Last updated: October 6, 2026
Quick answer
China does not issue a separate China medical visa. Foreign patients apply for a private affairs visa instead. The S2 covers treatment trips of up to 180 days, and the S1 covers stays longer than 180 days, with a residence permit due within 30 days of arrival. You apply at a Chinese embassy, consulate or visa center before you travel.
Is there a China medical visa?
No. China's visa rules have no category called a medical visa. The Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners define the S1 and S2 visas for family visits and for people who come to China for "other private affairs." Medical treatment falls under that wording. Chinese visa centers list hospital documents as the supporting evidence for a treatment trip.
Some websites tell patients to apply for an M visa. The M visa is for commercial and trade activities, so it is the wrong category for a patient.
The regulations were last amended by State Council Decree No. 814, which took effect on October 1, 2025. That amendment added a K visa for young science and technology professionals. The S1 and S2 definitions stayed the same.
S1 vs S2 visa for medical treatment
An S2 visa is China's short-term private affairs visa, for stays of 180 days or less. An S1 visa is the long-term version, for stays of more than 180 days, and it must be converted into a residence permit after arrival. The dividing line is how long you plan to stay in China. It has nothing to do with how serious the condition is.
| S2 visa | S1 visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Planned stay in China | 180 days or less | More than 180 days |
| Fits | Surgery, a single course of treatment, short recovery | Long treatment or rehabilitation |
| After you arrive | Stay within the period printed on the visa | Apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry |
| If treatment runs long | Apply to extend at least 7 days before your stay ends | Extend the residence permit |
Sources: Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 6; Exit and Entry Administration Law, Articles 29 and 30; Chinese Visa Application Service Center. Last verified October 6, 2026.
Base the choice on the hospital's treatment plan. If the plan, including follow-up visits you need to attend in person, fits inside 180 days, the S2 is the visa to request. If the plan already runs past six months, apply for the S1 from the start. S2 extensions are capped at the length of stay printed on the original visa (see the extension section below).
An S1 holder applies for the residence permit at the exit-entry office of the local public security bureau, which is China's police authority for immigration matters. Missing the 30-day deadline leaves you without legal status to stay.
Can you get medical treatment in China visa-free?
Visa-free entry is not designed for treatment trips. As of October 2026, China's unilateral visa-free policy lets ordinary passport holders from 50 countries stay up to 30 days without a visa. The list includes the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has extended the policy to December 31, 2026. The permitted purposes are business, tourism, visiting family or friends, exchange visits and transit. Medical treatment is not on that list.
Chinese embassy guidance on the policy says anyone who plans to stay longer than 30 days should get a visa that matches their purpose before departure. Article 34 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law does let a visa-exempt visitor apply for a stay permit to remain past the visa-free period. The National Immigration Administration describes this for urgent reasons or force majeure. Approval depends on the case, so it is a fallback for emergencies and not a plan for a scheduled operation.
United Arab Emirates and Qatar passport holders can enter China for up to 30 days under mutual visa exemption agreements. If treatment is the reason for the trip, ask the Chinese embassy whether visa-free entry covers it before you book.
US citizens are not on the visa-free list. The 240-hour visa-free transit policy requires a confirmed onward ticket to a third country and keeps visitors inside designated areas, so it does not suit a hospital stay. Americans traveling for treatment should apply for an S2 or S1.
How to apply for an S2 or S1 visa for medical treatment
- Get a document from the Chinese hospital. Visa centers ask for a certificate of hospitalization or a certificate of the treatment you will receive, issued by the medical institution. If the hospital has an international department (the office that deals with foreign patients), ask there.
- Check your passport. It needs at least six months of remaining validity and blank visa pages.
- Complete the visa application form and get a photo that meets the visa center's specifications.
- Submit the application at the Chinese embassy, consulate or Chinese Visa Application Service Center that serves the place where you live.
- Answer any follow-up. Consular officers can ask for more documents or call you for an interview.
| Document | Issued by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Your government | At least 6 months of validity and blank visa pages |
| Visa application form and photo | You | Follow your local visa center's photo rules |
| Certificate of hospitalization or planned treatment | The Chinese hospital | The consular officer may ask for the original |
| Proof of kinship and an escort certificate | Civil records office and the same hospital | Only for family members traveling with the patient |
Sources: Chinese Visa Application Service Center checklists for S2 and S1 applications. Fees and processing times differ by country, so check the visa center page for your location.
What should a hospital invitation letter include?
A hospital invitation letter for a China visa needs three groups of details, according to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center. The first is about you (full name, gender, date of birth and passport number). The second is about the visit, including its purpose, planned arrival and departure dates, where you will stay, and who pays. The third is about the hospital, with its name, phone number, address and the signature of a hospital official.
A fax, photocopy or printout of the letter is accepted at submission, but the consular officer can ask for the original. Ask the hospital for the letter well before your visa appointment, because you cannot submit the application without it.
Up to two family members can travel with a patient on the same visa type if they bring proof of kinship and an escort certificate from the hospital. Friends and paid caregivers do not qualify.
Can I extend a China visa for medical treatment?
Yes, an S2 holder can apply for an extension if treatment takes longer than planned. Under Article 29 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, you apply at least seven days before your permitted stay ends. The application goes to the exit-entry office of the public security bureau where you are staying.
The regulations cap the total extension at the length of stay printed on the original visa, and the extension applies only to the current entry. A visa printed with a 90-day stay can therefore be extended by no more than 90 days in total. If the office refuses, you have to leave China when your current stay ends.
S1 holders who already have a residence permit apply to extend the permit instead of the visa.
In a private apartment you must register at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival, while hotels do this for you.
Common mistakes with a China medical visa
- Planning surgery on a tourist visa or a visa-free entry. The stated purpose of the trip does not match, and visa-free stays end at 30 days.