers. Rules, panels, fees, and center workflows change, and receiving institutions add their own requirements. Confirm current requirements with the examination center, the receiving institution, and licensed professionals before relying on any workflow described here.
Does Jade Crane Health operate hospitals or pharmacies?
No. Jade Crane Health is a coordination and planning service, not a hospital, pharmacy, insurer, or medical provider. It does not administer the foreigner physical examination and is not affiliated with the International Travel Healthcare Centers that issue the stamped record described on this page.
Medical Disclaimer
This page is general information for planning and logistics. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment guidance, legal advice, insurance advice, or a guarantee that any hospital, app, insurer, pharmacy, customs, or visa workflow will accept a request. Panels, timings, and validity practices described here are common patterns, not commitments by any center or authority. Always confirm current requirements with the relevant institution and licensed professionals.
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