In short: a comprehensive checkup at a large Chinese public hospital usually takes one morning to one day, with endoscopy adding up to a second day. Many results are ready the same day or within a few days. With a coordinator, the whole trip, including results explained by a doctor and a few days of travel, fits into about five to seven days.
Why foreigners have their checkup in China
China's large public hospitals run dedicated checkup centres that see very high numbers of clients, with CT, MRI, ultrasound and endoscopy in the same building. Most of the hospitals in our guide hold Grade III, Class A, the highest rating in China's hospital system. Checkup packages at these hospitals usually cost well below comparable executive checkups in the US or the UK, and the price is quoted in writing before you travel.
The practical barriers for a foreign visitor are language, booking and finding your way around a very busy hospital. That is the part a coordinator handles.
The three programme levels
Exact tests vary by checkup centre, and the centre's doctors confirm the final list for your age, sex and medical history.
| Programme | Typical content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Physical examination; blood count, liver, kidney, blood sugar and cholesterol; urine and stool tests; ECG; abdominal ultrasound and chest X-ray | One morning |
| Comprehensive | Everything in Essential, plus thyroid, carotid artery and heart ultrasound; tumour markers chosen by the doctor; bone density and eye examination; women's or men's health checks | One day |
| Advanced | Everything in Comprehensive, plus low-dose chest CT; MRI where the doctor advises it; gastroscopy and colonoscopy, with sedation available; heart imaging for those at higher risk | One to two days |
CT is only recommended when the benefit outweighs the radiation risk. See our checkup programmes for the full comparison.
What the checkup day looks like
- The evening before: no food after dinner; water is usually fine. Your coordinator confirms the exact instructions from the centre.
- Early morning: registration with your passport, then blood tests first, while you are still fasting.
- Through the morning: ultrasound, ECG, X-ray and the other tests, usually all in one building. Your coordinator stays with you and interprets at every station.
- Late morning: breakfast once the fasting tests are done. Imaging and endoscopy, if included, follow.
Results and your report
- Many results are ready the same day or within a few days; some, such as pathology, take longer and are sent to you after you fly home.
- A doctor goes through the results with you, in person or by video, with your coordinator interpreting.
- The full report is translated into English, or another language on request, with every value and reference range kept as reported.
- Images from your programme's X-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI are copied in DICOM, the standard format any doctor at home can open, where the centre provides them.
If the checkup finds something
If a finding needs treatment, we arrange it at a leading public hospital in the same city, or at the right specialist centre elsewhere in China. If it is not urgent, you take the translated report and your scans home to your own doctor. BeWellTrip coordinates; diagnosis and treatment are by the hospitals' doctors.
A typical trip
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival, airport pickup, hotel; a briefing on fasting and what to bring |
| Day 2 | Checkup day, coordinator at your side |
| Day 3 onwards | Explore the city while your report is prepared |
| Before you fly | A doctor explains your results; specialist referral if needed |
Kunming and Chongqing are our home cities; we also arrange checkups in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu. See ideas for the days after your checkup.
Visas and entry
Ordinary-passport holders from about 50 countries can currently enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting family or transit; this policy runs until 31 December 2026. Travellers from 57 countries can also use 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when flying on to a third country, through 65 designated ports. Other nationalities need a visa. Rules change often: tell us your nationality and we check which route applies. More in our visa-free entry guide and Before you arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Chinese?
How much does it cost?
Can my partner or family have a checkup too?
How far ahead should I book?
Sources: China National Immigration Administration via Shanghai Municipal Government, 240-hour visa-free transit and August 2026 update; China Briefing, visa-free travel guide. Programme content and timings: BeWellTrip.