ChinaClarity
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Before you pay a deposit · Information, not medical advice

15 questions to ask any clinic in China before you pay a deposit.

These are questions, not answers we have already checked. A clinic that will not reply in writing is a reason to pause. Your notes stay in this browser. Printing the page does not send them to us.

Work through these with your clinic. Your notes stay on this page — print when done.

#1MedicationAsk, do not assume

Which of my prescription medicines should I ask about before I fly?

This page does not list banned or monitored drugs, and it does not quote a count of them. Ask the hospital, and check your own government's travel advice, before you pack. Get the answer in writing.

#2VisaAsk, do not assume

What invitation letter will you issue, and which visa should I confirm with my own visa centre?

This site does not tell you which visa to use. Ask the hospital what letter they will issue, and on what date. Then confirm the visa category with the Chinese visa centre for your passport.

#3InvoiceAsk, do not assume

Will I get an invoice my insurer will accept, and can I see a sample before I pay a deposit?

Do not assume every desk issues the paperwork your insurer wants. Ask to see a sample, with the hospital's name on it, before you pay.

#4RegisterAsk, do not assume

What is the hospital's licence number, and where can I check it myself?

Ask for the registration number and the public page that shows it. A ChinaClarity summary links the pages we have read. It is not a substitute for the register.

#5LanguageAsk, do not assume

Which parts of the stay are in English, and will I need my own interpreter?

Do not assume a large hospital works in English. Ask which staff, which forms, and which wards are in English, and whether a translator is included in the price.

#6PriceAsk, do not assume

Will you give me one written price for the whole stay, before I pay a deposit?

This site does not publish a China hospital tariff. Ask for the all-in figure in writing, including the ward, tests, medicines, and any extra desk fee.

#7How you payAsk, do not assume

Which cards, transfers, or local apps do you take, and is any fee extra?

This site does not publish a card-fee percentage. Ask what they accept, whether a deposit is due before the written price, and what the receipt will say.

#8After you fly homeAsk, do not assume

What will you still answer after I leave, and will I get the report and the imaging files?

Do not assume a remote clinic or a bilingual pack. Ask who replies, for how long, and in what file format your doctor at home can open the images.

#9Finding the clinicAsk, do not assume

Which campus, building, floor, and entrance is my appointment at?

Large hospitals have more than one site. Ask for the address in writing, and for a phone number that works on the day.

#10PaperworkAsk, do not assume

What should I bring, and what will you not accept?

Ask for a written list. Do not rely on a generic packing list from a website, including this one.

#11WaitingAsk, do not assume

What date will you actually offer, in writing?

This site does not publish a China waiting time. Ask for the next date they will offer, and what happens if that date moves.

#12Medicine to take homeAsk, do not assume

What will I be given to take home, and may I carry it into my own country?

Ask for the list before you leave. Check the import rules at home yourself. This page does not clear a medicine for travel.

#13ConsentAsk, do not assume

Will I be able to read the consent form in English before I sign?

If the form is only in Chinese, ask for a translation you can keep, or bring an interpreter who is not the person selling you the stay.

#14If something goes wrongAsk, do not assume

Who do I contact, and what is the complaint path, before I pay?

Ask for the name and the number. This page does not publish a national hotline for foreign patients.

#15EmergencyAsk, do not assume

What number do I call, and where is the emergency entrance?

120 is the public ambulance number in mainland China. English on that call is not guaranteed. Ask the hospital for its own emergency entrance and out-of-hours contact.

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