Travel note: Confirm hospital timing, visa status, airline requirements, and medication transport rules before you leave. Do not assume hospital letters alone are enough for boarding or entry.
Your final pre-flight timeline
7-14 days before
Reconfirm appointment date, hospital campus, doctor, and whether any fasting, lab, or medication instructions apply.
3-5 days before
Print or save passport, visa or exemption proof, appointment confirmation, hotel details, and airport transfer plan.
24-48 hours before
Double-check flight timing, payment access, phone connectivity, and who to contact if your arrival is delayed.
Travel day
Keep key documents, medication, and contact details in your carry-on rather than checked baggage.
Hospital items to reconfirm
- Exact campus and department
- Doctor or clinic name
- Registration time and arrival buffer
- Whether same-day tests are expected
- If an interpreter or escort is already booked
Documents to keep accessible
- Passport and visa or eligible entry proof
- Hospital confirmation and contact details
- Medical summary and recent reports
- Insurance papers if relevant
- Companion identity and relationship documents if needed
Practical travel items
- Charged phone and backup power bank
- Get a Chinese SIM or eSIM before arrival so you have data on landing
- Local payment backup, not just one foreign card
- Regular medications in original packaging
- Comfort items if you may wait between tests
- Written emergency contacts
Family and companion planning
- Confirm hotel capacity and proximity to hospital
- Know whether a companion can stay during admission
- Carry proof of relationship if the visa route requires it
- Clarify who will handle payment and communication on site
Medication and customs reminders
- Carry enough of your regular medicines for travel days
- Keep prescriptions or doctor letters for sensitive medications
- Check whether any controlled medicine needs extra customs review
- Do not pack critical medicines in checked luggage only
Reminder: Policy details can change quickly. Always use the latest official immigration and airline guidance before departure.